Obituaries
Charles “Charley” Deweese memorial
Charley Deweese, 75, longtime resident of rural Thayer, died Sunday, August 26, 2012, in Grand Island, Neb. He and Patsy were at the Nebraska State Fair where he joined others breaking the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest parade of antique tractors. Charley contributed five tractors to the record.  He was born in Erie to Clarence and Leona Deweese on Sept. 20, 1936. In addition to farming and running a dairy, he started drivi...
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Ruby Abbott 1924-2012
Ruby Abbott, 88, Erie, died Thursday, August 30 in the emergency room at Labette Health. She had been in failing health. She was born Feb. 14, 1924, in Burrton, to Abe W. and Sara Heidbrecht Riffel. In 1939, her family moved to Erie. As a young girl she attended Don Dodds Country School and later Erie High School. On May 11, 1941, she and C. Vern Moore were married at the First Christian Church in Erie. Through the years, the couple farmed un...
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Elizabeth Pauline Bailey 1922-2012
Elizabeth Pauline Bailey, 89, Chanute, died Thursday, August 30, 2012 at the Chanute Health Care Center. Elizabeth was born in Chanute on Sept. 11, 1922, the daughter of Lawrence and Gussie Izora Bean Burnett. She attended Chanute High School. She was united in marriage to Eugene Bailey on Sept. 1, 1940 in Joplin, Mo. He preceded her in death on Feb. 16, 2012. Elizabeth was a homemaker, and was a member of the Faith Bible Church. Elizabeth ...
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Karen Ann Ward 1949-2012
Karen Ann Ward, 64, Iola, died Thursday, August 30, 2012, at her home. Karen was born April 25, 1948, at Wamego, the daughter of Otis and Neva Lester Griffin. She grew up in Nevada before moving to Topeka, where she graduated from high school. She later completed her Associate of Arts degree in business administration from Allen County Community College. On June 10, 1977, Karen married Carl L. Ward in Miami, Okla.. They made their home in I...
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Delbert Leroy Hewitt 1941-2012
Delbert Leroy Hewitt, 71, of Amsterdam, Mont., formerly of Erie, died Friday, August 24, 2012 at the home of his daughter, Denise. Born to Thomas C. and Marie G. Nicholas Hewitt on Feb. 4, 1941 in Grand Junction, Colo., Delbert grew up in Erie and Loveland, Colo. He graduated from Erie High School in 1960. Dec. 25, 1960, Delbert married the love of his life, Francis Edwards in Erie. At that time he worked for Johnson Filling Station and later...
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Sharon Lynn Carlson 1968-2012
Sharon Lynn Carlson, 43, died Tuesday, August 28, 2012, at her home in Chanute. She was born Nov. 30, 1968, in Iola, the daughter of John Edward “Jack” and Ruby Horgan Lewis. She graduated from Moran High School, and attended Allen County Community College. She was united in marriage to Bret Carlson on July 10, 2010. Sharon had worked as a home health aide for several years. In addition to her mother, and her husband, Sharon is survived by h...
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Kathryn Louise Althaber 1913-2012
Kathryn Louise Althaber, 98, Chanute, died Friday, August 24, 2012 at the Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. She was a resident of Guest Home Estates II for the past 1 ¬Ω years. Kathryn was born on Dec. 21, 1913 in Iola, the daughter of Bert and Vada Saunders Mitchell. She graduated from Chanute High School in the Class of 1931. She was united in marriage to William J. Althaber. He preceded her in death on Sept. 28, 1964. Kat...
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Charley Deweese
Charley Deweese, 75, longtime resident of rural Thayer, died Sunday, August 26, 2012 in Grand Island, Neb. He was born in Neosho County and farmed there for nearly 60 years. He was also an independent truck driver for the past 33 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Leona Deweese, two sisters, Clara May Angleton and Linda Deweese, and a son, Larry Deweese. He is the former husband of Phylllis Deweese and is survived by...
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Richard Lee Smith 1938-2012
Richard Lee “Smitty” Smith, 74, Fredonia, formerly of Neodesha and Topeka, died Monday, August 20, 2012 at the Kansas Heart Hospital in Wichita. He was born August 5, 1938, the son of Kenneth M. and Helen Leona Wood Smith. Smitty was a 1957 graduate of Highland Park High School in Topeka. He served in the United States Navy, 1959-1963. Smitty’s employment included Prestige Cabinets in Neodesha and helping to build several casinos in Las Vegas...
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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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