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Month: March 2018

Carol (Thelen) Hughen

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Carol (Thelen) Hughen, age 77, of Fayetteville passed away on March 18, 2018. She was born June 19, 1940 in Charles City, Iowa to Ida Johanna (Rademacher-Thelen) McCoy and Almon Robert Thelen.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents and three of her brothers, Daniel Steven McCoy, Wayne Edward Swant and Jim Boll.

Carol was a graduate of Hot Springs High School, 1958, and then she and her husband, Rich, raised three children. For several years she was primarily a homemaker and a great Mom. When the children were older she went to college and in 1982 graduated from the University of Arkansas with a B.A. in Education. She taught at the New School in Fayetteville for several years and then became a public school teacher in Ellis, Kansas, retiring in 2005. In 2006 she was diagnosed with cancer (Lymphoma) and suffered with various health problems the rest of her life.

She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Rich; four brothers, Randy of Mt. Vernon, Illinois; Pat of Knoxville, Tennessee; Jim of Amelia, Ohio and Tim of Edgewater, Maryland; three children, Bill of Belleville, Illinois; Cindy and RT of Fayetteville, Arkansas; nine grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.

Memorial service will be held at 10:00 am, Monday, April 2, 2018 at Central United Methodist Church in the Church Activity Center.

Memorial contributions may be made to Central United Methodist Church of Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Kan. youth volleyball coach jailed for alleged sex crime

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita youth volleyball coach has been arrested on suspicion of sexual exploitation of a child.

Sanders -photo courtesy GoShockers.com

Law enforcement records show Jeffrey Sanders was booked Friday into the Sedgwick County jail and released on bond the same day. He was arrested on suspicion of electronic solicitation of a 16-year-old victim, and the incident report shows the alleged offense occurred in February 2017.

Sanders formed the Wichita Volleyball Academy in 2014 and it operates as a competitive club team for Wichita-area volleyball players from ages 10 to 18. The academy’s website says Sanders offered private and semi-private lessons.

Sanders coached at Wichita State for 10 seasons, but left the program after an arrest of suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Franklin Dale Schlegel

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Franklin Dale Schlegel, 82, died Friday, March 23, 2018 at the Hays Medical Center. He was born April 22, 1935 in LaCrosse, Kansas to Fred and Lydia (Stieben) Schlegel.

Franklin’s grade school years were spent at a one room country school southwest of Bazine. He graduated from the Bazine High School in 1953. He joined the U. S. Army and served in Korea. After his service, he was a farmer. On June 7, 1959, Franklin married Norma Margheim. They lived on a farm southwest of Bazine until moving into Bazine in 1976.

He was a member of the Bazine United Methodist Church and the Bazine American Legion.

Franklin is survived by his wife, Norma; two daughters, Colette (Jim) Gulick of Portland, Oregon and Tamera Schlegel of Centennial, Colorado; two grandsons, John (Nicole) Gulick, Beaverton, Oregon, and David (Tuuli) Gulick, Portland, Oregon; three granddaughters, Leah, Sierra, and Audrey; and his grand dogs, Josie and Tasha. He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Winifred and Coralee.

Friends may call on Monday, March 26 at Fitzgerald Funeral Home in Ness City, Kansas from 4:00P.M. – 9:00P.M., with the family present from 6:00-8:00P.M. Funeral services will be at the Bazine United Methodist Church on Tuesday March 27th at 10:30A.M. Burial to follow at the Bazine Cemetery with military rites by Olin Cole Post No. 392, Bazine American Legion.

Memorials to the Donor’s Choice.

Mary Frances Dreiling

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Mary Frances Dreiling, age 97, of Victoria, Kansas died Thursday, March 22, 2018, at Via Christi Village Care Center in Hays, Kansas. She was born October 7, 1920, in Catharine, Kansas, to Adam J. and Anna (Polifka) Walters. She married Elmer J. Dreiling on May 8, 1946, at Victoria, Kansas. He preceded her in death on September 16, 1967.

She was homemaker and a cook for U.S.D. #432 for 6 years from 1968 to 1975 and then cooked at Hays Medical Center for 15 years and retired in 1991. She was a member of The Basilica of St. Fidelis, St. Fidelis Christian Mothers, St. Fidelis Daughters of Isabella and V.F.W. Post No. 1751 Ladies Auxiliary all of Victoria, Kansas. She worked on the St. Fidelis Funeral Committee and Victoria Senior Center Meals on Wheels. She attended the HMC Health Improvement Center for 11years, loved her family, card clubs, traveling, her grandchildren’s sports and other activities; but most of all Mary Frances knew how to make people laugh with her witty sense of humor.

