Obituaries

Mar 20, 2023

Lewis – Maria Dolores Holguin, 68, passed away March 20, 2023 at her home in Lewis.

She was born February 8, 1955 in Chihuahua, Mexico, the daughter of Manuel Holguin Urvina and Guadalupe Rivas Payan.

A resident of Lewis for 23 years, she moved from Chihuahua. She was a member of the Christian Faith and...

Mar 14, 2023

Larned  - With great sorrow, the Boots and Lewis families announce the unexpected passing of our loving and caring mother and grandmother, Margaret (Darlene) Knox.  Her soul peacefully ascended into heaven on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 in Hutchinson, Kansas.

Darlene was born February of 1944 to Harry and Christobelle (Henning) Huck in Wichita, Kansas and moved with...

Mar 14, 2023

Ness City – Carl E. McKinney, 88, passed away March 14, 2023 at Cedar Village, Ness City, Kansas.

He was born April 25, 1934 in Lewis, Kansas, the son of Elzia E. and Edith Guthrie McKinney. A lifetime area resident; he was a farmer and stockman.

He was a member of New Beginnings Church of...

Mar 8, 2023

Neil Vernon Meckfessel, 80, passed away March 8, 2023 at Country Living of Larned.

He was born March 16, 1942 in Great Bend, the son of Vernon Henry and Ella Angela Wilson Meckfessel.  A lifetime area resident; he was a farmer.

He was a member of the former Rozel United Methodist Church, Larned Country Club...

Feb 28, 2023

Kaiden Christopher Reed, 27, passed away February 28, 2023 at Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, Larned.

He was born July 31, 1995 in LaCrosse, the son of Travis K. and Vanessa M. Torrez Reed.  A lifetime area resident, he was a security officer at Larned State Hospital.  Kaiden enjoyed video games and playing the card game, Magic

Feb 27, 2023

Jetmore – Gregory H. Schlereth, 68, passed away February 27, 2023 at Hodgeman County Health Center, Jetmore.

He was born January 29, 1955 in Dodge City, the son of Howard and Maudene Corey Schlereth.

A lifetime area resident, he was a retired heavy equipment operator for Kansas Department of Transportation.

Greg was baptized...

Feb 24, 2023

Grace A. Lupfer, 90, passed away on February 24, 2023 at the Hodgeman County Health Center, Jetmore.

She was born July 21, 1932 in Hodgeman County, the daughter of Orla J. "Bill" and Lokadia David Anderson.

A lifetime area resident she was a homemaker. She was a member of the United Presbyterian Church where she...

Feb 24, 2023

Glenda Marie Miller, 82, passed away February 24, 2023 at home, Bowie, Texas.

She was born April 3, 1940 in Larned, Kansas; the daughter of Herman and Nina Wimberly Vratil; a short time after Herman passed away, she was adopted and raised by her father, Leo Vratil.  After spending her younger years in Larned, Glenda married Robert...

Feb 23, 2023

Nola Jean Gross, 89, passed away February 23, 2023 at Diversicare of Larned.

She was born August 21, 1933 in La Crosse, the daughter of Leslie A. and Clara Elmore Deighton Sr.

A lifetime area resident, she was a bank teller at First State Bank in Larned. She was a member of First Christian Church,...

Feb 18, 2023

Irving Gail Tournear, 79, passed away February 18, 2023 at his home in Larned.

He was born December 13, 1943 in Great Bend, the son of Irving G. and Mildred J. Asher Tournear.

A lifetime Great Bend resident, he was a firefighter for Great Bend Fire Department until his retirement in 1985.  He later moved...

Feb 15, 2023

Larned – Anne LoBianco Graner, 92, passed away February 15, 2023 at Pawnee Valley Community Hospital.  She was born June 7, 1930 in Oyster Bay, L.I., New York, the daughter of Frank and Josephine Testa LoBianco.

Her husband, Reverend James Graner, whom she married in Oyster Bay on April 7, 1956, had them traveling where there was...

Feb 14, 2023

William Douglas Brickey, 78, passed away February14, 2023 at Topeka Healthcare Resort, Topeka, Kansas.

Doug, as those who knew him called him, was born on December 4, 1944, in Stafford, to William Horace and Ruby (Stimatze) Brickey.  He was part of the last graduating class of Zook High School in 1962.  On January 31, 1965, he married...

Feb 11, 2023

Theoda E. Huish, 81, passed away February 11, 2023 at Emerald Nursing and Rehab, Lincoln, Nebraska.

She was born June 9, 1941 in Jetmore, the daughter of Leon M. and Beth Ora Berger Hill Sr.

A longtime area resident she was a RN and a member of the Jetmore United Methodist Church, Haun Museum, worked...

Feb 9, 2023

Alan V. Ochs, 68, passed away February 9, 2023, at Hodgeman County Health Center, Jetmore, after a long, courageous battle with metastatic prostate cancer.

He was born October 18, 1954, in Dodge City, the son of Vernon and Nola (Hill) Ochs.  A lifetime area resident, he was a diligent, hard-working farmer, raising wheat, milo, corn and soybeans....

Feb 1, 2023

Lola Jean (Gibbs) Pitts, 89, of San Jose, California, left this life for her heavenly home on February 1, 2023. Born in Hodgeman CO, Kansas on June 11, 1933, Lola was the fifth child and second daughter of Harry Gibbs Sr. and Celia Borieson Gibbs. She was raised on the family farm in rural Hodgeman County, attended...

Jan 31, 2023

Christian Alexander Wegehaupt, 9 of Friend, NE gained his wings while in his mother's arms and his dad holding his hand on 1/31/2023.

Visitation is Friday February 3rd 5-8pm at Friend UMC.  A celebration of life will be at Friend United Methodist Church Saturday February 4 at 10:30am. With love mom/Rev April will be officiating.  A short...

Jan 26, 2023

Betty Lucille Franz Obituary

10-23-26 to 1-26-23

Betty Lucille Deering Franz left this world at the age of ninety-six to join her heavenly family on the morning of Thursday, January 26th, while surrounded by her children.

Betty was born in Homestead, Kansas on her family's farm outside of Cottonwood Falls, Kansas...

Jan 24, 2023

Betty Ruth Tauscher, 92, passed away January 24, 2023 at Diversicare of Larned.

She was born October 14, 1930 in Beaver, Kansas, the daughter of Nick P. and Marie Hoeffner Meyeres.

A longtime area resident she was an administrative assistant at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital for twenty-four years. She was a member of Sacred Heart...

Jan 23, 2023

Jace James Fox, 19, passed away January 23, 2023 at his home in Larned with his loving family by his side.

He was born March 6, 2003 in Great Bend, the son of Justin L. and Stephani A. Kirchgassner Fox.

A lifetime area resident he loved playing games and watching game shows, collecting Hot Wheels,...

Jan 22, 2023

Ronald Lester Fishburn, 88, passed away January 22, 2023 in Liberal, Kansas. He was born to Lester Marion and Bessie May Fishburn on August 12, 1934 in Solomon, Kansas, later moving to Larned in 1952.

Ron married Cloella Jane Hager in 1957 and together had four children.  He was honorably discharged from the Kansas National Guard in...