Community News
Thomas Cleveland Witten 1939-2011
Thomas Cleveland Witten, 72, Chanute, died Friday, Dec. 16, 2011 at his residence. Thomas was born in Putnam, Okla., on June 14, 1939, the son of Isaac Jones and Mevalene Joyce Haggard Witten. He graduated from Crooked Oak High School in 1958. He was united in marriage to Connie Sue Hines on Sept. 26, 1965 at the Galesburg Christian Church. She survives, of the home. Thomas was a heavy equipment operator for Monarch Cement Company, and also w...
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Death correction
Funeral for Gladys J. “Jeanie” Wolfe, 75, rural Erie, will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Evangelical Covenant Church at Savonburg. (The time was previously reported as 10 a.m.) Burial will be in the Odense Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the Pierce-Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Erie from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, where friends may call after 9 a.m.
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William Slane 1916-2011
William Slane, 95, of Chanute, KS passed away December 18, 2011 at Guest Home Estates II in Chanute, surrounded by his family. He was born, August 31, 1916 in Chanute; the son of Alva and Hazel Slane. On June 6, 1942 he married Dorothy L. Smith of South Mound, KS, while he was serving in the Navy in San Diego, CA during World War II. They celebrated their 69th year of marriage this past summer. Bill graduated from Chanute High School as a me...
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Betty Gayle Smith 1926-2011
Betty Gayle Smith, 85, Moran, died Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011, at the Moran Manor. Betty was born July 10, 1926, at Deerfield, the daughter of Clarence H. and Louise Lorene Lehnus Shepherd. She grew up in the Odense, Stark and Chanute areas, graduating from Chanute High School in 1944. On Nov. 23, 1944, Betty married William V. “Willie” Smith at Columbus. They made their home at Stark on Highway 39 for 50 years. They then made their home at El...
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Gladys J. “Jeanie” Wolfe 1936-2011
Gladys J. “Jeanie” Wolfe, 75, rural Erie, died at Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011 at the Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. She was born June 20, 1936 at Great Bend to Jacob and Katie Vogts Weins. She grew up in Hillsboro and graduated from the Hillsboro High School. In 1955 she moved to Chanute and was employed by Kustom Electronics for 20 years. “Wolfe” and Jeanie were married in Yates Center on Jan. 18, 1958. He survives, of the ...
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Florence Irene Adams 1921-2011
Florence Irene Adams, 90, Humboldt, died Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 at the Arrowood Lane Residential Care Facility. Florence was born in Humboldt on March 25, 1921, the daughter of John Edward and Anna Kathryn Rath Saving. She graduated from Humboldt High School in 1939. She was united in marriage to Robert Dean Adams in April 1942, at San Luis Obispo, Calif. He preceded her in death in April 1992. Florence owned and operated Florence’s Beauty S...
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Samuel Joseph Curry, Jr. 1957-2011
Samuel Joseph Curry, 54, Chanute, died Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011 at his residence. Samuel was born in Springfield, Mo., on Feb. 21, 1957, the son of Samuel Joseph and Mary Alvita Busby Curry. He graduated from Altoona-Midway High School in 1975. Samuel is survived by his sister, Tina Bullock, Texas City, Texas. He was preceded in death by his parents. Cremation has taken place. Memorials in his name may be made to his family and may be left with...
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Gene Mason 1951-2011
Memorial service for Gene Mason, 60, of Enid, Okla., will be Sunday, Dec. 18 at 2 p.m. at the Central Christian Church. Rev John McLemore and Rev Don Johnson will officiate. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home. Gene was born Jan. 20, 1951 in Chanute, to “Bud” and Vada Mason and died Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011 at St. Mary’s Hospital. Gene graduated from Chanute High School in 1969 and in 1973 he received hi...
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Ida Bernice Umbarger 1919-2011
Bernice Umbarger, 92, Thayer, died Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011 at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. Bernice was born in rural Parsons on Oct. 29 1919, the daughter of James and Ida Mae Schroder Greenwood. She married Milo Irvin Umbarger on May 3, 1942 at Otterbein United Brethren in rural Parsons. She graduated from Parsons High School. She later graduated from Pittsburg State University with a teaching degree. Bernice was a...
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Helen Dennis 1916-2011
Helen Dennis, 95, Chanute, died Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011 at the Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul, where she had resided for nine months. Helen was born in Hiwassie, Ark. on Sept. 3, 1916, the daughter of Fred and Dora Spiva Biele. She graduated from Chanute High School. Helen was united in marriage to Verle Dennis in May 1936. He preceded her in death on June 26, 1970. She was a medical ward clerk at the Neosho Memorial Hospital...
