Cletus Graf, 86, Woodston, died Thursday, September 26, 2019 at the Parkview Care Center in Osborne.

Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced by Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.

Jerry Millard, age 69, of rural WaKeeney, died Sunday, September 22, 2019, at his home.

A memorial visitation and sharing of memories will be Tuesday, October 1, 2019, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m., at Schmitt Funeral Home, WaKeeney.

Private family services will take place at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Donations made to the fund may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS 67672.

A complete obituary is pending with Schmitt Funeral Home.

Reza “Ray” Marefat, age 80, of Hays, Kansas passed away on Sunday August 18, 2019 in Hays. Ray was born on August 30, 1938 in Saveh, Iran.

Ray came to the United States in 1960 for work and school. He attended Highland Community College in Coffeyville and Pittsburg, KS. He graduated with a BS in Math from FHSU in 1969, then continued on to the University of Oklahoma for a BS in Chemical Engineering followed by a Master’s Degree in Petroleum Engineering from Ohio State – Columbus.

He returned to Iran in 1973 to work for the National Oil Company of Iran until the revolution of 1979. Upon returning to the United States in 1986 he opened Maxim’s Restaurant in Hays until his retirement in 1996.

Ray’s commitment to education was passed along to his children. His daughter is a RN graduate of FHSU, and Master’s at UCSF, and now on staff at UCSF Medical Center. His son also graduated from FHSU and is a KU Medical Graduate practicing Ophthalmology in Topeka, KS.

Ray is survived by his wife, Mary Marefat; Son, Babak Marefat; Daughter, Simin Marefat (married to Kreg Rotthoff); and a Grandson, Kai Rotthoff.

Ray loved reading books and was always reading. In lieu of flowers you can donate to the following organizations who advocate for literacy: World Literacy Foundation www.worldliteracyfoundation.org or www.roomtoread.org

Memorial Services for Ray will be Saturday September 28, 2019 from 3 to 6 PM in the 1St floor conference room of the Hadley Center, 205 East 7th Street Hays, KS 67601.

Cremation entrusted to Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory 2509 Vine Hays, KS 67601. Condolences may be left online at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or by email at [email protected]

Dorothy Clara (Schmidt) Wolters was born July 23, 1927 in Potter, KS. She was the 5th of 9 children born to John Traugott and Elsie L (Herderhorst) Schmidt. She entered her eternal rest on September 24, 2019 in Garden City, KS.

At the age of 10, Dorothy moved with her family to the Trinity Lutheran Church parsonage north of Ludell, KS. She graduated from Atwood Community High School in 1944. After graduation, Dorothy went with her older sister, Elsie, to Ft. Wayne, IN. Here they lived with their grandparents and Dorothy worked for GE doing war-effort work.

Following the War, Dorothy married Clarence J. “Bud” Wolters on November 1, 1946. They were married 40 years before his death in November of 1986. To this union were born 4 sons and 1 daughter.

Dorothy and Bud lived on the farm north of Atwood where they milked cows and raised wheat, milo, cattle, and, most of all, their children. Dorothy always had a big garden and canned or froze much of the summer bounty. Through the years, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren loved coming to the farm, helping with the chores and farm work and eating Dorothy’s great cooking. Her bread, dinner rolls, and cinnamon rolls were legendary. Her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and others were recipients of her finely crafted sewing projects, which included quilts for many.

Dorothy lived her Christian faith in service to many. She served in many ways at Grace Lutheran Church and, later, at Redeemer Lutheran Church. She cooked and sewed, sang in the choir, and taught young students, including a group from Beamgard Learning Center (BLC), about their Savior.

Dorothy and Bud were foster parents for several students from the BLC. They also hosted several international visitors in their home for extended visits.

Dorothy enjoyed playing cards, board games, and word games. Scrabble was her favorite. Many discovered that she was a formidable Scrabble opponent. She and Bud were members of a card club that met monthly for more than 30 years.

For many years Dorothy was a member of Fun and Facts EHU. She took a job as a census-taker for the 1970 census. She served on the election board. She did substitute teaching in the school and worked as a substitute secretary for the Extension office.

Dorothy became an EMT in 1987 and served on the Rawlins County EMS volunteer rotation one day a week until she was 77. She also provided help and comfort to many families as a hospice volunteer.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brothers, Milton and Luther Schmidt, and sisters, Ruth Lovett, Elsie Fry, Mildred Morris, and Winnie Lewis.

She is survived by her sister, Joan Engle, of Fairview, TX; brother, John Schmidt, of Stevens Point, WI; children, Doug (Pattie), Atwood, KS, Rick (Cathy), Hugoton, KS, Bev (Ed) Schmidtke, Morristown, MN, Mark (Brenda), Atwood, KS and John (Jo) Manhattan, KS; 14 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation is 4-7:00 p.m. Sunday, September 29, 2019, at Baalmann Mortuary, Atwood. Funeral Service is 10:30 a.m. Monday, September 30, 2019, at the Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church, Atwood, with burial in Fairview Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to LWML or God’s Little Saints Preschool, in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com

Jean Maureen Schlitter, 55, passed away September 26, 2019, at her home in Great Bend. She was born April 10, 1964, at Orange Co., California to Theodore Shelton and Helen Elizabeth (Green) Parker.

A Great Bend resident since 2007, previously living in California, Jean was a homemaker.

Survivors include, husband, Dennis of the home; one son, Curry Thompson of Manhattan; one daughter, Briana Thompson of Great Bend; four sisters; one brother; and three grandchildren.

There will be no services as cremation has taken place.

Memorials are suggested to the Jean Schlitter Funeral Expense Fund, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.