Archived Marriage Records
Frances L. Unruh 1909-2003
Frances L. Unruh, 93, of Great Bend, died Sept. 4 at Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend. She was born Nov. 10, 1909, at Hesperia, Calif., the daughter of Thomas Comer and Charlotte “Lottie” Eastin Turpen. She married
Arlin S. Unruh Sept. 9, 1926, at Great Bend. A resident of Great Bend, she was a homemaker. Survivors include three sons, Ronald Unruh of Great Bend, Lester Unruh of Harrisonville, Mo., and Herb Unruh of Lyons; five grandchild; and six great-grandchildren. Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Charter Funeral Chapel in Great Bend with the Rev. Gary Brooks officiating. Burial will be at Great Bend Cemetery. Friends may call from 1 to 6 p.m. today at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to American Heart Association in care of the funeral home. Sept. 7, 2003
Robert L. Stafford 1924-2003
Robert L. Stafford, 79, of Great Bend, died Sept. 5 at Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend. He was born Sept. 4, 1924, at Great Bend, the son of Carl A. and Eva Lena Woodruff Stafford. He married
Ella Lorraine Butler Sept. 14, 1947, at Hoisington. A longtime resident of Great Bend he was a loan officer at First National Bank in Great Bend and was a parts manager of Gibson, Titus and Stafford, also of Great Bend. Stafford was a member of First United Methodist Church, American Legion Post 180, Elks Lodge 1127, Masonic Lodge A.F. & A.M. 15 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3111, all of Great Bend. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, having served in the submarine division during World War II. Survivors include his wife of the home; three sons, R. Bradley Stafford of Palm Harbor, Fla., Scott Stafford of Albuquerque, N.M., and Clint Stafford of Newton; one daughter, Colleen Allen of Russell; nine grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Charter Funeral Chapel in Great Bend with the Rev. Gary Brooks officiating. Burial will be at Great Bend Cemetery. Friends may call from 1 to 6 p.m. today at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to American Diabetes Association or the church, both in care of the funeral home. Sept. 7, 2003
Margaret E. Kottwitz 1914-2003
Margaret E. Kottwitz, 88, of Great Bend, died Sept. 4 at Lakeview Manor of Lawrence. She was born Sept. 29, 1914, at Bazine, the daughter of Andrew F. and Faye Ruth Crotinger Schuetz. She married
Harold F. Kottwitz Oct. 8, 1933, at Great Bend. A lifetime area resident, she was a homemaker and a bookkeeper for Schuetz Hardware and Kottwitz Motor Company, all of Great Bend. Mrs. Kottwitz was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, a longtime Sunday School teacher, a member of church Bible study and other church-related groups, was a volunteer Girl Scout leader, a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, all of Great Bend, and a volunteer at Larned State Hospital. Survivors include her husband of Lawrence; two sons, Martin Kottwitz of Lawrence and Kent Kottwitz of Overland Park; one daughter, Judith Geising of Fountain Valley, Calif.; two sisters, Shirley Snider of Mankato and Lou Ann Millard of Prairie Village; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one brother, Glen Schuetz. Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church wth the Rev. James Strasen officiating. A private family burial will be at Great Bend Cemetery. Friends may call from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Bryant Funeral Home in Great Bend. Family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday. Memorials are suggested to Trinity Lutheran Church for benefit of children’s Sunday school in care of the funeral home. Sept. 7, 2003
Geraldine ‘Jeri’ Alma Smithson 1925-2003
LARNED — Geraldine “Jeri” Alma Smithson, 78, died Sept. 5 at Larned Healthcare Center in Larned. She was born Feb. 22, 1925, at Kansas City, Mo., the daughter of Doster Henry and Opal M. Walker Swedenburg. She was married
