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Year: 2019

BOWERS: Senate Scene Week 4

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36th Dist. Sen. Elaine Bowers (R-Concordia)

Senate Highlights

The Kansas Senate finished a busy fourth week of session with committee meetings and bills coming forward. The Senate held floor debate on Tuesday and passed out two pieces of legislation.

Senate Floor Action

KPERS $115 Million Transfer – Senate Bill 9, transfers $115.0 million from the State General Fund to the Kansas Public Employees Retirement Fund. The payment in its entirety will be paid to the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS)-School group.

Returning Federal Tax Windfall – Senate Bill 22 was introduced in response to the federal windfall Kansas is expected to receive as a result of Congress passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCIA) of 2017. An unintended consequence of the Trump tax cuts would prohibit most Kansans who typically itemize deductions on their tax returns from itemizing their tax return. SB22 adjusts the Kansas tax code so that Kansans with itemized deductions that total between $7,000 and $24,000 can continue to itemize on their state income taxes even if they no longer itemize on their federal income taxes. Senate Bill 22 would allow taxpayers to itemize their tax returns and continue to deduct interest on their mortgage, property taxes, charitable contributions, and health care expenses. The issue is Kansas is a “conformity” state and now needs to decouple from this particular requirement. There is also a business component known as repatriation income and global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI). Kansas is one of a handful of states who has not addressed this new international tax phenomenon. Missouri has already addressed this and will not add this tax. Agriculture companies Cargill and Seaboard Corporation both testified in the Senate Select Tax Committee in favor of the bill. Tax rates remain the same, that is to say SB22 does not modify either individual and corporate tax rates. Individual tax rates remain unchanged: Wage Brackets of: Single/Joint – $15K/30K – 3.10%; $30K/60K – 5.25% and $30K+/60K+ – 5.70%. Corporate tax rates remain unchanged – 4% up to first $50K and 3% surcharge on earnings above $50K. Senate Bill 22 now moves to the House Tax committee for hearings where changes could occur before a full vote in the House Chamber.

Transportation Committee

Trucking 101 was presented to the Senate Transportation Committee by Tom Whitaker, Executive Director of the Kansas Motor Carriers Association. He noted when the public thinks of trucking companies they envision the large companies frequently seen on highways, however the Kansas trucking industry is made up of many small businesses. There are almost 11,000 trucking companies in Kansas and 98% of all trucking companies in Kansas operate 25 or fewer trucks and 46% operate only one truck. The trucking industry in Kansas provides 71,000+ jobs and the wages paid in Kansas are near $3.4 billion with an average annual salary of $48,000. The trucking industry in Kansas paid $359 million in federal and state roadway taxes and 49.3% of Kansas communities depend exclusively on trucks to move their goods.

Governor Kelly’s Education Funding Plan

The Senate Select Committee on Education Finance began hearings for Senate Bill 44, Governor Laura Kelly’s education plan. The bill would add $92 million per year to the $949.4 million the Legislature has already promised K-12 through the year 2023. The $92 million is an inflation figure, which is factored at a flat rate. The Senate Education Committee will continue hearings for Senate Bill 44 on Tuesday, February 12th at 1:30 pm.

Kansas Farm Bureau 100th Anniversary

On Thursday, members of the Kansas Farm Bureau gathered at the statehouse to celebrate the bureau’s 100th anniversary. In 1919, the Kansas Farm Bureau was established as a grassroots organization to strengthen and correlate the work of county Farm Bureaus to promote the development of the most profitable and permanent system of agriculture; the most wholesome and satisfactory living conditions; the highest ideals in home and community life, and a general interest in the farm business and rural life. The Kansas Farm Bureau has advocated and served Kansas farmers and ranchers through a wide range of programs, including agriculture education, leadership development, legal defense, rural development, and international trade. Through its work, the Bureau has played a critical role as the Voice of Agriculture in Kansas.

