Obituaries
Death notice
Walter C. Vitt, 79, St. Paul, died Monday, May 4, 2009, at Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul. He had been in failing health. He is survived by his wife, Pauline Vitt, of the home. The funeral Mass will be 10 a.m., Friday, May 8 at St. Francis Catholic Church in St. Paul. Burial will be in St. Francis Cemetery. The rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Thursday, at St. Francis Catholic Church where the family will receive friends imme...
full story
Paul Eugene ‘Corkey’ Smith 1929-2009
Paul Eugene “Corkey” Smith, 79, died Tuesday, April 28, 2009, at Prairie Mission Retirement Village, St. Paul. He was born May 13, 1929, in Blue Mound to Josie Alice Brownback and Roy John Smith Sr. Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1954 then retired from Boeing, he enjoyed traveling, working around the house and in the yard. He married Lois Marie Carley on June 26, 1948, in Kincaid. She survives. Other survivors include a son, Dr. John St...
full story
Thomas L. Splechter 1925-2009
Thomas L. Splechter, 84, Yates Center, died Sunday, May 3, 2009, at Neosho Memorial Hospital. He was born Feb. 12, 1925, in Edwardsville to Edward E. and Celia M. Kiser Splechter. At a early age he moved with his family to Earlton and then to a farm near Thayer. In 1968 he moved from Fredonia to Yates Center. For 37 years he worked for the Union Gas Co., retiring in 1988. He enjoyed fishing and being with his family. In 1948 he Married Mary N...
full story
Estel Ann Mudd 1929 – 2009
Estel Ann Mudd, 79, Chanute, died Friday, May 1, 2009 at her home. Ann was born in Galesburg on July 13, 1929, the daughter of Ralph and Dica Brooke Magner. She graduated from Galesburg High School in the Class of 1947, and graduated from the Pittsburg Teacher’s College and taught in several area country schools. She was united in marriage to Joe Mudd on Dec.r 22, 1950 in Galesburg. He survives. Shortly after teaching, Ann served as th...
full story
Edward Lee Osborn 1932 – 2009
Edward Lee Osborn, 76, Chanute, died Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at the Olathe Medical Center in Olathe. He was born in Calista, Kan., on Oct. 21, 1932, the son of Elmo Clayton Henry and Oma Helen Jones Osborn. He graduated from Humboldt High School in the Class of 1950. Lee served his country in the United States Navy. He was a professional truck driver for Ruan Transport. Lee is survived by a son, Chester Osborn, Cherokee; daughters, Lou Ann Th...
full story
Charles W. Turley 1921-2009
Charles W. Turley, 88, Iola, died Tuesday, April 28, 2009, at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center. He was born Feb. 20, 1921, in LaHarpe to William Lawson and Linnie Ellen Tate Turley. After graduating from LaHarpe High School he served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. He married Josephine Vogel. From 1961 to 1984 he was employed as a truck driver for Ruan Transport Corp. Survivors include a son, C.J. Turley, Carl Junction, M...
full story
Death notice
Edward Lee Osborn, 76, Chanute, died Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at the Olathe Medical Center in Olathe. Funeral will be 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, 2009 at the Penwell-Gabel Gibson Chapel in Chanute. The family will receive friends from 10 until 3 on Saturday at the funeral home prior to the service. Memorials in his name may be made to Boys Town of Nebraska and may be left with the funeral home. A full obituary will follow when provided by the f...
full story
Ronald D. ‘Deanie’ Smith 1954-2009
Ronald D. Smith, 54, Chanute, died Monday, April 27, 2009, at his home. He was born May 21, 1954, in Iola to Nathaniel W. and Mildred V. Rogers Smith. He attended Iola schools. He was most recently employed with HiLo. He was married to Barbara Spear and later to Brenda Fudge. Survivors include two daughters, Sheila Smith, Iola, and Rachael Smith, Chanute; two stepsons, Tommy Hammer, Iola, and Jeremy Fudge, LaHarpe; his mother, Mildred Smith, ...
full story
Theresa Ellen Inge 1948 – 2009
Theresa Ellen Inge, 61, Chanute, died Friday, April 24, 2009 at the Chanute Health Care Center. Theresa was born on Feb. 29, 1948 in Chicago, Illi., the daughter of Ray and Laverne Guillot Cantrell. She was a high school graduate. She was united in marriage to Clyde Inge. He preceded her in death. She worked as a housekeeper. Theresa is survived by a daughter, Claudia Taylor, Chanute; three grandchildren, Timothy Leon Inge-Varndell, Stephan ...
full story
Thelma M. Hablitzel Walburn
Thelma M. Hablitzel Walburn, 100, Butler, Mo., died Sunday, April 26, 2009, at Bates County Memorial Hospital. She was a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City and was a dedicated elementary school teacher in Chanute and in the Center School District of Kansas City before she retired from Boone Elementary School in 1973. She is remembered with fondness by numerous former students and their parents. She was a member of the First Pr...