to Don. A resident of Pawnee County since 1956, she was a homemaker. Mrs. Smithson was a member of Garfield Lutheran Church. Survivors include her husband of the home; three sons, Michael R. Tudor of Afton, Okla., David B. Tudor of Claflin and Tracy R. Tudor of Larned; six grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two brothers, James Swedenburg and Eugene Swedenburg; and a sister, Rosie Morrow. Graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Garfield cemetery with the Rev. Nancy Mitchell officiating. Private family viewing will be at Morell Funeral Home in Larned. Friends may sign a register book from noon to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Garfield Lutheran Church in care of the funeral home. Sept. 7, 2003
Mary Annary Halley 1908-2003
ST. JOHN — Mary Annary Halley, 95, died Sept. 5, at Leisure Homestead in St. John. She was born April 3, 1908., at St. John, the daughter of Nicholas Ellsworth and Mabel Clare Baker. She married
Clifton C. Halley Sept. 19, 1930, at Bosie, Idaho. He preceded her in death. A resident of St. John, she was a homemaker and cook at St. John schools and a country school teacher for two years. Mrs. Halley was a member of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints of Great Bend, and Rebekah Lodge and EHU, both of St. John. Survivors include one son, Martin L. Halley of Kansas City, Mo.; one daughter, Marilyn Willhaus of Sterling; one sister, Dody Curtis of St. John; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by three brothers, Andrew Baker, George William Baker and Milton Ellsworth Baker; two sisters, Chlora Mildred Davis and Elsie Arlene Shulz; and one son, H.N. “Nick” Halley. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Minnis Chapel in St. John with the Rev. Jim Swan officiating. Burial will be at Fairview Park cemetery in St. John. Friends may call from 1 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Ida Long Goodman Library in care of the funeral home. Sept. 7, 2003
Loren Dean Johnson 1932-2003
KINGWOOD, Texas — Loren Dean Johnson was born on Dec. 12, 1932, in Deshler, Neb., to Ralph and Edith Johnson and died Aug. 29, 2003, in Houston, Texas, at the age of 70. He attended Hopkins Missouri High School and went on to marry his sweetheart, Barbara Staley in 1955. Johnson had been an active 3rd Degree Mason with Masonic Lodge 158 AF&AM in Atchinson and a lifetime member of DAV. He was a member of Kingwood United Methodist Church. He will be forever remembered for his warm smile and kind heart but especially for the warm culinary delights he was able to produce in his bakery as a master baker. Johnson is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Barbara; four daughters, Leslie DeWeese and her husband, John of Great Bend, Cheryl Cobb and her husband Dustin of Dallas, Texas, Patty Williamson and her husband, Chuck of Magnolia, Texas, and Christine Arledge and her husband Edward of Friendswood, Texas; one son, Bradley Johnson and his wife Melba Lee of Conroe, Texas; one sister, Myrna Lou Starck of Johnstown, Colo.; and 11 grandchildren. Funeral services were held Sept. 2 in the Chapel of Kingwood Funeral Home with the Rev. Joe W. Fort Jr. officiating. Sept. 5, 2003
Beulah Huston 1912-2003
ABILENE — Beulah Huston, 91, died Sept. 2 at her home in Abilene. She was born Jan. 23, 1912, at Talmage, the daughter of Frank and Gertrude Wallace Watt. She was a 1931 graduate of Talmage High School. She married
J. Russel Huston July 29, 1931, at Bennington. He died Sept. 25, 1985. A resident of Abilene, she was a homemaker and a cashier for J.C. Penney in Abilene. Mrs. Huston was a member of First United Methodist Church in Abilene and Here and There Club. Survivors include one son, Ivan Huston of Hutchinson; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one brother, Harvey Watt; and one sister, Etta. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Martin-Becker-Carlson Funeral Home in Abilene with the Rev. Rick Saylor officiating. Burial will be at Prairiedale cemetery in Talmage. Friends may call at the funeral home until the time of service. The casket will be closed. Memorials are suggested to the church, in care of the funeral home. Sept. 5, 2003
Peyton D. Hines 1942-2003
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Peyton D. Hines, 61, died Aug. 29 at Sacramento. He was born May 8, 1942, at West Virginia, the son of Cleatis and Glenna Pigg Hines. He married
