Obituaries
Margaret Lynn “Peggy” Martin Sigg 1964-2012
Margaret Lynn “Peggy” Martin Sigg, 48, Iola, died at home surrounded by her family on Friday, August 17, 2012. Peggy was born March 1, 1964, in Iola, the daughter of Don and Mary Murrow Martin. She grew up in Iola and graduated from Iola High School in 1982. In 1983, Peggy graduated from the Fort Scott School of Cosmetology and she worked as a cosmetologist in Iola with Nancy Sigg for three years. On Dec. 7, 1985, Peggy married Mitch Sigg a...
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Howard Donald Woodworth 1920-2012
Howard Donald Woodworth, 91, Baker, W.V., died Sunday, July 1, 2012 at Royal Haven Assisted Living, Front Royal, Va. He was born Sept. 5, 1920 in Walnut, the son of Ross and Chettie Marshall Woodworth. He graduated from Grant High School in Stark in 1938 and received a Bachelor’s in Commerce from Pittsburg State University. On June 28, 1941 he married Nell Elizabeth Haddan in Humboldt. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on Dec. 7, 1942 and was disc...
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Rosary for Emma Jean Scully West, 68, who died Thursday, Aug
Rosary for Emma Jean Scully West, 68, who died Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012 in Albuquerque, N.M., will be held 10 a.m. Friday, August 24 at St. Johns Catholic Church in Iola, followed by Mass at 10:30.  Following mass, there will be lunch served, then interment at Bronson Cemetery. Please make donations to: Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 103 East 6th Street, Truth or Consequences, N.M. 87901-2360.
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Margaret E. Bryson 1935-2011
Margaret E. Bryson, 76, Iola, died Sunday, August 19, 2012, at Iola Nursing Center. Margaret was born Oct. 13, 1935, on a farm east of Cherryvale in Labette County, the daughter of Kenneth Edgar and Joanna Maxine Testerman Hild. She graduated from Cherryvale High School. Margaret worked in banking for 39 years. On Oct. 13, 1964, Margaret married Carl Lee Bryson and they made their home in Iola. She went to work for Allen County State Bank a...
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Yvonne Louise Penrow 1955-2012
Yvonne Louise Penrow, 57, Fredonia, died Saturday, August 18, 2012 at her home. She was born April 29, 1955 in Wichita, the daughter of Franklin Delano and Stella Mae Honer Swisher. She was a retired CNA at Fredonia Regional Hospital. On August 2, 1975 in Las Vegas, Nev., she was united in marriage to Charles Ray “Chuck” Penrow. He preceded her in death May 6, 2012. Survivors include a son, Zane Swisher, Albuquerque, N.M.; three brothers, Ri...
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Emma Jean Scully West
Emma Jean Scully West, 68, died suddenly on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012 in Albuquerque, N.M. Emma attended St. John’s Catholic School in Iola, then Mount Saint Scholastica in Atchison where she received her diploma. She was married to Grant Gibbs Alexander from 1963 to 1977. He passed away in 2003. Grant and Emma ran the Montgomery Ward Catalog Store on the Iola Square from the mid 70s to the mid 80s. Emma or “E.J.” then became a mainstay at Coast...
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Keith E. Bohrer 1917-2012
Keith E. Bohrer, 95, Arlington, Texas, died Wednesday, August 15, 2012, at Matlock Place Health and Rehab in Arlington, Texas. Keith was born April 11, 1917, in Erie to George Bohrer and Katie Otto Bohrer. He grew up there and graduated from Erie High School in 1935. During World War II, he served in the United States Army in the Western Pacific theater campaigns. Keith, an Army Master Sergeant in the 726th Amphibious Tractor Battalion, was ...
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Vona “Babe” Clarke 1920-2012
Vona Lavene “Babe” Mott Clarke of rural Yates Center died August 14, 2012 in Buffalo. She was 91. Babe was born Oct. 21, 1920 in Carmen, Okla., the daughter of William Henery and Tillie Belle Brittain Mott. Babe grew up in Carmen and graduated from Carmen High School around 1938. On Feb. 22, 1941 Babe married Glenn Wyat Clarke in Wichita. The couple lived at Rose Hill for two years before moving to rural Yates Center in 1945. Babe became a m...
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David Lee Waggoner 1953-2012
David Waggoner, 58, of Chanute, passed away Sunday, August 12, 2012, at the Hospice House in Kansas City, Missouri after battling cancer for over a year. David was born October 28, 1953 in Chanute, Kansas the son of Homer and Ruth Bower Waggoner. He was the youngest of 6 children. He attended the Union Valley one room school house through middle school; graduated from Chanute High School in 1971 and Neosho County Community College in 1973. D...
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Joseph “Miami Joe” Battah 1963-2012
Joseph Battah, 48, died Tuesday, August 7, 2012, in Erie. Joe was born Dec. 20, 1963 in El Paso, Texas, the son of Bassil Battah and Molly Bryant. He received his GED in Colorado, and attended college in Colorado, as well. He was united in marriage on May 19, 2001, to Tonya Howard. She survives. Joe was a restaurateur, and had been the proprietor of Joey’s Big Grill in Chanute. He had been a resident of the Chanute area for 15 years. In addit...
