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Rufus Paul Haas

Rufus Paul Haas, 95, died February 20, 2019, at AdventHealth, Apopka, Florida. He was born January 10, 1924, in Hoisington, Kansas, the son of Daniel and Louise (Lehning) Haas.

He was baptized and confirmed in the Evangelical and Reformed Church, rural Hoisington. Rufus was a current member of the United Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Milberger, Kansas.

Besides his farming, he worked at several jobs including the oil field, seeding roads, operating the road grader, construction, and running the family dairy. He also served on the township board, school board, and the church board.

On July 26, 1945, he was united in marriage to Alvina Boger in Hoisington, Kansas. She preceded him in death on January 26, 2012. To this union two children were born, Larry and Sharon.

He is survived by: son, Larry Haas and wife Lois of Phillipsburg; daughter, Sharon Kampe and husband Lanny of Apopka, Florida; three grandchildren, Michelle Haas-Heinrich and husband Duane of Wichita, Kimberly Kampe of Apopka, Florida, and Bradley Haas of Wichita; and two great grandchildren, Mackenzie Haas and Greyson Haas-Heinrich.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, brother, William Haas, sister, Lucille Shaffer, twin grandsons, Trevor and Travis Haas, and granddaughter, Trisha Haas.

Friends may call 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday with family to receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m at the funeral home.

Funeral service will be 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 27, 2018, at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home Chapel, with Rhonda Templing, PMA presiding. Family would like to invite friends to join them for a meal prior to the service, at noon at the Emmanual Lutheran Church in Hoisington.

Burial will be in Hoisington Cemetery, following the service.

Memorials may be made to Kans for Kids or United Emmanuel Lutheran Church, in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544.

Della F. Still

Phillipsburg resident Della F. Still passed away Thursday, February 21, 2019 at her home at the age of 79.

Della was born October 3, 1939 in Lexington, NE the daughter of Delbert M. & Roberta F. (Duffy) Wilson.

She was united in marriage to Billy F. Still on January 12, 1958 at Kirwin, Kansas. He preceded her in death on December 27, 2013.

Survivors include her son Brent and wife, Vesta Jo of Phillipsburg; daughter, Sheri Corrick and husband, David of Wichita, KS; sister, Darlene Gerstner of Quinter, KS; brothers, James Wilson of Elkhorn, NE and Larry Wilson of Kansas City, KS; and two grandchildren, William and Kate Still.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 27, 2019 in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, 1115 2nd Street, Phillipsburg, KS 67661. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery, Phillipsburg.

Mrs. Still will lie in state from noon to 9 p.m. Monday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday with the family receiving friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. that evening at the funeral chapel.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Phillips County Hospital.

Michael Edward Madden

Michael Edward Madden, 58, Hays, Kansas, passed away Friday, February 22, 2019 in Hays.

Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced by Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory, 2509 Vine, Hays, KS 67601.

William ‘Bill’ Gillespie

William “Bill” Gillespie, age 93 of Ft. Collins, Colorado formerly of Ellis, Kansas passed away Wednesday, February 20, 2019 at Centre Avenue Health and Rehab Center in Ft. Collins.

Funeral services will be 10 AM Thursday, February 28, 2019 at the Ellis United Methodist Church. Burial with military honors will be at 1 PM Thursday at the Plainville Cemetery, Plainville, Kansas.

Visitation will be Wednesday 6 PM – 8 PM at Keithley Funeral Chapel 400 E 17th Ellis, KS 67637.

A complete obituary is pending.

Sheila S. Stewart

Sheila S. Stewart, 85, passed away on Wednesday, February 20, 2019 at Via Christi Village, Hays, KS.

Sheila was born August 9, 1933 in Willingham by Stow, Lincolnshire, England, the daughter of Charles C. and Dorothy May (Rowley) Stothard. On October 15, 1955 she married Harlan Stewart in Lincoln, KS.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband Harlan.

Sheila is survived by a daughter, Glenda (Marc) Wentworth of Edwards, CO; five sons, Steve Stewart of Smith Center, Kim (Jeri) Stewart of Hays, KS, Kyle (Julie) Stewart of Grand Island, NE, David Stewart (Cindy Beckman) of Smith Center, KS, Eric (Chris) Stewart of Cimarron, KS; three sisters, Brenda Goh of Sitiawan, Perak, Malaysia, Patricia Wood of Sumter, SC and Ann Watkins of McPherson, KS; thirteen grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, February 26, 2019 at All Faiths Funeral Chapel, Smith Center, KS. Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Monday, February 25, 2019 with family present to greet friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the funeral chapel. Graveside services will take place in the Round Springs Cemetery, Hunter, KS at 2:30 p.m.

