George Henry DeWyke, Jr., 98, of Wamego, KS, passed away on Monday, June 3, 2019. Funeral Service will be held on Friday, June 7, 2019, at 1:00 PM at Carlson’s Irvin-Parkview. Burial to follow at Wamego City Cemetery. Arrangements have been entrusted to Carlson’s Irvin-Parkview Funeral Home and Cremation.
Category: Obituaries
Rose Ella Stelter
Rose Ella Stelter, 94, of Onaga, Kansas, formerly of Blaine, died Friday, May 31, 2019, at the Onaga Health and Rehab. She was a long-time resident of the community.
Rose Ella was born on March 3, 1925, in Holton, Kansas, the daughter of Karl and Elizabeth Schillinger Schumacher. She attended local schools and graduated from Holton High School in 1944. Rose Ella attended Emproria Teacher’s College during the summers and taught rural grade school in the winter. She taught school in Jackson, Leavenworth and Pottawatomie Counties for 19 years. She graduated from Emporia in 1959.
Rose Ella married Almon Frank Stelter on June 10, 1962. He preceded her in death on July 22, 1991.
After her marriage, Rose Ella was a homemaker and farm-wife. She was an excellent cook and a devoted mother. Rose Ella was an active member of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Wheaton and the church LWML. She served as a Sunday School teacher and Vacation Bible School teacher as well as the LWML vice- president. She was involved in Walk Kansas and the Jolly Friendship Club.
Rose Ella is suvived by her sons, Ron Stelter, of Manhattan, and Larry Stelter, of Blaine. She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Louise Walder and infant twins, William and Wilma.
Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 am, Wednesday, June 5, 2019, at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Wheaton. Reverend Terry DeGiovanni will be officiating. Burial will follow at St. Luke Lutheran North Cemetery. Rose Ella will lie-in-state on Tuesday, at the church, beginning at 4:00 pm, where the family will greet friends from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm. A prayer service will be held at 7:00 pm. They suggest memorial contributions to St. Luke Lutheran Church, and those may be sent in care of Campanella-Kufahl Funeral Home.
Keaton Christopher Smith
Keaton Christopher Smith, 18, Savannah, MO. passed away on Sunday, June 2, 2019 in Maryville, MO. He was born July 29, 2000 in Manhattan, KS to Chris Smith and Lori Sommer.
Keaton was an Eagle Scout and a graduate of Savannah High School class of 2018 and spent a semester at Missouri Western. He enjoyed riding his four-wheeler, video games, and his family and friends. He was currently employed at Maryville Lumber in Maryville, MO.
Survivors include his parents; Christopher Smith of Alma, KS and Lori Sommer of Manhattan, KS; paternal grandparents, Ron & Terrie Smith of Savannah, maternal grandmother, Barbara Sommer of Council Grove, KS; brothers, Beau (Jamie) Wurtz of Kansas City, MO and Mack Wurtz of Overland Park, KS; niece, Makenzie Wurtz; aunts and uncles, Monica Smith of Phoenix, AZ, Alan (Shelley) Sommer of Eskridge, KS, Amy (Sam) Leach of Eskridge, KS, and Adam (Jennifer) Sommer of Council Grove, KS; and numerous cousins and relatives. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather Charles Sommer.
An Alma visitation and receiving hours will be Thursday, June 6 from 6:00 pm -8:00 pm at Holy Family Church Hall in Alma, KS. with a Rosary starting at 7 pm. Funeral services will be Friday, June 7, 2019 at 10:30am at Holy Family Catholic Church, Alma, KS. Burial will be in Holy Family Catholic Cemetery, Alma, KS. Memorial contributions can be made to First Christian Church, Savannah, MO or Holy Family Catholic Church, Alma, KS., and may be sent in care of Campanella-Gentry Funeral Home in Alma.
Jodie (Gannon) Jimenez
Jodie (Gannon) Jimenez beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother went home to be with the Lord on May 30, 2019 at Morris County Hospital.
She married Roger G. Jimenez, Sr. June 5, 1969 they were in love and married for 50 years. Family was Jodie’s life, being a grandmother was the greatest of all joys.
She loved traveling, camping, fishing and crocheting. She loved going to church and learning about the Lord.
