Jimmie E. Johnston, 80, of rural Edna, died at 12:10 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009, at his home, following a short battle with acute leukemia.

He was born Aug. 9, 1928, near Bartlett to Vernon and Myrtle (Layton) Johnston. As a young boy, he grew up in the Bartlett-Edna area. He attended Ellis Grade School and was a 1946 graduate of Labette County Community High School in Altamont. He was a farmer and stockman his entire life, and also worked various jobs during the winter months.

Jimmie was a member of Bartlett United Methodist Church, where he served as a church trustee. He was currently serving as president of the Lake Creek Cemetery Association. Johnston was a longtime member of the Labette County Farm Bureau Association, served on the board of directors and as president, and represented the Third District on the Kansas Farm Bureau State Marketing Committee. In 1969, he was honored as Kansas Farm Bureau Leader of the Year.

Johnston had been a member of the Bartlett Cooperative Association since its organization and served several years on the board of directors and as president. In 1967, he helped organize Rural Water District No. 8 and served 10 years as chairman of the board. He also served on the board of directors for the Farmers Home Administration, Labette County Extension Council, Ellis Consolidated No. 4 School District, Farm Management Association District No. 6, and the Labette County Crop Scouting Association. He also served as a community and project leader for the Foland Fliers 4-H club.

Johnston received soil conservation awards from Goodyear, Kansas Bankers Association and the Parsons Kiwanis Club. He was recognized by the Kansas Beef Awards Program for his livestock feeding program. In 1975, he was recognized by Who's Who in Kansas for his community activities. He also was interviewed by Kansas Farmer magazine for a feature story on farm policy views.

He enjoyed woodworking, carpentry and gardening, and, in his younger years, enjoyed playing on a men's fastpitch softball team. He especially enjoyed attending his grandchildren's sporting events and other activities.

He married Lucile Darlene Allison on March 28, 1948. She preceded him in death April 25, 1992. He married Betty (Kimrey) Testerman on Aug. 9, 1998, at their home. She survives of the home.

Other survivors include two daughters, Mona Marie Owens and her husband, Bill, of rural Edna and Mary Lea York and her husband, Jim, of rural Thayer; two stepdaughters, Connie Wyckoff and her husband, Kirk, of Parsons and Denise Hope of Bartlett; four grandchildren, Angie Dillon and her husband, Rob, Lisa Chapman and her husband, Marshall, Dallas York and Jamie Owens and his wife, Lynda; seven stepgrandchildren, Jimmy Jarman and his wife, Tiffani, Kenton Jarman and his wife, Holly, Doug Jarman and Jennifer "Nicole," Christopher, Samantha and Stephanie Hope; six great-grandchildren, Shelby and Chelsea Chapman, Tanim and Connor Dillon, Jade York and Will Owens; 10 stepgreat-grandchildren, Jenna, Amber, Chelsea, Matthew, Caleb and Jona Jarman and Zachary, Hope, Elizabeth and Van Renfro; two brothers, Paul Johnston and his wife, Evelyn, of Lawrence and Dale Johnston and his wife, Marlyn Kay, of Coffeyville; a brother-in-law, Ron Allison and his wife, Carol, of Coffeyville; a sister-in-law, Wilma Allison of Altamont; and an uncle, Harold Layton of Caney.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Bennie Johnston, on Oct. 12, 2007.

The service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Bartlett United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Lake Creek Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Altamont.

Memorials are suggested to Bartlett United Methodist Church or Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice and may be left at or mailed to the funeral home, P.O. Box 325, Altamont, 67330.

Harold L. Axtell

Harold L. Axtell, 81, of Climax Springs, Mo., formerly of Altamont, died at 7:25 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009, at Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach, Mo.

He was born July 7, 1927, at Altamont to Lee and Golda (Brown) Axtell. He grew up in Altamont and graduated from Labette County Community High School in 1945.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1946 to 1947 in Italy. He lived in Wichita, where he worked as a mechanic for a Ford dealership there. He also worked for Boeing Aircraft in Wichita, Ryan Aviation in California and Aerosmith Aviation in Salt Lake City. He retired from Murdock Inc. in Compton, Calif., in 1982.

Following his retirement, he moved to the Lake of the Ozarks and had lived there since. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and helping his neighbors and friends. He belonged to the Masonic Lodge in his early years.

Survivors include a sister, Carol Salsbery and her husband, Kenneth, of Parsons; several nieces and nephews; and several great-nieces and great-nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother and two sisters.

The service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Altamont. Friends may call at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons after 11 a.m. Monday.

Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association or the American Diabetes Association and may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, 67357.

Carl Lovejoy

Carl Lovejoy, 64, of Parsons died at 8:19 a.m. Friday, Feb. 6, 2009, at the Elmhaven West nursing home in Parsons. He had been in failing health.

He was born on July 28, 1944, at St. George, Utah, to Elijah Bishop and Emily Pearl (Houston) Lovejoy. He grew up and attended school at St. George.

He was employed in maintenance as a groundskeeper.

He married Gloria Head on Dec. 10, 1977, at Kansas City, Mo. They later divorced.

Survivors include his former wife.Gloria Lovejoy of Parsons; and his daughter, Amber Lea Fletcher of Jefferson City, Mo.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Cremation will take place. No services are scheduled. Arrangements are under the direction of Carson-Wall Funeral Home of Parsons.

Samuel E. Long

CARTERVILLE, Mo. -- Samuel E. Long, 34, of Carterville died Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009, from injuries suffered in a head-on collision west of Columbus.

A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Community of Christ Church, Second and Oronogo, in Webb City, Mo.

The Mason-Woodard Funeral Home of Joplin is in charge of some arrangements.