Obituaries
Wilma “Billie” L. Walker 1935-2013
Wilma L. “Billie” Walker, 77, of Independence died Monday, March 25, 2013 at the Golden Living Center, in Neodesha. A graveside Celebration of Life service was held Friday at the Mount Hope Cemetery in Independence. Interment followed under the direction of the Potts Chapel, Independence. The family has suggested memorials to FORPAZ and contributions may be left at the Potts Chapel in Independence. Billie was born June 6, 1935 in Fredonia, th...
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Lonnie Firestine 1958-2013
Lonnie Firestine, 54, of Chanute, died Friday, March 22, 2013 at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. Lonnie was born on June 13, 1958 in Sacramento, Calif., the son of David Firestine and Evelyn Gahman. He married Darlene Lawandowski on Feb. 28, 1978 in Wichita. They celebrated 35 wonderful years together. He received his GED recently and was currently attending Neosho County Community College. He was a chef and loved cooking...
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Clella Fay Zietz 1941-2013
Clella Fay Zietz, 71, of Pomona, Calif., died on Friday, March 22, 2013, at Pomona Valley Hospital in Pomona. She was born June 7, 1941, in Wilson County to Clyde and Esther Heck. She graduated from Thayer High School. She married William A. “Bill” Zietz on Sept. 27, 1977, in Las Vegas, Nev. He survives, of the home. Clella enjoyed cooking, crocheting, fishing, gardening and her cats. Other survivors are a son, Michael Lee Hale of Pomona, Cal...
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Sylva A. Wanek Dufek 1917-2013
Sylva A. Wanek Dufek, 95, died Sunday, March 24, 2013 in Wichita. She was born Nov. 21, 1917 to Edward and Anna Wanek in Neligh, Neb. She graduated from Neligh High School, attended the University of Nebraska, and worked several years in her father’s drug store. She married Geore Dufek, Jr., June 1940. He preceded her in death in 1998. She and her husband, after leaving the farm in the early 60s, owned and operated a Coast to Coast store in C...
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Tyler “Silent Trees” Johnson Hundley 1990-2013
Tyler Johnson Hundley, 22, of Altoona, died on March 4, 2013 at KU Medical Center from complications of diabetes. Tyler was born in Shawnee Mission on March 29, 1990, the son of Denise Lynn “Dickerson” Wright and the late John Walter Hundley. He graduated from Humboldt High School in 2008 and attended Job Corps in Dayton, Ohio in 2011 for Pharmaceutical Tech. Tyler loved his family and friends with all his heart. He was fun loving, carefree, a...
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Joe C. McMillen of rural Chanute died Saturday, March 23, 2013
Joe C. McMillen of rural Chanute died Saturday, March 23, 2013. Joe resided 87 years on Village Creek where he enjoyed the ever changing seasons. Joe had many good memories and stories of the area. Joe operated his farm and cow calf operation for 82 years. He was a farmer that embraced change and innovation. He was constantly improving his farm. In 1989 he was awarded the Soil Conservation Award. His favorite job on the farm was combining. At...
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Christopher ‘Hoss’ Thomas Berthot 1976-2013
Christopher “Hoss” Thomas Berthot, 36, of Chanute, died at his home on Tuesday, March 19, 2013. He was born on Nov. 25, 1976 in Fort Scott to Gerald and Linda Smith Berthot. His childhood love of the outdoors included hunting, fishing, and swimming in the Leanna area. He graduated from Humboldt High School in 1995. He started working for G & W Foods his sophomore year until after his graduation. Then he worked at Screw-Conveyor and Automate....
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Oleta M. Venhaus 1925-2013
Oleta M. Venhaus, 88, of Humboldt, died Wednesday, March 20, 2013, at the Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. Oleta was born in St. Paul on March 7, 1925, the daughter of Herman and Mary Lero Spielbusch. She attended school in St. Paul. She was united in marriage to Lawrence Venhaus on Nov. 25, 1943 in St. Paul. He preceded her in death in 1986. Oleta was a loving mother and grandmother and enjoyed cooking for her family. S...
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Robert D. ‘Bob’ Hodges 1936-2013
Robert D. “Bob” Hodges, 76, of rural Buffalo, died Sunday, March 3, 2013, at his home. Bob was born Nov, 17, 1936, in Jefferson County, Colo., the son of Elmo and Opal Bolijack Hodges. He grew up in Colorado and graduated from Arvada High School. He was a sergeant in the United States Marines. Bob married Gladys J. Hollingsworth March 25, 1972, in Denver. They moved to this area 14 years ago from Wheatridge, Colo. He has worked for the A&W ...
