March 17, 1952 ~ January 1, 2019
An obituary and service times are pending with Bateman Funeral Home, Goodland.
Year: 2019
Norma Jean (Schropp) Lewis
Norma Jean (Schropp) Lewis was born on March 20, 1925 to Max M. and Ida F. (Davis) Schropp on the McCartney farm in Sheridan County, Kansas and departed her earthly life at the Sheridan County Heath Complex, Hoxie, Kansas on December 29, 2018 at the age of 93. Norma Jean spent her childhood with her parents and brother, Rex on a farm southeast of Hoxie. She attended grade school at Mosier School, District 76 and high school at Sheridan Community High School graduating with the class of 1943. She worked two years as an office secretary at the high school.
Norma Jean married Gerald Dee Lewis on May 1, 1945 when he returned to the United States from overseas. Following his discharged from the Army, they lived on a farm northeast of Hoxie and raised their children, Deanna, Tim, and Dan. They moved to Hoxie in December of 1988 where they resided until her death.
Norma Jean attended Tasco Presbyterian Church as a youth. Later she became a member, Sunday School Teacher, and Ruling Elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Hoxie serving her Lord in the church and the community. She belonged to Bow Creek FCE and Sheridan County Historical Society and Monday night Bible Study. Norma Jean was a volunteer for the Historical Society, the Swap Shop, and played piano for worship at Ridgewood Manor and the Sheridan County Health Complex Long Term Care.
Norma Jean and Dee began attending high school wrestling in the mid 50’s and continued to support each team since that time. They have enjoyed their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren and sports events through the years.
Those left to morn her passing are her daughter, Deanna Kness and husband Larry of Apache Junction, Arizona; sons, Tim Lewis and wife Kristine of Concordia, Kansas and Dan Lewis and wife Gail of Dresden, Kansas; twelve grandchildren; nineteen great-grandchildren; and four great-great grandchildren; sister-in-law, Bonnie Schropp of Amarillo, Texas; and other relatives and friends.
Norma Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Dee Lewis; parents, Max and Ida Schropp; a granddaughter, Karen Lynn Lewis; brother, Rex Schropp; and her father-in-law and mother–in-law, Glen and Reta Lewis.
A funeral service is planned for Friday, January 4, 2019, at the First Presbyterian Church of Hoxie, Kansas, at 10:30 A.M., Reverend Dixie Anders presiding. Burial will follow in the Hoxie City Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home, Hoxie, Kansas, on Thursday, January 3, 2019 from 11:00 A.M. until 7:00 P.M. The family will receive friends from 5:00 P.M. until 6:30 P.M. In lieu of flowers,the family suggests memorials to the First Presbyterian Church of Hoxie, Sheridan County Historical Society, or the Hoxie High School Wrestling Program and may be sent in care of Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home, PO Box 987, Hoxie, Kansas 67740. Online condolences may be left at www.mickeyleopoldfuneral.com
LaVerne Eugene Nettleingham
LaVerne Eugene Nettleingham, 95, died December 31, 2018, at Clara Barton Hospital, Hoisington. He was born February 12, 1923, in Hoisington, Kansas, the son of Guy LaVerne and Amelia Lucille (Nuss) Nettleingham.
On May 17, 1948, he married Gladys Ehrlich at the Emmaus Lutheran Church in Hoisington.
A lifetime resident of rural Galatia, LaVerne was a farmer and a cattleman.
LaVerne had a strong faith and was a longtime member of Concordia Lutheran Church, Hoisington. LaVerne loved to farm, especially driving the tractor, and did so up until his 90th birthday. He was also a big fan of pro wrestling cheering on his favorite wrestlers. Most of all he loved his family and spending time with his grandkids and great grandkids.
He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Gladys Nettleingham of the home; children, Kent Nettleingham and Kevin Nettleingham both of Galatia, and Colette Keeler and husband Ray of Great Bend; son-in-law, Steve Bilyew of Claflin; eight grandchildren, three step grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, six step great grandchildren, and one step great great grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his parents, daughter, Coleen Bilyew, daughter-in-law, Suzy Nettleingham, brother, Albert Nettleingham, and a sister, Marlene Morrison.
Friends may call 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., with family to receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 4, 2018, at Concordia Lutheran Church, Hoisington, with Reverend Gary Wolf presiding. Burial will follow in Hoisington City Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Concordia Lutheran Church in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544.
Judy C. Chance
Judy C. Chance, 77, of Russell, Kansas, died on Friday, December 28, 2018, at the Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kansas.
Judy was born on November 14, 1941, in Lathrop, Missouri, the daughter of William and Marjorie June (Rice) Goff. She grew up in the Lathrop and Kansas City area and attended local schools. She was united in marriage to Harold Edward Chance and together raised 4 children Teressa, Larry, Kenny and Todd. She was a homemaker and took pride in being a wife and mother. She enjoyed entering contests and decorating her home, especially for holidays. Most of all she enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.
