Obituaries
Beulah Mae Heller 1915-2011
Beulah Mae Heller, 95, Humboldt, died Thursday, March 17, 2011 at Pinecrest Nursing Home in Humboldt. Beulah was born June 24, 1915 in Independence, the daughter of George Myron and Nona Iola Freiermuth Burtnett. She grew up in Iola and graduated from Iola High School in 1933. On August 12, 1935, Beulah married Frank P. Heller in Nevada, Mo. They made their home in Oswego until his death on Oct. 30, 1980. She moved to Humboldt in 1981. Survivo...
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Laura Mae Wing Brown 1928-2011
Laura Mae Wing Brown, 82, died Monday, March 14, 2011 after suffering a long-term illness with Alzheimer’s disease. She was born Sept. 9, 1928 to Jerome Paul and Donna Chamberlain Wing of Benedict. Laura spent her childhood and early adult life on the Wing farm and attended junior college in Chanute after high school graduation. She married Willis M. Brown on July 4, 1947. She was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church. Laura is...
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Alex Jonathon Eli 1988-2011
Alex Jonathon Eli, 23, Shawnee, died Friday, March 11, 2011. Alex was born Feb. 10, 1988, in Chanute to John and Diane Powell Eli. He grew up in Coffeyville where he attended Garfield Elementary School and McKinley Middle School. After moving to Shawnee, he graduated from Mill Valley High School. Alex had worked for IHOP in Kansas City and Denver since graduation. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends and loved attending concerts. ...
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Larry L. Waddell 1942-2011
Larry L. Waddell, 68, Savonburg, died Thursday, March 10, 2011. He was born on Dec. 26, 1942 at Humansville, Mo., the son of George and Leota Mae Adams Waddell. He attended schools in Kincaid. Following school Larry entered the Army. In 1961 Larry was united in marriage to Nancy Ramsey. They later divorced. He was a truck driver, and later a crane operator. This work took him all over the country. He lived in Pittsburg, and Gas. Following hi...
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Trina DeMeritt 1975-2011
Trina DeMeritt, 35, Erie, died Saturday, March 12, 2011 at the Miami County Medical Center at Paola from injuries sustained in an auto accident that occurred near Colony. She was born Sept. 14, 1975 at Chanute, a daughter of Bruce D. and Luanna Sarnicola Wolken. She was raised at Erie and attended school there. She attended Nurse’s School at Labette Community College and was currently employed at the Anderson County Hospital in Garnett as a...
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Marylee Constance Clounch 1929-2011
Marylee Constance Clounch, 82, Humboldt, died Friday, March 11, 2011 at Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. She was born on Jan. 22, 1929 to Clarence and Stella Cheney in Humboldt. Mary received her formal education in the public schools in Humboldt and was a member of Poplar Grove Baptist Church. On June 24, 1948, she was united in holy matrimony to William Clounch. He preceded her in death. Survivors include five children, ...
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Gerald W. “Jerry” Elliott 1926-2011
Gerald W. “Jerry” Elliott, 84, Parsons, died Saturday, March 12, 2011 at his home. He had been in failing health. He was born Sept. 23, 1926, at Winfield, to Theodore H. and Faith Dicken Elliott. He grew up in Winfield and graduated from Winfield High School in 1944. During World War II he served in the Pacific Theatre with the United States Navy from August 1944 to September 1947. After his discharge from the Navy he worked for D & D Farm Equ...
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Becky Stanley 1962-2011
Becky Stanley, 48, Iola, died Friday, March 11, 2011 at her home. Becky was born Nov. 9, 1962 in Kansas City, Mo., the daughter of Robert and Vesta Hoseney Stanley. She graduated from Chanute High School and received her Bachelor’s degree in social work from Pittsburg State University in 1995. Becky worked as a caregiver for COFTS (Coffey, Osage, Franklin Training Services) out of Ottawa, before contracting the H1N1 virus in October of 2009. S...
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Walter Scott Meeker 1918-2011
Walter Scott Meeker, 92, Erie, died Friday, March 11, 2011 at the Baldwin Rehabilitation Center in Baldwin City. He was born November 7, 1918 in Chanute, the oldest son of Walter R. and Hazel Scott Meeker. His childhood years were spent both in Fort Scott and on the family farm south of Erie along the Neosho River. He graduated from Erie High School and was drafted into the armed forces in August of 1941. He served 49 months in the United Sta...
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John Franklin King 1915-2011
John Franklin King, 95, died on Friday, March 11 at the Kansas Christian Home in Newton. He was born on Sept. 28, 1915 at Chanute, to John Henry and Maggie Meyers King. He married Margaret Jane Fugate of Newton on June 2, 1940. She preceded him in death on Jan. 18, 2005. In 1943 he entered a partnership in the Newton Appliance Company at 624 Main (formerly the Rich Mercantile Co.), and was associated with that business until 1983. He continued...
