Alphonse V. Weber, age 84, of Ellis, Kansas passed away Saturday, September 28, 2019 at Hays Medical Center. He was born December 29, 1934 in Ellis, Kansas to John and Patricia (Kozlowski) Weber. He married Victoria Romey on June 23, 1962 in Ellis.
Al had worked for Wiesner Grocery store in Ellis then began work in the oilfields as a driller for Dreiling Oil and several other oil companies until his retirement. He was a US Army veteran having served in Germany, a member of St. Mary’s Church, Ellis Knights of Columbus and served with the Ellis Volunteer Fire Department. He enjoyed all sports and outdoor activities including gardening and vacations. He was especially fond of the holidays and family time playing cards.
He is survived by his wife, Victoria of Ellis; a brother, Richard Weber and wife Janet of Ellis as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Lawrence and Eugene Weber and two sisters, Agnes McGilvary and Cecilia Kinderknecht.
Funeral services will be 10:00 AM Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Ellis. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Visitation will be 4 PM – 8 PM Tuesday October 1, 2019 at Keithley Funeral Chapel 400 E 17th Ellis, KS 67637 with a combined parish vigil and rosary service will be at 7 PM.
Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Mary’s Church or St. Mary’s School.
Condolences may be left by guest book at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or by guest book at [email protected]
Melvin E. Bruggeman, age 80, of Hays, Kansas passed away Friday, September 27, 2019 at Via Christi Village, Hays. He was born August 19, 1939 in Norton, Kansas to Anton and Clara (Glennimeier) Bruggeman. On February 1, 1964 he married Karen (Jochems) in Dodge City, Kansas.
Mel was the CFO at Hadley Hospital and then worked at the Hays Orthopedic Clinic. He was a veteran of the US Army. He was a member of St. Nicholas of Myra Church, the American Legion, St. Mary’s Knights of Columbus council 6894 and had served as a board member on the Hadley Foundation. Mel enjoyed traveling to his grandchildren’s sporting events, Ladies Baylor basketball and his trips to an occasional casino.
He is survived by his wife, Karen of Hays; a son, Mark Bruggeman of Nevada, Missouri; two daughters, Rhonda Vessali of Houston, Texas and Brenda Cox and husband Dennis of Flower Mound, Texas; a brother, Darrel Bruggeman and wife Carlene of Selden, Kansas and seven grandchildren, Jerad Bruggeman and wife Sarah, Hannah Bruggeman, Katie Bruggeman, Lauren Cox, Whitney Cox, Kaylee Cox and Madison Cox.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Delores Custer.
Funeral services will be 10:00 AM Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church in Hays. Military Honors will follow the funeral service at the church courtesy of the Hays VFW Honor Guard. Inurnment will be 11 AM Thursday, October 3, 2019 at the Selden Cemetery, Selden, Kansas.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (www.jdrf.org)
Memorial visitation will be 5 PM – 8 PM Tuesday October 1, 2019 at Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory 2509 Vine Hays, KS 67601.
A combined parish vigil and rosary service will be at 7 PM.
Condolences may be left by guest book at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or by email at [email protected]
Leonard J. Folsom passed away Thursday, September 26, 2019 at the Hilltop Lodge Nursing Home in Beloit, Kansas at the age of 81. He was born on July 3, 1938 in Webster, Kansas to Lyle and Lucille (Hodson) Folsom. Leonard grew up in Webster and graduated with the Class of 1956. After graduating, he worked for the Record Office in Stockton, Kansas running their printing press and later owned the Honda Shop where he repaired and sold motorcycles. He then retired after working 25 years as a road grader for Rooks County. Leonard married the love of his life, Sondra Koontz, on March 3, 1959 in Stockton. They spent 60 years together and had two children: Blaine and Nicolle.
Leonard was always up for adventure. He loved hill climbing on motorcycles and riding three-wheelers in the wintertime with friends. He also loved animals and was very fond of his two cats, Sweetie and Princess. He enjoyed collecting antique crocks, tools, dishes and anything else old. He was an avid hunter and loved hunting with his brothers and nephews. He also enjoyed working in his beautiful yard. He and Sandy loved to dance and took lessons for many years. Leonard was a devoted family man and husband who enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandkids. He was a member of the St. Thomas Catholic Church.
