Obituaries

Apr 11, 2021

Joyce E. McCoy, 65, of Topeka, formerly of Piedmont, OK. passed away Sunday, April 11, 2021, at Oakley Place 2 in Topeka.

She was born June 24, 1955, in Topeka, the daughter of Maurice L. and Mary E. (Logan) Gleason.  Joyce grew up in the Dover community and graduated from Mission Valley High School in 1973.

Apr 9, 2021

Marsha D. DeDonder, 74, passed away Friday, April 9, 2021, at her home in St. Marys.

She was born in Corning, the daughter of Gilbert J. and Rosalia E. Broxterman Scott on November 12, 1946.  Marsha graduated from Rossville High School.

Marsha worked in health care for many years.  She later became a para-professional at...

Apr 7, 2021

Philip Theodore Harrison died April 7, 2021, at the age of 19. He was born December 17, 2001, to Kenneth and Melissa Harrison in Bethesda Maryland. He grew up in Hayden Idaho and Leaf River Illinois before moving to St. Mary’s Kansas in 2014 to attend the boarding school at St. Mary’s Academy. He graduated with the class of...

Mar 28, 2021

St. Marys—Jana C. Martin, 78, passed away from terminal brain cancer on Sunday, March 28, 2021, at her daughter’s home in St. Marys.

She was born on December 23, 1942, in Richmond, CA., the daughter of Robert and Dorothy Bissell Gutsche. She was raised in Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma City.  She attended and graduated from St. Scholastica...

Mar 25, 2021

St. Marys—David A. “Dave” Ronsse, 69, passed away late Thursday, March 25, 2021, at Stormont Vail Hospital.

He was born October 24, 1951, at Wamego, the son of Joseph Raymond and Mary Kathleen Ahearn Ronsse.  Dave graduated from St. Marys High School with the class of 1970.  He joined the United States Navy in 1971 and served...

Mar 24, 2021

Pomona—Marjory Jean (Phillips) Langley, 90, passed away Wednesday, March 24, 2021, at Rock Creek of Ottawa.

She was born in Franklin County, Kansas, on December 5, 1930, the daughter of Stanley Cecil and Josephine Elizabeth (Yerkes) Phillips.  Jean graduated from Rantoul High School in 1948.

Jean worked in Bookkeeping and Accounting most of her life....

Mar 22, 2021

Mustang OK—Jodeen M. “Jodi” Jensen, 63, passed away Monday March 22, 2021, from injuries sustained in an auto accident.

Jodi was born January 15, 1958 at Wamego, the daughter of James Joseph “Joe” and Amelia M. Bond Flanagan.  She was raised in the Emmett community and graduated from St. Marys High School in 1976.  She studied accounting...

Mar 18, 2021

Larry Albert Horak, 85, of Mesa, AZ passed away March 18, 2021.  He was born February 22, 1936, in Wyndmere, ND to John J. and Mary Agnes [Motl] Horak.

On September 3, 1956, Larry was married to the love of his life, Frances Elizabeth Braun in Breckinridge, MN, and the two started their life together and raised...

Mar 16, 2021

St. Marys—Becky Anne McKenzie, 85, passed away Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at St. Marys Manor.

She was born June 11, 1935, at Tillamook, OR., the daughter of Ernest and Lavern Dobson Toedtli.  She lived in Oregon until she was 12 years old when she moved to Vancouver, WA.  She lived in Vancouver until moving to St. Marys...

Mar 16, 2021

Rossville---William "Bill" Leon Harris, 82, passed away at his rural Rossville home on March 16, 2021.

Bill was born on February 2, 1939, in Girard, Kansas, to Bud Leon and Florence Ellen (Westhoff) Harris and lived most of his childhood in Hepler, Kansas, except for a few years when his family moved to Weiser, Idaho. He returned...

Mar 11, 2021

Shawnee—Robert B. Hoferer, Jr. died Thursday, March 11, 2021 at his home in Shawnee.

He was born August 27, 1943 the son of Robert B. Hoferer, SR. and Margaret M. Graf Hoferer.  He lived in the Sandy Hook community most of his life.  Bob was a truck driver and farmer.  He married Irina Morozova on November 20,...

Mar 9, 2021

Topeka—Robert Dean Steck, 83, passed away Tuesday, March 9, 2021, at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka.

Robert was born December 4, 1937, in McFarland, the son of the late William Joseph and Margaret Marie (Zeller) Steck. Also, his beloved brother, William Eugene Steck, perished in 1963.

He served in the United States Navy on the...

Mar 6, 2021

Bryna Marie McFarland, 36, a tutor in the grammar school of St. Mary’s Academy, died the night of March 5-6 at her parents’ home in St. Marys.

Miss McFarland’s death was the result of an episode of epilepsy, from which she suffered since childhood. In recent years she had participated in a program at the Medical School...

Mar 1, 2021

Audrey Marie Riat, 84, of St. Marys, passed away Monday, March 1, 2021 at Bridge Haven Memory Care in Lawrence.

Audrey was born on September 14, 1936 in Junction City, the daughter of LaVern Roland and Ethel “Marie” (Norman) Langvardt.  She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Howard L. Langvardt.

Audrey...

Feb 28, 2021

Long Beach California—Donald Patrick “Pat” Ellis,71, passed away Sunday, February 28, 2021 in California.

Pat was born November 12, 1949, at Wamego, the son of Lyman M. and Arlene Philomena (Bernritter) Ellis.  Pat grew up in the Maple Hill and St. Marys communities.  He graduated from St. Marys High School in 1967.  He was a member of...

Feb 26, 2021

Arnold Dale Lietz, 91, of Eskridge, died on February 26. Arnie was born in Paxico on July 26, 1929 to George and Inez Miller Lietz. Arnie moved with his family to Eskridge when he was in high school and he graduated from Eskridge High School in 1949. Two weeks after his graduation, he enlisted in the Navy. Arnie served...

Feb 24, 2021

Topeka—Sharon Isabel Kaufman, 75, passed away Wednesday, February 24, 2021, at her rural Topeka home.

She was born the daughter of Walter and Ruth Jones on May 27, 1945, at Leipsic, OH.  Sharon was raised in Ohio and Indiana.

Sharon was an LPN and worked in the medical field for 27 years.  For many years,...

Feb 24, 2021

Arthur Alexander Adams, Jr., 77, Maple Hill, died Wednesday, February 24, 2021, at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka, KS.

He was born January 23, 1944, at Christ’s Hospital in Topeka, the son of Arthur A. Adams, Sr., and Wanda Harpster Adams.

He lived his entire life in the Maple Hill community.  Art, as he was...

Feb 23, 2021

Manhattan—Vern A. Gannon, 66, well-known auctioneer and real estate broker, passed away suddenly late Tuesday, February 23, 2021, at Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan with family by his side.

He was born July 19, 1954, in Topeka, the son of Leo and Rowena M. Hollenbeck Gannon.  Vern was raised in the Rossville community and graduated from Rossville...

Feb 22, 2021

Rossville-Raymond R. Minnis, 71, died Monday, February 22, 2021, at his home in Rossville.

He was born the son of Russell and Henrietta Ferguson Minnis on September 25, 1949, at Odesa, MO.  Raymond grew up in Missouri and Nebraska; he served in the United States Air Force.

Raymond had worked in Food Services For USD...