Obituaries
Vera Louise “Lou” Kern 1937-2012
Vera Louise “Lou” Kern, 74, Osawatomie, died Monday April 9, 2012 at the Life Care Center in Osawatomie. “Lou” as she was known, was born Nov, 9, 1937. She was the youngest of three children born to Clarence Edward and Margaret Irene Ginbey Hutton. She graduated from Chanute High School in the Class of 1956. On Jan. 5, 1957 Lou married David Lee “Duke” Kern in Chanute. “Lou” worked from 1971-1979 for the Neosho County Sheriff’s Department as ...
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Richard Jack “Corky” Keichler 1933-2012
Richard “Corky” Keichler, 79, formerly of Las Animas, Colo., died Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at the Moran Manor in Moran. Corky was born Jan. 5, 1933, 10 miles NW of Las Animas, Colo., the son of Oscar and Bertha Halliday Keichler. He served his country in the United States Army during the Korean War. Corky was united in marriage to Esther Voss on March 28, 1953 in Raton, N.M. She preceded him in death on July 16, 1995. He worked as a machin...
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James Arthur Summervill 1941-2012
James Arthur Summervill, 71, Humboldt, died Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at the Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. James was born on Jan. 13, 1941 in Humboldt, the son of James Walter and Florence Ward Summervill. He graduated from Humboldt High School. He was united in marriage to Nancy Sue Baker on March 20, 1965, at the First Christian Church in Humboldt. She survives, of the home. James retired from the City of Humboldt. He enjoyed farming,...
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Sharman Mullen Blasing 1951-2012
Sharman Mullen Blasing, 60, Topeka, died Sunday, April 8, 2012 at Midland Hospice House after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. She was born on Dec. 5, 1951 in Russell, the daughter of W. Gale and Raeme Lee Wamsley Mullen. Sharman graduated from Erie High School and Kansas State University, cum laude, with a degree in clothing and retailing. After graduation, she worked for the Jones Store in Kansas City, Missouri and later for Mar...
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Louis H. Walker, Jr. 1925-2012
Louis H. Walker Jr., 86, Thayer, died Monday, April 9, 2012 at the Heritage Health Care Center in Chanute. Junior was born on April 23, 1925 in Buffalo, the son of Louis and Lola Shoaf Walker. He attended schools in Wilson County. He was united in marriage to Jean E. “Betty” Russell on August 25, 1944 in Erie,. Junior drove a school bus for 26 years for Thayer Schools. He enjoyed his cattle, horses, and farming. Along with his wife, Betty, he...
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Vicki Lu Bitts 1940-2012
Vicki Lu Bitts, 71, Chanute, died Monday, April 9, 2012 at her home. Vicki was born in Erie on April 23, 1940, the daughter of Earl “Spud” and Lurene Hurst Rice. She grew up and attended schools in Erie, graduating from Erie High School in 1958. She was united in marriage to Larry Bitts on Oct. 1, 1960 at the First Christian Church in Chanute. He survives, of the home. Vicki was a homemaker, whose favorite pastime was spending time with her c...
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Bonnie L. Wells Taylor 1924-2012
Bonnie Taylor, 88, longtime resident of Fredonia, died Thursday, April 5, 2012 at Golden Living Center in Fredonia. She was born Jan. 18, 1924 in Fredonia, the daughter of Leslie and Anna Barth Wells. Bonnie attended school in Fredonia, where she graduated high school. She then went on to cosmetology school where she received her degree. She later owned her own beauty shop in Fredonia. On June 2, 1955 Bonnie married Raymond E. Taylor. He p...
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Jack E. McClaskey 1921-2012
Jack E. McClaskey, 91, died on April 5, 2012, at his home near Girard following a lengthy illness. He was born on Oct. 30, 1921, to Clement and Ruth Cunningham McClaskey.¬†He grew up in rural Girard and attended school in Girard. Jack served in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II from 1942 to 1946. He attended Kansas State University where he received a B.S. degree in Agriculture Education in 1949 and a Master’ssDegree in 1977. He has...
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L. Alberta McCoy 1919-2012
L. Alberta McCoy, 93, longtime Chanute resident, died Thursday, April 5, 2012 in McKinney, Texas after a long illness. She was a lifetime resident of the Erie and Chanute, before moving to McKinney, Texas in 2008 to be near her daughter. Alberta was born on Jan. 30, 1919 in Erie, the daughter of Ernest and Margaret Alice Harral Hurford. She was united in marriage to Clifford McCoy on March 23, 1939 in Iola. He preceded her in death in 1986. ...
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Alva W. Boice 1921-2012
Alva W. Boice, 91, longtime resident of Fredonia, died Thursday, April 5, 2012, at Fredonia Regional Hospital.  He was born Feb. 26, 1921, in Rover, Mo., the son of David and Cora Davis Boice. In 1938, Alva enlisted in the U.S. Army and became a member of the Horse Cavalry assigned to Fort Riley. In September, 1942, Alva re-enlisted in the U.S. Army and served with the 5th Armored Division, tank corps. He was captured by the German army in N...