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Marjorie Ellen Biggs 1932-2012
Marjorie Ellen Biggs, 80, a longtime resident of Fredonia, died Tuesday, August 7, 2012 at Fredonia Regional Hospital. She was born June 3, 1932 in Neodesha, the daughter of Lester Ray “Red” and Mary Francis Osburn Compton. She was a graduate of Neodesha High School. Marge was united in marriage to Edgar Biggs. They were later divorced. Marge worked many years at City Rexall Drug Store in Fredonia, and later was the secretary to the Wilson Co...
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Laura Lee Keller 1943-2012
Laura Lee Keller, originally of Erie, died Monday, July 30, 2012 at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka. She passed away after a protracted and courageous battle with cancer. Laura was 68. Laura Lee Olson was born on Oct. 18, 1943 in Chanute. She was raised on a farm in southeast Kansas between Erie and Chanute, the daughter of Carl E. and Jewel Lyon Olson. Laura graduated from Erie High School in 1961. She was very active in school and participat...
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James ‘Jimmy D’ Dahlgren 1953-2012
James (Jim) “Jimmy D” Steven Dahlgren died July 16, 2012 in Paso Robles, Calif. Jim had fought a good fight against various illnesses for many years. He was born in Chanute on March 31, 1953. He was 59 years of age. Jim is survived by his wife of 25 years, Pamela Cohn Dahlgren; his daughter Zarah Dahlgren Wirt and a granddaughter Anika; his father, Larry Dahlgren, Dallas; his mother, Doris Willis Dahlgren, Chanute; sisters Juli Poitras, Carm...
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Lula Mae Ridge 1930-2012
Lula Mae Ridge, 81, Warrensburg, Mo., died Friday, July 27, 2012 at the Country Club Care Center. She was born Nov. 2, 1930 in the Robbins Community area in Johnson County, Mo., the daughter of Albert Leroy and Cora Frances Carl Clifton. On Nov. 6, 1947 she was united in marriage to Henry Franklin Ridge in Johnson County, Mo. He preceded her in death Jan. 23, 2005. She was a founding member of the Pentecostal Church of God in Warrensburg. She...
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Donald E. Duff 1923-2012
Donald E. Duff, 89, Chanute, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, August 4, 2012 at the Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. Donald was born on May 8, 1923, in Cowley County, the son of George Lester and Hazel Marie Steiner Duff. He graduated from Shallow Water High School near Scott City in 1941. He was united in marriage to Erma Lucille Graham on May 6, 1944 in Scott City. She preceded him in death on Nov. 30, 2010. He serv...
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Basil Earl Swalley 1947-2012
Basil Earl Swalley, 65, died at his home in Chanute on Friday, August 3, 2012. He was born Jan. 24, 1947, in Maryville, Mo., the son of Joseph and Nellie Thompson Swalley. He graduated North Nodaway High School, Hopkins, Mo. He was united in marriage on Feb. 4, 1978, with Janice Vassar Swalley, in Maryville, Mo. She survives, of the home. Basil and Jan made their home in Chanute for 20 years. Basil was a longtime cable television professi...
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Tina Marie Dixon 1970-2012
Tina Marie Dixon, 42, died Thursday, August 2, 2012, near Iola. Tina was born in Chanute Jan. 2, 1970, the daughter of Leon and Brenda Dorsey Dixon. She attended Chanute High School, later earned her GED, and attended Pittsburg State University. She married Russell Higgins in Iola in 1987. They later divorced. Tina worked as a waitress, and later served as manager of the bakery department at Walmart, Parsons, and manager of Taylor Conven...
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Bobby William McCann 1930-2012
Funeral service for Bobby William McCann will be 10 a.m. Monday, August 6, at the Musgrove-Merriott-Smith Chapel, Claremore, Okla. Burial with military honors by the U.S. Marine Corps will follow at Ft. Gibson National Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the funeral home Sunday 1-6 p.m., and family will greet friends 4-6 p.m. McCann died Thursday, August 2, 2012, at the Claremore Veterans Center at the age of 82. The son of George Robert an...
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Jimmie “Jim” Pence 1944-2012
Jim Pence, 68, Chanute, died Sunday, July 29, 2012 at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. Jim was born in Berryville, Ark., on May 25, 1944, the son of Clifford and Gracie Couey Shrum. He married Marjorie Turner on July 28, 1963 in Chanute. He loved country and gospel music, movies, and especially spending time with his grandchildren. Jim is survived by his wife, Marjorie Pence, Chanute; two daughters, Missy Isaac and husband...
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David Royce Oliphant 1955-2012
David Royce Oliphant, 57, Bartlesville, Okla., died July 8, 2012 at the Clare Hospice Center in Tulsa. He was born Feb. 16, 1955 in Iola to Marion “Buck” and Catherine Tomlinson Oliphant. He is survived by a son, Jeremy Wayne Oliphant; four grandchildren; siblings Allen Oiphant, Bartlesville, Dennis Oliphant, Anthony, Cathy Reed, Tulsa; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a son, Michael D. Oliphant, and a sister Sherry...
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