Community News
Jerry Dean Lillain 1946-2009
Jerry Dean Lillain, 63, Iola, died Wednesday, December 9, 2009, at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center. He was born March 3, 1946, at Emporia to Amos and Naomi Lillian and graduated from Hartford High School in 1964. He was a heavy equipment operator. Survivors include a daughter, Dana Levia, California; a stepson, James Gerdes, California; two stepdaughters, Marlana Driskill, Iola, and Amanda Driskill, Humboldt; and six grandchildren. He...
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Sherry L. Gianos 1955-2009
Sherry L. Oliver Anthony Gianos, 54, died suddenly Friday, December 4, in Frederick, Colo. She was born July 16, 1955, in Chanute. Survivors include her husband, Jim Gianos; her mother, Joan Lundberg, Stilwell; her father, Richard Oliver, Chanute; a brother, Larry Oliver, Overland Park; a daughter, Carmen Anthony, Kansas City, Kan.; a son, Chris Anthony, Bucyrus; two sons, Chris Anthony, Bucyrus, and Bryan Anthony, Monterey, Calif.; and a gra...
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Jeanette Elizabeth Aguirre 1947-2009
Jeanette Elizabeth Aguirre, 62, Ottawa, died Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009, at Olathe Medical Center in Olathe. She was born Jan. 26, 1947, in Garnett, the daughter of Albert Joseph and Viola Newman Schwegman. She grew up in the Richmond area, and then moved to Ottawa. Jeanette graduated from Richmond High School with the Class of 1965. She worked for Kalmar Industries Corporation for 32 years as a forklift operator. She also worked for King Radio ...
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George T. Norris Jr. 1929-2009
George T. Norris Jr., 80, Fredonia, formerly of Chanute, died Friday, December 4, 2009, at Golden Living Center. He was born Nov. 15, 1929, to George T. Norris Sr. and Lida Coots in Mount Ida. He married Joyce Ash in 1950. They divorced in 1990. He married Erlinda Reyes in 2003. She survives. He moved to the Fredonia area in 1982 where he owned and operated a ranch west of town, and raised angora goats. Other survivors include a sister, Ann M...
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Maudena Faye Chard 1928-2009
Maudena F. Chard, 81, Humboldt, died Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009 at the Allen County Hospital in Iola. She was born on Sept. 6, 1928 in Moran, the daughter of Charles and Mary Annie Alumbaugh Fletcher. On Sept. 21, 1945 Maudena was united in marriage to Charles Richard Chard in Iola. Maudena worked as a manager in the dry cleaning business. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Iola. Maudena is survived by her husb...
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Nola L. Weston 1952-2009
Nola L. Weston, 57, a longtime resident of the Buffalo area, died Wednesday, Dec.2, 2009 at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Humboldt. She was born Oct. 10, 1952 in Emporia, the daughter of Oscar and Eloyce Bishop Weston. Nola was a 1971 graduate of Altoona-Midway High School and a 1975 graduate of Mercy School of Nursing in Fort Scott, where she received her degree in nursing. She worked as an RN in several southeast Kansas hospitals, including...
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June Nicklin Nelson 1924 – 2009
June Nicklin Nelson, 85, Chanute, died Friday, Nov. 27, 2009 at the Kansas Heart Hospital in Wichita. June was born in Bradford, Pa., on June 3, 1924, the daughter of Clarence and Iva Mae Rhodes Nicklin. She graduated from Chanute High School in the Class of 1942 and took extension courses at Pennsylvania State College. She was united in marriage to Harley D. Nelson on June 22, 1962 in Chanute. He survives, of the home. June worked as a schoo...
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Gracie M. Fager 1943-2009
Gracie M. Fager, 66, a lifelong St. Paul resident, died at 8:52 p.m., Monday, November 30, 2009 at her home. She had been in failing health. She was born on February 28, 1943 at St. Paul to Fred F. and Marie I. (Dent) Fager. She grew up and attended schools at St. Paul graduating from St. Paul High School in 1961. She went to work for Dr. Stephens in Parsons as a medical assistant for several years. She then attended Labette Community Colle...
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Fern Evelyn Cress 1911-2009
Fern Evelyn Cress, 98, Humboldt, died Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009, at Arrowood Lane Residential Care Facility in Humboldt. Fern was born July 5, 1911, the daughter of John Oliver and Mary Ethel Blythe Tomlinson on the family farm east of Humboldt in the Jeddo school district. When she was 5, the family moved to a farm 7 1/2 miles southeast of Humboldt where she attended Prairie View School for 8 years and graduated from Humboldt High School in 19...
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Daniel ‘Danny’ Paul Valentine 1963 – 2009
Daniel “Danny” Paul Valentine, 46, Chanute, died Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009 in Fredonia. Danny was born in Iola on August 11, 1963, the son of Jimmie Dale and Deanna Lea Mewhinney Valentine. He graduated from Iola High School in the Class of 1981. He was united in marriage to Teresa Ewing. She survives, of Fredonia. Danny was a club owner. Along with his wife, Teresa, he is survived by his mother, Dea Valentine; his children, Tia Wright, Thad V...