Leonard is survived by his wife, Sondra Folsom of Stockton; son, Blaine Folsom of Stockton; daughter, Nicolle Scheller and husband Bob of Overland Park, Kansas; four grandchildren, Caroline, Cole, Caleb, and Chloe Scheller; sister-in-law Marcia Pumphrey and husband Foy of Eagle Rock, Missouri; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
Leonard is preceded in death by his parents, Lyle and Lucille Folsom; brothers, Lyle, Vernon, and Cleim Folsom; sister, Twila Smith; and brother-in-law Robert Storer.
Leonard was a good-hearted man who worked hard, enjoyed life, loved to laugh and cherished his family and friends. Although he will be greatly missed, he will live forever in the hearts of those who knew him best, for they were greatly loved.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Stockton will inurnment to follow in the Bow Creek Cemetery in Rural Phillips County, Kansas. A book signing will be on Tuesday from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the funeral home in Stockton. Memorials are suggested to the St Thomas Catholic Church or Mitchell County Regional Medical Foundation and may be sent in care of Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, 723 N. 1st, Stockton, Kansas 67669.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Authorities have identified the runner killed by lightning as he was about to finish a 50 kilometer race in southeast Kansas.
Thomas Stanley and family image courtesy GoFundMe
Thomas Stanley, 33, of Andover, was struck Saturday while competing in the race at the Elk City State Park, according to a social media post from Organizers of the FlatRock race. The park is about 150 miles southwest of Kansas City
Race Director Carolyn Robinson says many runners and officials tried to give Stanley CPR and first-aid, but were unsuccessful. Robinson says his wife was presented the medal he would have received. The couple had three children.
His family described him in a statement as a “devoted husband, father, and friend.” Stanley worked for the nonprofit Kansas Leadership Center, which provides leadership training.
–The AP contributed to this report.
———-
MONTGOMERY COUNTY — One person died after a lightning strike Saturday at Elk City Park near Independence, Kansas, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
An investigation of the incident is underway and the sheriff’s office reported early Sunday they expected to release additional details including the identity of the victim on Monday after they had contacted family.
The victim was participating in a run at the park, according to the sheriff’s department.
Students raise their hands to answer a question asked by Chase Wagner, ag salesman for Carrico Implement, during Ag Day at Pa’s Pumpkin Patch on Thursday. Wagner discussed the parts of a tractor and farm safety.
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
Students fed alpacas, climbed into the cab of a tractor and ate popcorn all in the name of learning about agriculture during the 23rd annual Ellis County Farm Bureau Kids Ag Day at Pa’s Pumpkin Patch.
“Our goal for the day is to have kids have an on-farm experience,” said Audrey Werth, board member for the Ellis County Farm Bureau. “A lot of kids don’t get to be around animals or to be around crops and learn about that on a day-to-day basis. We enjoy having kids out her so they can learn about what farmers do, learn what’s in their food, and learn where other ag products come from.”
On Thursday, Hays USD 489 fifth-graders visited the pumpkin patch. Fourth-graders will visit Oct. 4.
The stations the students explored included beef, pumpkins, soil, soybeans, wheat, sunflowers, water conservation, water cycle, farm equipment, alpacas, corn and leaves.
Alpacas
Students feed an alpaca hay.
Maggie Moeder, alpaca farm hand, talked to the students about care of the alpacas that live at the pumpkin patch as well as how their fleece is used.
Alpacas are known to spit. Generally they spit at other alpacas to let them know they are encroaching on their food. They make a high screeching sound as an alarm, Moeder said. In their native Peru, alpacas face many predators, but they don’t have many defenses.
An alpaca eats hay at Pa’s Pumpkin Patch during Ag Day.
Unlike other herd animals, alpacas don’t have hooves. They have soft pads on the bottoms of their feet similar to a dog’s paws.
Alpacas live to be about 20 years old. Alpacas are typically not slaughtered for their meat domestically, but it is served in high-end restaurants in South America.
