Frances Ellis, whose passions for travel and learning were exceeded only by her love for family, died Thursday, August 15, 2019, at the Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan. She was 95.

Fran was born December 17, 1923, in Culver, Kansas, to Willis F. Brenner Sr. and Grace (McKean) Brenner, of Culver, Kansas, a small town northwest of Salina, Kansas.

A child of the Great Depression, Fran grew up on a farm knowing how to get the most out of everything she owned, a trait she retained throughout her lifetime.

After graduating from Culver High School in 1941 and teaching school for a brief time, Fran and her two sisters, Lois and Anna Mae, left the plains of Kansas for Long Beach, Calif., where they helped manufacture airplanes at the Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II.

In delightful letters to their parents and little brother back home, they chronicled their many adventures as they went to movies, visited the beach and helped forever change the nation’s workforce that had previously been dominated by men.

Fran subsequently served in the WAVES with the United States Navy until 1946 and then went on to attend Kansas State College of Agriculture and Applied Science from 1946 to 1949 and graduated with a B.S. degree in Biological Science in May, 1949. There she met fellow student Roscoe Ellis, Jr., the love of her lifetime.

The couple married June 1, 1949, and Roscoe became a longtime agronomy professor at K-State. The couple had four children, Darrel, Garold, Randall, and Warren.

Fran poured herself into raising those boys, cheering them on at little league games, serving as a Cub Scout den mother and coming to their rescue whenever they had questions about homework.

Planning summer vacations was one of her great joys. Sometimes they were to places of great beauty like the Colorado mountains and Yellowstone National Park. Other times they were to educational places like Williamsburg, Va., or the childhood homes of presidents.

In a nod to the interests of her sports-minded boys, she often penciled in trips to the great college athletic venues of the United States, like the basketball arenas for UCLA and the University of Kentucky and the football stadiums for Ohio State University and the University of Southern California. Those trips would include trips to campus bookstores where the boys often bought university logo t-shirts, which became proud parts of their back-to-school wardrobes.

Fran was a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church in Manhattan, KSU Social Club, Bible Study, and the League of Women Voters.

She was preceded in death by her parents, by her husband, Roscoe, who died September 9, 1982, and by her brother, Harold Brenner, and her sisters, Lois Bearnes, and Anna Mae Brenner.

She is survived by her four children: Darrel, and his fiancé Liz of Nashville, Tenn.; Gary and his wife Paula of Manhattan; Randy and his wife Shirley of Edmond, Okla.; and Warren of Manhattan; a brother, Willis F. Brenner, Jr., of Sioux Falls, S.D., three grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will greet friends during a visitation from 6:30 until 8:00 p.m. Friday August 23, 2019 at the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home.

Funeral Services will be on Saturday, August 24, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Manhattan, Kansas, with burial in the Sunrise Cemetery following the funeral service.

Memorial contributions for the Frances Ellis Memorial Fund may be made to the Kansas State University Foundation (Fund M47272) 1800 Kimball Avenue, Suite 200, Manhattan, Kansas 66502, or may also be left with or sent to the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home at 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502. The memorial fund has been established to provide for student scholarships at Kansas State University.

James “Jimmy” C. Elting was born August 25, 1946 in Newton, Kansas. He was the only child of Harold Elting and Jessie Edwards Elting. Jimmy was raised in rural Whitewater, Kansas and was neighbors to Gib and Eunice Wiens. He was always considered “just one of the Wiens kids.” Jimmy spent a lot of time on the farm with his Grand Pappy and Nanny Edwards. He attended Whitewater Grade School, Newton High School and then graduated in 1964 with the first official graduating class of Remington High School.

Jimmy married Candace Lynn Strasser in Potwin, Kansas on October 8, 1966. They lived all of their 52 years of married life in Whitewater. During his lifetime Jimmy worked at Sanners Corporation in Whitewater, DMH in Newton, Blackburn Construction and Bills Electric in Eldorado, Kansas, Litwin Construction in Wichita, Kansas and then retired from DEN Management in Wichita.

Jimmy was an avid outdoorsman. He spent most of his life hunting, fishing, gun collecting and spending time with his family. He instilled his love of the outdoors in his sons and grandchildren. Jimmy was a tried and true KU Basketball fan. He was the life of the party and had an incredible sense of humor which he kept until the very end. Jimmy was an active member of the Furley United Methodist Church and was continuously supported by his church family and friends.

After a long, courageous battle with cancer and surrounded by his loved ones, Jimmy went to be with his eternal family on Saturday, August 17, 2019. He was preceded in death by his parents. His loving family includes his wife, Candace of the home, his sons, Jamie (Michelle) of Bemidji, Minnesota, Jesse (Erika) of Potwin, Kansas; his grandchildren, Jessie (Joe) Cadwallader of Altus, Oklahoma, Hunter and Brennan Elting of Bemidji, MN; his great grandson, Nash Cadwallader due in November and his beloved dog, Dude. He is also survived by a host of relatives and friends.

His family will gather with friends on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 from 6-8 p.m. His funeral service will be held Thursday, August 22, at 11:00 a.m. both at Furley United Methodist Church with Pastor Kent Brown and Pastor Lorna Boden officiating. He will be laid to rest in the Whitewater Cemetery following the service.