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Harlene Gayle Montgomery 1957 – 2009
Harlene Gayle Montgomery, 52, Chanute, died unexpectedly Wednesday, Nov.18, 2009 at her home. Harlene was born in Albuquerque, N.M., on July 22, 1957, the daughter of Harley Dean and Margie Luella McAfee Montgomery. She graduated from Santa Fe Trail High School in 1976. She was a mother and homemaker. Harlene is survived by her father, Harley Dean Montgomery; her mother, Margie Luella Hull; her significant other, Floyd Bowker; a son, Casey Ha...
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Charles William Baker 1925-2009
Charles William Baker, 84, Neodesha, died Thursday, November 19, 2009, at Fredonia Regional Hospital. He was born Sept. 9, 1925, to Chester Sr. and Alta Beebee Baker in Conway Springs. He was a lifelong farmer and cattleman. He worked 24 years for the Alfalfa Mill in Benedict and Fredonia. On Dec. 8, 1944, he married Merle Lewis; they divorced. On June 30, 1977, he married Geneva R. Usher Goode. She survives. Other survivors include two daugh...
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Robert Leland ‘Bob’Green 1935-2009
Robert Leland “Bob” Green, 74, Mt. Vernon, Ind., died Saturday, November 21, 2009, at home from complications of long standing pulmonary disease. He was born June 30, 1935, in Fredonia to Charles and Geneva Manning Green. He graduated from Fredonia High school in 1953, served six years in the Kansas Army Guard, and attended a year at Washburn University. He married Sharon Sharp on Nov. 7, 1954. He worked with JI Case as vice president of a...
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Ruth Viola Darling 1913-2009
Ruth Viola Darling, 95, Fredonia, died Saturday, November 21, 2009, at Golden Living Center in Neodesha. She was born Nov. 24, 1913, in Bern to George Washington and Sadie Sanders Rogers. She was a homemaker and also spent several years as a cook at St. Margaret’s Mercy Hospital in Fredonia. She married Chester Wells. He died in 1952. In 1967, she married Bert Darling in Salina. He too preceded her in death. She was a member of the First Un...
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Marjorie Harwood 1916-2009
Marjorie Harwood, 93-year-old Grand Lake, Okla., resident, died Sunday, November 22, 2009. She was born in Queen City, Mo., on Jan. 1, 1916, the daughter of W.J. and Josephine Swetnam Casper. She attended Pittsburg State University and taught elementary school, typing, and music in Humboldt. On May 25, 1941, she was united in marriage to Elmer Harwood and together they raised three sons. Marjorie was an avid bridge player, enjoyed bird watchi...
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Frances Marie Pollman 1921-2009
Frances Marie Pollman, 88, Humboldt, died Friday, November 20, 2009, at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Humboldt. She was born June 18, 1921, in Humboldt to John Francis “Frank” and Beulia Fitzmaurice Kinney. She graduated from Humboldt High School. On Jan. 27, 1943, she married Raymond G. Pollman at St. Peter’s Lutheran Parsonage in Humboldt. He survives. The couple made their home in Humboldt. Besides being a homemaker, Frances worked at Neosho M...
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Earl N. Pulliam 1918 – 2009
Earl N. Pulliam, 90, Chanute, died Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009 at the Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center. Earl was born in Rural Bartlesville, Okla., on Nov. 20, 1918, the son of Samuel and Annie Pulliam. He served his country in the U.S. Army during WWII and the Korean Conflict. Earl was united in marriage to Margaret Rinehart on Sept. 23, 1950 in Iola. She preceded him death. He worked for the Santa Fe Railroad until his retirement on N...
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Engagement ¬≠— Du Frain/Almond
Rick and Ruth Du Frain, Chanute, Joseph and Shonda Almond and Jim and Tamera Betzen, Chanute, and Jim and Tammy, Humboldt, announce the engagement of their children, Kayla Leann Du Frain and Timothy Joseph Almond, both of Bel Aire. Du Frain is a 2005 graduate of Chanute High School and a 2008 graduate of Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Accounting. She is employed as a staff accountant with BKD, LL...
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Carl A. Riebe 1920-2009
Carl A. Riebe, 88, Erie, died Monday, Nov. 16, 2009 at the Guest Home Estates in Erie. He had been in failing health for two years. He was born Dec. 29, 1920, at Walnut, to George M. and Minnie M. Schueneman Riebe. He attended the Raymond Country School and Hepler High School, graduating in 1938. On April 21, 1946 he married Norma Hines, at Erie.They lived in the rural Walnut area until moving to Erie in 1968. Riebe farmed many years and al...
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W. Kay Shultz 1942-2009
W. Kay Shultz, 66, Humboldt, died Saturday, November 14, 2009, at her home. She was born Dec. 19, 1942, in Kansas City, Kan., to Theo Lyle and Helen Opal Phillips Baker. She was a 1960 graduate of Chanute Senior High. On June 16, 1961, she married Gene Shultz at the Evangelical United Brethren Church. He died on Sept. 15, 2000. She worked in the health care industry for 24 years in the Chanute area. She was a member of the First Baptist Churc...
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