Jodie is survived by her husband Roger; children: Christina Jo (Tony), Roger G. Jimenez, Jr. and Janet Marie Biter (Bobby); grandchildren: Brandon (Michille), Dani, Jodie, Rachel, Tyler, Alex, Jake, Taylor, Sam, Kylie and Mackie. Also surviving are her great-grandchildren: Elli and Cori; siblings: Jeannie Zrakovie, Michael Dempsey and Janet Sue Anderson; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, June 7, 2019, at Zeiner Funeral Home.
Joseph Unekis
On Sunday, May 26, 2019, Joseph Unekis, loving husband and father, passed away. He was 79.
Joe was born on May 22, 1940 in Danville, Illinois, to Joseph Anthony and Eva (Kelly) Unekis, the youngest of their three children. He grew up in Westville Illinois, and after graduating from Schlarman High School in 1958 he attended the University of Illinois before transferring to Eastern Illinois University, where he was a member of the Delta Psi chapter of Delta Sigma Phi. Joe was awarded his bachelor’s degree in economics from Eastern Illinois University in 1963.
It was at Eastern that he met Shirly Bork. They would marry in 1965 in Decatur, Illinois. In 1967, Joe left his job as a junior executive at A.E. Staley Company and entered Indiana University’s PhD program in Bloomington, Indiana. It was in Bloomington that Joe and Shirly had their first four sons: Keith, David, Brian and Scott.
Upon receiving his doctorate in 1977, Joe accepted a position as an Associate Professor of Political Science at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. Shortly after their arrival they welcomed their fifth son, Kelly. Joe would teach political science courses at Kansas State for 34 years, retiring in 2011. In that time he was awarded tenure in 1984, won the William L. Stamey Undergraduate Teaching Award for 1989-90, and had thousands of students attend his classes. Joe authored several journal articles and presented papers at the conventions of the American Political Science Association and the Midwest Political Science Association, organizations of which he was a longtime member.
Joe also served as an officer in the Air National Guard. After graduating from the Air Force Officer Candidate School and being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in November of 1963, Joe served with the 181st TFG in Terre Haute, Indiana until 1980, then with the 190th CSS in Topeka, Kansas from 1980-1990. In 1986 he attended and graduated from the Air War College. His final assignment was at the Kansas Air National Guard headquarters from 1990-1991. He retired in 1991 as a Lt. Colonel.
Joe’s passion was golf. He fell for the game as a caddy at local courses as a boy, and never could shake it. He always said that the best thing about the game was that you could play it your whole life, and he did; getting his final round in only days before he died. He was (mostly) successful in passing his love of the game to his children.
But what Joe truly loved was being a dad. He wanted more than anything to see his children thrive, and to have the opportunities that he hadn’t. Any chance he could, he would take advantage of a work trip to turn it into a family vacation. Snow meant taking a day off from work to haul kids back up the sledding hill, roll giant snow boulders for forts, and make hot cocoa at the end of the day. Every local program for kids – city sports leagues, parks and rec swimming courses, summer library programs, boy scouts – were utilized to give his children a chance to explore different activities (or maybe just get them out of the house.) Christmases always entailed a last-minute, shopping-budget-busting trip to the toy store to make that year’s present opening even better than the year before. He encouraged his children to try everything, but didn’t force them to do anything (well, besides golf.) He was there for the successes, failures, and everything in between, always supportive. He also made them do a LOT of chores and yardwork, because it was good for them. As he got older and grandchildren appeared, he embraced the role of the paterfamilias. He doted on his grandkids and reveled in allowing them to do things he would never let his own children do at their age. And he never made his grandkids do chores or yardwork.
Joe was preceded in death by his father, Joseph, his mother, Eva, his brother, Richard and his sister, Mary McConnell. He is survived by his wife, Shirly, his five sons, Keith (Jodi), David (Jen), Brian (Kristi), Scott (Stephanie), and Kelly, and his nine grandchildren.
A Vigil Service will be held at 6:00 p.m. Monday June 3, 2019 at the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home. The family will greet friends during a visitation following the Vigil until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m Tuesday June 4, 2019 at the Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Manhattan, with Father Kerry Ninemire as the Celebrant. Interment with full military honors will follow in the Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery at Fort Riley.
The Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502 is assisting the family with the funeral arrangements.