Surviving family include her daughter Teressa Roe and husband Bob of Russell, Kansas; sons Larry Chance, Kenny Chance and Todd Chance; brother Gary Goff and sister Cheryl Ezzard (Peter); and 9 grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and infant daughter.
Services are pending at this time and cremation has been selected by the family. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.
Ruth Alverda Mai
Ruth Alverda Mai, 94, of Russell, Kansas, died on Sunday, December 30, 2018, at the Russell Regional Hospital in Russell, Kansas.
Ruth was born on October 12, 1924, in Russell County, Kansas, the daughter of Edward and Amelia (Karst) Nuss. She grew up in the Russell area and attended local schools. She met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Bernard Mai on February 06, 1944, in Russell, Kansas. Her beloved husband passed away on April 02, 2003. She was the owner and operator of Star Cleaners for over 20 years. She also was owner and operator of B & R Tailors as a seamstress. She was a longtime member of St. John Lutheran Church of Russell. She was also a member of the Russell V.F.W. and America Legion Auxiliaries and was also a past president of the V.F.W. auxiliary. She enjoyed polka music, dancing with her husband, yard work, cooking and sewing.
Surviving family include her brother Leland Nuss and wife Francis of Russell, Kansas; sister in-laws Deloris Nuss and Velda Nuss of Russell, Kansas; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brothers Delmar, Earlin and Eugene Nuss.
A celebration of Ruth’s life will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, January 03, 2019, at St. John Lutheran Church in Russell, Kansas, with Pastor Roger Dennis Officiating. Burial will follow at St. John Lutheran Cemetery in Russell. Visitation will be from 1 P.M. to 6 P.M. Wednesday, January 02, 2019, at the mortuary. Family will greet guests the day of the funeral.
Memorials may be given to the St. John Lutheran Church Cemetery Fund and sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.
Open house scheduled for Theraplay Learning Center in Hays
Heartland Community Foundation awards over $163,000 in grants
Heartland Community Foundation, which serves Ellis, Rooks and Trego Counties, recently awarded over $163,000 in fall grants to area organizations across the three counties.
Grants were funded through the foundation’s Heartland Area Action Fund, Dane G. Hansen Community Action Fund, Heartland Healthy Living Fund, Kansas Health Foundation Fund and the Legacy Funds for Ellis, Rooks and Trego Counties.
The following organizations received funding:
Ellis County –
- The Arc of Central Plains, $15,000 to purchase sensory equipment for a new Accessible Recreation Complex playground.
- O’Loughlin Elementary PTA, $10,000 for new playground equipment at O’Loughlin Elementary.
- Grow Hays, $10,000 for technology upgrades to BriefSpace meeting facilities.
- Community Foundation of Ellis, $7,308 for lighting updates to The Little Engine That Could.
- Thomas More Prep-Marian High, Inc., $5,080 for security upgrades.
- Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center, $5,000 to build a basement bathroom and shower for child abuse victims.
- USD 489, $3,562 for preschool hearing screening equipment.
- USD 489, $3,419 to purchase and implement a social-emotional learning curriculum for Kindergarten through fifth grade.
- Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas, $3,378 to purchase hearing screening equipment for children and adults with developmental delays.
- USD 489, $2,050 to purchase an early childhood curriculum for the Head Start program.
- Bethesda Place, Inc., $1,500 for accessibility updates to Bethesda Home.
- USD 489, $1,000 to purchase materials for STEM Pals, a program for fifth grade students and residents of assisted living facilities.
- First Call for Help of Ellis County, Inc., $533 to support event costs of The Amazing Race.
- Thomas More Prep-Marian High, Inc., $400 for the TMP-M Biology Club’s Ecological Field Study.
Rooks County –
- USD #270, $15,000 to purchase and install an electronic access control security system for USD 270.
- Main Street Development, Inc., $8,946 to repair the former Cindy Lou’s buildings for conversion into business incubator spaces.
- Main Street Development, Inc., $7,320 to purchase materials for the Crossroads Quilt Guild’s Quilt of Valor initiative, which seeks to provide a quilt to all Rooks County veterans and those currently serving.
- City of Stockton, $5,531 to replace bunker gear for the fire department.
- Plainville Recreation Commission, $5,000 for improvements to the Plainville Recreation Commission Fitness Center.
- USD 269, $3,200 for Beyond the Classroom, a day for junior high and high school students to learn life skills and activities not generally taught in the traditional school setting.
- Rooks County Healthcare Foundation, $2,514 to purchase bedside medication computer scanners for labor and delivery.
- USD #270, $2,236 to purchase crisis kits for classrooms, gyms and administrative offices.
- Housing Authority of Plainville/Country Lane Apartments, $2,000 to initiate planning for an upcoming improvement project at Country Lane.