Memorials may be given to the Harlan Church and sent in care of the funeral chapel. www.allfaithsfuneralchapel.com

Giraffe dies in accident at Kansas City Zoo barn

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Zoo officials say an adult male giraffe died after suffering a spinal cord injury in a zoo barn.

Photo courtesy KC Zoo

The zoo says that on Wednesday the 9-year-old male, named Hamisi, caught his head in an area of the barn that allows keepers to reach the animals. The officials believe Hamisi panicked and damaged his spine.

Hamisi sired two giraffes last year. He came to Kansas City from Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2016.

Sean Putney, senior director of zoo operations, says the barn was built in 1995. He said no animal had been previously injured in the barn.

The zoo’s remaining giraffes are housed in a separate area of the giraffe barn that does not have the same configuration as Hamisi’s area.

Kansas House committee votes to keep death penalty in place

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas House committee has narrowly voted to keep the state’s death penalty law in place.

Rep. Russ Jennings, a Lakin Republican-photo KANSAS NEWS SERVICE

The Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee voted 7-6 on Friday to reject a bill to repeal the state’s 1994 capital punishment law. A bipartisan group of 33 lawmakers sponsored the measure.

The bill would have made life in prison with no chance for parole the possible punishment for murders that now qualify for lethal injection.

Kansas has 10 men on its death row but has not executed anyone under the 1994 law. The state’s last legal executions were by hanging in 1965.

Critics contend the death penalty is immoral and costly.

But committee Chairman Russ Jennings said his constituents support capital punishment. The Lakin Republican broke a 6-6 vote to sink the bill.

Woman hospitalized after SUV slides into I-70 bridge guard rail

LOGAN COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just before 12:30p.m. Saturday in Logan County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Chevy Tahoe driven by Chavez, Danica Elizabeth Chavez, 35, Aurora, CO., was eastbound on Interstate 70 two miles east of Oakley.

The driver lost control of the SUV due to slick road conditions and struck the bridge guard rail.

Chavez was transported to Logan County Hospital. Three children in the SUV were properly restrained at the time of the accident and not injured, according to the KHP.

Police: Suspect accused of lewd behavior in Kan. business locations

Photo courtesy Wichita Police

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Wichita Police Department is asking the public for help in identifying a suspect who is accused of walking into  several west Wichita business locations, acting suspicious with a visible erect penis through his pants, according to a social media report from police

The incidents were reported between Feb. 6 and Feb. 11.

If you know the identity of this individual please call CrimeStoppers at 316-267-2111.

Jean Cavanaugh

Jean Cavanaugh was born June 27, 1924, to Orrin Ellsworth Van Horn and Golda Mae Howard at Lake City, Iowa, and then lived in the neighboring town of Lohrville, Iowa. She passed away on Feb. 21, 2019 at her home in Great Bend.

During her school days in Lohrville, she played clarinet for six years in the band, orchestra and German Band. She was an avid speller and won the Calhoun County spelling contest in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, and at the latter level she placed second in oral and third in written at the state contest. During her high school days, she was also active in Girl Scouts and worked on the school newspaper. She was the graduating class salutatorian.

Following her high school graduation, she worked for the FBI for two years in Washington, D.C. and alphabetized cards, and was in the first fingerprinting reading class for women, and then became a shorthand transcriptionist for Clyde Jolson in the agent’s division. She also played in the Government Girl’s Band, and won a government employee’s spelling contest. She then attended the University of Minnesota and Grinnell College.

After her husband, Dr. Clair J. Cavanaugh graduated from medical school, they were married at Iowa City, Iowa, in March 1947, and moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, and also lived in Honokaa, Hawaii, Oklahoma City, and Las Vegas, New Mexico before moving to Great Bend in 1952. Clair passed away on Dec. 26, 1994.

Jean was a member of the Prince of Peace Parish at St. Rose, Pilot Club, Etudion Club, Commission on Aging, Volunteers in Action, Senior Center Advisory Council, KOOD PBS, and a former member of Athenian, Northwest EHU, Cosmopolitan Club, Clara Barton Hospital Foundation, Clara Barton Hospital Board, GBHS Hall of Fame recipient, initial recipient of the Kansas State and Martin Luther King award for civil rights, and served on USD #428 school board and the community concert board for 32 years. She was a past governor of the Pilot Club, and past president of the former Kansas Medical Auxiliary, now called Medical Alliance. She served on the national AMA Auxiliary/Board for 7 years, and served as national chairman for it’s Education Research Fund for 4 years. She has been involved in listening to Riley School children read to her for about 14 years, and is a supporter of the high school and area soccer teams, sponsoring several bus trips to Sporting K.C. events.

