Obituaries
Elva Lorraine Lee 1918-2012
Elva Lorraine Lee died on Oct, 28, 2012 at Chanute. The daughter of Alva and Angie Henson Cation, Elva was born June 18, 1918, in rural Savonburg. She moved with her parents to rural Humboldt when she was a child. She was graduated from Cherry Grove School, Iola High School, and the Iola Junior College. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science, Master’s of Science, and Specialist in Education degrees from Kansas State College, Pittsburg. She was a ...
full story
Janet Irene McKinzie 1955-2012
Janet McKinzie died Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012 at her residence in St. Paul. Janet was born in Grand Junction, Colo., on Feb. 16, 1955, the daughter of Carlyle “Tuffy” and Cordy Ward. She graduated from St. Paul High School in 1973. She was a homemaker who enjoyed her family, especially her grandchildren. She also enjoyed fishing and playing slot machines. Janet is survived by her mother, Cordy Ward of St. Paul; one daughter, Amy Smith and her...
full story
Billy Joe Courter 1949-2012
Billy Joe Courter, 63, died Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, in Chanute. He was born May 25, 1949, in Chanute, the son of Billy Gean and Joetta Marie Morrison Courter. He graduated from Chanute High School. Billy served in the U.S. Army. He had been united in marriage, twice; to Jeanette Chandler, and to Sunshine Rose Hall. Billy was an accomplished welder, and loved fishing, hunting, the outdoors, and his grandchildren’s sports activities. His so...
full story
Oren Melvin Nelson 1917-2012
Oren Melvin Nelson, 95, formerly of Elsmore, died Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, at his home in Toluca Lake, Calif. Oren was born Feb. 18, 1917, at Elsmore, the son of Oscar and Rebecca Smading Nelson. He grew up in the Elsmore area where he attended South Fairview Grade School in Allen County. He was a farmer, had dairy cows, and owned and operated a milk route hauling milk from dairy farms to Neosho Valley Creamery at Erie for many years. Oren ...
full story
John A. Elliott 1912-2012
John A. Elliott, 100, Wichita, former Senior Vice President, Beech Aircraft Corporation, died on Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012. Funeral service to be held on Thursday, Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. at Eastminster Presbyterian Church with interment following at Lakeview Cemetery in Wichita. Visitation with family on this evening from 5 to 7 p.m. at Downing & Lahey Mortuary East. John was born in Earlton, and graduated from Chanute High School in 1929. He then att...
full story
Neldora M. Robinson 1924-2012
Neldora M. Robinson, 88, Newton, died Friday, Oct. 26, 2012 at Kansas Christian Home, Newton. She was born July 19, 1924 at El Dorado, to Lawrence M. and Kittie Belle Grant Braman. She was a Sedgwick resident since 1959 prior to moving to Newton in 2005. On July 28, 1944 she married Wilbur M. Robinson at Fredoni. He died May 28, 2006. She was a member of Sedgwick Christian Church and was a bookkeeper for Sedgwick Body Shop, which she operated...
full story
Thomas G. Rinehart 1917-2012
Thomas G. Rinehart, 94, of Humboldt, died Friday, Oct. 26, 2012, at his home. Thomas was born Nov. 18, 1917, at Humboldt, the son of Edward H. and Mamie B. Nickell Rinehart. He grew up in Humboldt and helped on the family farm along with working as an auto mechanic. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corp during WWII. On Nov. 19, 1942, Thomas married Queen Eileen Powers and they made their home in Humboldt where he worked for Monarch Cement Com...
full story
Ruth Elizabeth (Watkins) McKinney 1932-2012
Ruth Elizabeth (Watkins) McKinney, 80, of Chanute, formerly of Erie, died at 12:23 a.m., Thursday, October 25, 2012, at her home. She was born January 29, 1932, in Cherryvale, Kansas, to Charles Henry and Minnie Esther (Farris) Watkins. Her father was a railroad man so the family moved several times before she started school. As a young girl, she lived in a boxcar on the railroad tracks in Moorhead, Kansas, so the family could be together. A...
full story
Leona Laura Hansen Wiltse 1914-2012
Leona Laura Hansen Wiltse, 98, passed peacefully on Oct. 25, 2012 in Chanute. She was born at Morehead on Jan. 9, 1914, the daughter of Albert and Anna Morris Hansen. She graduated from Vilas High School in 1932 where she helped write the Vilas High fight song. This summer she celebrated her 80th class and all school reunion. Leona was united in marriage to Edwin Dale Wiltse on Sept. 25, 1934. She loved to play the piano, write poetry, short ...