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Walter S. Meeker
Walter S. Meeker, 92, rural Erie, died at Friday, March 11, 2011 at the Baldwin Rehabilitation Center in Baldwin City. His wife, Mariellen Meeker, survives. Funeral will be 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 16 at the First Baptist Church. Burial, with military honors, will be in the Odense Cemetery north of Erie. Memorials are suggested to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. They may be left at or sent to the Carson-Wall Funeral Home, Box...
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Ila Mae Morse 1932-2011
Ila Mae Morse, 78, Erie, died Wednesday, March 10, 2011 at the Freeman Health Systems in Joplin, Mo. Ila was born in Delia, Kan., on Sept. 1, 1932, the daughter of Loren and Gladis Irene Simmons Dibbern. She was united in marriage to Arthur Charles Morse on July 16, 1966 in Miami, Okla. He preceded her in death. Ila was a homemaker. She loved gardening and her flowers, and spending time with her grandchildren. She also enjoyed camping, cooking...
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Robert G. Milliron 1936-2011
Robert G. Milliron, 74, Erie, died Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at the Chanute Health Care Center. He was born Dec. 27, 1936 at Perry, Okla., a son of Arthur and Wilna Cowell Milliron. He was raised in Perry and attended school there. He later moved to Enid, Okla., where he attended college. After college, he lived in various communities in New Mexico, working as an x-ray tech in hospitals. He returned to Oklahoma in 1989 to care for his mother....
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Maurice O. “Smoky” Hale 1935-2011
Maurice O’Dean “Smoky” Hale, 75, Chanute, died Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at the Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. Maurice was born in Chanute on April 22, 1935, the son of Stafford Stevenson and Florence Lillian Walker Hale. He graduated from Chanute High School in the Class of 1953. He worked as a professional dry cleaner from age 14 until age 26. He worked as a heavy equipment operator for Ash Grove Cement Company for more t...
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Phillip Richard “Phil” Brazil 1947-2011
Phillip Richard “Phil” Brazil, 63, Dillon, Colo,, and longtime resident of Chanute, died at Kansas City Hospice Home on Tuesday, March 8, 2011, Phil was born in Chanute on July 16, 1947, the son of Christopher and Eurith Brazil. He graduated from Chanute High School in 1965 and served in the Kansas National Guard. Phil was a loving and dedicated father to his devoted daughters, Melissa and Camilla, from his marriage to Teresa Welch Brazil fro...
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Marjorie Jean Swank
Marjorie Jean Swank, 89, resident of Bartlesville, Okla., died Friday, March 4, 2011. Graveside service will be 2 p.m.. Friday at New Mount Hope Cemetery, Galesburg, under the direction of the Stumpff Funeral Home & Crematory.
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Alice Kay Thompson 1941-2011
Alice Kay Thompson, 69, Chanute, died Saturday, March 5, 2011 at the Specialty Hospital of Mid-America in Overland Park. Alice was born on May 7, 1941, in Norwalk, Calif., the daughter of Newton and Nellie Miller Futscher. She was united in marriage to Luther Martin. They later divorced. She was united in marriage to Vernon Karl Thompson on August 23, 1991 in Las Vegas. He survives, of the home. Alice worked as an accounting secretary in the...
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Edith Birdell Rodgers Wiley 1916-2011
Edith Birdell Rodgers Wiley, 94, homemaker and retired Methodist pastor’s wife, died Sunday, March 6, 2011. Edith was born in Newton on April 28, 1916, the daughter of Charles Leroy and Emma Holdeman Rodgers. Edith graduated from Newton High School. She married Ira Wiley in 1940.  Ira worked for Santa Fe Railroad in Newton, Chanute, and Emporia, until he resigned and entered the ministry. He died in 2008. She attended Trinity Heights United Me...
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Vera Ellen Thurman 1916-2011
Vera Ellen Thurman, 95, died Sunday, March 6, 2011 at the Iola Nursing Center in Iola. She had lived in Iola the past three years. She was born March 1, 1916, at Covington, Okla., the sixth of 12 children born to William H. and Dorothea C. Jordening Bartels. She attended the country school in that area and grew up there. In 1942 she moved with her family to Beatrice, Neb. In 1952 she moved to Wichita, where she was employed by the Safeway S...
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Death notices
Vera Ellen Thurman, 95, Iola, formerly of Erie and Beatrice, Neb., died Sunday, March 6, 2011 at the Iola Nursing Center. She was the widow of C. R. “Pat” Thurman, who preceded her in death on Nov. 6, 1997. Funeral will be 4 p.m. Saturday, March 12 at the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Galesburg. The family will receive friends at the Pierce-Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Erie from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Friday. Memorials are suggested to either the First ...
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