- Stockton Area Chamber of Commerce, $2,000 to help expand and develop several annual community events, including The Peony Festival, Stockton’s Pumpkin Patch and Olde Tyme Christmas.
- USD 271, $1,449 to purchase quilting machine templates for the Leadership Service in Action through Quilts program.
Trego County –
- USD 208, $13,808 to purchase several pieces of new educational technology.
- USD 208, $6,598 to purchase student heart rate monitors for Trego County High School and Trego Grade School physical education classes.
- WaKeeney Lions Club, $5,000 to support Toys for Tots and Lions Club holiday food basket distribution in Trego County.
- Trego County-Lemke Memorial Hospital, $4,906 to purchase a 3D printer.
- Zion Lutheran Church – Trego Food Pantry, $4,800 to purchase non-perishable groceries and frozen food for Trego County residents in need.
- City of WaKeeney, $3,800 to replace a steel windmill downtown that was destroyed by a hailstorm in August 2017.
- Church of God in WaKeeney, $1,552 to purchase an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) for WaKeeney Church of God.
Applications to the foundation’s next grant cycle will open on March 15. Visit www.heartlandcommunityfoundation.org for more information.
— Submitted
Barbara Ann ‘Bobbi’ Parsons
Barbara Ann “Bobbi” Parsons, 86, Hays, was reunited in Heaven with many loved ones on Monday, December 31, 2018.
Bobbi was born October 24, 1932 in Wichita, Kansas. She and her two siblings, Anona and Eldon “Don” were raised by their parents, Willis K. and Anna M. Myers. Bobbi was much younger than her two siblings so she was doted on by her family. She had a very happy childhood with many fond memories.
In 1951, she graduated from Mount Carmel Academy High School in Wichita. She was a devout Catholic. Bobbi met Richard Parsons and they married on October 10, 1953 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wichita. They were blessed with three girls; Karen, Pamela, and Jennifer. They moved to Hays in 1964.
Bobbi was a longtime member of Beta Sigma Phi sorority, chairing many positions and serving as Kansas Master chairperson. She enjoyed many long-lasting friendships through this organization. Bobbi loved sewing and quilting and made many costumes over the years for her own children, grandchildren, and the theatre. She was a wonderful cook and homemaker, kept a lovely home, and had quite a knack for decorating. Bobbi had a love of animals (small dogs) and there was always a beloved pet in her life… Penny and Rudy to name a couple. These dogs were so lucky to be cared for and loved by her.
She had an incredible work ethic and volunteered for many organizations (Community Assistance Center and local book store, just to name a couple). She was known and loved by so many in her community. Bobbi wore many hats over the years. (She had a collection of old hats, too!) She worked at the Topeka State Bank, Consumer’s Finance Company, Ann’s Dress Shop on Main Street, was secretary/receptionist at Ellner-Bickle Realty, and the manager of Rainbow Bread Store.
In 2011 Bobbi was diagnosed with dementia/Alzheimer’s. She moved to Cedar View in 2015 and then to Via Christi for the last year of her life, where she was taken care of lovingly by her eldest daughter, Karen.
Survivors include her husband Richard of Hays, three daughters; Karen Allen and husband Stan of Hays, Pamela Brady and husband Pat of Tomball, TX, and Jennifer Kruger and husband Kelly of Thornton, CO, seven grandchildren; Alyson, Rebecca, Brenna, Jessica, Jordan, Kelsey, and Luke, and five great grandchildren; Xavier, Chloe, Ellis, Tessa, and Jack.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Don, and sister Anona.
Funeral services will be at 11:00 am on Friday, January 4, 2019 at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, Hays with Fr. Fred Gatschet officiating. Visitation will be from 10:00 am until service time on Friday at the funeral home. Inurnment will be at a later date in Pioneer Cemetery, Cheney, KS.
Memorials are suggested to the Mary Elizabeth Maternity Home or the Community Assistance Center, in care of the funeral home. Condolences and memories of Bobbi may be shared with the family at www.haysmemorial.com.
‘Thof’s Dragon’ will be screened at Hays Public Library on Saturday
The Hays Public Library will host a screening of the film “Thof’s Dragon” at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Schmidt Gallery.
“Thof’s Dragon” is a docudrama, filmed in Logan and Wallace counties, that tells the story of the discovery of an elasmosaurus platyurus in Wallace County in 1867 during the height of the Indian Wars.
The fossil was discovered by Fort Wallace surgeon Theophilus Turner and is considered one of the more significant finds of paleontology in Kansas.
Screenwriter and director Deb Goodrich and Ian Trevethan from the Sternberg Museum will be on hand to discuss the film and answer questions about the discovery.
EDITED to correct date of screening.