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Alice Leora Lee 1940-2012
Alice Leora Lee, 71, rural Parsons, died Thursday, April 5, 2012 in the Emergency Room at Labette Health.  She was born Nov. 26, 1940 in Iowa City, Iowa to Albert B. and Alice Olive Mael Noe. She grew up and attended school in Iowa where she graduated high school. In the mid 1970s, she moved to Parsons where she had lived since. Through the years, she worked as a cook at various nursing homes until retiring in 2001. She was affiliated with...
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Cindy Lee Knudsen Cohee 1966-2012
Cindy Knudsen Cohee, 45, Chanute, died Thursday, April 5, 2012 at Heritage Nursing Home in Chanute. Cindy was born in Chanute on Oct. 13, 1966, the daughter of Edward and Suntok Li McGinnis. She graduated from Chanute High School in 1985.  She married Robert Knudsen who preceded her in death. On July 4, 2008 she married Chuck Cohee in Iola. She was employed as a caregiver for several years. Cindy is survived by her husband, Chuck Cohee, Chan...
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Thomas R. Maxwell 1927-2012
Thomas R. Maxwell, 84, Iola, died Wednesday, April 4, 2012, at Iola Nursing Center. Tom was born Dec. 8, 1927, at Oakmont, Pa., the son of John V. and Edith Mattner Maxwell. He grew up in Pennsylvania and graduated from high school in 1945 at Aspinwall. Tom served in the United States Army during the Korean War. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Muskingum University in Ohio, where he met his future wife, Joann Hostetler. Tom received hi...
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Rosemary McNeill 1931-2012
Rosemary McNeill, 80, Overland Park, died Wednesday, April 4, 2012. Rosemary was born Nov. 23, 1931 in Erie, to Paul and Louise Gallagher Lowe. She spent her formative years in Chanute. Rosemary married Bill McNeill, from Fronten0ac, in 1949 and moved to Kansas City, where they raised their two children. Rosemary worked for the Kansas City Eye Clinic in Overland Park for more than 30 years. Survivors include her loving husband of 62 years, W...
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Madge Dunaway Schell 1946-2012
Madge Dunaway Schell, 84, Iola, formerly of Chanute, died Wednesday, April 4, 3012 at the Allen County Hospital. She graduated from Chanute High School in 1946. She and her husband, Joe Schell, operated Schell’s Dry Cleaners in Iola for a number of years. He died in 1999. She is survived by a daughter, Terri Lyn Ryno, Independence; two granddaughters and one great-grandson. Her brother, Eugene Dunaway, preceded her in death Cremation has take...
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David L. Lindblad 1946-2012
David L. Lindblad, 65, Leavenworth, died Sunday, April 1, 2012, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease. David was born Oct. 9, 1946, in Chanute, the son of George A. and Helen Marie Walters Lindblad. His family later moved to Piper and he graduated from Piper High School in 1964. He served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1968. After discharge from the military, David married his high-school sweetheart, Joyce Masterson. He owned and op...
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Philip Wayde Orbison 1955-2012
Philip Wayde Orbison, 57, Arlington, Texas, died on March 29, 2012. He was born in January 1955. He is survived by wife Linda Ranz Orbison and sisters-in-law Anna Jabara and Gilda Holloway. Memorial service will be held on Thursday, April 5, at 3 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in the Veterans Pavilion, 3600 Arkansas Lane, Arlington, Texas. The family requests all donations be sent to the charity of your choice in Phil’s name.
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Joe Culbertson 1948-2012
Stanley “Joe” Culbertson, 63, lifelong resident of Fredonia, died Thursday, March 29, 2012 at Fredonia Regional Hospital.¬† He was born July 11, 1948 in Independence, the son of Orval “Shorty” and Otheal E. Bennett Culbertson.¬† Joe was a graduate of Fredonia High School.¬† He was employed by the City of Fredonia for many years as the trash truck driver.¬† On Nov. 7, 1970 in Fredonia, Joe was united in marriage to Terri Chilcott.¬† Terri surv...
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Robert Eugene Auten 1944-2012
Robert Auten, 67, Chanute, died Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at Harry Hynes Hospice, Via Christi Medical Center, Wichita. Robert was born in Tulsa, Okla., on October 14, 1944 the son of Jack and Thelma Welch Auten. He attended Broken Arrow, Okla., public schools. On March 7, 1970, he was united in marriage to Cora Jussell in Harrison, Ark. They made their home in Chanute since 1996. She preceded him in death. Robert worked as a landscaper, and ...
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Christy Ann Jones 1953-2012
Christy Ann Jones, 58, Chanute, died Saturday, March 24, 2012 at the Chanute Health Care Center. Christy was born on May 29, 1953 in Chanute, the daughter of Millard “Bud” and Lucille Shepard Morgan. She attended Chanute schools and received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Pittsburg State University in 1975. She was united in marriage to Charles “Charley” Jones on May 24, 1974 in Chanute. He survives, of the home. Christy worked as a...
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