Alpacas are shorn once a year. They are renowned for their fleece, which can be very warm. It is also hypoallergenic, whereas some people have allergies to wool. Moeder showed the students several examples of products made with alpaca fleece, including rugs, socks, scarves and earmuffs.
Farm safety
Chase Wagner, ag salesman with Carrico Implement, talked to the children about the importance of farm safety and explained several parts of a tractor.
Students in the cab of a John Deer tractor.
He said you need to make eye contact with a implement operator so you know that the operator has seen you. If you are directly in front of the tractor, you can’t be seen.
“If you are around this machine, and he has not made eye-contact with you, he does not know you are there. … These are big machines, and there is a lot gong on in that cab,” Wagner said.
He also warned the children to avoid the area between the tires and body of the tractor, which can be pinch point if the tractor is in operation.
Corn
Stacy Campbell of the Cottonwood Extension District, discusses corn with a group of fifth graders at the Farm Bureau Ag Day Thursday at Pa’s Pumpkin Patch.
The students were surprised to learn about products that contain corn, including biodegradable packing peanuts, dog treats and Jolly Ranchers candy. The students dunked the packing peanuts in water and watched them dissolve.
“It feels weird,” one student said as he dunked the packing peanut in water.
The pellets the students fed to the alpacas earlier in the day also contain corn. Corn is an inexpensive source of sugar for animals, so it is often used in animal feed.
Stacy Campbell of the Cottonwood Extension District talked about growing corn, and each student received a clear pouch to wear around their necks that contained a kernel of corn and water beads Campbell said the moisture from the beads in combination with the students’ body heat should cause the corn to germinate.
“Farmers are needed, and their products are needed,” Campbell said. “They try to grow the corn as cheaply as they can, so they can make money.
“If they try to grow it as cheaply as they can, they don’t get carried away and put a bunch of pesticides out there. They put a very minimal amount of pesticides, just what the crops need. They only put the right amount of fertilizer on.”
The students also received bags of popcorn.
Holly Dickman, City of Hays water conversation specialist, talks about the water cycle with students during Ag Day on Thursday. The students had to pass a spoon holding ice while also answering question about the water cycle.Molly McMurtrie, pumpkin patch volunteer, talks to students about pumpkins at the Farm Bureau Ag Day.Students learn about the products made using alpaca fleece from Maggie Moeder during Ag Day.
GEARY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have made an arrest.
Just before 4:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to report of a shooting and at the same time were notified of teen with a gunshot wound had arrived at Geary Community hospital, according to a media release.
Jackson photo Geary Co.
The victim later identified as Coye Crane, 18, Chapman, was airlifted to KU Medical Center in critical condition, according to the release.
Following an investigation, police determined the shooting occurred in the 200 Block of East 1st street in Junction City. Police have arrested Izek T. Jackson, 18, Enterprise; Javontez K. Brime, 18, Junction City and Malik O. Watkins, 19, Andover, on requested charges of aggravated robbery and conspiracy, according to the release.
About 150 Girl Scouts took over Big Creek Crossing Saturday night at the Girls Just Want to Have Fun event at Big Creek Crossing.
The girls participated in STEM activities with the FHSU Makers Van, the Kansas Cosmosphere and the Sternberg Museum. They also created crafts, painted their faces, learned about fashion, danced, sung karaoke, hunted clues in a scavenger hunt and bounced in a bounce house. The kids also munched snacks and played games.
The event is sponsored every other year by Girl Scout Service Unit 74, which includes Ellis County.
Girl Scouts Derilynn (left), 8, and Danielle (right) Wells, 6, paint their faces at Girl Just Want to Have Fun Saturday night at Big Creek Crossing.Girl Scouts feel furs and examine fossils from the Sternberg Museum Saturday during Girls Just Want to Have Fun at Big Creek Crossing.Girl Scouts Cailynn Luck, 7, and Karli Bradley, 7, participate in a robotics STEM activity lead by the FHSU Makers Van at Girls Just Want to Have Fun event Saturday at Big Creek Crossing.Girl Scouts Cheyenne Reed, 8, and Danielle Derilynn Wells, 8, participate in a STEM robotics activity during Girls Just Want to Have Fun Saturday at Big Creek Crossing.Girl Scout Sophia Gaschler, 8, works on a craft during Girls Just Want to Have Fun.Cheyenne Reed, 8, plays with a balloon at Girls Just Want tot Have Fun.Historic Girl Scout uniformsHistoric Girl Scout uniforms
Barton Community College has announced its list of graduates who earned associate degrees or certificates for career training during the summer semester of 2019.
