Obituaries
Jerry W. Ward
Jerry W. Ward, 67, of Parsons died at 2:55 p.m. Friday, March 29, 2013, at Labette Health in Parsons. Among his survivors is his wife, Cleo Ward of the home. Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Parsons will announce further obituary information and arrangements later.
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Donna Harrell
Donna Harrell, 70, of Parsons was found dead at her home Thursday afternoon. Death was unexpected. She was born on May 12, 1942, in Tulsa to Jim and Peggy (Williams) Davis. The family moved to Parsons when she was 5 years old. She graduated from Parsons High School in 1960 and from Parsons Junior College. Her father was a well known columnist at the Parsons Sun for many years. She was married to Mervyn Giltner from 1962 to 1978. On Jan. 1, 198...
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Vickie Sue McCarter
Vickie Sue McCarter of Parsons, 56, died on Friday, March 29, 2013, at Elmhaven West nursing home. She was born on April 9, 1957, in Parsons to Deloris McCarter-Blaich. She graduated from Labette County High School. Survivors include two sons, Allan Farran of Parsons and Russell Farran of Galesburg; a daughter, Renea Whitaker of Parsons; 10 grandchildren; and a sister, Christy Cannon. There is no service planned.
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Amelia L. Peterson
CHERRYVALE — Amelia L. Peterson, 79, of rural Cherryvale died at 6:38 a.m. Thursday, March 28, 2013, at Oswego Community Hospital. She had been in failing health. She was born on Dec. 14, 1933, at Faulkner to Leslie E. and Fern P. (Harrington) Smith. She grew up near Columbus and attended country and Columbus schools, graduating from Cherokee County Community High School in 1951. She briefly lived at Parsons and worked at the Kansas Ordnan...
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Amelia L. Peterson
CHERRYVALE — Amelia L. Peterson, 79, of rural Cherryvale died at 6:38 a.m. Thursday, March 28, 2013, at Oswego Community Hospital. She had been in failing health. Among her survivors is her husband, Harold Peterson of the home. The service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Carson-Wall Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery at Cherryvale. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials are sug...
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Claude Lee ‘Bob’ Bates III
OSWEGO — Claude Lee “Bob” Bates III, 64, of Oswego died at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, 2013, at his home.  He was born on Sept. 19, 1948, in Pryor, Okla., to Claude Lee Bates Jr. and Helen (Baker) Bates. He grew up and attended school in Pryor and Bristow, Okla., and graduated high school in Sarcoxie, Mo. He then served in the U.S. Navy. In the 1970s, he assisted his father at Bates Funeral Home in Chetopa. He then worked at Atlas Steel in Os...
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Claude Lee ‘Bob’ Bates III
OSWEGO — Claude Lee “Bob” Bates III, 64, of Oswego died at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, 2013, at his home. He is survived by his wife, Susan Bates of the home. The service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Oswego Community Center. Friends may call at their convenience from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa. The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Oswego Community Center. Family and...
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Clella Fay Zietz
POMONA, Calif. — Clella Fay Zietz, 71, of Pomona, Calif., died on Friday, March 22, 2013, at Pomona Valley Hospital in Pomona. She was born June 7, 1941, in Wilson County to Clyde and Esther Heck. She graduated from Thayer High School. She married William A. “Bill” Zietz on Sept. 27, 1977, in Las Vegas. He survives of the home. Clella enjoyed cooking, crocheting, fishing, gardening and her cats. Other survivors are a son, Michael Lee Hale of P...
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Eugene M. ‘Gene’ Bortmes
OSWEGO — Eugene M. “Gene” Bortmes, 89, of Oswego, formerly of Tulsa, died at 5:10 p.m. Friday, March 22, 2013, at his home. He was born on April 2, 1923, in rural Chandler, Okla., to Merle A. and Viola (Dye) Bortmes. He grew up and attended school in Chandler and continued his education at Oklahoma State University, where he earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering. Through the years, he worked at Douglas Aviation, Rockwell Aerospace a...
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Albert J. Miller
ATTICA — Albert J. Miller, 86, of Attica died Sunday, March 24, 2013, at Attica Long Term Care in Attica. He was born on Oct. 29, 1926, in Strauss to Albert Pearl and Edna Frances (Bigham) Miller. He worked for an electric company for 27 years, retiring from Aquilla in 1988. He served in the Army during World War II. On June 20, 1948, he married Arlene Rexwinkle at Oswego. She survives. Other survivors include a son, Keith Miller of Medicine L...