full story
Ronald J. Wintjen 1941-2012
Ronald J. Wintjen, 71, of Erie, died Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012 at his home. He was born on June 19, 1941 at Walnut, to William D. and Edith Tiemeyer Wintjen. He grew up at Walnut and attended Walnut schools. He and Wilma Mattox were married on June 5, 1960 at the Crawford County Courthouse in Girard. She survives, of the home. He worked in oilfields as a driller and spent most of his working career as a truck driver retiring from Martin Tract...
full story
Robert “Bob” Alan Harwood 1947-2012
Robert “Bob” Alan Harwood, D.V.M. went to our heavenly Father’s Kingdom on Oct. 24, 2012, from the K.U. Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. He was born March 16, 1947 in Iola, to Elmer and Marjorie Casper Harwood. Bob attended Humboldt schools graduating as valedictorian in 1965. He then went to Kansas State University where he was a member of Delta Chi fraternity and graduated in 1971 with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. During summ...
full story
Maxine Kathryn Winder White Watts 1919-2012
Maxine Kathryn Winder White Watts, age 93, of Chanute, died Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012, at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center. Maxine was born July 25, 1919, in Chanute, the daughter of William and Edith Pens Winder. She graduated Chanute High School. She was united in marriage to Lee White on June 9, 1944, in Iola. With the exception of a brief time away, during WWII, she was a lifelong Chanute resident. Maxine was a busy person, involved ...
full story
Gary F. LeRoy 1948-2012
Gary F. LeRoy, 64, of Chanute, died Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012, at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center. Gary was born Jan. 28, 1948, in Chanute, the son of Raymond and Myles Stranghorner Leroy. A lifelong area resident, he graduated Chanute High School, and attended Neosho County Community College. He was united in marriage to Shirley Smoot April 27, 1981, in Miami, Okla. Gary was a truck driver for Santa Fe Railroad, until his retirement in ...
full story
Wendell G. Shepard 1930-2012
Wendell G. Shepard, 82, of Erie, died Monday, Oct. 22, 2012 at the Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul. He was born March 28, 1930 at Erie, a son of Lester and Elva V. Shepard. He was raised in Erie and graduated from the Erie High School in 1947. He then attended one year at Chanute Junior College and went on to Kansas State University and graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture. He served in the U.S. Army from ...
full story
Evelyn B. Abbuehl 1917-2012
Evelyn Buddell Abbuehl, 95, passed away quietly at her home in Chanute, on October 21, 2012. Evelyn was born and raised in Reading, Pennsylvania on September 9, 1917, the daughter of R. Hooper and Margret (Fredericks) Buddell. She attended Reading Public Schools and attended several post-secondary institutions including: Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, Davis College in Binghamton, New York, and The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia...
full story
Helen Marie Muninger 1932-2012
Helen Marie Muninger, 79, of Bartlesville, Okla., died Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 25 at the Oak Park United Methodist Church with the Rev. Linda Lusnia officiating. Interment will be in the Dewey Cemetery directed by the Stumpff Funeral Home & Crematory. Contributions may be sent to the Oak Park United Methodist Church, 601 N.W. Brentwood, OK, 74003. Muninger was born at Chanute on Dec. ...
full story
Ada Jeane Orton 1930-2012
Jeane Orton, 82, of Chanute, died Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012 at Chanute Health Care. Jeane was born in Erie on May 7, 1930, the daughter of Frank and Annie Fleming Mitchell. On Nov. 26, 1953 she married Jimmie Orton in Erie. He preceded her in death on Dec. 29, 2011. She worked in the ASC office in Erie and at the Chanute Livestock Auction. In addition to her jobs she farmed in Stark with her husband, Jimmie. Jeane is survived by one son, Frank O...
full story
David Wesley Ballinger 1947-2012
David Wesley Ballinger, 65 of Eaton, Colo., died at his home on Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012. He was born on Feb. 17, 1947 in Chanute, to Wesley Henry and Vena E. Sooby Ballinger After college in 1969, he began a farming career where he grew wheat, soy beans, milo, and other grain crops along with raising hogs near Stark. Farming was his passion and when he saw his first crop appear tears were in his eyes. These were tears of joy as he had succee...
full story
Donald Eugene Adams 1959-2012
Donald Eugene Adams, 53, of Chanute, died Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012 at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Don was born Sept. 22, 1959, in Chanute, the son of Roy D., and Pearl Irene Hanson Adams. He graduated Chanute High School. Don worked as a security officer, traveling many areas of the United States, insuring the safety of others. He was a third degree black belt in martial arts, and had achieved world champion amateur status. Don ...
full story
Betty G. Nelson 1929-2012
Betty G. Nelson, 83, of Chanute died Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012 at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. Betty was born in Fredonia on July 15, 1929, the daughter of William and Agnes Goetze Graham. She graduated from Fall River High School in 1947 and later attended Johnson County Community College. Betty married Allan Nelson on April 1, 1955 in Hernando, Miss. She worked for TWA in reservations, USDA, Social Security, and retir...
full story