Announcements

Eva D. Martin

Mercer Funeral Home in Holton

Whiting, KS

Eva D. Martin, 90, of Whiting, KS passed away Monday, December 25, 2017 at Lexington Park Nursing Home in Topeka. She was born March 6, 1927 in Muscotah, KS, the daughter of James Bernard and Eva Mae (Derringer) Wagner.

          Eva lived most of her life in the Whiting community. She graduated from Whiting High School in 1946. She was a h


Sue Steffen

Wherry Mortuary of Humboldt

Rural Humboldt, NE

Sue Steffen, 91, of rural Humboldt, Nebraska passed away on Sunday, December 24, 2017, at her home in rural Humboldt, Nebraska.

Born:  April 20, 1926 in rural Dawson, Nebraska Died:  December 24, 2017 in rural Humboldt, Nebraska

Graveside Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 29, 2017, at the Starr Cemetery east of Humboldt, Nebr


Bobby Joe Frealy

Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Holton

Holton, KS

Bobby Joe Frealy was born the son of Eugene Stanley Frealy and Maggie Faye (Tyner) Frealy on July 5, 1924, in Camden, Arkansas, and departed this life on December 24, 2017 at the age of 93.

He was united in marriage on June 22, 1946 to Lenora Cotham, who preceded him in death on February 2, 2002.

He is survived by his daughter, Mary Lou Area and son-in-law Jac


Ann G. Kaster

Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca

DuBois, NE

Ann G. Kaster, 59, of DuBois, Nebraska died on December 23, 2017 at the Pawnee County Memorial Hospital.

Ann was born in Seneca, Kansas on July 27, 1958 to Mienrad J. and Joan G. Haug Bergman.  Ann attended school in Baileyville and graduated from B & B with the Class of 1977.  Ann attended Manhattan Vo-Tech.

Ann married Ronald L. Kaster on April 16, 1977


Ruth Wolken

Wherry Mortuary of Tecumseh

Tecumseh, NE

  Ruth (Starlin) Wolken, 87, of Tecumseh, Nebraska was born to Charles and Wilma (Wright) Starlin on December 31, 1929 at the family home in rural Vesta, Nebraska.  She was raised in Vesta in a house called the “Carter Place” which was known as being haunted.  It had a cast iron stove that Ruth would fry bird eggs on.  In her early years, she attended


Joseph J. “Joe” Bowness

Pettijohn and Crawford Family Funeral Services of Mound City

Mound City, MO

Joseph J. “Joe” Bowness, 88, Mound City, Missouri passed away Saturday, December 23, 2017.

He was born April 8, 1929 to James and Leda (Fries) Bowness.  He was baptized and confirmed at St. Oswalds Episcopal Church near rural Skidmore, Missouri.

Joe graduated from Bellevue High School in 1947 and graduated from The University of Missouri. He served in t


Ruby Lee Hottman

Mercer Funeral Home in Holton

Holton, KS

Ruby Lee Hottman, 85, of Holton, KS passed away Saturday, December 23, 2017 at her home. She was born January 1, 1932 in Fillmore, MO the daughter of Charles and D. Katherine (Mink) Bowles.

          Ruby graduated from Atchison High School in 1950. She had lived for over 50 years in the Holton community and previously in Netawaka. Ruby


Leona Mae Bleier

Mercer Funeral Home in Holton

Holton, KS

Leona Mae Bleier, 84, of Holton, KS passed away Friday, December 22, 2017 at her home. She was born July 3, 1933 in Goff, KS the daughter of Dwight E. and Nola (Clelland) Glenn.

          Leona graduated from Washburn Rural High School in 1951. She lived in the Holton community for over 50 years. She worked for the Kansas State Bank in H


Mary Elizabeth "Doodle" Watts

Dishon-Maple-Chaney Mortuary in Horton

formerly White Cloud, KS

Mary Elizabeth "Doodle" Watts, 96, formerly of White Cloud, Kansas, went to be with the Lord Jesus on December 21, 2017 at the Highland Healthcare and Rehab Center.

Mary was born on October 8, 1921 on her parents farm south of White Cloud, Kansas. She was the last child born to George and Ella (Putroff) Taylor. She married Edward "Bud" Watts on August 10, 1940 a


John Dean Rakestraw

Gude Mortuary of Nebraska City

Nebraska City, NE

John Dean Rakestraw, age 69 of Nebraska City passed away on Thursday, December 21, 2017 at the Community Memorial Hospital in Syracuse, NE. 

He was born on October 20, 1948 in Nebraska City, NE; the son of Wilbur and Ruth Irene (McCord) Rakestraw.  He graduated from Falls City High School with the class of 1967. 

