Obituaries

Dec 1, 2021

Andrew James Huaracha, 52, passed away Wednesday, December 1, 2021, at a Topeka hospital.

Andrew was born August 5, 1969, in Chappell NE, the son of Guadalupe Remijo Huaracha and Delores Marie Rivera Huaracha.  Andrew was raised in Chappell where he graduated from high school.  He joined the United States Marine Corps at the age of 17 and...

Dec 1, 2021

Loretta Kleinsmith, age 91, passed away peacefully on. December 1, 2021, at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka, Kansas.

Loretta was a strong and amazing woman who was blessed to live a long, full life. She was the 3rd oldest of 14 children, born on May 27, 1930 to Joseph and Victoria Papen of Sheridan, Oregon.  Loretta was a...

Nov 29, 2021

It is with heavy hearts we mourn the passing of Rossville Police Officer Kerry Dick. Officer Dick died Monday, November 29, 2021, at a local hospital of natural causes; he was 53 years old.

He was born December 10, 1967, at Wichita, the son of Edgar and Phyllis (Boggs) Dick. The Dick family moved to Wamego when...

Nov 28, 2021

Silver Lake—Jerry L. Dick, 83, passed away Sunday, November 28, 2021 at his home in Silver Lake.

He was born August 6, 1938, in Topeka, the son of William “Bill” and Alverine Tibbets Dick.  Jerry was raised in Topeka and attended Highland Park High School and graduated from Lecompton High.  Jerry excelled in sports and even played...

Nov 26, 2021

Hazel Marie Anderson Worthington, 82, passed away peacefully among her family and friends Friday, November 26, 2021.

Hazel was born May 3, 1939, in Kimeo, KS the daughter of Otis and Maxine Heath Anderson.

Hazel loved being a mother, grandmother, great grandmother and homemaker. While her children were in school, she worked with the school...

Nov 25, 2021

Emma L. (Pageler) Yocum went to be with her Lord and Heavenly family on Thanksgiving night, November 25, 2021, at the St. Marys Manor.

Emma was born on January 5, 1934, on a farm north of Belvue, KS and spent her entire life in the St. Marys, KS area.  She was the only daughter of Reinhardt and Vaneta (Cox)...

Nov 25, 2021

Mary E. Deiter, 82, passed away Thursday, November 25, 2021, at the Overland Park Regional Hospital.

She was born June 3, 1939, Wagner, OK, the daughter of William “Tooter” and Ruby L. Cron Nichols.  Mary graduated from Tulsa High School.  She moved to Kansas in the early 70’s.

Mary worked in retail sales.  She worked in...

Nov 24, 2021

Vena M. Willingham, 86, passed away Wednesday, November 24, 2021, at her home in Topeka.

Vena was born December 11, 1934, in St. Marys, the daughter of Edward and Martha Mullen Rogers.  She grew up in St. Marys, attended Immaculate Conception Catholic Grade School and graduated from St. Marys High School.

Vena was employed by the...

Nov 22, 2021

Catherine Ann “Kay” Wild, 85, passed away Monday, November 22, 2021, at the St. Marys Manor.

Kay was born July 28, 1936, at home in rural Jackson County Kansas, the daughter of John T. and Catherine V. O’Connor Jacobson.  She grew up in Delia where she attended grade school and moved to Topeka where she attended Sacred...

Nov 20, 2021

Beth Ann Boudreau, 61, passed away Saturday, November 20, 2021, at a Topeka Hospital.

Beth was born January 25, 1960, in Rome NY, the daughter of James F. and Billie J. Waetzig Boudreau.  She had lived in Topeka many years.

Beth was preceded in death by her father, James Boudreau, and her grandparents.

She...

Nov 19, 2021

Gerald “Jerry” Patrick Golberg peacefully passed away on November 19, 2021 after having received the last sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church.  Surrounded by his loving family and friends praying the rosary, he blessed himself with the sign of the cross and clung to his rosary.

Jerry was born in Rochester, Minnesota to Selmar Leonard Golberg and Ethel...

Nov 16, 2021

Julia Y. Kabance, of St. Mary’s, KS, received her last rites and died peacefully in her sleep on November 16, 2021, at the age of 111. She was the oldest living member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, a great source of pride for her. She was also the oldest known female US veteran, having served in both the...

Nov 8, 2021

Lieu Alvarez was born on 12 January, 1943 in Phan Thiet, Viet Nam. She was the second of 12 children. She was raised a Buddhist though the family had contact with the French colonialists and as an extension, the Catholic Faith though only peripherally. Yet the family respected the foreign occupiers and emulated them in business though not in...

Nov 5, 2021

Joan (Coogan) Smith, 86, passed away Friday, November 5, 2021 at her home.

She was born February 2, 1935 in Newark, New Jersey the daughter of Edward J. and Eva Leitheuser Coogan.

Requiem Mass will be at 10:30 A.M. Friday, November 12, 2021 at Piper Funeral Home in St. Marys.  Burial will be in Mt....

Nov 4, 2021

Jerome Patrick Werick, 38, passed away Thursday, November 4, 2021, at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City.

Patrick was born to Kevin and Carol Ekman Werick in Topeka, on August 18, 1983.  He graduated from St. Marys Academy in 2001.  After years of travel and doing odd-jobs here and there, he studied at Kansas State University, Manhattan, and earned a BS in 2009, with a major in journalism and a minor in creative writing.

Nov 3, 2021

Carlon E. “Tigg” Neuendorf II, passed away Tuesday, November 2, 2021, in Topeka.

He was born July 15, 1984, inTopeka, the son of Carlon E. and Cathy VandeVelde Neuendorf.  Tigg was raised in Northeast Kansas and graduated from Lyndon High School where he played baseball, basketball and was an all-state football player. Tigg attended Washburn University in...

Nov 3, 2021

Michael "Mike/Moose" Paulsen, 52, of Rossville, passed away Wednesday, November 3, 2021, at his rural Rossville home, surrounded by his family.

He was born January 28, 1969, in Manhattan KS, and grew up in the Saint Marys community. He was a graduate of Saint Marys High School in 1987. He attended Junior College at Butler Community College...

Oct 31, 2021

Aaron Michael Petit, 36, passed away on October 31, 2021, from complications from a head injury.

He was born in Glens Falls, NY on July 17, 1985, to Leo and Denise Petit. Aaron grew up in St. Mary’s from the time he was three years old and was often seen accompanying his dad on jobs around town....

Oct 30, 2021

Lawrence Rodriguez Garcia Jr., 67, passed away Saturday, October 30, 2021, at his home in St. Marys, Kansas.

He was born October 22, 1954, at Monterey, CA., the son of Lawrence Garcia Sr., and Dolores Rodriguez Garcia.  Lawrence was raised in Brawley, CA.

Mr. Garcia was an assistant manager for the State of California Department of...

Oct 23, 2021

Shane D. Hier, 54, Maple Hill passed away on Saturday, October 23rd, 2021.

Shane was born November 6,1966 in Swedish Hospital, Englewood, Colorado. He lived in Sedalia, Colorado until the family moved to Maple Hill when he was 6 years old.

He attended St. Mary’s High School, graduating in 1985. Shane was very athletic and...