JAG-K Day at the Statehouse

Thursday, February 7th, was JAG-K advocacy day at the Kansas Statehouse. Jobs for America’s Graduates, Kansas is a non-profit organization that partners with students facing multiple barriers to success. The curriculum emphasizes graduating from high school and preparing students for post-secondary education or entering the workforce directly. The JAG-K program had a 97% graduation rate in school year 2016-2017. Students, educators, and program directors presented an overview of the program in front of the Senate Education Committee on Thursday before being recognized on the Senate floor during session. Former Concordia USD 333 Superintendent Bev Mortimer, who is now the Vice President of Programming for JAG, along with 20+ students visited Legislators in the Rotunda and committee hearings during the day.

Visitors from Senate District #36

As always, it is so nice to see visitors from home who either come to testify on bills or to attend functions with their organizations. Wednesday, the Rooks County Leadership delegation made their annual visit to Topeka. This is their 31st year in a row to visit legislators and to meet other officials during their stay. The State Independent Telephone Association held their annual meeting and reception with Blue Valley Tele-Communications, Cunningham Telephone, Nex-Tech, Twin-Valley Telephone and Wilson Telephone visiting the Utilities committee during the day and with legislators in the evening. Rural leaders from economic development offices, friends from home with the Travel Industry Association, members of Credit Unions across Kansas and Kansas Bankers Association representatives also visited with us this week for their annual events.

As always, I’ll keep you updated on the activities of the Senate while we continue through the last few weeks before turn-around. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature.

Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at www.kslegislature.org. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website. The House meets at 11:00AM and the Senate at 2:30. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.

Thank you for the honor of serving you!

Senator Elaine Bowers
Kansas State Capitol Building
Room 223-E
300 SW 10th St.
Topeka, KS 66612
[email protected]
785-296-7389
www.kslegislature.org

Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is the 36th Dist. state senator and serves as the Senate Majority Whip. The 36th Senate District includes Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington counties and portions of Marshall and Phillips counties.

Isabella Weslie Artman

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Isabella Weslie Artman died peacefully on February 5, 2019, at her home in the Lighthouse Care Community in Omaha. She was 93. Isabella was born in Oakland, CA, on March 23, 1925, to Joel Osgood Wilder and Weslie (Wort) Wilder. When she was 3, Isabell moved, with her older sister Emma Jane and her mother, to Kearney, NE, to live in her maternal grandparents’ home (D and Emma Wort). She took piano and cello lessons, and particularly enjoyed dramatics, elocution and ballet. She felt Kearney was a great place to grow up.

Her future husband, John, moved to Kearney from Kansas when they were both in the 8th grade. They were in the same ballroom dancing class and found they had many similar interest, they became sweethearts early on and a lifelong love was born.

After graduation from Longfellow High School in 1942, Isabella decided to attend Mills College in Oakland, CA, where her mother and older sister had graduated. As teachers were in short supply, she chose to major in Elementary Education. Much correspondence and too few meetings helped Isabella and John decide to marry at the end of her junior year, after which Isabella would return to Mills to finish her senior year, while John started medical school in Kentucky, courtesy of the Navy. They were married at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Kearney, NE on June 3, 1945. After graduating from Mills, she joined John in Kentucky for two years, during which she taught fifth grade students at a private country school. John’s medical internship took them to Independence, MO, where she taught a combined room of third and fourth graders. She was very proud of her teaching experiences. The next stop was Denver, where their first daughter was born. After a year in Denver, they moved to Hays, KS, where John joined a medical group. In 1951 a second daughter was born. With a 2-year-old and 4-year-old in tow, an 8 months pregnant Isabella took a plane and met John in Bremerton, WA. A third daughter was born right before John was sent to medical duty on the hospital ship Haven during the Korean War. Isabella took their three daughters to live in Kearney where she had the support of her mother, grandmother and mother-in-law. Once John returned, they drove back to Hays from Bremerton to continue raising their family. To their delight, a son was born in 1961.