Lois Eileen (Copeland) Kraus
Lois Eileen (Copeland) Kraus passed peacefully on Monday, May 27, 2019 at the Morris County Hospital in Council Grove, Kansas. Lois was born on July 2, 1937 in Detroit Kansas to Roy and Esther (Gloss) Copeland. On June 18th, 1954 Lois married the love of her life, Bill Kraus. June 18th, 2019 would have marked their 65th anniversary. Of this union, three children were born: Connie Fisher, Becky Bowen and Bruce Kraus.
Lois was an active farm wife who also worked at Buckeye Bait and the Register of Deeds office through the years. Lois loved her family dearly, doing what she could for them and just spending time together. She enjoyed camping with friends, cooking and baking, knitting, crocheting and sewing, watching football and car racing on TV and spending time with friends.
Survivors include her beloved husband, Billy L Kraus, Council Grove; children, Connie Fisher, Council Grove; Becky Bowen and husband Marc, Blue Springs, Missouri; and Bruce Kraus and wife Shelli, Alta Vista. Grandchildren: Bj Buchman and husband, Tyson; Jeralea Burnett and husband, Tyson; Jessica Olsen and husband, Wade; Dustin Bowen and fiancé Nicole Berberich; Jillian Kraus; Baylee Kraus and Glen Holmes. Great grandchildren are Wyatt Buchman, Brent and Brylea Burnett, and Leyton and Colt Olsen.
Preceding her in death were her parents and twin brother, Lloyd Copeland.
Graveside services will be held on Saturday, June 8th, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at the Prairie View Cemetery next to Emmanuel Church, rural Alta Vista, Kansas. Everyone is welcomed to attend. In case of rain, services will be held in the Emmanuel Church. There will be no visitation or funeral services per Lois’s request.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the Morris County Hospital.
Flora Rose Meyer
Flora Rose Meyer was born on July 29, 1939 in Council Grove, where she lived for most of her life. She died on May 29, 2019, at Diversicare of Council Grove.
After attending Council Grove schools, she married James Dean Meyer on July 23, 1957. Early in their marriage they lived in Herington, Colorado Springs, and San Luis Obispo, California, before settling in Council Grove, other than a brief interval in Homestead, Florida in 1968. During and just after high school, Flora Rose played piano for dance studios. She later worked at the Council Grove Republican, State Farm Insurance, Council Grove United Methodist Church, the Cottage House, and Jeri Lee’s Specialty Shop. She enjoyed gardening and time with family and friends. She was a member of the Council Grove Garden Club and the United Methodist Church.
A few years after her husband’s death, Flora Rose again met a high school friend, Dale Herbstrieth, who has been her loyal companion for over twenty years, and throughout her long struggle with dementia. Along with Dale, she is survived by children and grandchildren: Cynthia Meyer (Mary Palarino) and daughter AnnaRose Meyer, and Rodney Meyer and daughter Leah Rose Meyer. She was preceded in death by her husband James Dean Meyer, parents Chauncey Blim and Viola Mastin Blim Hager and Ross Hager, her brother Chan D. Blim, and an infant daughter.
A brief memorial graveside will be held at 11:00am, Wednesday, June 5, 2019, at Greenwood Cemetery, with a Celebration of Life to follow on June 26, with details to be announced.
Memorials may be made to Diversicare of Council Grove and sent in care of Zeiner Funeral Home, Box 273, Council Grove, KS 66846.
Maureen “Rene” (McCauley) Pelter
Maureen “Rene” (McCauley) Pelter died on May 28, 2019. She was born on October 21, 1926, in Battle Creek, Michigan, to Roch and Josephine (Smith) McCauley. On November 24, 1946, she married Joseph A. Pelter, at St. John Catholic Church, Herington, and together they raised six children.
Maureen was active in her community over the years, including delivering Meals on Wheels, serving on the Herington Historical Society and Museum Board, and working at the election polls. Maureen was an active member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, and served as a member and officer of the Altar Society, and the church organist for almost 40 years. In 2009, Maureen was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award by her high school alma mater, St. Philip Catholic Central, for her lifetime of service to others.
