Obituaries
Mary Rich Lowder 1925-2011
Mary Rich Lowder, 85, widow of Julian Lowder, died Friday, Jan. 14, 2011, at Saluda Nursing Center in Saluda, S.C. Born Dec. 21, 1925, in Manning, S.C., she was a daughter of the late William Singleton Rich and the late Fannie Mell Bradham Rich. She was a retired administrative assistant with Clarendon Memorial Hospital and a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church where she taught Sunday school for more than 20 years. She is survived by two daugh...
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Mary Frances Ballou 1925-2011
Mary Frances Ballou, 86, Chanute, died Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011 at the Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. Frances was born in Bogota, Texas on Jan. 3, 1925, the daughter of John F. and Mary M. Watkins Bartley. She graduated from Grapevine, Texas High School and attended Brantley-Draughon Business College in Fort Worth. Frances was united in marriage to Charles N. “Chuck” Ballou, Jr., on Nov. 9, 1944 in Grapevine, Texas at the...
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Hazel Edna Underwood 1912-2011
Hazel Edna Underwood, 98, died Friday, Jan. 14, 2011 at the Chanute Healthcare Center at Chanute. She was born on May 27, 1912 at Lynch, Neb., the daughter of James and Edna Hostetter. At age of three the family moved to an 80-acre farm southeast of Blue Mound. Hazel married Cecil Underwood in November 1935 at Platte City, Mo.,and they made their home on a farm near the farm which she had grew up on. He preceded her in death on Jan. 15, 1977...
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Mary Louise McFarland 1922-2011
Mary Louise McFarland, 88, Thayer, died Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011 at the Heritage Health Care Center in Chanute. Mary was born in Cabool, Mo., on April 3, 1922, the daughter of Calvin Damon and Charlotte Eldora Welch Graham. Mary was united in marriage to Martin McFarland on Feb. 13, 1943 in Iola. He preceded her in death on Jan. 19, 2007. She was a homemaker. Mary is survived by three sons, Gary McFarland. Springdale, Ark., Don McFarland and ...
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Ann Morrison 1925-2011
Ann Morrison, 85, former resident of Fredonia and Altoona, died Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011 at Lakepoint of Augusta. She was born June 26, 1925 in Crescent, Okla., the daughter of George and Lida Coots Norris. On Sept. 30, 1944 in Yates Center, Ann married Orville E. Morrison. He preceded her in death on March 19, 2002. Ann was retired from Altoona Midway Schools, where she was a secretary for many years. She was a member of the First United M...
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James “Jim” Wesley Hush 1931-2011
James “Jim” Wesley Hush, 79, Chanute, lost his courageous battle with cancer Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011 at his home. Jim was born Dec. 11, 1931, at McCune, a son of Melvin O. and Ella Turney Hush. After graduation from McCune High School in 1951, he worked for the KCS Railroad, then the Kansas Highway Department. He completed two years at Northwest Missouri State College. Jim enlisted in the United States Air Force. In May 1956, upon discharge f...
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Lance Sterling Fritzemeier 1984-2011
Lance Sterling Fritzemeier, 26, McPherson, died Monday, Jan. 10, 2011 at Memorial Hospital, McPherson. He was born in Wichita on Feb. 10, 1984 the son of Doug and Kim Baker Fritzemeier. He attended the Marquette elementary schools and McPherson High School. He was a baptized member of the Presbyterian Church. He survived by his primary caregiver, Marilyn Thompson and her husband, Robert, McPherson, his foster mom, Hope Crawford and her husban...
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William A. “Bill” Dyke 1942-2010
William A. “Bill” Dyke, 68, rural Dennis, died Monday, Jan. 10, 2011 in the emergency room at Labette Health, Parsons. His death was unexpected He was born on August 7, 1942 at Parsons to George Franklin and Elsie Modisett Dyke. He grew up near Parsons and attended Country schools graduating from Labette County Community High School. He served in the Unites States Navy from 1960 to 1963. During his military service he was part of the Cuban M...
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Donald Wayne “Don” Gibson 1936-2011
Donald Wayne “Don” Gibson, 74, Chanute, died Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011 at the Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center in Chanute. Don was born in Topeka on Feb. 12, 1936, the son of Edward R. and Frances Leatherman Gibson. He attended Shaw and Chanute Schools. He served his country in the National Guard. Don was united in marriage to Joyce Haskins on June 20, 1969 at the First United Methodist Church in Chanute. She survives, of the home. He work...
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Maxine M. Porter 1914-2011
Maxine M. Porter, 96, Chanute, died Monday, Jan. 10, 2011 at her home. Maxine was born on July 21, 1914 in Fort Wayne, Ind., the daughter of Frank and Zella Miller. She was united in marriage to Charles D. Porter on April 26, 1940. He preceded her in death on Jan. 21, 1976. Maxine is survived by a son, Charles D. Porter, Gainesville, Fla.; a daughter, Cynthia Magner and her husband, Irvin, Chanute; a granddaughter, Christine Perkins and her ...
