Search Archived Marriage Records
VERA H. GRAY
ULYSSES Vera Helen Gray, 90, died Thursday, Sept. 30, 2004, at Western Prairie Care Home in Ulysses.
She was born Nov. 16, 1913, to Eugene H. and Lillian (Lewis) Ottaway in Haviland.
She married Gearold L. Gray May 2, 1936, in Tyrone, Okla. He died Feb. 9, 1985.
She graduated from high school in Tyrone, Okla., and attended Panhandle A &M in Goodwell, Okla., for two years.
She taught school for four years. She was a cook at Ulysses High School for many years.
She was a member of the First United Methodist Church.
She was a member of the Dana Minor Circle, Prairie Star EHU, Happy Hour Club and Good Sam Camping Club.
She was a 4-H leader and sang with the Glory Singers and the Kitchen Cuties.
Survivors include one son, Tom Gray and wife Lou Ann, Ulysses; two daughters, Karley Parker and husband John, Ulysses, and Lurita Patrick and husband Ronald, Garden City; 11 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild; and one brother, Bob Ottaway, Kansas City, Kan.
She was also preceded in death by two brothers, Harold Ottaway and Aldean Ottaway.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m., Monday at First United Methodist Church in Ulysses with the Rev. Dennis H. Livingston presiding.
Burial will follow in Ulysses Cemetery.
Friends may call from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m., Sunday at Garnand Funeral Home in Ulysses.
Memorials are suggested to First United Methodist Church of Ulysses in care of Garnand Funeral Home, 405 W. Grant, Ulysses, KS 67880.
RALPH E. CHAPMAN, JR.
Ralph Evans "Tim" Chapman, Jr., 60, died Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004, at National Park Medical Center in Hot Springs, Ark.
He was born Jan. 8, 1944, to Ralph and Earlene Walker Chapman in St. Louis.
He had served in the U.S. Navy after graduating from high school. He also was a musician and had many friends within the Hot Springs art community.
He worked at Ideal Advertising and Southwest Medical Center. He worked as a surgical technician at National Park Medical Center for 16 years.
Survivors include his father, Alvin, Texas; one son, Shane Chapman, Garden City; one daughter, Heather Chapman, Lakin; four grandchildren; one brother, David Chapman, Harrisburg, Ill.; and two sisters, Laurie Orr, Alvin, Texas, and Angela Shaw, St. Paul, Minn.
He was preceded in death by his mother.
A memorial service will be at 1 p.m., Saturday at Caruth-Hale Funeral Home in Hot Springs, Ark.
There will be no visitation.
Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society in care of Caruth-Hale Funeral Home.
DONNA R. WILCOX
Donna Ruth (Miller) Wilcox, devoted and living mother to Michelle, Matt, Marc and William and wife to Gary Wilcox passed away Wednesday, Sept. 29 after a long illness.
Born in Long Beach, California in 1944, Donna lived in Illinois, Missouri and Tennessee before finally making Liberal her home.
Forever a champion of the underdog, a fighter for justice, equality and truth, Donna lived her life in the service of others. To those in need, she opened her heart and often her home. Always there with some encouraging words, some tough questions, a smile, a laugh and a hug, so that none felt alone or hopeless in her presence. This small, fiesty woman with an enormous heart was known to many in Liberal, old and young alike, simply as "Big Mom."
May the love, compassion and tolerance she gave and taught live on in the many lives she touched.
In addition to her children and husband, Donna is survived by her sister Beverly Adkins of St. Joseph, Mo., her grandchildren, Michael (Tigger) Miller, Micha Miller, Teri Miller, Stephen Miller, Abby Gail Miller, Dawninee Laughlin and great grandson Michael Miller, her niece Kelly Coy and nephew Thomas Adkins as well as her extended family and all those that knew and loved her.
She will be often on our minds and always in our hearts.
ROBERT L. HIGGINS
PLAINS Robert L. Higgins, 72, died Sunday, Oct. 3, 2004 at Southwest Medical Center.
He was born June 23, 1932, to John G. and Cora D. Lunsford Higgins in Stonington, Colo.
He married Patricia A. Woods Oct. 18, 1959, in Springfield, Colo. She survives.
He graduated from Walsh (Colo.) High School in 1952.
He was a parts and salesman for the John Deere dealership in Plains for 15 years, later working for West Plains Township until retiring in 2001.
He was an active member of the IOOF Lodge in Earth, Texas.
Other survivors include four sons, Rick Higgins, Great Valley, Mo., Brad Higgins, Forgan, Okla., John Higgins, Great Valley, Mo., and Michael Higgins and wife Marie, Olathe; two daughters, Sheri Higgins, Collegeville, Pa., and Joni Hart and husband Robert, Gillette, Wyo.; five grandchildren; four brothers, Daymon and Roland Higgins, both of Walsh, Colo., Weldon Higgins, Lincoln, Mo., and Basil Higgins, Engelwood, Colo.; and one sister, Norma Jean Bennett, Denver.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and one sister.