Isabella greatly enjoyed her lifelong memberships in DAR and PEO and took an active role in these groups. She especially enjoyed researching her family’s history and genealogy. She belonged to bridge clubs, was a lector and active congregant at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Hays, enjoyed dance and supper clubs with John, and socializing with their many friends in Hays. After retirement, a vacation home in Colorado became a great source of fun with friends and family as well as many family vacations. Isabella loved to travel, as did John, and they saw a good part of the world via cruises with friends. She had many childhood friends she stayed in touch with through the years and enjoyed keeping up with Hays friends after her move to Omaha. Isabella bloomed where she was planted!

Isabella’s greatest treasure and her greatest source of pleasure was her family. She never tired of sharing the accomplishments of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Isabella was preceded in death by her husband John, and older sister Emma Jane. She is survived by her children: Cyndi Hartman (Herb) of Omaha, Pam Artman of Kearney, Chris Lawrence (Patrick) of Colorado Springs, and John (Eleanor) of Seattle; grandchildren: April Clausen (Matt) of Omaha, Herb Hartman (Beth) of Sioux City, and Shane Hundley of Jacksonville, FL; great-grandchildren: Anna, Bennett, and Clara.

MEMORIAL SERVICE: Wednesday, Feb 13th at 2pm at the Lakeside Lighthouse Chapel, 17600 in Omaha. Isabella will be entombed in the family mausoleum at Kearney Cemetery on Thursday, Feb. 14th at 2pm. Memorials are suggested to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Kearney, NE.

Kansas chamber presents business leader poll to Legislature

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Findings show increased optimism and concern about state business climate

TOPEKA — Kansas Chamber President and CEO Alan Cobb presented the results of the Chamber’s most recent annual business leader poll Thursday to the Kansas House Committee on Commerce, Labor, and Economic Development.
“The Chamber’s poll found that while Kansas business leaders are feeling more optimistic; taxes, regulations and a prepared workforce are becoming even greater concerns,” Cobb told committee members. “It is our hope Kansas lawmakers keep these and other poll findings in mind as they consider the many important decisions they will make during the 2019 legislative session.”
The Chamber commissions Cole Hargrave Snodgrass and Associates annually to conduct a scientific poll of 300 Kansas business leaders to gauge their thoughts and concerns regarding the Kansas business and political climates. The participating businesses reflect company sizes and industry sectors that make up the Kansas business community according to Dun and Bradstreet and are not necessarily members of the Kansas Chamber.
Each year businesses are asked to name the two most important issues to profitability they face.
“Taxes always have been at the top, but this year it has become an even more intense issue,” said Eric Stafford, the Chamber’s Vice President of Government Affairs. “48% of business leaders polled cited lower taxes on business as most important to profitability; followed by managing healthcare costs (35%) and decreasing government regulations and mandates (26%).”
When it comes to the Kansas workforce, businesses leaders are optimistic about hiring in the coming year but still have concerns about the quality of the workforce. 53% are concerned about finding employees with soft skills while 31% are concerned about identifying employees with technical skills their companies need.
Other poll highlights from Kansas business leaders:
  • 70% believe Kansas should cut state spending rather than raise taxes
  • 70% want more funding going into K-12 classrooms
  • 64% believe the Kansas Supreme Court overstep its authority in its rulings involving K-12 school funding
  • 61% don’t believe Kansas has the best business climate when compared to other states
  • 59% believe it is more important to improve student performance then to increase funding for schools
The Kansas Chamber has conducted its annual business leaders poll since 2004. Click here to read the 2017 Business Leader Poll.
— Kansas Chamber 

WPAA brings ‘Voices from Ellis Island’ to western Kansas

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Courtesy photo

SHARON SPRINGS — One’s Company, with actress Pippa White, will perform “Voices from Ellis Island” for the public in Sharon Springs on Sunday, Feb. 24, at 3 p.m. Central (2 p.m. Mountain). On Monday, she will present school presentations in Sharon Springs at 9:05 a.m. Monday and then in St. Francis at 1:30 p.m. Central.

Hosted by the Western Plains Arts Association, this project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. In addition, numerous area sponsors, including the Dane G. Hansen Foundation, Logan, major contributors to WPAA this season.

Admission at the door for the Wallace County High School Auditorium public performance is $10 adults and $5 students, or by WPAA season ticket. The venue is located at 521 Main Street in Sharon Springs.