By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN FHSU University Relations and Marketing
It seemed like just a dream for so long that it’s still hard for Karrie Simpson Voth to believe her eyes when she looks out the window of her office.
From the first floor of the new Center for Art and Design at Fort Hays State University, Simpson Voth can get lost in her thoughts, watching students walk across the quad or a landscaping crew seed grass around the building.
The 43,000-square-foot CAD was finished in August, just in time for the start of classes this fall, and Simpson Voth calls it a game changer.
The center is a must-see for those attending FHSU’s 2019 Homecoming. A ribbon cutting and reception are set for 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at the CAD as part of Homecoming activities.
“I’ve watched people come in and just stop and gaze, so the building sells itself,” said Simpson Voth, professor and chair of the Department of Art and Design. “We are standing on a great reputation that was built over decades by former faculty as well as current faculty. Now we have the incredible facility to go with it.”
A portion of the dedication will center on burying a time capsule with artwork, tools and other items from current students and faculty that will give those attending Fort Hays State in 2044 a glimpse of the art and design program of 25 years before.
The time capsule is a collaborative effort. The 25-by-13-by-7-inch box is made of stainless steel donated by the FHSU maintenance department and built by Fort Hays State sculpture students under the direction of Toby Flores, associate professor of sculpture. Simpson Voth created the design for the top of the box, which will be cast in bronze.
Simpson Voth, a two-time FHSU graduate who has taught at her alma mater for 21 years, cites two major advantages to the new building: light and connectivity, which complement each other in every sense.
“We want to have shared experiences, pulling things together,” Simpson Voth said. “This gives us such a sense of community.”
The inside classroom walls also are glass, giving student artists the chance to draw inspiration for the activity outside their classroom. It also gives passersby the chance to witness the creativity within.
So it’s easy to see why Simpson Voth is excited to show off the new building. She thinks alumni will be thrilled, from the creativity to the limestone covering that keeps with the tradition of the campus – and everything in between.
Alumni who will get an early glimpse of the new building are two FHSU graduates from the Kansas City area. Buck Arnhold and Brittany Bange are scheduled to speak in the new CAD on Thursday afternoon.
Arnhold, who holds three degrees from FHSU, is one of FHSU’s Alumni Achievement Award winners this year. He is a well-known artist in Kansas City who formerly created banners for the player foundations of the Kansas City Chiefs. Bange is a product and marketing manager at Hallmark.
Simpson Voth thinks students will thoroughly enjoy hearing from those alumni, as well as Sandy Gellis, a New York artist. Gellis is the donor of a mask collection which belonged to her husband, Garry Rich, also a New York artist and the collector of the masks. The masks, from Central and South America, adorn the south wall of the first-floor lounge area.
Arnhold will be able to shed a different light on how studying art at FHSU 40-some years ago differs from today. His first degree was a bachelor of arts in 1974. He later earned a master of arts and a master of fine arts from Fort Hays State.
Other features that make the building so engaging are state-of-the-art technology throughout, a second-story balcony that overlooks an atrium filled with chairs and small tables. An enclosed walkway leads visitors to the new Moss-Thorns Gallery of Art in a renovated spacious brick building that housed the university’s power plant until the late 1960s.
The former power plant was completely remodeled. The bricks on the outside were cleaned, and matching bricks cover a new storage addition built to the west of the gallery for the department’s vast art collection.
The art and design professors are proud of the ownership they have in the new building. They got the opportunity to work with the architects to explain their needs for their students and their classrooms.
“We professors are the experts in our areas, so the architects took our vision and brought it to life,” Simpson Voth said. “We made decisions together and for our program areas, so we all had a guiding hand in the process, which makes the building that much more special.”