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Floyd Eugene ’Gene’ Moore 1923-2011
Floyd Eugene “Gene” Moore, 87, Iola, died Friday, Jan. 7, 2011, at Windsor Place Nursing Center in Iola. Gene was born Oct. 10, 1923, in Humboldt, the son of William Fred and Mary Estes Collison Moore. He grew up in Humboldt where he graduated from high school. Gene attended a year at Neosho County Junior College in Chanute before joining the United States Navy where he served in the Southern Pacific during World War II. Gene married Hazel Lo...
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Emma Klassen 1907-2011
Emma Klassen, 103, longtime resident of Fredonia, died Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011 at Golden Living Center in Fredonia. She was born Dec. 7, 1907 in Medora, the daughter of Abraham and Mary Doerksen Klassen. Emma attended school in Inman, where she graduated high school. She later had additional training in business school. In the 1930s, she moved to Fredonia and worked for the N.J. Oneal Car Agency before becoming a cashier at the First National Ba...
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Wilma Violet Hess Duckworth 1917-2011
Wilma Violet Hess Duckworth, 93, Fredonia, died Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. She was born Nov. 10, 1917 in Fredonia, to Grace Fern Eflin and Erie Joe Hess. Wilma graduated from Fredonia High School in 1935 and then graduated from Fredonia Business College in 1936. Wilma married Charles Duckworth on August 2, 1939. They were co-owners of Duckworth Motor Company Oldsmobile & Chevrolet agency. Wilma was a member of the First United Methodist Church of...
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Fredrick Anthony Purdy 1957-2011
Fredrick Anthony Purdy, 53, Southwest City, Mo., died Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011 at his home. He was born in Chanute on Sept. 30, 1957 to Margaret Irene Purdy. He moved to Southwest City from Chanute 12 years ago and worked at Holden Industries since that time. He is survived by a daughter, LeAnn Dupuy, Cåhanute; a brother, Neil Purdy, Chanute; a sister, Kim Moran, Kentucky; and a granddaughter. He was preceded in death by three grandchildren, ...
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Dorothy A. Swanson 1928-2011
Dorothy A. Swanson, 82, Yates Center, died Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011 in Yates Center. Dorothy was born Sept. 11, 1928 in rural Wilson County, the daughter of William Ova and Mabel Novina Ebert Hutchison. After graduating from Vilas High School in 1946 she took a job at the State Welfare Office in Chanute. Dorothy was married to Deane Swanson in 1953 in Savonburg. The moved to Yates Center in 1963. She is survived by her husband, Deane, of the hom...
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Helen Knox Radcliff 1922-2011
Helen Knox Radcliff, 88, Tucson, Ariz., died Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011 after a brief illness. She was born in Altoona on Sept. 19, 1922. She was the daughter of Willard and Mary Commons Knox, well known residents of Neosho County, Kansas. Helen graduated from the Thayer High School in 1940 as the valedictorian of her class. After becoming a licensed hair dresser, she operated her own business in Thayer for several years. In 1946 she married Robert...
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Herbert Kenneth Johnson 1922-2010
Herbert Kenneth Johnson, 88, Humboldt, died Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2010 at his home. Kenny was born in Humboldt, on March 24, 1922, the son of Roscoe H. and Adah Coppage Johnson. He graduated from Humboldt High School in 1939, and Chanute Junior College in 1943. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth Sinclair on July 31, 1943 in Long Beach, Calif. She preceded him in death on June 30, 2010. Kenny owned and operated the Texaco Service Station for 3...
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Reva Eileen Stanley Strange 1929-2010
Reva Eileen Stanley Strange, 81, Grove, Okla., died Thursday, December 30, 2010. She was born Feb. 2, 1929 in Savonburg, the youngest child of H. Clyde and Edna M. McKinley Stanley. Reva grew up in Erie and graduated from Chanute. She attended Chanute Junior College and then moved to Lawrence where she worked at the University of Kansas business office. On June 1, 1948, Reva married her high school sweetheart, Bill D. Strange at the First Met...
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Mary Frances King 1938-2010
Mary Frances King, 72, Yates Center, died Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011 in Wichita. Mary was born May 24, 1938 in Wichita, the daughter of Florian Anthony and Dorothy Frances Pauly Leis. She moved with her family from Wichita to Yates Center in 1947. Mary attended Durand Elementary and graduated from Yates Center High School. After graduation she worked for the Yates Center Bank until her marriage. Mary was united in marriage to Zeno Bernard King on ...
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Ola L. Sparks Crawford 1941-2010
Ola L. Sparks Crawford, 69, Iola, formerly of Mound Valley, died Friday, Dec. 31, 2010, at Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice Center at Via Christi-St. Francis Campus in Wichita. She was born June 8, 1941, in Atkins, Ark., to Jack and Bertha Byrd Thomas. She grew up in southeast Kansas where she attended school. She and Charles Sparks were married in January of 1960. He preceded her in death. She and Lawrence Crawford were married in May of 2007. ...
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