One’s Company is a collection of one-woman shows featuring White. White grew up in San Francisco, Calif. She appeared regularly on television as a child, trained at the American Conservatory Theatre Academy, and for five years was seen as a hostess of a daily morning television show on ABC. Moving to the Midwest led to her pursuing an education, starting a family, and re-establishing a career with work in theater, arts in eduction programs, and finally, not just one, but several one-woman shows drawing on many different sources for a collection of unusual and entertaining solo productions.

Ms. White has a love of dialects and accents which she tries to incorporate into her shows. Some of her dialects come naturally, thanks to a British father, and both her parents spent considerable time in England. “Other children came home to milk and cookies after school,” she says. “I came home to afternoon tea!” Her parents often recounted amusing stories in dialect. However, not all her dialects come easily. She uses the International Phonetic Alphabet learned from her mother who taught speech and dialects at San Francisco State University. She is always trying new dialects and accents.

One fan, Leslie Dileo, Hil Drama, New York City, said about One’s Company performances, “Riveting, heartbreaking and suspenseful. Literally wearing different hats to change characters, Ms. White tells stories in a nicely balanced rotation which adds tension to the already emotionally charged tales.” Steve Wedel, The Daily Oklahoman, wrote: “A history lesson that lasted more than 70 minutes. When it was over, the applause went on and on.”

A couple years ago she presented pioneer stories As Far as the Eye Can See for a WPAA Kansas Day program. White has performed in more than 30 states also presents: The Story of the Orphan Train; Saints, Solider’s and Spies; Women and War; Angels and Troublemakers Women Who Changed the World; Marching Out of the Sweatshop; and several others.

Budget talks resuming amid pessimism over border differences

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Budget negotiators will meet Monday to revive talks over border security issues that are central to legislation to prevent key parts of the government from shutting down on Saturday, but an air of pessimism remains after talks broke down over the weekend.

They collapsed over Democratic demands to limit the number of migrants authorities can detain, and the two sides remained separated over how much to spend on President Donald Trump’s promised border wall. A Friday midnight deadline is looming to prevent a second partial government shutdown.

Key negotiators plan to meet on Monday, Democratic and GOP aides say, but for now the mood is not hopeful.

Rising to the fore on Sunday was a related dispute over curbing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, the federal agency that Republicans see as an emblem of tough immigration policies and Democrats accuse of often going too far.

Trump blamed Democrats in the migrant detention dispute, tweeting, “The Democrats do not want us to detain, or send back, criminal aliens! This is a brand new demand. Crazy!”

The fight over ICE detentions goes to the core of each party’s view on immigration. Republicans favor rigid enforcement of immigration laws and have little interest in easing them if Democrats refuse to fund the Mexican border wall. Democrats despise the proposed wall and, in return for border security funds, want to curb what they see as unnecessarily harsh enforcement by ICE.

People involved in the talks say Democrats have proposed limiting the number of immigrants here illegally who are caught inside the U.S. — not at the border — that the agency can detain. Republicans say they don’t want that cap to apply to immigrants caught committing crimes, but Democrats do.

Democrats say they proposed their cap to force ICE to concentrate its internal enforcement efforts on dangerous immigrants, not those who lack legal authority to be in the country but are productive and otherwise pose no threat. Democrats have proposed reducing the current number of beds ICE uses to detain immigrants here illegally from 40,520 to 35,520.

But within that limit, they’ve also proposed limiting to 16,500 the number for immigrants here illegally caught within the U.S., including criminals. Republicans want no caps on the number of immigrants who’ve committed crimes who can be held by ICE.

Trump used the dispute to cast Democrats as soft on criminals.

“I don’t think the Dems on the Border Committee are being allowed by their leaders to make a deal. They are offering very little money for the desperately needed Border Wall & now, out of the blue, want a cap on convicted violent felons to be held in detention!” Trump tweeted Sunday.

Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, in appearances on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and “Fox News Sunday,” said “you absolutely cannot” eliminate the possibility of another shutdown if a deal is not reached over the wall and other border matters. The White House had asked for $5.7 billion, a figure rejected by the Democratic-controlled House, and the mood among bargainers has soured, according to people familiar with the negotiations not authorized to speak publicly about private talks.

“You cannot take a shutdown off the table, and you cannot take $5.7 (billion) off the table,” Mulvaney told NBC, “but if you end up someplace in the middle, yeah, then what you probably see is the president say, ‘Yeah, OK, and I’ll go find the money someplace else.'”

A congressional deal seemed to stall even after Mulvaney convened a bipartisan group of lawmakers at Camp David, the presidential retreat in northern Maryland. While the two sides appeared close to clinching a deal late last week, significant gaps remain and momentum appears to have slowed. Though congressional Democratic aides asserted that the dispute had caused the talks to break off, it was initially unclear how damaging the rift was. Both sides are eager to resolve the long-running battle and avert a fresh closure of dozens of federal agencies that would begin next weekend if Congress doesn’t act by Friday.

“I think talks are stalled right now,” Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said on “Fox News Sunday.” ”I’m not confident we’re going to get there.”

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., who appeared on the same program, agreed: “We are not to the point where we can announce a deal.”

But Mulvaney did signal that the White House would prefer not to have a repeat of the last shutdown, which stretched more than a month, left more than 800,000 government workers without paychecks, forced a postponement of the State of the Union address and sent Trump’s poll numbers tumbling. As support in his own party began to splinter, Trump surrendered after the shutdown hit 35 days without getting money for the wall.

The president’s supporters have suggested that Trump could use executive powers to divert money from the federal budget for wall construction, though it was unclear if he would face challenges in Congress or the courts. One provision of the law lets the Defense Department provide support for counterdrug activities.

But declaring a national emergency remained an option, Mulvaney said, even though many in the administration have cooled on the prospect. A number of powerful Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have also warned against the move, believing it usurps power from Congress and could set a precedent for a future Democratic president to declare an emergency for a liberal political cause.

As most budget disputes go, differences over hundreds of millions of dollars are usually imperceptible and easily solved. But this battle more than most is driven by political symbolism — whether Trump will be able to claim he delivered on his long-running pledge to “build the wall” or newly empowered congressional Democrats’ ability to thwart him.

Predictably each side blamed the other for the stall in negotiations.

“We were, you know, progressing well,” Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ga., said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.” ”I thought we were tracking pretty good over the last week. And it just seems over the last 24 hours or so the goalposts have been moving from the Democrats.”

House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth, D-Ky., countered by saying on the same show, “The numbers are all over the place.”

“I think the big problem here is this has become pretty much an ego negotiation,” Yarmuth added. “And this really isn’t over substance.”

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Sheriff: Man who failed to appear at sentencing is in custody

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ROOKS COUNTY —The Rooks County Sheriff’s Office reported Saturday that 51-year-old John Karl Swaney had been arrested thanks to “tips from the public,” according to the sheriff’s department.

Swaney -photo Rooks Co.

Swaney had felony arrest warrants in Rooks and Phillips counties for distribution of marijuana, according to a the sheriff’s department.

Swaney was to be sentenced to prison last week, the department reported. He failed to appear in court Wednesday in Rooks County District Court and earlier in Phillips County District Court.

Swaney has eight previous convictions including stalking, telephone harassment, aggravated assault, driving while habitual offender, and giving worthless checks, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

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ROOKS COUNTY — The Rooks County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in locating a fugitive.

Swaney

John Karl Swaney, 51, has felony arrest warrants for his arrest in Rooks and Phillips counties. Both warrants are for distribution of marijuana.

“Swaney was to be sentenced to prison today,” the department reported. “Swaney failed to appear in court Wednesday in Rooks County District Court and last week in Phillips County District Court.

Swaney has eight previous convictions including stalking, telephone harassment, aggravated assault, driving while habitual offender, and giving worthless checks, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of Swaney, please contact the Rooks County Sheriff’s Office at (785) 425-6312.”