Survivors include, one son, Rick Dreiling, Wichita, KS; and Eileen Dreiling, Augusta, KS; four daughters, Judy Hoskins and husband, Bruce, Wheaton, IL; Patty Dreiling and husband, Kenneth, Victoria, KS; Kathy Johnson and husband, Jay, Aurora, CO; Bobbie Schippers and husband, John, Hays, KS; one brother, Kenneth Walters, and wife, Linda, Bend, OR; three sisters, Dorothy Goetz, Hays, KS; Roseanne Augustine, Manhattan, KS; Eileen Leiker and husband, Wilfred, Hays, KS; one sister-in-law, Leona Walters, Dallas, TX; 11 grandchildren, Shane Dreiling (Mona), Jill Windholz (Ken), Brett Dreiling (Heidi), Garett Johnson (Molly), Molly Molinaro (Scott), Hanna Dreiling, Heidi Dreiling, Harrison Dreiling, Chase Schippers (Lindsay) Sophia Sanders (Jay), Pierce Schippers and fiancée (Kate Dickinson); 11 great grandchildren; and one step great grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one granddaughter, Heather Dreiling; four brothers, Ernest Walters, Harold Walters and wife, Ida, Irvin Walters and wife, Clara, Bill Walters and wife, Barbara; two brothers-in-law, Paul Goetz and Marvin Augustine.

Services will be at 11:00 A.M. Monday, March 26, 2018, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas. Burial in St. Fidelis Cemetery, Victoria, Kansas.

A vigil service will be at 7:00 P.M. Sunday, followed by a Victoria V.F.W. Auxiliary memorial service and rosary with the St. Fidelis Christian Mothers and St. Fidelis Daughters of Isabella all at The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas.

Visitation will be from 6:00 to 9:00 P.M. Sunday, and from 10:00 to 11:00 Monday, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas.

The family suggest memorials to The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas.

Services are entrusted to Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, 412 Main Street, Victoria Kansas 67671.

Condolences can be left by guestbook at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or can be sent via e-mail to [email protected]

Kimberly Ann (LaDuke) Dopita

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Kimberly Ann (LaDuke) Dopita passed away Friday, March 23, 2018 at her home in Hays, Kansas at the age of 60. She was born on February 14, 1958 in Atwood, Kansas to Eugene and Marianne (Heble) LaDuke. She grew up in Plainville, Kansas and graduated from Plainville High School with the Class of 1976. In 1977 she married Robert “Bob” Dopita, they later divorced. Together they had two children, Bobbi Jo and Tony.

Kimberly was an outgoing, free-spirited, adventurous woman. She worked for many years at RANS Co. in Hays and owned and operated her own photography studio in Plainville. She was an avid gardener and enjoyed growing her own vegetables. Always happy-go-lucky she loved the water and the air.

Kimberly is survived by her mother Marianne Cowley of Plainville; daughter Bobbi Jo Wiggins of Fort Worth, TX; son Tony Dopita and wife Nicole of Hays; brothers Kevin LaDuke of Plainville, Kelly LaDuke of Plainville, Kenny LaDuke and wife Lydia of Rockwall, TX, and Kerri LaDuke of Hays; special friend Randy Schlitter of Hays; and grandchildren Emily Dopita, Lawrence Dopita, Kylie Wiggins, and Kinley Wiggins.

She was preceded in death by her father Eugene LaDuke and step-father Don Cowley.

Marguerite Carstairs once said, “I am a free spirit… either admire me from the ground or fly with me, but don’t ever try to cage me.” Kimberly embodied a spirit that was unique, spontaneous, and fun-loving. Although we are heart-broken because she left us too soon, we rejoice that even now she is flying higher now than she ever has before, while she waits for us to join her on the other side of heaven.

Memorials are suggested to the National PKU Alliance and may be sent in care of Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, 320 SW 2nd Street, Plainville, KS 676663.

Click HERE for service details.

John R. Rose

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The Janousek Funeral Home of La Crosse, Kansas, has announced Funeral Services for John R. Rose, 79, La Crosse, will be at 11 a.m Thursday, March 29, 2018, at United Methodist Church, La Crosse.

Burial will be at 3 p.m. Thursday, March 29, 2018, at ellsford Cemetery, Wellsford.

MADORIN: Spring Inspires Crazy Imaginations

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Native Kansan Karen Madorin is a local writer and retired teacher who loves sharing stories about places, people, critters, plants, food, and history of the High Plains.