On January 19, 1974 John was un


Mabel Pettinger

Wherry Mortuary of Pawnee City

Steinauer, NE

Mabel Pettinger, 93 of Steinauer, Nebraska passed away on Thursday, December 21, 2017 at Premier Estates in Pawnee City, Nebraska. She was born on April 24, 1924 to Michael and Anna (Gyhra) Pettinger and was the youngest of the family.

Her schooling took place at St. Anthony’s Catholic grade school and graduated from Steinauer high school in 1942.  After graduation Mabel


Jackie Dale “Jack” Dorrell

Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Highland

Bendena, KS

Jackie Dale “Jack” Dorrell, 81, husband, father, and avid sports fan died peacefully at his home in Bendena, Kansas, December 19, 2017.

He was born February 27, 1936 to Russell and Hazel Dorrell on a farm near Highland, Kansas.

Jack attended various county schools with his mother as his teacher. He graduated from Highland High School where he was a charter m


Mary K. Huppert

Dorr and Clark Funeral Home of Falls City

Falls City, NE

Mary K. Huppert, 67, of Falls City, NE, passed away December 19, 2017 at Falls City. She was born October 12, 1950 at Kansas City, MO to Thomas and Mildred (Froeschl) Sullivan.

She married Jerry Huppert on September 26, 1970 at Rulo, NE and they were later divorced.

Mary K. was raised at Falls City and graduated Sacred Heart High School in 1968. She then graduated St. M


LeAnne E. Frank

Wherry Mortuary of Tecumseh

Adams, Formerly of Humboldt, NE

 LeAnna Edeleen (Sodmann) Frank, daughter of Edward and Alma (Rockemann) Sodmann was born July 17, 1927 near Humboldt, Nebraska on the family farm.  She attended Greenfield rural school in Nemaha County, graduated from Bratton Union High School and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Peru State College.  She did post-graduate study at UNL and UNK


Rosie Mabrey

Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Hiawatha

Hiawatha, KS

Rosie Mabrey, 36, of Hiawatha, died unexpectedly Monday morning, December 18, 2017, in Topeka.

She was born July 1, 1981, in Hiawatha, the daughter of David and LaDonna Hall Moore and had lived in Hiawatha nearly all of her life. She grew up here where she attended school. Through the years, Rosie worked at a variety of jobs including Sonic. In recent years, she was a transitional


Jay Glen Fraser

Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Holton

Holton, KS

Jay Glen Fraser, 65, of Holton, died Monday, December 18, 2017 after being transported to the Holton Community Hospital.

He was born September 14, 1952 at Hiawatha, the son of Glen and Nancy Ham Fraser.  He graduated from Hiawatha High School in 1970.  After high school he served five years in the U.S. Navy aboard the U.S.S. Sea Dragon, a nuclear


Marcella Niedfeldt

Dorr and Clark Funeral Home of Falls City

Formerly of Falls City, NE

Marcella Arvilla Hershberger Niedfeldt, formerly of Falls City, NE, passed away on December 18, 2017 at Lincoln, NE. She was born in Fargo, ND, to the late Swan (Svante Neander Nilssen) Nelson and Alice Isobel (Higgins) Nelson of Moorhead, MN.

On November 1, 1941 she married Charles Hershberger in Moorhead, MN.  He passed away March 26, 1988. On July 21, 1990 she married Alber


Robert O. Halling

Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home in Atchison

formerly Denton, KS

Robert O. Halling, 97, formerly of Denton, Kansas died Monday, December 18, 2017 at Vintage Park of Atchison.

Mass of Christian burial will be Friday, December 22, 2017 at 2:30 P.M. at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, Bendena, Kansas with Rev. Francis Bakyor as celebrant. Interment will follow in St. Benedict’s Church Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be Friday,


Wilma Jane (Cormode) Hawk

Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home in Atchison

formerly Effingham, KS

Wilma Jane (Cormode) Hawk, formerly of Effingham, passed away on December 16, 2017, at the Apostolic Christian Nursing Home in Sabetha, KS.

Visitation will be held at the Effingham Union Church on Friday, December 22 from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 a.m. with interment in the Effingham Evergreen Cemetery. Memorial contributions are suggested to the


Leonard Winkelbauer

Dishon-Maple-Chaney Mortuary in Horton

Horton , KS

Leonard Anthony Winkelbauer, 93, of Horton, Kansas passed away Sunday, December 17, 2017 at the Mission Village Living Center, in Horton, Kansas.

He was born on October 29, 1924 in Horton, Kansas the son of Robert and Christina (Bickelmeier) Winkelbauer.

Leonard graduated from Horton High School in 1942, and joined the army in 1943, serving in Europe during WWII. Follow