Deloris Marie Unruh

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Deloris Marie Unruh, age 87, passed away on Thursday, February 7, 2019 at the Scott County Hospital in Scott City, Kansas. She was born on February 7, 1932 in Greensburg, Kansas, the daughter of Lincoln & Frances Nichols Jantz. A resident of Scott City, Kansas since 1951 moving from Greensburg, Kansas, she was a homemaker.

She was a member of the Scott Mennonite Church in Pence, Kansas.

On May 6, 1951 she married Isaac “Ike” Unruh in Greensburg, Kansas. He Survives.

Survivors include her Husband – Isaac “Ike” Unruh of Scott City, Kansas, One Son – Tom & Lisa Unruh of Spearman, Texas, Three Daughters – Barbara & Ervin Koehn of Scott City, Kansas, Karen & Rick Penner of Swan River, Manitoba, Canada, Joyce & Leland Koehn of Scott City, Kansas, One Brother – Gary & Darlene Jantz of Greeley, Colorado, Three Sisters – Jennie & Calvin Unruh of Greensburg, Kansas, Marian & Verle Litwiller of Barron, Wisconsin, Glenda & Mark Rhodes of Windsor, Colorado, One Sister In Law – Karen Jantz of Fredonia, Kansas, Twenty Seven Grandchildren and Twenty Seven Great Grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her Parents, One Brother – Marlin Jantz and One Granddaughter – Michelle Koehn.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, February 12, 2019 at the Scott Mennonite Church in Pence, Kansas with the Franklin Koehn & Richard Koehn presiding.

Memorials may be made to the USA Missions in care of Price & Sons Funeral Homes.

Visitation will be from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Sunday and 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Monday at Price & Sons Funeral Home in Scott City, Kansas.

Internment will be in the Scott Mennonite Church Cemetery in Pence, Kansas.

Hazel I. Boden

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Hazel I. Boden, 88, of Osborne, KS passed away on February 7, 2019 at the Parkview Care Center of Osborne. Hazel was born on July 4, 1930 to George E. & Dolly E. (Bishop) Sullivan in Polk County, Missouri. She was one of several children.

Hazel attended school through 8th grade. She later married Edward F. Boden and to this union, 5 children were born. They resided on a farm in the Osborne, KS area. Hazel was a farmwife.

Hazel was preceded in death by her husband, Edward in 2012. She is survived by her daughter: Nancy Krier of Holyoke, CO; sons: Clarence of Hays, KS; Brad of Osborne, KS; Laverne of Gardner, KS; Dan of Marshall, MO; sister: Vernie Lee of Atlanta, GA; brothers: John Sullivan of Eugene, OR; Ernie Sullivan of Springfield, MO; 11 grandchildren & 5 great-grandchildren.

W. Wayne Cressler

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W. Wayne Cressler, 86, Jennings, Kansas passed away February 7th at the Good Samaritan Home in Oberlin. Wayne was born August 14, 1932, second son of Walter E. and Ruby L. (Mowry) Cressler, in rural Sheridan County. He attended rural grade schools in Sheridan County then enrolled in Hoxie High School.

At a very young age he started farm working for neighbors and other family members.
In 1947 the family moved to Decatur County farm. Here he met the love of his life, Louise. On June 4th, 1950 Wayne and Louise were married in Hoxie and started their joyful married life living in Jennings. At that time Wayne worked for Rock Island Railroad.

Throughout the years, they moved several times, to a farm outside Cawker City and Foster Farms by Rexford, going back to work on Rock Island Railroad and later moving back to Decatur County. Wayne worked for over 20 years for Decatur County Road and Bridge Dept., Oberlin, retiring in September 1994 but still working for them in the summers. He worked for Jennings Cemetery and the City of Jennings after retiring from the County. Wayne also served on the Jennings City Council for eight years. He was a member of the Jennings Cemetery Board at the time of his death.
While living at Rexford in the 1950s, Wayne was baptized and joined the Rexford Methodist Church. Later transferring membership to Jennings.