Marilyn Johnson March 25, 1994, at Las Vegas, Nev. A resident of the Sacramento area since 1968, he was an electronic engineer and was self-employed. Hines was a member of Riverview Yacht Club of Sacramento. Survivors include his wife of Sacramento. Graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Lorraine Baptist Cemetery, with the Rev. Dr. Jim Morford officiating. Memorials are suggested to Lorraine Baptist Church, in care of Parson Funeral Home in Ellsworth. Sept. 5, 2003
James L. Winget 1921-2003
HANSTON — James L. Winget, 82, died Sept. 3 at Hodgeman County Health Center at Jetmore. He was born Jan. 19, 1921, at Novelty, Mo., the son of James L. and Myrtle A. Garnett Winget. He married
Roberta Whipple at El Paso, Texas. A resident Hanston, he was owner of Winget Service Inc. and chairman of the board of Hanston State Bank of Hanston. Winget was a member of First Baptist Church, Veterans of Foreign Wars, city council, past president of Hanston School Board, FFA Honorary Chapter Farmer, all of Hanston, Lions Club of Jetmore and American Legion of Burdett. He was a World War II veteran, receiving the Bronze Star. Survivors include his wife of the home; one son, the Rev. Gary Winget of Holdrege, Neb., three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one brother, Norman Winget; and one sister, Estelle Boehlke. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the church, with the Revs. Gary Winget and Carl Vincent officiating. Burial will be at Fairmount cemetery in Jetmore, with military graveside rites. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, Saturday and Sunday at Beckwith Funeral Home in Jetmore. Memorials are suggested to the church, in care of the funeral home. Sept. 5, 2003
Harold Ray Nye 1926-2003
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Harold Ray “Nappy” Nye passed from this life on Aug. 27 in Oklahoma City at the age of 77. The son of Ray Nye and Velma Lora Brittain Nye, he was born on a farm north of Oakley on Jan. 29, 1926. He married
Joyce Fae Fechner Feb. 12, 1945. To this union were born Terrolynn “Terri” Ethellé and Ronald Ray. A native of Oakley, Nye served as night marshal for his hometown approximately one year, prior to service with Garden city Police Department, 1948-1951, and Hutchinson Police Department, 1951-1955. He was serving as captain of detectives and assistant chief of police at Hutchinson when appointed Kansas Bureau of Investigation special agent on July 1, 1955. He worked his way to KBI assistant director and graduated from Southern Police Institute before being appointed director of the KBI, Sept. 1, 1969. Elected president of Kansas Peace Officers’ Association in 1970, he served as KBI director until January 1971 and retired from the KBI on July 15, 1975. As a member of Law Enforcement Intelligence Unit, he provided security for President Eisenhower as well as presidential hopefuls Humphrey and Goldwater when they visited Kansas. Nye was the last surviving KBI investigator from the 1959 Clutter case, about which Truman Capote wrote the novel “In Cold Blood.” Through the years he was interviewed numerous times by various media sources including “Larry King Live” and “60 Minutes” about his experiences working on the case and working with Capote. After retirement from the KBI, he was a real estate broker and owned Ray’s Auto Service and 63rd Street Pawn in Oklahoma City. He served in World War II. He is survived by his wife of Oklahoma City, children Terrolynn “Terri” Ethellé Hurley of Holyrood and Ronald Ray Nye of Edmond, Okla.; sisters Shirley Benda of Broomfield, Colo., and Verleen Atchley of Clayton, N.M. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Gerald and Duane. Inurnment will take place in the Oakley cemetery at a later date. Sept. 4, 2003
Edith Dee Brock 1911-2003
ST. JOHN — Edith Dee Brock, 92, died Sept. 2 at Sandpiper Bay Nursing Home in Wichita. She was born July 14, 1911, at Stafford, the daughter of James and Christina Dickson. She married
Gilbert Brock July 21, 1931, at Stafford. He died April 3, 1999. A resident of Wichita since 1991, coming from St. John, she was a retired bank teller for St. John National Bank. Mrs. Brock was a member of Church of Christ of St. John. Survivors include one son, Jim Brock of Olathe; two sisters, Melba Erhart and Glenna Bailey, both of Wichita; two half-brothers, Dale Dickson of Oswego and James L. Dickson of Kansas City, Mo.; eight grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one sister, Fannie Williams. Funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the church, with the Rev. Carl Ferril officiating. Burial will be at Fairview Park cemetery in St. John. Friends may call from 1 to 8 tonight at Minnis Chapel Inc. in St. John. Memorials are suggested to Ida Long Goodman Library or Maude Carpenter Children’s Home, in care of the funeral chapel. Sept. 4, 2003