Memorial contributions in Jimmy’s name may be directed to the Furley United Methodist Church or Susan B. Allen Cancer Center in care of Lamb Funeral Home, P.O. Box 358, Whitewater, Kansas 67154. Please sign his online guest book and leave a memory of Jimmy at www.ymzfh.com

Ronald’s life began on June 23, 1944, the son of Frank Hill and Elizabeth Hill (Trouslot – Johnson) in Newton, Kansas. He attended Furley Grade School and Whitewater High School Class of 1962. He married Janice Kay Hill (Breitenstein) on August 24, 1963, in Newton Kansas. They resided in Whitewater, Kansas for 56 years.

Ronnie helped his father farm in his earlier years. During his lifetime he was employed at the Whitewater Flour Mill, Sutherland Lumber, Buck Alley Lumber and Kanal Windows. He was self- employed many years building and remodeling houses. He retired from AAA Lumber in 2011.

He was a member of the Whitewater Fire Department for many years, served as a Whitewater City Councilman, was a member of the Lions Club and was active in the Federated Church.

Ron enjoyed spending time with the family and loved spoiling the grandkids. His hobbies included collecting and restoring toy farm equipment, doing woodworking projects, spending time at his cabin that he built and going to car shows.

Survivors include his spouse, Jan Hill; sons and their wives, Darryl and Mindy Hill, Mike and Callie Hill, all of Whitewater; grandchildren, Shanna Hill of Salina, Kansas, Travis Hill of Osaka, Japan, Mikayla Hill of Hutchinson, Kansas and Mikinzie Hill of Whitewater; great-granddaughter, Lily Hill of Salina; brother and his wife Denny and Carolyn Hill of Benton, Kansas; and a half brother, Jack Johnson of Fort Scott, Kansas.

He was preceded in death by his parents. Ronald passed away peacefully on Wednesday, August 14, 2019, at his home in Whitewater, Kansas, having reached the age of 75 years old.

Family will gather with friends on Sunday, August 18, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Lamb Funeral Home. His funeral service will be Monday, August 19, at 10 a.m. at the Federated Church in Whitewater, Kansas with Pastor Jason Lowery officiating.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Whitewater Fire Department and Encompass Health in care of Lamb Funeral Home, P.O Box 358, Whitewater, Kansas 67154.

Mae L. Whitehair, 86, passed away Thursday, August 15th, at Countryside Home north of Abilene. She was born June 3, 1933 near Elmo, the daughter of Charles and Frances (Beemer) Wendt. Growing up in the area, Mae attended local schools and graduated from Hope High School with the class of 1951. November 8, 1958 she was married to Robert J. Whitehair at St Columba Catholic Church in Elmo. All of their married life was spent in the Elmo community. Mae had been employed by the ASCS office in Abilene for twenty seven years. Robert preceded her in death November 13, 2001. She loved spending time with friends and family, dancing and playing cards. Mae was also preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Dean and Jim Wendt. She was a long time member of St. Columba Catholic Church and the Altar Society.
Mae is survived by: a daughter, Cindy (Jay) Groene of Winfield; three sons, Kent Whitehair of Abilene, Kevin (Chris) Whitehair of Abilene, Kerry (Maria) Whitehair of Hope; grandchildren, Joshua (Ashley) Groene of Lawrence, Courtney (Clint) Miller of Abilene, Jaden Groene of Manhatten, Jeremy Groene of Winfield, Cody (Hannah) Whitehair of Vernon Hills, IL, Dillon Whitehair of Abilene, Jenna Groene of Manhatten , Keegan Whitehair of Abilene; great -grandchild, Camden Miller of Abilene; step grandchildren; step great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Edwina Wendt of Hope, nieces and nephews.
A mass of Christian burial will be held 10:30 AM Monday, August 19th, at the St. Andrews Catholic Church with Celebrant Fr. Don Zimmerman officiating. Interment will follow in the Mt. St. Joseph Cemetery. A Parish Rosary will be recited 5:30 PM Sunday, August 18th, at the Danner Funeral Home with the family receiving friends after until 7:00 PM. The family suggests memorial contributions in her name be made to the St. Andrews Catholic School. They may be left at the Church the day of the service or left at or sent in care of the Danner Funeral Home POB 758 Abilene, Kansas 67410.

Erma Lee Bowman, 82, of Manhattan, KS, passed away, Thursday, August 8, 2019.

Erma was born in St. Louis, MO on June 18, 1937, to Mary (Berry) and James Martin.

She was married to Richard Lee Bowman.

She retired as an Administrative assistant at the Houston Country Club in Houston, TX., for 19 years.

Erma was a passionate artist creating beautiful ceramics that will be treasured by her family.

Erma is survived by her daughter, Pamela (Mike) Bailey, of Conroe, TX; her two sons Scott (Leigh Ann) Bowman, of Manhattan, KS; Andrew (Debbie) Bowman, of Hitchcock, TX; her sister, Shirley Pechoff, of Sulfer, LA, her brother, Jack (Gladys) Martin, of Richmond, VA; five grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother Jimmy Martin, and sister Mary Ellen Rau.

A Celebration of Life will be held at College Heights Baptist Church in Manhattan, KS on Friday, August 16, 2019, at 4:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Homecare & Hospice or College Heights Baptist Church

Arrangements have been entrusted to Carlson’s Irvin-Parkview Funeral Home and Cremation.