Decades ago, a student growing up in a clever family used his weekly spelling words to write a story that I still chuckle over. Each spring, I recollect his tale about the Easter Cow who unless offered tasty grasses would scare off the more traditional, egg-delivering rabbit. To prevent empty baskets at their house, this lad and his siblings would share tasty greens with their unique but never seen bovine. Over the years, my mind altered this ingenious family’s holiday rendition until I have my own version that includes greening pastures and newborn calves.

All it takes to trigger flowing creative juices is to drive slowly down a country road on a sunny day with windows rolled down. The sound of tires rotating over gravel soothes the spirit and fires up the right half of the brain, which according to some researchers is the random, intuitive, spontaneous side. Some might call it downright goofy. A few miles into wide open spaces occupied primarily by cows and my brain alters the end result of this former student’s assignment to create entirely new possibilities when it comes to Easter eggs.

Over time, his story evolved so that newly greened pastures dotted with tiny, newborn cows tucked into ovals turned into Easter eggs in my imagination. Despite the fact that most giant rabbit deliveries come in bright colors, gentle pastels, or wrapped foil, my story involves rust, brown, black, sometimes cream, and occasionally speckled orbs soaking up spring sunrays while their moms nibble tender, green shoots. Chocolate eggs are little brown bovines basking in golden heat. The only bunnies are neighboring cottontails and jackrabbits—no anthropomorphic rodents carrying straw baskets in my version.

Even though I know kids prefer Cadbury and speckled malted eggs combined with sugar-crusted marshmallow Peeps to celebrate the season, I love to cruise dirt roads and view gangly calves with unblemished noses and shiny eyes, bodies either rolled up in tight little balls or wobbling on spindly legs. My mom seconds my thought that this is the one time in the life of pasture-raised beef that they’re ever so clean.

If I’m lucky, I’ll see little burgers-to-be frolicking across fields with equally cute calves or impatiently butting mommas’ bags to bring down belly-filling milk. Equally enjoyable is watching huge mothers who aren’t nearly so clean and adorable as their babes caring so tenderly for their spring deliveries.

What I learned from my clever student was that I need not tie myself to traditional holiday stories. If it pleases me to drive across Kansas prairies under cotton ball filled blue skies imagining pastures polka-dotted with newborns posing as shiny ebony and russet Easter eggs then I should savor such moments.

This youngster’s story evolved once he shared it with me, so who knows how this wisp of fancy will inspire new traditions in someone else’s imagination. After all, the Easter Rabbit started somewhere. Maybe someday an egg delivering armadillo or noisy magpie will help kids celebrate spring.

Native Kansan Karen Madorin is a local writer and retired teacher who loves sharing stories about places, people, critters, plants, food, and history of the High Plains.

Clara J. Sebelius

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Long Island, KS, resident Clara J. Sebelius passed away Thursday, March 22, 2018 in her home at the age of 94.

She was born November 25, 1923 in Yuma County, Colorado the daughter of Henry A. & Theresa (Busker) Antons.

Survivors include her son, Lary Campbell & companion, Katie, of Tin Cup, Colorado; her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, March 29, 2018 in the United Methodist Church, Almena, KS, with Reverend Larry Danforth officiating. Burial will follow in the Mt. Hope Cemetery, Almena.

Mrs. Sebelius will lie in state from Noon until 9 p.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, 1115 2nd Street, Phillipsburg, KS 67661.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Bethlehem Chapter No. 89 Order of Eastern Star or Hospice Services.

Online condolences: www.olliffboeve.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Good golly, that was good!

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Steve Gilliland

Don Yoder remembers tagging along on coon’ hunts with his dad when he was 6 or 7 years old and could barely carry a gun. In school, he fondly remembers pest hunts, and after high school he was introduced to goose hunting.

Today, his girls enjoy hunting also and 11 year old Samantha already has 3 Kansas deer to her credit. John Yoder’s brother-in-law got him interested in bow hunting his senior year of high school, and John’s wife Monica shot her first deer 2 years ago. His family routinely harvests and consumes 6 deer a year.

We were recently invited to a wild game feed put on for several years now by a group of avid Christian hunters and fishermen at Maranatha Mennonite Church outside South Hutchinson, where both Don and John Yoder and their families attend. I’m not a total newbie to wild game feeds, so I figured I could pretty well predict what would “be for dinner” when we arrived. At most wild game feeds there are typically 2 or 3 venison dishes, a couple fish recipes, maybe some wild turkey and possibly something exotic like beaver or muskrat.

Don Yoder with the wild boar that provided the wild hog meat for the wild game feed.