Survivors include daughters, Linda Pelter of Gainesville, FL and Deborah Pelter-Laman of Concordia; sons, Christopher Pelter (Marsha) of Commerce City, CO, Timothy Pelter of Herington, and Scott Pelter (JoAnn) of Topeka; grandchildren, Kelsie Pelter of Olathe, Davyn Pelter of Denver, CO, Jenna Pelter of Manhattan, Dru Pelter of Tucson, AZ, and Dara Pelter of Hutchinson; and sisters, Carol Hayes and Virginia Hendrickson both of Battle Creek, MI. Maureen was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph A. Pelter, and son, Joseph David Pelter; sister, Jeannie McCauley Steib, and her brother, Roch McCauley, Jr.
Visitation will be held Sunday at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church between 5:00 and 7:00 PM, with the rosary beginning at 6:00 PM.
Services will be at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church on Monday, June 3, 2019, at 10:00 AM, followed by interment at the St. John Catholic Cemetery in Herington.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation may be made to the St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church of the Herington Hospital Auxiliary in care of Zeiner Funeral Home-Herington Chapel.
Donna Jean (VanGilder) Smith
Donna Jean (VanGilder) Smith, 57, of Junction City, passed away Tuesday, May 28, 2019 at Stormont-Vail Hospital in Topeka.
She was born August 30, 1961, in Boone, Iowa, the daughter of Howard Otho and Shirley Pauline (Linn) VanGilder.
Donna was employed by the Johnson United Moving Company in Topeka for over five years.
Donna married Michael Andrew Smith on February 21, 1992 in Junction City, Kansas. He survives. Other survivors include two daughters, Camille Christal Walls, Wichita, and Crystal Lynn Brokenborough, Junction City; five grandchildren, Amari Hill, Aniyah Lassai, Aiyana Abraham, and Simone and Kaylyn Williams; her mother, Shirley VanGilder and, Dayton, IA; three brothers, Les VanGilder, Dayton, IA, Keith VanGilder, Carrol, IA, Daryl VanGilder, Dayton, IA; and two sisters, Linda Nelson, Lakefield, MN and Faith VanGilder, Dayton, IA.
She was preceded in death by a daughter in infancy, Jenny Walls; her son, Robert Lee Walls; her father, Howard VanGilder; her sister, Karen VanGilder; and her brother, Kevin VanGilder.
Donna enjoyed cooking, baking, gardening. She was also an avid NASCAR and Minnesota Vikings fan.
Honoring her request, cremation is planned. A celebration of life ceremony will be held 1:00 p.m., Friday, June 7, 2019 at the Mass-Hinitt Cremations, Funerals and Cremation, 805 Caroline Ave., Junction City, KS 66441.
Memorial contributions may be made to Michael Andrew Smith.
Shelby Lynn Orton Settle
Shelby Lynn Orton Settle, 26, of Alma, Kansas, died Tuesday, May 28, 2019, near Alma. She was a life-long resident of the community.
Shelby was born on July 18, 1992, in Topeka, Kansas. She was the daughter of Mike and Susan Orton. Shelby attended local schools and graduated in 2010 from Wabaunsee High School.
She married Nate Settle on May 19, 2017, in Alma. He survives at their home.
Shelby worked several years for Farm Bureau Insurance Company doing clerical work. Shelby loved taking long walks and going fishing with Nate. She loved all animals, especially her pets; two cats, Kita and Luna, numerous pet rats and many fish. Shelby was an artist and enjoyed drawing horses and landscapes. She also enjoyed sewing, working jigsaw puzzles and listening to music and playing the piano.
Shelby is also survived by her parents, Mike and Susan Orton, Alma; her siblings, Carol Cubie (Bruce), Manhattan, Todd Orton (Heather), Maple Hill, Tyler Orton (Julie), St. George, Chance Orton (Emily), Lawrence and Brianna Orton (Travis Coots), Topeka; her father-in-law, Derek Settle, Ackworth, Georgia; her mother-in-law, Katherine Settle, McFarland; her grandparents-in-law, Dean Settle (Harriet), Lincoln, Nebraska and Mary Ellen Settle, Wichita; and nieces and nephews, Spencer, Ramsey, Breckin, Talen, Cyler, Lilah, Avah and Adeline.
A private family inurnment is planned. The family suggests memorial contributions to the T. Russell Reitz Animal Shelter in Manhattan, and those may be sent in care of Campanella-Gentry Funeral Home.