Obituaries
Edward J. Donnelly 1936-2009
Edward John Donnelly, 72, Humboldt, died Friday, January 9, 2009, at Windsor Place Nursing Center, Iola. He was born March 17, 1936, in Washington D.C. to Frank and Marie Chatham Donnelly. He served four years in the U.S. Air Force after graduation from high school. He married Juanita “Jennie” Perez on June 22, 1957, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Humboldt. She survives. He was employed as a computer consultant contractor and was a member o...
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William A. ‘Billy’ Cook 1933-2009
William A. “Billy” Cook, 75, Flint Hills Care Center in Emporia, died Monday, January 12, 2009, at Newman Regional Health in Emporia. He was born Oct. 18, 1933, in Falls City, Neb., to J. Obert and Vaughnita Lettie “Cookie” McDonald Cook. He graduated from Emporia High School. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Emporia. He is survived by a sister, Junita Sterbach, Overland Park, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death...
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Richard S. Stephenson 1931-2009
Richard S. Stephenson, 77, Andover, died Saturday, January 10, 2009, at the Via Christi St. Francis Hospital in Wichita. He was born June 12, 1931, in Fayetteville, Ark. He served in the U.S. Army from 1948 to 1954. He worked at Beech Aircraft in small parts assembly from 1976 until his retirement in 1993. Survivors include his wife, Judy; three daughters, Debbie Bradford, Chanute, Sharon Sutton, Tahlequah, Okla., and Kim Rybak, O’Fallon, M...
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Bryan P. Schlegel 1949-2009
Bryan Phil Schlegel, 59, rural Elk City, died unexpectedly on Friday, January 9, 2009, at Mercy Hospital in Independence. He was born March 23, 1949, in Wichita to Alvin J. and Clara Yost Schlegel. He was a 1967 graduate of Campus High School in Wichita and received a bachelor’s degree in industrial mechanics from Fort Hays State in 1972. He has been employed as a boat tester for Cobalt Boats in Neodesha for seven years. On Jan. 15, 1971, in ...
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Elliott Lee Hosack 1950 – 2009
Elliott Lee Hosack, 58, of El Dorado, passed away Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. Elliott was born on August 16, 1950 in Chanute, the son of Robert E. and Welthalee (Lasater) Hosack. Elliott had valiantly waged a lifetime battle with cerebral palsy. He had resided at the Creative Community Living’s group home in El Dorado since 1997. Elliott enjoyed sitting outside on the patio, greeting people at the front door,...
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Arthur Mack Ayers 1922-2009
Arthur Mack Ayers, 86, Fredonia, died Sunday, January 11, 2009, at Fredonia Regional Hospital. He was born Sept. 9, 1922, in Almond, Ark., to Peter Thomas and Effie Alice Fuller Ayers. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He was employed in the commercial refrigeration industry, retiring from Hussman Refrigeration. He married Opal Fern O’Brien on Nov. 24, 1945, in Independence. She survives. Other survivors include five ...
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Bobbie Reger 1930-2009
Bobbie Reger, 78, rural Fredonia, died Friday, January 9, 2009, at Fredonia Regional Hospital. She was born March 5, 1930, in Benedict to Robert and Madge O’Brien Prunty. She graduated from Benedict High School. She retired from Beechcraft-Raytheon in Wichita, where she was a parts distributor for 17 years. She married Frank Boyle in 1946. He died in 1972. In 1975, she married Joe Bob Reger. He survives. Other survivors include two sons, Stev...
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Richard S. Stephenson 1931-2009
Richard S. Stephenson, 77, Andover, died Friday, January 9, 2009, at the Via Christi St. Francis Hospital in Wichita. He was born June 12, 1931, in Fayetteville, Ark. He served in the U.S. Army from 1948 to 1954. He worked at Beech Aircraft in small parts assembly from 1976 until his retirement in 1993. Survivors include his wife, Judy; three daughters, Debbie Bradford, Chanute, Sharon Sutton, Tahlequah, Okla., and Kim Rybak, O’Fallon, Mo.;...
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Peggie Nicholas 1941-2009
Peggie Nicholas, 67, rural Erie, died Friday, January 9, 2009, at her home. She had been in failing health. She was born on Oct. 17, 1941, at Canton, Ohio, to Peter and Velma Mae Zerby and attended Canton schools. She moved to Wichita where she worked at Cessna. She moved to rural Erie in 1983 and worked at HiLo Manufacturing in Chanute. She and Vergil Nicholas were married on Sept. 6, 1983, at Miami, Okla. He survives. Other survivors includ...
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Estelle M. Barker 1908-2009
Estelle M. Barker, 100, Chanute, died Tuesday, January 6, 2009, at Allen County Hospital, Iola. She was born Sept. 10, 1908, in Omaha, Neb., to Joseph and Anastasia Piekarczyk Tomaszkiewicz. She married Gordon Barker on April 28, 1940. He preceded her in death on Feb. 16, 1995. She was a homemaker. She was considered a second mom to a generation of Chanute children as co-owner, with Gordon, of Barker’s Dairy Bar. She organized a group of wom...