Jean was an 11 year Girl Scout leader and also a Cub Scout den mother. She was a bloodmobile volunteer, and was a former Lohrville Savings Bank, Lohrville, Iowa bank director. She received honorary awards from the Chamber of Commerce and Barton College Foundation. In December 2013, she was the grand marshal for the Christmas parade. She was also crowned the Cinco de Mayo Queen in May 2014. She enjoyed substitute teaching for 16 years at Roosevelt and Harrison Junior Highs. A sample of Jean’s community support has been demonstrated through generosity for the Plaza De Cavanaugh room at the BCC Library and the Jean Cavanaugh Wellness Center at the Great Bend Recreation Center. She played bridge, was an avid reader, loved politics, and traveled to all the USA states and had many overseas trips.

She is survived by four sons, Thomas Cavanaugh and his wife Linda of Canton, GA, Dr. Michael Cavanaugh and his wife Deysi of Pinecrest, FL, Dr. Terrance (Jones) Cavanaugh and his wife Cheryl of Pinetop, AZ and James Cavanaugh of Portland, OR; one daughter, Kathleen (Bitsy) Cavanaugh and her husband Ric Rapp of Kamuela, HI; a sister, Joan Linsley of Houston, TX; a brother, Bob Van Horn of Glidden, IA; seven grandchildren, Pamela Mohr, Karen Farley, Mickey Cavanaugh, Megan Cavanaugh, Dr. Courtney Cavanaugh Sagar, Cole Cavanaugh and Trey Cavanaugh; and three great-grandchildren, Collin Farley, Gavin Farley and Hannah Mohr. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Dr. Clair J. Cavanaugh.

Visitation will be held from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019 and 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25, all at Bryant Funeral Home. An Altar Society Rosary will be held at 4:00 p.m. and Vigil Service at 7:00 p.m. Monday. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Great Bend, with Father Don Bedore presiding. Interment will be in the Great Bend Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Clara Barton Hospital Foundation or the Cavanaugh Scholarships at Barton Community College Foundation, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

HHS Science Olympiad Team state bound

USD 489

Hays High School Science Olympiad Team is state bound

The team placed first at their regional competition on Feb. 15.

The students are coached by HHS science teachers Lynn Zimmerman and Beth Schiel.

The students will compete at the state competition later this spring.

Ellis Alliance auctioning autographed pic of ‘Walking Dead’ star

Ellis Alliance

ELLIS — The Ellis Alliance has received an autographed photo of Andrew Lincoln, who played Rick Grimes on “The Walking Dead.” Round 2 of the Silent Auction is commencing on the Get Ellis Facebook page right now.

All proceeds raised will be used for the Ellis Chamber’s Easter Egg Hunt on April 20. Private message the Get Ellis Facebook page to place your bid, which must start at $21.

Bidding will end at 2 p.m. Monday, March 4.

DAR honors students with Good Citizen Awards

Hays Post

Evie Gruenbacher, Quniter High School DAR God Citizen Award winner, with Sherrie Smith, Courtney-Spalding DAR Chapter regent.

The Courtney-Spalding Chapter of The Daughters of the American Revolution recently presented Evie Gruenbacher, Quniter High School, with a $100 scholarship for winning the essay portion of the Chapter’s DAR Good Citizen contest.

Invitations to participate in this contest were extended to 12 area high schools with six schools submitting entries.

Each of these schools selected one senior, based upon their qualities of dependability, leadership and patriotism, as their Good Citizen.

Other area students selected as their schools’ 2018-2019 DAR Good Citizen are Cameryn Kinderknecht, Ellis High School; Cordelia Isbell, Hays High School; Alysson Foos, Ness City High School; Leanne Rack, Thomas More Prep-Marian; and Marteah Morgan, Western Plains High School, Ransom.

Gruenbacher received her scholarship check and award certificate on Saturday, Feb. 16 at the Courtney-Spalding Chapter meeting.

Also recognized at this meeting were her mother, Dr. Shelly Gruenbacher, Monica Countryman, Quinter High School counselor, and Ann Blessing, the 1969 Courtney-Spalding DAR Good Citizen scholarship recipient.

 The winning essay and other contest material submitted by Gruenbacher have been forwarded for further competition and judging at the state level.

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