I don’t mean to slight a menu like that, as that’s some good eatin.’ But what awaited us at this feast was like the Golden Corral of wild game dinners. Three eight foot tables filled with gigantic roasters, crock pots and big foil pans stretched across the floor, and that didn’t count the tables of salads, veggies’ and deserts, which I have to admit took a backseat to the meat (yes, I really just said deserts took a backseat to meat!)

In all those roasters, crock pots and big foil pans, were goose roll-ups of 3 different flavors, jalapeño, pineapple and banana pepper, wild pig fixed 3 different ways, smoked back straps, smoked hind quarter and cheese bombs which were wild pig sausage around a chunk of mozzarella cheese, a smoked venison hind quarter and venison cheese bombs, fried striper, baked rabbit, elk burgers, crock pot pheasant, wild turkey and the coup de grace, mountain lion summer sausage.

About ten years ago, Mike Warren and Henry Yoder, both avid goose hunters, decided it was time to do something tangible as a way of thanking a couple big land owners who pretty much gave them free rein to hunt on any of their property, and unbeknown to them at that time, the annual Maranatha Mennonite Church big game feed was born. The first couple feasts were held in late summer in Mike Warren’s back yard for a few friends and those land owners, and their signature dish became goose roll-ups. As word spread and they desired to invite more people from the community, the church became a more suitable venue, the game dishes became more diverse and now the dinner is held the 3rd Saturday of March each year. Besides a way to thank landlords for the use of their land, the event has become a popular community outreach, bringing neighbors together to share a meal, as well as offering an opportunity for someone searching for a place to worship or someone who needs a spiritual boost in their life to meet church members outside of a church service.

A group of the guys from the Bible study and their wives with the fish that provided the striper meat for the wild game feed.

Although many hands helped make this year’s wild game feed a success, 6 men provided the “lions” share of the meat. Don and John Yoder are part of a Bible study group whose members provide much of the meat for each year’s feast. This year’s pheasant, turkey and wild hog meat were harvested by members of the group. The events signature dish, as it were, is still goose roll-ups, and Thursday night before this year’s meal, over a dozen men gathered together to begin the process. Nearly forty goose breasts were cut into pieces and put into the 3 flavors of marinade. Friday night the group convened again and nearly 1000 goose roll-ups were assembled and made ready to grill or smoke. A first this year were venison and wild boar cheese bombs, made from strips of meat wrapped around a chunk of mozzarella cheese then smoked or grilled. They get my vote as regulars every year.

Going by the number of tables and chairs they had set up, the guys figured upwards of 240 people attended this year’s meal and some of the delicacies were gone before everyone had a chance to try them. When I asked Don and John what else they wanted expressed in this story, they emphatically agreed a heartfelt thanks to all their wives was needed. So thanks girls for allowing your men to spend the time putting this feast together and for allowing them to spend the time harvesting all that meat from God’s Creation. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at [email protected].

DHDC: Downtown pavilion has been a ‘neat project’ UPDATE

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FHSU students work on the underside of the pavilion roof March 13. (Photo courtesy Kris Munsch)

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

A public ribbon cutting celebrating completion of the new 40-by-80-foot open-air pavilion in Union Pacific Park, 10th and Main, will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 27. (UPDATED for revised ceremony date.)

Just prior to spring break, students in construction classes at Fort Hays State University’s Department of Applied Technology, were working in downtown Hays on the underside of the roof.

According to FHSU instructor Kris Munsch, the wood is tongue and groove boxcar siding “and every single piece is cut to fit.”

“The way the roof tilts underneath was designed by a Fort Hays State design class,” said Sara Bloom, executive director of the Downtown Hays Development Corporation (DHDC). “The roof design of the structure will pay tribute to our former railroad depot,” she explained. “It’s going to be gorgeous.

“This has been a really neat project from start to finish.”

The project, which had been envisioned as a “public gathering place” by downtown proponents since 2012, was brought to life in 2015 when Munsch and his students pitched their collaborative concept to the Hays city commission.

Groundbreaking was May 24, 2017.  Representatives from DHDC, FHSU, the city of Hays and Commercial Builders of Hays, the project’s general contractor, were on hand for the ceremony.

Each academic semester since then different FHSU classes and different students have been working on site during their scheduled class times.

The public/private project is funded by DHDC.  Financial donations have come from the Robert and Patricia Schmidt Foundation, the Dane G. Hansen Foundation and community supporters.

The pavilion will be given to the city by DHDC for use by the public. Reservations for private events may be made by contacting the Hays Parks Department at 785-628-7375.