Memorial services will be at 6 p.m., Tuesday at Plains United Methodist Church with the Rev. Terry Mayhew presiding.
Additional memorial services and burial will be at 2 p.m., Wednesday in Walsh, Colo.
Memorials are suggested to the Robert L. Higgins Memorial Fund in care of Dykes Funeral Home in Walsh, Colo. and Plains State Bank.
REUBEN A. JANTZ
MONTEZUMA Reuben Allen Jantz, 90, died Sunday, Oct. 3, 2004, at Bethel Home, Inc. in Montezuma where he had been a resident since Feb. 2001.
He was born March 24, 1919, to Henry T. and Lena (Jantz) Jantz in Montezuma.
He married Barbara Jane Lea Oct. 8, 1935, in Sublette. She survives.
He was a member of the Church of God in Christ Mennonite.
Other survivors include three sons, Paul Jantz, Ulysses, Jerry Jantz and wife Judith, Atwater, Calif., and Donald Jantz and wife Sheila, Ballico, Calif.; two daughters, Kathryn Buller and husband Don, Columbia, Mo., and Charlotte Koehn and husband Leonard, Florence, Mo.; 19 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; and many relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one son, Victor Jantz, one daughter-in-law, Sharon Sanders Jantz, four grandchildren, four brothers and four sisters.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday at the Grant Mennonite Church in Ulysses with Ministers Denton Koehn and Stuart Jantzen presiding.
Additional funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday at Oakridge Mennonite Church in Florence, Mo.
Burial will be in Oakridge Mennonite Cemetery
in Florence, Mo.
Friends may call until 4 p.m. and from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. today at Montezuma Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to Bethel Home, Inc. in Montezuma and may be mailed to Montezuma Funeral Home, Box 421, Montezuma, KS 67867.
LORETTA LOWRY
OXFORD Loretta Lowry, 91, died Friday, Oct. 1, 2004, at Riverview Manor in Oxford.
She was born Jan. 9, 1913, to Greenberry and May Marteney in Haskell County.
She married Harold Lowry Dec. 23, 1932, in Liberal. He died Feb. 1. 1969.
She graduated from Liberal High School in 1927. After graduation, she taught school for one year.
The couple worked on the Hitch Ranch until July 1933.
She worked for several years for the Winfield State Hospital and Training Center.
She was a member and participant of the First Baptist Church in Oxford.
Survivors include two sons, Ronald Lowry and wife Diana, Pineville, Mo., and Gary Lowry and wife, Roslyn, Abilene; two daughters, Rovella Erker and husband George, Conway Springs, and Phyllis Kennedy and husband Jon, Ponca City, Okla.; 13 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; six step grandchildren; and four sisters, Ada Haddock, Two Buttes, Colo., Thelma Davies, Manhattan, Edna Larson, Marquette, and Hazel Griffin, Belleview, Wash.
She was also preceded in death by her parents; one daughter, Karen Lowry; three brothers, Clifford, Lloyd and Wayne Marteney; two sisters, Verla Welch and Ruth Hass; one grandson, John Michael Ledesman; and two great-grandsons, Chris Boston and Richard Blair.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m., Tuesday at the First Baptist Church in Oxford.
Private family burial services will be at Oxford Cemetery.
Friends may call until 8 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m., Tuesday at Hawks Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to the First Baptist Church of Oxford. Contributions may be left at the funeral home or the church.
RUTH J. MILLER
PLAINS Ruth Joan Miller, 82, died Sunday, Oct. 3, 2004, in Norman, Okla.
She was born Oct. 9, 1921, to Samuel P. and Mary S. (Specht) Currier.
She married Hugh J. Miller Nov. 19, 1938, in Hugoton. He died Feb. 22, 1987.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women, both of Plains.
She established the first Girl Scout troop in Plains and was a leader for many years. She was also a Boy Scout leader in the Plains community. She was a member of the Extension Homemakers Unit of Plains.
She enjoyed music, crafts and nature.
Survivors include one son, Jack M. Miller, Nashville, Tenn.; two daughters, Barbara Ledgerwood, Norman, Okla., and Blenda Dreitz, Plains; 10 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Clarice McCarty, Meade, and Jeanne Marx, Plains; and many nieces and nephews.
She was also preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Robert Currier, and three sisters, Vaneita Magill, Esther Hayes and Eleanor Lehn.
Funeral services will be at 3:30 p.m., Thursday at the United Methodist Church in Plains with the Rev. Terry Mayhew presiding.
Burial will be in Plains Cemetery.
Friends may sign the register from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m., Wednesday and from 9 a.m. until noon, Thursday at Fidler-Orme-Bachman Mortuary in Meade. The casket will remain closed.
Memorials are suggested to Plains United Methodist Church in care of the funeral home.
