Longtime Sharon Springs resident Louise Pearce, 96, passed away Saturday, December 31, 2016 at the Wallace County Community Care Center in Sharon Springs, Kansas.

Louise Mae Evans was born on March 22, 1920, in Gove County, Kansas, to Will (Bill) and Blanche Evans. She graduated from high school and attended college in Hays, Kansas, before marrying a neighbor boy, Frank Kennett Pearce on June, 2, 1940, at her parent’s residence. They had four children: Cecil, Rita, Bryan and Evan.
She taught school in a little one-roomed school house south of Gove, Kansas, where she was a teacher, coach, and cook.

Frank and Louise and their four young children moved to Wallace County, Kansas in the spring of 1950 where the family “ tore out fence and built fence” with the little boys helping Louise tamp posts, Rita guiding the “power wagon”, Cecil throwing posts from the truck, following Frank who was on the tractor drilling the posthole. Louise also began to give piano lessons. After her children were grown, she completed hours to get her teaching certificate, and said later: “Everyone needs to get their education. Then, they need to USE their education.” She started teaching music at the Harrison Flats School and Wallace Grade School and did some teaching and subbing in the Sharon Springs School, before becoming full-time teacher, band and music instructor as well as “coach” at the Wallace Grade School for many years, retiring after 20 years. Even after that, she continued to give piano lessons to many children in the area until she moved into Assisted Living at The Wallace County Community Care Center in December 2012.

She taught 6 of her own grandchildren who had to learn to call her Mrs. Pearce at school and Grandmother at family get-togethers, which sometimes confused the little first graders at the Wallace School, who also called her Grandmother at times. She spent many summers taking her grandchildren on exciting travel trips to other states, which she seemed to enjoy as much as they did.

Louise was a member of Rebekah Lodge in Wallace where she played the pump organ for meetings, a member of Busy Bee Club, and taught Sunday school for many years at the Sharon Springs United Methodist Church. She and others gathered news from the Wallace area for many years, which she continued until about 6 months before her death.
She likes to watch sports and many Friday nights in the fall she could be found parked at the Northwest Corner of the local football field in Sharon Springs, eating popcorn and sandwiches and watching former students play – although as she said about her own sons’ football years, she “watched them play just to make sure they got up again.”

At the Assisted Living in WCCCC, she often played the organ on Thursday morning for all to hear and sometimes sing.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Blanche Evans, youngest son Evan Pearce, and husband Frank Pearce. Left to mourn her passing and celebrate her life is her son Cecil and wife Jayne Pearce and family, daughter Rita and husband Lynn Kirkham and family, and son Bryan and wife Lois Pearce and family, including 8 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

She told her family before she passed that she had had a good life, a good husband, a family that loved her and a family that she loved, and God was in control.

Funeral services for Louise were held on Wednesday, January 4, 2017 at 10:30 AM MT at the United Methodist Church in Sharon Springs with Reverend Paul McNall and Pastor Duncan Ibuuri officiating. Burial followed in the Sharon Springs Cemetery.

Visitation was held on Tuesday, January 3, 2017 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM MT at the Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Sharon Springs.

Memorials are designated to the United Methodist Church in Sharon Springs or to USD 241 School Library and may be left at the service or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St., Goodland, KS, 67735.

Online condolences may be left at www.koonsrussellfuneralhome.com.

Funeral services were entrusted to the Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Sharon Springs.

Dorothy Jean Musil, 72, passed away on New Year’s Day of 2017 at her home in Edson, KS. She was born in Elwood, Indiana, on October 8, 1944 to Floyd and Charlotte (Stafford) Ramsey.

During her teen years, Dorothy moved to Florida with her family and graduated high school in Tampa, Florida.Dorothy was introduced to Melvin after his aunt and uncle persuaded him to write her in Iowa. During the following months, they wrote dozens of love letters and met in person only a few times. Once the crops were taken care of, Melvin went to Iowa to propose. The two lovebirds were soon married on October 18, 1964. Dorothy quickly learned the lifestyle of a farmer’s wife including making harvest meals for dozens, butchering chickens and always knowing the way to her husband’s heart which was through his stomach.

