Obituaries
Richard S. Stephenson 1931-2009
Richard S. Stephenson, 77, Andover, died Friday, January 9, 2009, at the Via Christi St. Francis Hospital in Wichita. He was born June 12, 1931, in Fayetteville, Ark. He served in the U.S. Army from 1948 to 1954. He worked at Beech Aircraft in small parts assembly from 1976 until his retirement in 1993. Survivors include his wife, Judy; three daughters, Debbie Bradford, Chanute, Sharon Sutton, Tahlequah, Okla., and Kim Rybak, O’Fallon, Mo.;...
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Peggie Nicholas 1941-2009
Peggie Nicholas, 67, rural Erie, died Friday, January 9, 2009, at her home. She had been in failing health. She was born on Oct. 17, 1941, at Canton, Ohio, to Peter and Velma Mae Zerby and attended Canton schools. She moved to Wichita where she worked at Cessna. She moved to rural Erie in 1983 and worked at HiLo Manufacturing in Chanute. She and Vergil Nicholas were married on Sept. 6, 1983, at Miami, Okla. He survives. Other survivors includ...
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Estelle M. Barker 1908-2009
Estelle M. Barker, 100, Chanute, died Tuesday, January 6, 2009, at Allen County Hospital, Iola. She was born Sept. 10, 1908, in Omaha, Neb., to Joseph and Anastasia Piekarczyk Tomaszkiewicz. She married Gordon Barker on April 28, 1940. He preceded her in death on Feb. 16, 1995. She was a homemaker. She was considered a second mom to a generation of Chanute children as co-owner, with Gordon, of Barker’s Dairy Bar. She organized a group of wom...
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Dorothy V. Fuhlhage 1916-2009
Dorothy V. Fuhlhage, 92, Fredonia, died Thursday, January 8, 2009, at her home. She was born March 5, 1916, in Chanute to Albert E. and Ora Etta Kirby Ewing. She graduated from Coyville High School and Independence Community Junior College. She was most recently employed as a personal assistant to Bill Hollis. In November 1940 she married Robert K. “Kenny” Fuhlhage in Appleton, Mo. He died Nov. 5, 1970. She was a member of the First United Me...
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Earl Raymond Clemans Jr. 1919-2008
Earl Raymond Clemans Jr., 89, Colony, died Wednesday, January 7, 2009, at Allen County Hospital, Iola. He was born June 12, 1919, in Erie to Earl Sr. and Leona Mathis Clemans. He graduated from Erie High School in 1937 and from Pittsburg Teacher’s College in 1942. He married Mary Best on May 17, 1942, in McCune. She survives. He taught sciences, history, shop, driver’s education and coached basketball at Colony High School for 39 years, retir...
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Betty Louise Blaker 1932-2009
Betty Louise Blaker, 76, New Albany, died Thursday, January 8, 2009, at Golden Living Center in Neodesha. She was born Jan. 31, 1932, in New Albany to Melvin and Ruby Richards Anderson. She was a 1950 graduate of Fredonia High School. She married Ivan L. Blaker on Aug. 18, 1950, in Fredonia. He survives. She was a homemaker, baby-sitter and Avon representative. She was a member of the Burrton United Methodist Church and New Albany United Meth...
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Leo Lacy 1929-2009
Leo Lacy, 79, died Tuesday, January 6, 2009, in Chanute. He was born Nov. 21, 1929, in Kenwood, Okla., to Dennis and Molly Lacy. He served in the U.S. Army from 1948 to 1952. He married Esther Sutton in 1952. Survivors include by his children, John Lacy, Inola, Okla., Sandi Galemore, Chanute, Lisa Keith, Bellingham, Wash., and Dan Lacy, Richardson, Texas; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Lucille and JoAnn. He w...
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Georgann Rausch Mefferd 1949-2009
Georgann Rausch Mefferd, 59, died Thursday, January 8, 2009, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa. She was born May 11, 1949, in Chanute to George and Freida Jones Rausch. She received her law degree from Washburn University in Topeka and was employed as chief compliance officer at West Bank in West Des Moines. Survivors include a son, Michael G. Mefferd, Des Moines, Iowa; a daughter, Mary S. Mefferd, Des Moines, Iowa; an aun...
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Larry B. Clarke 1944-2009
Larry B. Clarke, 64, Yates Center, died Tuesday, January 6, 2009, at his home. He was born March 23, 1944, in Rose Hill to Glenn W. and Vona “Babe” Mott Clarke. He graduated from Yates Center High School in 1962. He married Karen L. Scheibmeir on March 14, 1964, in Eureka. She survives. He was employed with Brilke Motor Co., and Burkhart Manufacturing, both in Yates Center. Other survivors include two sons, Larry Todd Clarke, Wichita, and Kle...
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James E. Sharpe
James E. Sharpe, Ballwin, Mo., a retired management consultant, died January 3, 2009. James was former management consultant and office director of management services for Arthur Young & Company, an international CPA firm. He also served as director of world wide travel services for the Automobile Club of Missouri with offices in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas. He was appointed to serve on both regional and national travel management committee...
