Obituaries
Ron Craven
ERIE — Ron Craven, 61, a lifelong Erie resident, died unexpectedly at 7:11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, in the emergency room at Labette Health in Parsons. He was born on July 9, 1951, at Parsons to Verle and Helen (Shaw) Craven. He grew up at Erie and attended Erie schools, graduating from Erie High School in 1969. He attended Kansas State College of Pittsburg (Pittsburg State University) and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business admi...
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Paul LeRoy Johnston
LAWRENCE — Paul LeRoy Johnston, 78, of rural Lawrence died Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012, at his home. He was born on June 8, 1934, at home in rural Bartlett. Between these dates he lived a full and productive life. Paul attended grade school in Bartlett. While growing up, he was a member of the Country Pals 4-H Club in Labette County. He was active in the livestock, leadership and citizenship projects and was president of a state 4-H organization. ...
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Patricia A. Drake
Patricia A. Drake, 59, of Parsons died on Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012, in Parsons. She was born on Dec. 21, 1952, to Nathan and Elizabeth (Garoutte) Hurst in Wichita. Patricia dedicated her life to her family and friends. Survivors include her parents; four children, Carrie Drake, Kimberly Morales, Nathan Drake and Denise Huskey and her husband, Steven; 11 grandchildren, Joseph, Clayton, Justice, Cassell Jr., Estephon, Tanner, Chase, Aidan, Crist...
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Wendell E. Hughes
TULSA — Wendell E. Hughes, 74, of Tulsa, formerly of Chetopa, died at 3:10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012, at Maplewood Care Center in Tulsa. He was born on Sept. 14, 1938, in Opp, Ala., to Johnnie L. and Annie Lee (Sasser) Hughes. He was a 1957 graduate of Chetopa High School. Following high school, he served in the U.S. Army. He had worked as produce manager at Albertson’s Grocery Store. He married Francis Getto on Feb. 5, 1965, in Oswego. Sh...
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Joseph M. ‘Joe’ Mayfield
CHETOPA — Joseph M. “Joe” Mayfield, 82, of Chetopa died at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 23, 2012, at Chetopa Manor. He had been in failing health. He was born on Aug. 10, 1930, in rural Cherokee County to Claude and Charlotte (Miller) Mayfield. He was raised in Chetopa and graduated from Chetopa High School. He did construction and plumbing work. He married Betty Jo Ballard on Aug. 7, 1949, in Chetopa. She preceded him in death on April 22, 1988. He...
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Donald C. Stacy
CHERRYVALE — Donald C. Stacy, 82, of Cherryvale died on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, at his home. Donald Clyde Stacy was born on Feb. 24, 1930, in Labette County to Clarence Stacy and Essie (Frew) Stacy. He grew up in Cherryvale and graduated from Cherryvale High School in 1948. He served in the U.S. Army from Sept. 10, 1948, until honorably discharged Sept. 11, 1951, attaining the rank of sergeant. On Aug. 29, 1952, at Pasco, Wash., he married Ma...
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Wendell Hughes
CHETOPA — Wendell Hughes, 73, of Chetopa died at 3:10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012, at Maplewood Care Center in Tulsa. Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home of Chetopa will announce further obituary details and funeral arrangements later.
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Joseph Mayfield
CHETOPA — Joseph Mayfield, 82, of Chetopa died at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 23, 2012, at Chetopa Manor nursing home in Chetopa. The service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa. Family will receive friends from 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. The funeral home will announce further obituary details later.
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Howard L. Blundell Jr.
COLUMBUS — Howard L. Blundell Jr., 64, of Columbus, formerly of Chetopa, died at 3:42 p.m. Monday, Nov. 19, 2012, at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Oklahoma City.  He was born on June 10, 1948, in Chetopa to Howard Blundell Sr. and Goldie Maxine (Baker) Blundell. He was a 1967 graduate of Chetopa High School and earned an associate’s degree from Labette Community College. During the Vietnam War, he served in the U.S. Army.  He w...
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Dean E. Westhoff
NORTHBRIDGE, Mass. — Dean E. Westhoff, 47, of Whitinsville, Mass., died unexpectedly at his home on Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012. He was born on July 24, 1965, in Parsons to Bernard and Lois (Miller) Westhoff. He was raised in Cherryvale and graduated from Labette County High School in 1986. He served honorably with the U.S. Army from 1986 to 1989, earning the rank of sergeant and an Army Achievement Medal and Parachutist Badge, among other decoratio...