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Mary F. Cleaveland 1939-2011
Mary F. Gilmore Cleaveland, 72, rural Cherryvale, died Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2011 at her home. She was born June 6, 1939 at Sawyer, a daughter of Francis H. and Dorothy Edna Mae Bever Gilmore. At an early age her family moved to Phoenix, Ariz., where she was raised. She later resided in Maryland, Arizona and Alaska before moving to the Cherryvale area in 1966. She worked in production at the Day and Zimmerman Kansas Army Ammunition Plant for 2...
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Pearl Goldine Smith 1920-2011
Pearl Goldine Sexton Harding Smith, 91, Chanute, died Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011 at the Heritage Health Care Center. Goldine was born in Erie on Jan. 26, 1920, the daughter of Sam and Sina Scrivner Sexton. She graduated from Erie High School in 1938 and she graduated from Cosmetology School in 1939. She was united in marriage to Richard Harding, who preceded her in death during WWII. She was then united in marriage to James Bernard Smith on June 8...
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Wilma J. Ward 1926-2011
Wilma J. Ward, 85, Chanute, died Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011 at the Arma Care Center in Arma. She had been a resident of Guest Home Estates III in Chanute. She was a former resident of Chautauqua County. She was born on May 14, 1926 in Caney to Dennis and Ruth DeWitt Wilson. She was united in marriage to Charles “Bud” A. Ward on Oct. 31, 1941 in Caney. They celebrated 52 years of marriage before his death on May 25, 1994. She is preceded in death...
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Laura Lee Troxel 1937-2011
Laura Lee Troxel, 74, Chanute, died Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011 at a Wichita-area hospital after a long illness. Laura Lee was born Oct. 4, 1937, to Clifford Dale and Marie Wiede Reno, in Yates Center and lived her life in Kansas. She moved to Great Bend then Ulysses during childhood and returned to southeast Kansas and settled in Chanute in the early 1980s. She spent much of her adult life working with the Avon cosmetics company and earned many ho...
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Ruth Ann Caspar 1936-2011
Ruth Ann Collins Caspar, 74, Kincaid, died on Dec. 8, 2011 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. Ruth was born to former United States Marshall Vance and Kay Collins on Dec. 28, 1936. Ruth graduated from Junction City High School in 1954. She received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture in 1959 from Kansas State University. Ruth worked as an architect in Topeka from 1959 to 1964. She married Hubert Caspar Jr. on Nov. 14, 1964, each hav...
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Margaret Anna Lassman 1923-2011
Margaret Anna Lassman, 88, Chanute, died Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011 at the home of her grandson in Chanute. Margaret was born on April 28, 1923 to Edward and Myrtle Nordt on a farm outside of Humboldt. She graduated from Humboldt High School in 1942. Margaret was united in marriage to Robert Lassman on May 30, 1943. After Bob’s military service, they settled in Chanute where they raised four daughters. Together, Bob and Margaret owned and operate...
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Winifred Worley Fail 1917-2011
Winifred “Winnie” Worley Fail, 94, Chanute, died Friday, Dec. 9, 2011 at the Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. Winifred was born in rural Earlton on Oct. 8, 1917, the daughter of Glenn L. and Laura Mae Rohwer Worley. She graduated from Chanute High School in 1935. She was united in marriage to William “Bill” Fail on May 2, 1937 in Los Angeles, Calif. They made their home in Los Angeles until 1947 when they moved to this area...
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Martha Lou Fitch 1924-2011
Martha Lou Fitch, 87, Chanute, died Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011 at Chanute Health Care Center. Martha was born in Humboldt on Feb. 24, 1924, the daughter of Augusta E. and Harry S. Peters. She graduated from Humboldt High School in 1941 and was a band majorette for the high school band. She also loved to play tennis and swim down at the river during those adolescent years. She was united in marriage to Warren H. Fitch on Dec. 21, 1947 in Fredonia....
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Mary Luella Brunker 1921-2011
Mary Luella Brunker, 90, a longtime resident of Fredonia, died Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011 at Fredonia Regional Hospital. She was born Sept. 18, 1921 in Arno, Mo., the daughter of Andrew Carroll and Luella Bell Staley Harrow. Mary retired in 2004 from Kansas Bank Note. Mary was married to Wendell H. Brunker. He preceded her in death May 3, 1996. She was a member of the First Christian Church. Her survivors include a daughter, Carol Brunker, Springf...
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Norma Lee Ellis 1925-2011
Norma L. Roberts Ellis, 85, of 1211 S. Tennessee, Chanute, died Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011 in Wichita. Norma was born on Dec. 18, 1925, the daughter of Thomas H. and Lura Willson Roberts at rural Erie and grew up in that area. She graduated from Erie High School in 1943. She was united in marriage to Wayne O. Ellis on Sept. 12, 1943 in Kansas City. He survives. Norma was a homemaker, and enjoyed sewing, crocheting, cooking and traveling. She wa...
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