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Shirley J. Harding 1920-2013
Shirley J. Harding, 92, of Erie, died Friday, March 15, 2013, at her home. She had been in her usual health and death was not expected. She was born August 18, 1920, in Huron, S.D., to Cecil and Hattie Marks Crabb. At the age of 13, her family moved to Kansas where she attended school and was a 1938 graduate of Grant Township High School in Stark. She and Don Harding were married Sept, 15, 1940. He preceded her in death July 31, 1978. Survivo...
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H. Richard Webb 1934-2013
H. Richard Webb, 78, of Chanute, died Thursday, March 14, 2013 at his home. Richard was born in Blue Eye, Mo., on Dec. 20, 1934, the son of Kenneth E. Webb and J. Lucille VanWinkle Webb. He graduated from Stark High School in 1952.  He was united in marriage to Frances A. McGinty on April 2, 1961, in Chanute. Richard was an accomplished meat market manager, having worked for Self Service Bauer’s Market, Rooster’s Thriftway, and Ron’s IGA in ...
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Barbara A. Lightfoot Allison 1935-2013
Barbara A. Lightfoot Allison, 77, of Overland Park, died March 13, 2013, surrounded by her family in her home. Barbara was born on May 8, 1935 in Tulsa, Okla., to James and Ethel Wagner Lightfoot. Barb was raised in Chanute and attended Neosho County Community College. She also attended Pittsburg State College, and received many honors while there, including KSTC Homecoming Queen, first attendant, American Royal Queen and Miss Chanute. She ha...
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Phyllis Eileen Reed 1945-2013
Phyllis Eileen Reed, 67, of Humboldt, died Wednesday, March 13, 2013, at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka. Phyllis was born Nov. 27, 1945, in Chanute, the daughter of Leonard and Delores Peck Krone. She grew up in Humboldt and graduated from Humboldt High School in 1963. On Oct. 18, 1968, Phyllis married Bobby L. Reed in Chanute and they have made their home in Humboldt most of their married lives. She operated a daycare from her home for a n...
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Emil R. Semrad 1931-2013
Emil R. Semrad, 81, of rural Thayer, died Wednesday, March 13, 2013, under the care of Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice at Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul. He was born August 21, 1931, in Marshall, Okla., to Frank and Frances Krejci Semrad. He grew up in Marshall and was a graduate of Marshall High School. Following high school, he farmed in rural Galesburg, and then served in the United States Army from 1952-1954. While serving ...
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Fannie L. Skaggs 1907-2013
Fannie L. Skaggs, 105, of Humboldt, died Thursday, March 14, 2013 at the Arrowood Lane Residential Care Facility in Humboldt. Fannie was born in Elk City on Oct. 8, 1907, the daughter of Thomas C. and Sarah A. Jeter Owen. She graduated from Elk City High School in 1927 and attended summer classes at Pittsburg State College and taught for a short time. She was united in marriage to John Piesker on May 12, 1929 in Elk City. He preceded her in d...
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Robert Emerson Bunn 1935-2013
Robert Emerson Bunn, 77, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., formerly of Chanute, entered died Saturday, March 2, 2013. He was born Dec. 31, 1935, in Tulsa, Okla., son of the late Earl N. and Audrey G. Bunn. He and Auna Lee Kissinger were married May 7, 1960, in Springfield, Mo. Robert attended Chanute schools, graduating from Chanute High School in 1954. He received a Bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University (formerly Southwest Missouri State ...
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Charlotte Dorothea Hartwig Lewis 1917-2013
Charlotte Dorothea Hartwig Lewis, 95, of Yates Center, died Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at Allen County Hospital in Iola. Charlotte was born Dec. 27, 1917 on a farm in Woodson County, the daughter of Charles Robert and Lilie Louise Schaede Hartwig. She attended country grade school in Woodson County until her parents moved to Humboldt, where she finished her schooling. During Charlotte’s life she had many jobs, she loved vegetable and flower g...
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Marsh memorial
Lucille Marsh, 91, died Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013 in Paola. A memorial dervice will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 16 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Chanute. Memorials in her name may be made to Chanute Public Library and may be left with the funeral home. Penwell-Gabel Gibson Chapel is in charge.
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Jack Leon Schaid 1926-2013
Jack Leon Schaid, 86, died Monday, March 11, 2013 at Mercy Hospital in Independence.¬† He was born Dec. 13, 1926 to Bill and Hazel Schaid in rural Independence. Jack attended the Riley Grade School, Independence High School, and then earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Pittsburg State Teachers College. During World War II, he joined the Army where he was stationed at Fort Leavenworth where he worked at the United States Disciplinary...
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Leonard Alfred Wood 1930-2013
Leonard Alfred Wood, 82, of rural Savonburg, died Saturday, March 9, 2013 at the Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. He was born March 11, 1930 in Chanute, and was the only child of Sam Alfred and Dolores Cation Wood. He graduated from Humboldt High School in 1948 and then enlisted in the United States Navy.  After his honorable discharge in 1952, he attended Chanute Junior College. Leonard was united in marriage to Kathleen ...
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