full story
Daniel Ramirez 1945-2009
Daniel “Dan the Man” Ramirez, 63, Kansas City, Mo., died Saturday, April 25, 2009. He was born Nov. 19, 1945, in Humboldt to Santos and Patricia Ramirez. He graduated from Chanute High School. He recently retired after a 40-year career with the MKT/Union Pacific Railroads. Survivors include his wife, Patricia Florez Ramirez; two sons, Daniel and Jose Ramirez; two daughters, Yolanda Ramirez and Serena Bales; three sisters, Lupe Tinoco, Hazel B...
full story
Jimmie Joe Spilman
Jimmie Joe Spilman, 80, Edmond, Okla., died Monday, April 27, 2009, in Edmond. He was born Sept. 28, 1928, in Independence to William and Isis Spilman. Survivors include his wife, Jeanette M. Spilman; daughters Karla J. Spilman, Jodi S. Russell and A. Babetta Spilman; a son, Dirk D. Spilman; sisters Ruth George and Joy Saevig; brothers Robert and Bill Spilman; and eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Funeral will be 2 p.m. Frida...
full story
Elmer Curtis Anderson 1911-2009
Elmer Curtis Anderson, 97, Safford, Ariz., was born June 23, 1911, in Pawnee, Okla., to Alba Curtis and Rosa Smith. Elmer quietly passed away on Friday, April 24, 2009, at 9:30 a.m. with his family by his side. He was the fourth of six children who all predeceased him. At the age of 6 he was placed in an orphanage and after a year was adopted by August and Mary Anderson of Vilas. His new parents were farmers and also devout Lutherans. He was ...
full story
Luis ‘Nino’ Joel Villalpando 1961 – 2009
Luis “Nino” Villalpando, 47, Chanute, died Friday, April 24, 2009 at the Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. Nino was born on Nov. 7, 1961 in San Diego, Calif., the son of Manuel and Carlota Sepulveda Villalpando. He was a high school graduate. He was a maintenance supervisor for Humboldt Speedway and worked as a carpenter for Whitworth Construction. Nino is survived by brothers and sisters, Irineo Sepulveda; Manuel Villalpand...
full story
Robert William Houdashelt 1931 – 2009
Robert William Houdashelt, 77, Chanute, died Sunday, April 26, 2009 at his home. Robert was born in Walnut on Nov. 26, 1931, the son of Floyd Clarence and Velma Willmerth Patterson Houdashelt. He graduated from Walnut High School in the Class of 1949 and received his AA Degree from NCCC in 1976. He served his country as a Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy for 24 years from 1950 to 1974. After his retirement, he worked for Stanion ...
full story
Death notice
Theresa Ellen Inge, 61, Chanute, died Friday, April 24, 2009 at the Chanute Health Care Center. Arrangements are pending with Penwell-Gabel Johnson Chapel.
full story
Wanda Jeanne Adams 1927-2009
Wanda Jeanne Adams, 81, Yates Center, died Sunday, April 26, 2009, at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka. She was born May 30, 1927, in Iola to Merida Floyd Zilliox and Bernice Marie Geer Zilliox Goodner. She attended school in the Maple Grove and Carlyle Communities and graduated from Iola High School. She married Donnel Adams on June 6, 1942, at Judge Dunlap’s home in Iola. He survives. She was a homemaker and helped on her husband’s farm sou...
full story
Robert Neal Yokum 1920-2009
Robert Neal Yokum, 88, Humboldt, died Thursday, April 23, 2009, at his home. He was born July 7, 1920, at Nowata, Okla., to Eli A. Delbert and Nancy Jane Capps Yocham. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. On Feb. 18, 1941, he married Dorothy M. Riebel at Westphalia. She died on Dec. 13, 2007. He worked for Woodmart and was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Humboldt. Survivors include a son, Robert “Gary” Yokum, Humboldt;...
full story
Margaret Irene Shaw 1914-2009
Margaret Irene Shaw, 95, a resident of the Parsons Presbyterian Manor, died Thursday, April 23, 2009. She was born Feb. 23, 1914, in Galesburg the second child of Stanley Wilbur and Mayme Byrne Shaw. She grew up in the hectic household of a hands-on business family. Her parents, born of Kansas settler-farmers, were to be catapulted into the busy world of 20th century technology when Mr. Shaw began exercising his talents for mechanical ingenui...
full story
Sara Palmer Sherman 1953-2009
Sara Palmer Sherman, 56, Chanute, died Wednesday, April 22, 2009, at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita. She was born Feb. 10, 1953, in Chanute to John and Virginia Sherman. She was a member of the Grace Episcopal Church. Survivors include her father, John Sherman, Chanute; a sister, Elizabeth Murphy, Paia, Hawaii; two brothers, Andrew Sherman, Lawrence, and David Sherman, Lenexa. She was preceded in death by her mother. Funeral will be 1 p.m. Mo...
full story