Obituaries

Jun 11, 2014

Rev. Kenneth Walker FSSP, 28, died Wednesday, June 11, 2014 in Phoenix, AZ., as a result of injuries he received in a break-in at the Mater Misericordia Parish Rectory in Phoenix. He was born September 13, 1985 at Poughkeepsie, NY, the son of Thomas Walker and Marypat Luber. He was baptized on October 13 of the same year at St....

Jun 10, 2014

Eskridge-Gary Alan Goodspeed, 60, passed away Tuesday, June 10, 2014 in an auto accident near Eskridge. Gary was born September 18, 1953 in Bradenton, FL., the son of Donald and Patricia Brownell Goodspeed. He grew up in Pennsylvania and had lived in the Eskridge community for many years. Gary worked as a supervisor and crew chief for Ultimate Rentals in...

May 30, 2014

Mary Jo Cooke, 61, passed away Friday, May 30, 2014 at a Topeka Hospital. She was born January 6, 1953 at Wamego, the daughter of Walter and Rosanna Shields Flach. She grew up in the Paxico community and graduated from Paxico High School in 1971. Mary Jo attended Kansas State Teachers College at Emporia. Mary Jo worked for Blue Cross/Blue...

May 17, 2014

St. Marys-- Margaret A. Tomson, 94, passed away Saturday, May 17, 2014 at the St. Marys Manor. She was born January 22, 1920 at St. Marys one of 13 children of John Richard and Mary Veronica Brunin Dohrman. Mrs. Tomson graduated from Immaculate Conception Catholic High School in St. Marys. She had worked at the St. Marys Manor and retired...

May 14, 2014

St. Marys-Kenneth Melvin Kling, 81, passed away Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at the St. Marys Manor. He was born April 11, 1933 at Wetmore the youngest of 11 children of Herbert C. and Beryl Williams Kling. Kenny graduated from Wetmore High School in 1951. Mr. Kling worked at Morrill's Packing plant until the plant closed due to the July 14,...

May 8, 2014

Rossville- Thora Vivian Parr Stadler, 95, passed away Thursday, May 8, 2014 at the Rossville Healthcare and Rehab Center. She was born December 31, 1918 at Rossville, the daughter of Shirley O. and Edna James Parr. Mrs. Stadler attended all 12 grades of school in Rossville. She was united in marriage to George Stadler on May 6, 1939. They moved...

Apr 19, 2014

Rossville-Nancy D. (Conner) Pelfrey, 55, passed away Saturday, April 19, 2014 at her home near Rossville after a 16 year battle with cancer.

She was born on January 10, 1959 at Waco, TX, the daughter of Elbert and Opal Stem Conner. Nancy graduated from Wabaunsee High School.

Nancy was an LPN for Cotton-O'Neil for 22...

Apr 15, 2014

Stan Matel, 65, passed away Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at the University Of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City.

He was born July 2, 1948 at Grand Rapids, MI, and grew up in Ann Arbor. He graduated from Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, CA. Stan served in the United States Marine Corp serving two tours of...

Apr 9, 2014

Benjamin Joseph Simecka, 88, passed away on Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at the Rolling Hills Manor in Topeka. He was born May 23, 1925 in Delia, Kansas, the son of Joseph and Mary (Cander) Simecka. Ben graduated from Delia High School in 1943 and farmed on the "Home Place" until retirement. On June 1, 1949 he was united in...

Apr 9, 2014

St. Marys-Catherine L. DeVader, 82, passed away Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at the St. Marys Manor.

She was born January 10, 1932 on a farm south of Rossville the youngest of 10 children of Henry and Edith Burns Martin. Catherine attended Rossville Schools.

She and her husband Joe owned and operated C&J Café in Emmett...

Apr 9, 2014

Maple Hill- Donna D. Tarbutton, 82, passed away Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at the St. Marys Manor.

She was born November 10, 1931 at Spivey, the daughter of Ross and Lota Pepper Vanlandingham. Donna grew up in Spivey and graduated from Kingman High School in 1949. She graduated from Wesley School of Nursing at Wichita in 1942....

Mar 23, 2014

St. Marys-Effie M. Heim, 85, passed away Sunday, March 23, 2014 at the Community Hospital in St. Marys.

She was born May 5, 1928 at Paxico one of seven children of Herbert J "Pat" and Mabel D. Wilt Wrench. She was a graduate of Paxico High School, and attended Strickler Business College.

Effie was employed...

Mar 23, 2014

Marjorie Pearl Guerich, 91, of St. Marys, died March 23 after an extended illness. "Marj" passed away peacefully at the St. Marys Manor surrounded by family members. Born November 1, 1922, on a farm in Sandy Hook, near Rossville, Marj was the eldest of six children of Thomas M. and Florence G. Doyle Pearl. She attended James Grade School...

Mar 17, 2014

Maxine R. Flanary passed away Monday, March 17, 2014 in Manhattan. She was at the Bramlage House at Meadow Lark Hills after a short stay in the hospital from a fractured hip.

Mrs. Flanary was born February 13, 1922 at Emmett, the daughter of Godfrey A and Rose Schoemann Rezac. She grew up in the Emmett community...

Mar 17, 2014

St. Marys-Frances Brunin died Monday, March 17, 2014 at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka.

She grew up in South Dakota and lived there many years before moving to Wamego. Frances later moved to St. Marys. She lived with Marge and Ray Fairchild for over 20 years and they were her caregivers until her death.

She...

Mar 12, 2014

Rossville- Samuel M. "Shorty" Thompson, 91, passed away Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at the Rossville Health and Rehabilitation Center.

He was born October 29, 1922 at Delia, the son of Ludvig and Ella L. Keller Thompson. He grew up in the Delia community and attended High Prairie Grade School and graduated from Delia High School. He had...

Mar 11, 2014

Helen M. Lester, 79, passed away, Tuesday, March 11, 2014 at her home in St. Marys.

She was born November 9, 1934 at Chicago, IL, the daughter of Leland and Helen Cox McCabe. Mrs. Lester grew up in Park Ridge, IL, and received her law degree from Loyola University.

Mrs. Lester was preceded in death...

Mar 11, 2014

Rossville-Mary C. Cowan, 69, passed away peacefully with her family by her side at the Midland Hospice House on March 11, 2014, after a long, hard fought battle with COPD.

Mary was born in Rossville on December 25, 1944, to Edward and Winifred Yocum Besta. She grew up in the Rossville/Delia area and graduated from Delia High...

Mar 9, 2014

Silver Lake- George C. DeBacker, 88, passed away Sunday, March 9, 2014 at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka.

He was born August 24, 1925 near Delia, the son of the late George W. and Margaret Mulligan DeBacker. George graduated from Delia High School and lived many years in the Delia community before moving to Silver Lake in...

Mar 7, 2014

Jeanne Marie Smith, 70, passed away Friday, March 7, 2014 at the St. Marys, Manor.

She was born August 21, 1943 at Erie, PA, the daughter of the late William and JoAnn Fleugel Blotzer. Jeanne grew up in Pennsylvania and moved to Vero Beach, FL, when she was in high school.

Mrs. Smith was a...