Correction
ST. JOHN — Edith Dee Brock, 92, who died Sept. 2, was survived by two daughters, Melba Erhart and Glenna Bailey, both of Wichita. Sept. 5, 2003
Martha Ann Powell Williams 1924-2003
ROZEL — Martha Ann Powell Williams, 78, died Sept. 1 at Pratt Regional Medical Center in Pratt. She was born Dec. 12, 1924, at Rozel, the daughter of Frank W. and Lola M. Fromong Powell. A resident of Rozel, coming from Amarillo, Texas, in 1985, she was a retired accountant with U.S. Government Department of Interior. Mrs. Williams attended the Methodist church in Amarillo. Survivors include two brothers, Joe Powell of Rozel and Jim Powell of Green Valley, Ariz.; and four sisters, Wanda Allen of Raytown, Mo., Jean Thomas of Prescott Valley, Ariz., Grace Powell of Seattle, Wash., and Barbara Powell of Grand Coulee, Wash. She was preceded in death by one daughter, Barbara Ann Goodyear; and one brother, Jack Powell. Graveside service will be at 10 a.m. today at Larned Cemetery, with the Rev. Tony Horsley officiating. Memorials are suggested to Mayo Cancer Research or Rozel Fire Department, in care of Beckwith Mortuary Inc. of Larned. Condolences may be sent to beckwithmortuary.com. Sept. 4, 2003
Donna L. Gibbs 1933-2003
SCOTT CITY — Donna L. Gibbs, 70, died Sept. 2 at Park Lane Nursing Home in Scott City. She was born Aug. 31, 1933, in Colby, the daughter of Roland and Minnie Carpenter Griggs. She married
Ralph E. Gibbs May 29, 1949, in Colby. He died May 10, 2002. A resident of Scott City since 1954, coming from Colby, she was a retired school bus dispatcher for USD 466 in Scott City. Mrs. Gibbs was a member of Immanuel Southern Baptist Church, Veteran’s of Foreign Wars Auxiliary and Baptist Women’s Group, all of Scott City. Survivors include two sons, Mike Gibbs and Phil Gibbs, both of Scott City; one daughter, Susan Rohrbough of Scott City; one brother, Elton Griggs of Colby; seven grandchildren; and two stepgrandchildren. She was preceded in death by four brothers and one sister. Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at United Methodist Church of Scott City, with the Rev. Robert Nuckolls officiating. Burial will be at Scott County cemetery in Scott City. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Price & Sons Funeral Home of Scott City. Memorials are suggested to Immanuel Southern Baptist Church or American Parkinson Disease Association, both in care of the funeral home. Sept. 4, 2003
Stephen Ray Duncan 1951-2003
Stephen Ray Duncan, 51, of Great Bend, died Sept. 2 at Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend. He was born Nov. 16, 1951, at Garden City, the son of Vaughn A. and Margaret Ruthe Robbins Duncan. He was a graduate of Great Bend High School and attended Barton County Community College. He married
Debra D. McMullen May 28, 1982, at Great Bend. A resident of Great Bend since 1976, coming from Oklahoma City, Okla., he worked for USD 428 in the transportation and grounds departments. Duncan was a member of First Methodist Church of Pratt and Eagle’s Lodge of Great Bend. He was a certified driver’s training instructor, certified instructor of medic first aid and a certified children safety seat specialist. Survivors include one son, Ryan Garrett Cook of Oklahoma City; one daughter, Kynha Renee Duncan of Great Bend; his father of Great Bend; his former wife of Great Bend; and two brothers, Von Stewart Duncan of Hudson and David Brent Duncan of Wichita. He was preceded in death by one son, Brandon Nash Duncan. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Bryant Funeral Home in Great Bend, with the Rev. Jana Baxter officiating. Burial will be at Larned Cemetery. Friends may call from noon until 9 tonight and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, all at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to USD 428 for soccer field, in care of the funeral home. Sept. 4, 2003