Melvin and Dorothy were parents to two daughters, Tina and Anita, and two sons, Melvin Jr. and Shaun. While the kids were at home, Dorothy was a stay-at-home mom who faithfully attended all of her kids’ activities. Once the kids were grown, Dorothy then spent the rest of her years taking care of others including cleaning, care giving, and nursing. She cared for her mother-in-law at her home, and most recently served as a cook at the Goodland Senior Center which she enjoyed so much, as her passion was working with older people and her family. Dorothy always loved playing games with family and enjoyed bowling with her husband and friends for many years. Dorothy dedicated much of her free time to being with family, especially her 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

As of this October, Melvin and Dorothy celebrated 52 years of marriage. ​Dorothy was loved by many who passed before her including her parents; granddaughter, Kayla; daughter-in-law, Kellee; daughter-in-law, Cindy; sisters-in-law, Rebecca and Yvonne Musil; and brother-in-law, Marlin Musil.

​Dorothy’s family who are still with us are her husband, Melvin, of Edson; daughter, Tina (Bruce) Hansen, of Colby; daughter, Anita (Stacy) Owens, of Edson; son, Melvin Jr. (Lynn) Musil, of Colorado Springs, CO; son, Shaun (Heather) Musil of Hays; grandchildren Chandi (Kevin) Reed of Atwood; Staff Sergeant Tyson (Robyn) Reed of Ft. Benning, GA; Maura Hansen of Manhattan, KS; Tristan and Tanner Owens of Edson; Kiera (Josh) Goodwin of Sharon Springs; Christy Musil of Sharon Springs; Misty (Kyle) Ruggles of Kingman, Arizona; Brandon, Corey and Meghan Musil of Hays; great-grandchildren Jayden Reed, Raeth and Thorin Worthy; Lynk and Myck Reed; Nicholas Bartlett, Eli, Gracie, and Ariella Goodwin; Teale and Reace Becker; and Eric Ruggles.

Funeral Service will be Friday January 6, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. MT at First Baptist church at 1121 Main in Goodland with Pastor Mike Pinkleman officiating, burial will be at 1 p.m. MT in the Brewster Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday, January 5 from 4 to 7 p.m. MT at Bateman Funeral Home at 211 E. 11th Goodland.

Memorials will be donated to the Goodland Senior Center and may be sent to the Funeral Home at P.O. Box 278 Goodland, KS 67735. Online condolences: www.batemanfuneral.com.

LaMonte Russell Tuttle, age 65, of WaKeeney, passed away Friday, December 30, 2016 at Western Plains Medical Complex in Dodge City. He was born August 24, 1951 in Omaha, Nebraska to Everett Russell and Lela Mae (Morell) Tuttle.

LaMonte graduated from high school in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Upon completion of high school LaMonte served our country from December 30, 1969 to May 15, 1972 in the United States Marine Corps, earning the rank of Corporal. LaMonte served in the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged due to an illness. LaMonte was united in marriage to Ruth Ella Fabrizius on December 29, 1972 in WaKeekney. LaMonte and Ruth had 4 children together, and then later divorced.

LaMonte attended Colby Community College and Fort Hays State University obtaining a degree in Criminal Justice. LaMonte’s life can be summed up by saying he was very versatile, as he worked as a police officer, restaurant manager, and owner/operator of a service station and campground. He was a lifetime member of the VFW, Kansas Freemasons and Vietnam Veterans of America. LaMonte loved Boy Scouting, hunting, fishing, camping, traveling, family and Chevrolet cars. He retired in 1991.

LaMonte will be missed by family and friends. Survivors include, four children, Heather Tuttle, WaKeeney; Heidi Tuttle and Andrew Quinley, Salina; Holly and husband Travis Decker of Russell; and Jeremiah Tuttle of Fort Collins, CO; seven grandchildren, LCPL Kristian Tuttle, Madeleine Tuttle, Mollie Goble, Camrie Tuttle, Ashton, Liberty and Bo Decker; three great grandchildren, Maxuim, Justin and Riley Daniels; brother, Wayne and wife Anissa, Topeka; sisters, Pamela and husband Gary Minear, Grandby, CO; Wanda and husband Bud Luker, Pauls Valley, OK. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Dewey Tuttle, infant sister and great grandson, Jaxson Daniels.

A time of visitation and remembering will be Friday, January 6, 2017 at 10:00 am at Schmitt Funeral Home, WaKeeney, with a short memorial service to follow at 10:45 am. Inurnment will follow at the WaKeeney Veterans Cemetery with military honors provided by the United States Marines.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Masonic Lodge or Boys Scouts of America. Checks made to the organization may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS 67672.