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Dorothy V. Fuhlhage 1916-2009
Dorothy V. Fuhlhage, 92, Fredonia, died Thursday, January 8, 2009, at her home. She was born March 5, 1916, in Chanute to Albert E. and Ora Etta Kirby Ewing. She graduated from Coyville High School and Independence Community Junior College. She was most recently employed as a personal assistant to Bill Hollis. In November 1940 she married Robert K. “Kenny” Fuhlhage in Appleton, Mo. He died Nov. 5, 1970. She was a member of the First United Me...
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Earl Raymond Clemans Jr. 1919-2008
Earl Raymond Clemans Jr., 89, Colony, died Wednesday, January 7, 2009, at Allen County Hospital, Iola. He was born June 12, 1919, in Erie to Earl Sr. and Leona Mathis Clemans. He graduated from Erie High School in 1937 and from Pittsburg Teacher’s College in 1942. He married Mary Best on May 17, 1942, in McCune. She survives. He taught sciences, history, shop, driver’s education and coached basketball at Colony High School for 39 years, retir...
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Betty Louise Blaker 1932-2009
Betty Louise Blaker, 76, New Albany, died Thursday, January 8, 2009, at Golden Living Center in Neodesha. She was born Jan. 31, 1932, in New Albany to Melvin and Ruby Richards Anderson. She was a 1950 graduate of Fredonia High School. She married Ivan L. Blaker on Aug. 18, 1950, in Fredonia. He survives. She was a homemaker, baby-sitter and Avon representative. She was a member of the Burrton United Methodist Church and New Albany United Meth...
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Leo Lacy 1929-2009
Leo Lacy, 79, died Tuesday, January 6, 2009, in Chanute. He was born Nov. 21, 1929, in Kenwood, Okla., to Dennis and Molly Lacy. He served in the U.S. Army from 1948 to 1952. He married Esther Sutton in 1952. Survivors include by his children, John Lacy, Inola, Okla., Sandi Galemore, Chanute, Lisa Keith, Bellingham, Wash., and Dan Lacy, Richardson, Texas; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Lucille and JoAnn. He w...
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Georgann Rausch Mefferd 1949-2009
Georgann Rausch Mefferd, 59, died Thursday, January 8, 2009, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa. She was born May 11, 1949, in Chanute to George and Freida Jones Rausch. She received her law degree from Washburn University in Topeka and was employed as chief compliance officer at West Bank in West Des Moines. Survivors include a son, Michael G. Mefferd, Des Moines, Iowa; a daughter, Mary S. Mefferd, Des Moines, Iowa; an aun...
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Larry B. Clarke 1944-2009
Larry B. Clarke, 64, Yates Center, died Tuesday, January 6, 2009, at his home. He was born March 23, 1944, in Rose Hill to Glenn W. and Vona “Babe” Mott Clarke. He graduated from Yates Center High School in 1962. He married Karen L. Scheibmeir on March 14, 1964, in Eureka. She survives. He was employed with Brilke Motor Co., and Burkhart Manufacturing, both in Yates Center. Other survivors include two sons, Larry Todd Clarke, Wichita, and Kle...
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James E. Sharpe
James E. Sharpe, Ballwin, Mo., a retired management consultant, died January 3, 2009. James was former management consultant and office director of management services for Arthur Young & Company, an international CPA firm. He also served as director of world wide travel services for the Automobile Club of Missouri with offices in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas. He was appointed to serve on both regional and national travel management committee...
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Estelle Barker
Estelle Barker, 100, Humboldt, died Tuesday, January 6, 2009, at the Allen County Hospital, Iola. Arrangements are pending with Penwell-Gabel Johnson Chapel.
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Harold Frank Sievers 1919-2009
Harold Frank Sievers, 89, Abilene, died Saturday, January 3, 2009, at Village Manor, Abilene. He was born March 19, 1919, in rural Humboldt to Frank George and Mae Julia Collison Sievers. He graduated from Humboldt High School in 1937. He served in the U.S. Army Air Force from May 18, 1942, to Sept. 5, 1945. He married Velma Mae Barnett on Nov. 17, 1942, in Iola. She survives. He retired in 1984 as supervisor of the Rock Springs 4-H Center op...
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Herbert Eugene ‘Herb’ Huser 1928-2009
Herbert Eugene Huser, 80, Fredonia, died Saturday, January 3, 2009, at Fredonia Regional Hospital. He was born Jan. 21, 1928, in Neodesha to Bernard and Beatrice Ellis Huser. He graduated from Elk City High School in 1946. He married Ethel M. Roth on Aug. 28, 1948, at St. Andrews Catholic Church, Independence. She survives. He was a lifetime farmer and rancher in the Fredonia area. Other survivors include five sons, David Huser, Cherryvale, D...
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