Elizabeth “Bette” Claire (Brown) Gragson, passed away while sleeping in the early hours of October 14, 2016.

Bette was born on November 11, 1931 in Hays, Kansas. She was the fourth of eight children born to Lawrence L. and Mary (Brungardt) Brown. Bette graduated from the Girls Catholic High School in 1949.

After High School, Bette worked for Kansas Claim Service performing secretarial and accounting responsibilities. Later in life Bette became owner of Kansas Claim Service of Topeka. She was a member of Shell Knob Lions Club and was Bingo Chairman. She had a lifelong passion for music and was a talented singer.

In Hays Bette met her husband James “Jim” Leonard Gragson who she married on August 22, 1955.

Bette is survived by her husband Jim, their son Leonard, wife Diana of Olathe, Kansas and their son Jeff; their son John, wife Donna of Topeka, Kansas and their children Tommy, Rachael and James; their son Phillip of Topeka and his sons Dylan and Nicholas; and son Doug, wife Alison and their daughter Ali of Springfield, Missouri; five great grandchildren, Anthony, Brelyn, Adylyn, Scarlett, and Violett; a sister Mary Alice Carroll of Phoenix, Arizona; two brothers, Bernard Brown and his wife Phyllis of Hays and Jerry Brown of New York City and 15 nieces and nephews.

Bette was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters Flora Lee Fuchs and Theresa Brown; two brothers Lawrence F (Red) Brown and William F (Bill) Brown; sister-in-law Mary Kay Brown and brother-in-law Joseph Carroll.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Friday, October 21, 2016 in Fohn Funeral Home, Shell Knob. Reverend Hank Grodecki will conduct the services.

Phillipsburg resident Frances E. Cote passed away Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016 at the Hays Medical Center in Hays, KS at the age of 69.

She was born October 31, 1946 in Ottawa, Illinois the daughter of Leo & Josephine (Hanley) Kerrins.

Frances was united in marriage to Ralph J. Cote on April 15, 1967 in Kankakee, Illinois. He survives.

Other survivors include her two daughters, Shelly Cote & Kelly Cote, both of Phillipsburg, her son, Thomas Cote of Amarillo, TX; ½ sister, Kathy Deminsky of Sun City, AZ; 8 grandchildren; & 8 great grandchildren.

Cremation was planned. Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, October 20, 2016 in the First Christian Church, Phillipsburg, with Pastor LeRoy Herder officiating.

Friends may sign the book from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, with family receiving friends for visitation from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. that evening.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Fresenius Dialysis Center of Hays.

Former Phillips County resident Alan R. Chestnut passed away October 15 at the Conway Regional Hospital in Conway, AR, at the age of 71. He was born Jan. 31, 1945 in Phillipsburg, the son of Roy & Norma (Hoover) Chestnut.

Survivors include his wife Shirley of Greenbrier, AR; his son Clint of Blanchard, OK; his daughter, Jennie Smith of Omaha, NE; 2 brothers, Larry of Glade & Dennis of Speed; 4 sisters, Connie Reese of Glade, Joyce Campbell, Joan Russo & Terri Chestnut Greer all of Speed; 1 grandchild & 2 great grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held Friday, October 21 at 11:00 a.m. in the Marvin Cemetery, Glade, with Pastor Joel Hiesterman officiating.

Visitation will be from noon to 9:00 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home with the family receiving friends from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Memorials have been established to his great grandchildren’s education fund.

Pamela “Pam” Werth, 62, Hays, died Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at her home.

She was born December 25, 1953 in Hays, one of twin daughters to Austin and Edith (Smith) Dillon. She graduated from Hays High School in 1971. On December 19, 1972 she married Anthony “Andy” Werth in Hays. She was a homemaker and worked at the Alco store and at Tandy’s Hallmark. She was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church and was an excellent cook and baker, and she rarely needed to measure ingredients. She always had an extra plate in the oven for anyone who came over, and her cookies, burritos, and cheesecake were family favorites. She was the consummate caregiver, always putting others’ needs first. She loved to go shopping, was very punctual, and enjoyed traveling and decorating her home for the holidays. She loved her family, her husband, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, and extended family.

Survivors include her husband, Andy, of the home, two sons; Kirk Werth and wife Gail of Hays, and Jared Werth of Hays, a daughter; Andrea Jensen and husband Luke of Hays, two brothers; Loren Dillon and wife Sharron of Wichita and Mitchell Dillon and wife Sherene of Orlando, FL, her twin sister; Pat Herl and husband Danny of Victoria, KS, her grandchildren Sheldon Niernberger and Hailey Jensen, and numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and a sister; Marilyn Dillon in 1997.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Friday, October 21, 2016 at the North Oak Community Church, 3000 Oak Street. Burial will follow in the St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be on Thursday from 5:00 pm until 8:00 at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, and on Friday from 9:00 am until service time at the church. A family rosary will be at 7:00 pm on Thursday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to North Oak Community Church or to the Cancer Council of Ellis County, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com or via email at [email protected].

Robert A. “Bob” Ruder, 80, Hays, died Tuesday, October 18, 2016 at his home.

He was born May 13, 1936 in Hays to Anton and Anna (Wasinger) Ruder. He graduated from St. Joseph Military Academy in 1954. He was in the U.S. Army from 1957 until 1959. On May 18, 1959 he married Ila Mae Pfannenstiel in Hays. He attended Fort Hays State University for two years then worked for 28 years at the Farmers Co-Op first as an accountant then as department manager of feed and fertilizer. He was head custodian for USD 489 for 21 years and then custodian at Holy Family Elementary School for nearly 5 years. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus in Schoenchen.

Survivors include his wife, Ila Mae, of the home, a son; Tony Ruder and wife Janet of Wichita, three daughters; Cathy Hawley and husband Greg of Farmersville, TX, Barbara Flesher and husband Kevin of Broomfield, CO and Vicky Morton of Broomfield, CO, a brother; Earl Ruder and wife Mary of Edmond, OK, a sister; Diana Dome of Hays, a sister-in-law Norma Ruder of Liberal, KS, nine grandchildren; Nicole Hawley, Adam Hawley and wife Vanessa, Cecilia Welwood and husband Eric, Rachel Hawley and fiance Michael, Andrew Flesher, Abigail Flesher, Angela Flesher, Robert W. Ruder, and Aidan Morton, a great granddaughter; Bernadette Welwood, and numerous nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and a brother; LeRoy Ruder.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Saturday, October 22, 2016 at the St. Joseph Catholic Church, 215 W. 13th. Burial with military honors by the Hays VFW Honor Guard will follow in the St. Joseph cemetery. Visitation will be on Friday from 4:00 pm until 8:00 and on Saturday from 9:00 am until 9:45, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street. A Daughters of Isabella rosary will be at 6:00 followed by a parish vigil at 6:30, and a Knights of Columbus rosary at 7:00, all on Friday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to Holy Family Elementary School or to St. Joseph Catholic Church, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com or via email at [email protected].