Several public events are already scheduled to use the pavilion, including the Ellis County Relay For Life on Sat., June 1. The United Way of Ellis County will hold its 2018 campaign kick-off event at the pavilion, which will also become the new home of the Downtown Hays Market. It will be used during the Hays Arts Council’s art walks.

DHDC originally thought about adding a few benches under the rooftop and debated whether the seating should be permanent or portable. Then they decided against benches entirely, according to Bloom.

“We want it to be an open space and customizable. You’re going to be able to bring in tables, chairs and even grills.”

There will be, however, memorial benches in the area around the pavilion to rest and relax upon.

“We’ll reveal those benches during the ribbon cutting,” Bloom promised.

Along with speakers from the entities involved in building the pavilion, the ceremony will include the FHSU pep band and Victor E. Tiger.

State legislative testimony features FHSU Robbins Banking Institute

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Alan Deines, inaugural director for the FHSU Robbins Banking Institute.

FHSU University Relations

Both the Kansas Senate and Kansas House financial institution committees have featured testimony from Fort Hays State University’s Robbins Banking Institute during this legislative session. Inaugural institute Director Alan Deines and Robbins Banking Institute benefactor W.R. Robbins presented on behalf of Fort Hays State.

The Senate Financial Institutions and Pensions Committee, chaired by Sen. Jeff Longbine, Emporia, and the House Financial Institutions and Pensions Committee, chaired by Rep. Jim Kelly, Independence, included the Robbins Institute on their recent agendas.

Robbins opened testimony in each committee by sharing his vision of creating an institute that would create an educated workforce meeting the needs of the banking industry in Kansas. He has had a very successful career in Kansas, growing Farmers Bank and Trust from one small bank in Albert to a network of banks in west central Kansas and Johnson County. He and his wife, Yvonne, believe both in the importance of the banking industry and in Fort Hays State’s ability to uniquely serve the State of Kansas by preparing students for quality careers in Kansas. In 2016 when Robbins committed resources to the W.R. and Yvonne Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship, he insisted that the college include an institute of banking.

W.R. Robbins

“Therefore,” said Robbins, “the banking institute came to be.”

Deines shared the Robbins Institute’s mission to “educate and train people interested in banking as a career.” He said, “The Institute provides three options for academic credentials: a finance degree with a banking concentration, a banking minor for non-finance majors, and a banking certificate for non-finance majors such as agriculture, management and marketing. The Institute will serve traditional undergraduate students through on-campus education and place-bound students – often already working in banking – through distance education.”

Deines, explaining the compelling need for the Robbins Institute and its mission, said the Kansas banking industry has assets of $70 billion and employs approximately 15,000 people, half of whom are 55 years old or older. A large percentage will retire within the next 10 years and the Robbins Institute has been developed to address this crucial need by providing current and relevant banking coursework. The Institute, he said, involves industry leaders who provide guidance through an advisory council and through classroom presentations.

Deines has 37 years of banking experience. As a consultant, he worked with hundreds of banks, primarily in Kansas but also ranged from Wyoming to Illinois and from South Dakota to Oklahoma. He served as CEO, CLE and as a member of the Board of Directors of many of these banks. He has worked on special international projects including in Iraq.

The 14 members of the Robbins Institute’s Advisory Council include presidents and CEOs of banks ranging in size from $30 million to $3 billion in deposits. The Institute engages in various ways with industry groups including the Kansas Bankers Association, the Risk Management Association, the Kansas Department of Banking, and the Community Bankers Association of Kansas.

For example, the Institute and the Kansas Bankers Association are jointly developing an “Introduction to Banking Compliance” course to be offered through distance learning. Through contributions, Kansas banks have helped provide access to bank simulation software and several banks have funded banking scholarships.

Deines emphasized that one focus of the Robbins Banking Institute will be on connecting students and banks for paid internships to help students gain real world experience and turn theory into practice. Another focus of the Institute is research on issues important to the Kansas banking industry. Faculty from a variety of FHSU business areas, including finance, accounting and economics have shown an interest in being involved in this effort.

The Robbins Banking Institute’s first semester of existence, fall 2017, enrolled 28 students. This semester, the number has grown to 55 enrolled students.

The Robbins Banking Institute has received statewide media coverage in the Kansas Banker magazine and regional coverage from Bank News Midwest, and will be listed on the FDIC website with only 31 other universities offering significant banking programs.

Dr. Mark Bannister, dean of the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship was quoted in the testimony: “The Robbins Banking Institute fits solidly within the mission of the college as it serves Kansas businesses, students, and citizens.”

In each case of testimony, members of the legislative committees have expressed praise for W.R. Robbins and Fort Hays State University for addressing an important state need through an innovative public private partnership.

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