Obituaries

Jan 18, 2026

Virgil Ralph Franz left this world at the age of ninety-seven to join his heavenly family on the evening of Sunday, January 18, 2026. Virgil was born in Rozel, Kansas, on December 27, 1928.

Virgil grew up on a farm in Burdett, Kansas, where his father, Ralph Franz—"Grandpa Ralph" to many of us—was a wheat farmer. He...

Jan 18, 2026

Sandra Sue (Jones) Hastings was born on June 30, 1937, in rural Jetmore, Hodgeman County, Kansas.  She was the daughter of Tracy B. Jones and Nettie Ella (Bell) Jones.  Sandra spent almost all her life in the Jetmore and Hanston areas of Kansas.  She passed away at her home in Jetmore, Kansas, on January 18, 2026.

Sandra...

Jan 16, 2026

Keith Charles Nelson was born on September 5, 1929, in Great Bend, Kansas to Charlie and Ruby Nelson.   He was raised on a farm in Walnut Township, Pawnee County, Kansas.  Keith prepared for his career as a farmer, working alongside his father and taking on farm chores in his early teens.

Keith was a graduate of Larned...

Jan 16, 2026

On January 16th, 2026, Joan Bohart passed away peacefully at Country Living in Larned, KS.  Joan was her endearing, yet feisty little self all the way until the end.

She was born February 23, 1937 in Larned. The daughter of Everett H. and Diantha Claudine Wells Blackwell.

Joan spent most of her life as a...

Jan 14, 2026

Sherryl Dianne Lemuz, 78, passed away January 14, 2026 at her home in Larned Kansas.

She was born November 6, 1947 in Great Bend, Kansas, the daughter of Robert Verne and Betty Lou Milhouse Twitchell.

Sherry was a lifetime area resident and a special education teacher. She received her Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Special...

Jan 13, 2026

Jetmore – Sylvia Doris Fox VanVleet, 89, died January 13, 2026 at Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital in El Dorado, Kansas.

She was born June 24, 1936 at her grandparent Sauer's farm, southwest of Bazine. She was the daughter of Hiart (Jim) and Mary Eva Sauer Fox.

She was a resident of Hodgeman County all...

Jan 5, 2026

Larned – Melba Joy Adams, 95, passed away January 5, 2026 at Southwind Home in Pratt.

She was born September 23, 1930 in La Crosse, Kansas, the daughter of Pete and Martha Ebel Fritzler. Moving from Lyons to Arizona, and then Larned, she was a homemaker.

She was a member of the First Christian Church...

Dec 27, 2025

Leo Herbert Ziesch, 85, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Dec. 27, 2025, at Sedgwick Plaza in Wichita, Kan. He was born Dec. 9, 1940, in Spearville, Kan., the son of Herbert and Ida (Bamberger) Ziesch.

On Sept. 3, 1961, Leo married Dorothy Sinclair at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Dodge City, Kan....

Dec 22, 2025

Walter Dan Salmans, 78, passed away peacefully at his home in Hanston KS on December 22, 2025. He was born in his parent's home in Hanston KS on December 15, 1947.

Walt felt like he had a storybook childhood with multiple siblings, grandparents next door, and a nearby creek. He often told stories of playing tag on...

Dec 17, 2025

Larned – Dennis Harold Carden, 84, passed away December 17, 2025 at Diversicare of Larned.

He was born December 27, 1940 in Larned, the son of Harold and Mary Jean Grandy Carden. A lifetime area resident, he was a plumber at the Larned State Hospital. He also worked in the Oilfield, was a Truck Driver and Farmhand....

Dec 10, 2025

Larned – Patsy Donnette Grimes, 83, passed away December 10, 2025 at the University of Kansas Medical Center Olathe Campus.

She was born March 14, 1942 in Woodward, Oklahoma, the daughter of Wilbur G. and Elsie M. Musselman Clapham. A longtime area resident she was a secretary and program assistant at the Farm Service Agency.

...

Dec 10, 2025

Jetmore – Cynthia Bach, 91, of Jetmore, Kansas, passed away in peace Wednesday, December 10, 2025, joining her husband Herb in heaven, who passed away earlier this year.

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, July 4, 1934, to Fred and Bertha (Gladbach) Dice, Cynthia's family lived in Tonganoxie, Kansas, for most of her early childhood then moved to...

Dec 9, 2025

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Evelyn Josephine Fertig, 78, of McPherson, Kansas, on December 9, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.

Evelyn was born on October 29, 1947, in Colby, Kansas, to parents Walter and Katherine (Schmid) Conant. One of seven children, she grew up in Atwood, Kansas. She married Dan Sanneman, and to...

Dec 5, 2025

Larned  - Janet Arleta Eilts, 59, passed away December 5, 2025 at Via Christie St. Francis, Wichita.

She was born December 21, 1965 in Fairbury, Nebraska; the daughter of Ervin and Joann Flatham Fangmeyer.  A Larned resident since May 2021, moving from McPherson, she was a homemaker. For twenty-three years she stayed home with her boys before...

Dec 5, 2025

Larned - Dolores Jacqueline Morton passed away December 5th, 2025, in Larned, Kansas.

She was born December 16th, 1928, in Zurich, Kansas. The daughter of Rudolph and Violet Kaba Novotny.

On September 2, 1946, she married Donald Morton in Hoisington, Kansas. He passed away March 13th, 1999.

Don and Dolores owned 4 businesses...

Dec 3, 2025

Wichita – Melinda "Mindy" Lucia Garcia, 45, passed away December 3, 2025 at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita.

She was born May 16, 1980 in Great Bend, the daughter of Frank Arias and Linda Marie Perez Garcia.

Mindy grew up in Larned and lived in various locations, including South Carolina, before moving to Wichita. She was...

Dec 2, 2025

Larned – Guy Howard Harbert, 65, passed away December 2, 2025 at his home in Larned.

He was born April 13, 1960 in Larned, the son of Howard J. and Frances E. Fulcher Harbert.  A lifetime area resident, he was an Activity Therapist, owner of Guy's Liquor and a former Cattleman.

He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Larned and...

Nov 26, 2025

Larned  - Eddy R. Miller, 80, passed away November 26, 2025 at Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, Larned.

He was born January 4, 1945 in Lyons, the son of Marion and Dorothy Stroh Miller.  A longtime area resident; Eddy was the Dillons store manager, where he retired from after 41 years to be a caregiver for his daughter...

Nov 21, 2025

Salina – Judith Ann Marie (Hoeck) Hall, 85, passed away November 21, 2025 at Holiday Resort in Salina.

She was born August 10, 1940 in Beach, North Dakota to Ted and Lillian Hoeck.

She attended nursing school in Long Beach, California where she met her husband, Maurice Hall. They moved to Larned and she was...

Nov 19, 2025

Hanston - Paul "Gunner" Bamberger, of Hanston, Kansas, passed away on November 19, 2025 due to injuries sustained from a motor vehicle accident.

Paul, the son of Lloyd and Alice (Pittaway) Bamberger, was born on February 24, 1945, at Gleason Hospital in Larned, Kansas. He grew up in Hanston and later attended Marion High School. In November...