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Estelle Barker
Estelle Barker, 100, Humboldt, died Tuesday, January 6, 2009, at the Allen County Hospital, Iola. Arrangements are pending with Penwell-Gabel Johnson Chapel.
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Harold Frank Sievers 1919-2009
Harold Frank Sievers, 89, Abilene, died Saturday, January 3, 2009, at Village Manor, Abilene. He was born March 19, 1919, in rural Humboldt to Frank George and Mae Julia Collison Sievers. He graduated from Humboldt High School in 1937. He served in the U.S. Army Air Force from May 18, 1942, to Sept. 5, 1945. He married Velma Mae Barnett on Nov. 17, 1942, in Iola. She survives. He retired in 1984 as supervisor of the Rock Springs 4-H Center op...
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Herbert Eugene ‘Herb’ Huser 1928-2009
Herbert Eugene Huser, 80, Fredonia, died Saturday, January 3, 2009, at Fredonia Regional Hospital. He was born Jan. 21, 1928, in Neodesha to Bernard and Beatrice Ellis Huser. He graduated from Elk City High School in 1946. He married Ethel M. Roth on Aug. 28, 1948, at St. Andrews Catholic Church, Independence. She survives. He was a lifetime farmer and rancher in the Fredonia area. Other survivors include five sons, David Huser, Cherryvale, D...
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Robert D. Ryan 1948-2008
Robert D. Ryan, 60, Chanute, formerly of Buffalo, died Wednesday, December 24, 2008, at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center. He was born May 25, 1948, in Fresno, Calif., to Leo Jackson and Anna Frances Divine Ryan. He graduated from Argentine High School in Kansas City, Kan., in 1966. He received a bachelor’s degree from Wichita State University. He married E. Dianne Goodall at New Hope Baptist Church near Ottawa on Nov. 6, 1971. She surv...
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Wayne Donley Morrison 1952-2009
Wayne Donley Morrison, 55, Overbrook, died Friday, January 2, 2009, at his home after a long battle with cancer. He was born Oct. 4, 1952, in Chanute to Max and Francis Morrison. He graduated from Chanute High School in 1970. He was a master electrician and owned his own electrical business for 25 years. He married Dana Lynne Wallace in January 1992. She survives. He was a member of Overbrook United Methodist Church. Other survivors include t...
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Vinetta L. Chickadonz 1919-2009
Vinetta L. Chickadonz, 89, lifelong Parsons area resident, died Saturday, January 3, 2009, at Labette Health in Parsons. She was born Aug. 24, 1919, in Parsons to Ralph and Reba Russell Brown. She graduated from Galesburg High School in 1937 and from Parsons Junior College in 1939. On Feb. 1, 1941, she married Charles Leo Chickadonz at Erie. He died on April 29, 1982. For 12 years she worked as a church secretary and also was secretary to the...
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Andrew Clayton Reed Jr. 1939-2009
Andrew Clayton Reed Jr., 69, Thayer, died Thursday, January 1, 2009, at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center. He was born March 3, 1939, in Chanute to Andrew and Vada Rufe Reed. He graduated from Winfield High School. He married Estella L. Tubbs on Feb. 28, 1962, in Earlton. She survives. He served in the U.S. Army from December 1961 until December 1963. He was employed as an oilfield inspector for the Kansas Corporation Commission for 27 ...
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Merle L. Grady 1939-2009
Merle L. Grady, 69, Chanute, died Thursday, January 1, 2009, at St. Francis Harry Hines Hospice, Wichita. She was born Aug. 30, 1939, in Erie to Lawrence and Ellen Robinson Showalter. She grew up and attended schools in Erie. She married John Grady on Jan. 1, 1956, in Erie. He survives. She was employed as an electronics assembler, retiring from Everbrite Electronics in July 2004. She was a lifetime member of the V.F.W. Auxiliary, a member ...
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Mary Louise Lindquist 1920-2008
Mary Louise Lindquist, 88, a longtime resident of Altoona, died Saturday, Dec. 27, 2008 at Golden Keys Nursing Home in Neodesha. She was born July 22, 1920, in Omaha, Neb., the daughter of Ralph A. and Cornelia Lena Pond Dudley. Mary was a 1942 graduate of Altoona High School. She was a homemaker and mother of two daughters. In 1960, she married Arvid E. Lindquist. He preceded her in death April 26, 1983. Graveside services will be held at...
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Vera E. Montgomery 1917-2008
Vera E. Montgomery, 91, Humboldt, died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008, at the Allen County Hospital in Iola. Vera was born March 1, 1917, at Oak Valley, to John Riley and Hazel May Wilson Beck. She grew up in the Chanute and Erie areas. On Feb. 10, 1938, Vera married Lee H. Montgomery at Chanute. They made their home at Chanute before moving to Erie. Lee served as sheriff of Neosho County for a number of years and Vera assisted in the management ...
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