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Margaret Jeanne Russell
ALTOONA — Margaret Jeanne Russell, 84, a longtime resident of rural Altoona, died Sunday, Nov. 18, 2012, at St. Joseph Medical Center in Kansas City, Mo. She was born on Sept. 1, 1928, in Neodesha to Harry and Agnes “Marie” (Steele) Green. She was a 1946 graduate of Altoona High School. On Oct. 17, 1954, at Altoona United Methodist Church, she married Floyd Arthur Russell. He preceded her in death on May 26, 2011. She was employed at the Ga...
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Patrick J. ‘Pat’ OBrien
Patrick J. “Pat” OBrien, 64, of Parsons died at 11:43 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, at Parsons Good Samaritan Society.  He was born on Feb. 8, 1948, in Labette County to John and Grace (Cleannan) OBrien. He lived in Parsons his entire life and worked as a self-employed painter. Through the years, he lived with his dear friends, the Heiskells. He was preceded in death by his parents. The funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Patrick’s Cat...
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Patrick J. ‘Pat’ OBrien
Patrick J. “Pat” OBrien, 64, of Parsons died at 11:43 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, at Parsons Good Samaritan Society. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Grace (Cleannan) OBrien. The funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Parsons. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery.  Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons will announce complete obituary details later. Online condolences may be left at www.forbes...
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June Volz
MOUND VALLEY — June Volz, 75, a lifelong resident of Mound Valley, died unexpectedly at her home Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012.  She was born on Feb. 13, 1937, in Mound Valley to Leonard and Ann (Blake) Billingsly. She grew up and attended school in Mound Valley and was a 1955 graduate of Mound Valley High School. She worked 28 years at the former Automotive Controls in Independence until retiring in the late 1990s. She enjoyed gardening, working ou...
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Shirley Sue (Burgess) Froelich
OSWEGO — Shirley Sue (Burgess) Froelich, 76, died at 3:10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012, at Deseret Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Oswego, following an illness. She was born on Sept. 2, 1936, in Iola to Eugene and Clara (Wilson) Burgess. She graduated from Iola High School in 1954.  She worked at Rexall Drug, Iola, for several years before moving to Oswego in 1969. She worked at Groomers Ben Franklin and then at Don Froe Liquor Store. She l...
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Mina P. Adams
TOPEKA — Mina P. Adams, 92, of Topeka passed away Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2012. She was born Nov. 14, 1920, in Catesby, Okla., to Robert Dyral and Nellie Frances (Lightfoot) Baker. She married Donald Wayne Adams on March 31, 1940. During their 60 years of marriage, they lived in Galesburg and Parsons and spent 56 years on the family farm northwest of Altamont. She worked at Fred Ronald Manufacturing in Parsons as floor supervisor and engineer unt...
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Rosella A. Kelly
Rosella A. Kelly, 96, a longtime Parsons resident, died at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012, at Villa Theresa in O’Fallon, Mo., with her loving family by her side. She was born in Tipton to John Baptist and Katherine Ann (Hake) Steichen. She grew up in Tipton, where she attended school and was a graduate of Tipton High School. In 1938, she graduated from St. Johns School of Nursing in Salina. As a registered nurse, she worked in St. Joseph, Mo...
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Marlene L. (Kerschen) McClure
PITTSBURG — Marlene L. (Kerschen) McClure, 75, of Pittsburg died at 9:35 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012, at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg of a sudden illness. She was born on Dec. 15, 1936, in Garden Plain to Albert and Gertrude (Strunk) Kerschen. She had been a resident of Pittsburg since 1976. She was a registered nurse and received a master’s degree from Indiana University. Ms. McClure taught in the nursing department at Pittsburg State ...
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Nadine Crooks
Nadine Crooks, 90, of Parsons died at 5:40 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012, at Good Samaritan Society in Parsons. She was born on Feb. 6, 1922, in Aurora, Mo., to John Frederick and Zora (Tucker) Lonberg. She grew up in the Verona, Mo., and Miami, Okla., areas and graduated from Verona High School. Following graduation, she came to Parsons to attend Parsons Business College. On April 9, 1946, she married Leonidas Crooks Jr. in Phoenix. After t...
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Rosella A. Kelly
Rosella A. Kelly, 96, formerly of Parsons, died at 9:55 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012, at Villa Theresa Nursing Home in O’Fallon, Mo., where she had resided the past few weeks. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Bernard Kelly, on Dec. 19, 1971.  Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home will announce complete obituary details and funeral arrangements later. Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.
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