Wayne and Louise were blessed with 7 children. He is survived by his wife; six children: Sharon (Mike) Gaston, Ames, IA, Theresa (Charles) Spresser, Calhoun, Tenn., Patsy (Don) Harold, Grand Junction, Colo., Gwen (Jeff) Anderson, Goodland, Eugenia (Don) Tetreault, Hollister, Calif., Russell(Mary) Cressler, rural Jennings; 18 grandchildren; numerous great grandchildren; one brother Alfred (Betty) Cressler, Jennings; two sisters: Pat Hansen(Lyle) Hansen, Bartley, NE.; Debra (Keith) Bowie, rural Jennings.
Preceded in death by his parents; one son, Robert Cressler; granddaughter, Christina Faris; brother, Leslie Cressler and sister, Charlene Maske.

Funeral services will be held 1:30 pm Wednesday, February 13th at Pauls Funeral Home in Oberlin. Burial will follow at Jennings Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial may be given to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital in care of Pauls Funeral Home. Condolences may be left at www.paulsfh.com

Janet Eileen Buddemeyer

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Janet Eileen Buddemeyer, 62, Richardson, Texas, passed away Saturday, February 2, 2019 at her home in Richardson.

Janet was born December 14, 1956, in Hays, Kansas the daughter of Raymond H. “Ray” and Odelia (Werth) Haselhorst. She was working as an IT professional at TD Ameritrade in Richardson and had previously spent 25 years with AT&T in Kansas City.

Survivors include her mother, Odelia Haselhorst, a sister, Cheryl Haselhorst Kessler, two nieces, Shara Haselhorst and Christina Kessler Gutmann (Thorsten), three nephews, John Kessler, Steve Haselhorst, and Shane (Kathleen) Haselhorst, her three cats, Lucy, Linus, and Ricky, and a host of other loving family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Mark Buddemeyer, her father, Raymond H. Haselhorst, and two brothers, Steve Haselhorst and Charles Haselhorst.

A memorial mass will be at 11:00 am on Friday, February 15, 2019 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 215 W. 13th Street, Hays with Fr. Fred Gatschet officiating. The family will receive friends from 10:00 am until service time at the church, and a rosary will begin at 10:40. Private family inurnment will be at a later date in the St. Anthony Cemetery, Schoenchen. Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, or a no-kill animal shelter of the donor’s choice, in care of Hays Memorial Chapel, 1906 Pine Street, Hays. Condolences and memories of Janet may be shared with the family at www.haysmemorial.com.

Eugenia C. ‘Aunt Genie’ Uhrich

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Eugenia C. “Aunt Genie” Uhrich, 90, Hays, died Friday, February 8, 2019 at Via Christi Village.

She was born August 21, 1928 in Collyer, Kansas the daughter of Christian and Mariana (Waldman) Uhrich.

Genie grew up in Collyer and graduated from the parochial high school in Collyer. She was a credit manager for Sears for 34 years in Independence, Missouri and Dallas, Texas, and after retirement worked for a few years for Budget Car Rental. In 1993 she returned to western Kansas, making her home in Hays. For several years she was a volunteer at Hays Medical Center in the Human Resources Department and helped the elderly and disabled with tax preparation. She was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church and was a devout Catholic. Her hobbies included traveling, crocheting, sewing, and playing Solitaire.

She is survived by 51 nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, seven brothers; Frank, Julius, Joe, Leo, George, Cletus, and Alfred Uhrich, and four sisters; Juliana Haffner, Itha Scheck, Mary Uhrich, and Pauline Zimmerman.

Mass of Christian Burial will be on Tuesday, February 12, 2019 at 10:30 am at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 1805 Vine Street, Hays, with Fr. Barry Brinkman officiating. Burial will be at 2:30 pm in the St. Michael’s Cemetery, Collyer. Visitation will be from 5:00 pm until 7:30 on Monday and from 9:00 am until 10:15 on Tuesday, all at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, Hays. A rosary will be at 6:30pm followed by a parish vigil service at 7:00 pm, both on Monday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, in care of the funeral home. Condolences and memories of Aunt Genie may be shared with the family at www.haysmemorial.com

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