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Karen Kay Myers
CHERRYVALE — Karen Kay Myers, 62, of Cherryvale died Monday, March 11, 2013, at Mercy Hospital, Independence. She was born on Feb. 17, 1951, in Parsons to Keith O. and May L. (Kimmell) Knetzer. She grew up in Erie, attended Erie schools and graduated from Parsons High School. On March 13, 1974, in Erie she married Bobby Myers, and the couple made their home in rural Cherryvale. He survives of the home. She was the owner and operator of a flea ...
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Virginia A. Bohrer
TOPEKA — Virginia A. Bohrer, 94, a former resident of Parsons and Overland Park, died at 10:02 a.m. Friday, March 22, 2013, at Aldersgate Village in Topeka. She was born on July 9, 1918, in Parsons to Will and Emma Belle (Reeves) King. She graduated from Parsons High School in 1936 and from Parsons Junior College in 1938. She married Charles D. Bohrer, also a Parsons native, at Camp A.P. Hill, Va., on Oct. 6, 1942. They lived in Parsons for a ...
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John L. Miller
John L. Miller, 74, of Noble, Okla., died on Monday, March 4, 2013, at Norman Specialty Hospital. He worked as a greeter at Wal-Mart in Parsons. There will be a memorial service at 2 p.m. Saturday at Watson Memorial Church of God in Christ, 2215 Appleton.
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Marvin Dale Lynam
MARSHFIELD, Mo. — Marvin Dale Lynam, 90, of Marshfield, Mo., formerly of Parsons, died at 7:20 p.m. Friday, March 22, 2013, at Webco Manor in Marshfield. He was born on Oct. 8, 1922, in Caldwell to Leslie Earl and Emma (Moore) Lynam. He was the fourth of nine children. On Aug. 12, 1943, he married Mildred Louise Tracy in Independence. She preceded him in death on Aug. 16, 1962. Marvin served in the Army Air Corp as a gunner on a B-17 Bomber, s...
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Ralph Henry Spear
LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — Ralph Henry Spear, 76, of Lee’s Summit, Mo., died on Friday, March 22, 2013.  He was born on July 25, 1936, to Thelma (Taylor) and Alfred Spear, the second of five children, and grew up in Parsons. In 1959, he married Marjean  Basore of Wichita, and they raised their family in Parsons and Lee’s Summit, Mo. She preceded him in death. Survivors include a daughter, Tracey Casey (Lee) of Isle of Wight County, Va.; a son, Deric ...
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Virginia A. (King) Bohrer
Virginia A. (King) Bohrer, 94, a former Parsons resident, died at 10:02 a.m. Friday, March 22, 2013, at Aldersgate Village in Topeka. She was the widow of Charles D. Bohrer, who preceded her in death on Oct. 19, 1993. The service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Carson-Wall Funeral Home, with burial to follow in Memorial Lawn Cemetery. The funeral home will announce complete obituary details later.
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Vanonda P. Baker
CAMANO ISLAND, Wash. — Vanonda P. Baker, 98, of Camano Island, Wash., formerly of Pittsburg, died on March 18, 2013, at Crestview Adult Family Care Center in Camano Island. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leland Baker. The graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Edna Elm Grove Cemetery under the direction of Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Altamont. Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.
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Vanonda P. Baker
CAMANO ISLAND, Wash. — Vanonda P. Baker, 98, of Camano Island, Wash., formerly of Pittsburg, died on March 18, 2013, at Crestview Adult Family Care Center in Camano Island. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leland Baker. The graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Edna Elm Grove Cemetery under the direction of Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Altamont. Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.
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Melba L. Hoss
TOPEKA — Melba L. Hoss, 65, of Topeka died on Monday, March 18, 2013, at Midland Hospice House. She was born on Sept. 23, 1947, in Oswego to Cecil and Mabel Winters Gillespie. She attended Pittsburg State University and graduated from Washburn University. On July 22, 1967, she married Terry Hoss. They enjoyed more than 45 years together. He survives. She was an examiner for 22 years with SRS and retired in 2010. Melba, KAØBAT, was active in m...
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The Rev. Don V. Bumgarner
HUNTSVILLE, Ark. — The Rev. Don V. Bumgarner, 94, of Huntsville, Ark., died on Friday, March 15, 2013, at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville, Ark. He was born Feb. 24, 1919, in Corwin to Frank and D. Mary (Pasley) Bumgarner. He graduated from Attica High School in 1937 and received a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in music from Bethel College in North Newton in 1942. He attended United Theological (Bonebrake) Semin...
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