Kan. man preparing to fire celebratory round shoots, wounds himself
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a New Year’s Eve reveler accidentally shot himself while preparing to fire a celebratory round in Kansas City, Kansas.
Police Chief Terry Zeigler tweeted that the shooting happened as the victim was getting ready to go out at midnight and fire his .22-caliber handgun. Zeigler says that when he sat the gun down on the couch, he accidentally shot himself in the stomach.
Zeigler says the man is expected to recover. Celebratory gunfire is illegal because of the risk of stray bullets hurting or killing someone.
HAWVER: Kelly’s pre-session quiet is disconcerting
Besides hiring a handful of administration staffers, she’s managed to keep her Cabinet secretaries who will run state agencies confidential and she has kept quiet on the initiatives that will become the headlines for what is likely to be a dramatic change in the way the state operates.
It’s all generalities so far. No details, just pretty much repeating the same issues that she holds important—and has for years…darn it.
It means little hot news as outgoing Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer makes sure that he didn’t leave anything embarrassing in a desk drawer that Kelly is going to get the keys to in two weeks.
And that’s why the handful of remaining Statehouse reporters are scurrying around trying to find out what’s going on. Call it secret, call it businesslike, call it what you want, but this is one of the quietest not-quite-yet changeovers in the governor’s office in recent memory.
Just how long things keep quiet is not-quite unclear.
Kelly will appoint her Cabinet probably a couple days before she takes the oath of office—or maybe not. The state pay period ends on Jan. 12, and you gotta figure that current Cabinet officers are going to want to buy that new car while they are still on the state payroll, and that new Cabinet officers aren’t going to be getting a car loan before they officially have a job.
Kelly, as a first-term governor, has 21 days from swearing-in to release her first budget according to the Kansas Constitution. (Carryover governors have just eight days after the Legislature convenes for the session to issue their budget.)
So, we could be looking to Feb. 3 (a Sunday, so probably a day or two earlier) for release of her budget. And that’s the real key to the session. The Inaugural Address, well, that’s largely where she wants the state to go, not tax-dollar by tax-dollar how she intends to get it there.
Of course, we know she wants to finance at a constitutional level K-12 public education. She and the rest of the state have a Kansas Supreme Court order that says the state needs to spend about $90 million a year more to get it to that level. And everyone wants the kids to get a good education, so they can support themselves and their families, and the state prospers with a good work force right here at home.
And Kelly wants to expand Medicaid (call it KanCare) in Kansas, to take full advantage of federal assistance to provide health care to the poor, the elderly, the disabled and their children. Call it public health, call it assisting health-care providers, so we keep hospitals open in small rural towns. Call it what you want, but it’s a priority for Kelly and depending how you phrase it, it’s a priority for Kansas.
Don’t forget that she also wants good highways and other transportation for Kansans driving to work and to visit their relatives, and…for the transport of goods to keep the Kansas economy strong.
Nothing there most Kansans don’t want…but it’s how much and whose money is used to achieve those priorities that will be the scrap this session.
So that’s why this pre-session secrecy is tantalizing.
Who’s going to run what, what’s going to be funded, who is going to pay for it and what Republicans do in the way of agreeing with Kelly or painting her vision for the state as “un-Kansas” or unaffordable?
But—at least we Statehouse reporters—would like a drib or drab of news in the meantime…
Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at www.hawvernews.com
HaysMed’s ‘I Can Cook’ to focus on commodities
HaysMed
Register yourself and a friend for this hands-on cooking series.
Cost is $10 per class.
You must be 18 years old. The classes are limited to 18 participants each. Each participant is required to register. You and a partner are preparing, cutting, cooking and eating what you make.
Arrive to each session 10 minutes early to set up.
If you are unable to attend, please give a 24 hour notice. If a replacement is not found, you will not be refunded.
Each class will be at 6 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month in the Education Room of The Center for Health Improvement on the HaysMed campus.
| Jan 17 | Citrus |
| Feb 21 | Rice |
| April 18 | Honey |
| May 16 | Beef |
| July 18 | Olive Oil |
| Aug 15 | Tomatoes |
| Oct 17 | Blueberries |
| Nov 21 | Dairy |
You can register online, call 623-5900 or use the app.
A series of Healthy Cooking demonstrations and tastings will also be offered.
They are free for Center members and $3 each for non-members.
Dates are below.
| Mar 21 | Salads |
| June 20 | Sandwiches and Wraps |
| Sept 19 | Make Ahead Meals |
| Dec 19 | Meatless Meals |
You also can register online.
Let’s make a deal: Trump to host briefing on border security
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic and Republican congressional leaders are expected to attend a briefing on border security at the White House as the government remains partially shut down and President Donald Trump asks in a tweet, “Let’s make a deal?”
Border Security and the Wall “thing” and Shutdown is not where Nancy Pelosi wanted to start her tenure as Speaker! Let’s make a deal?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2019
The partial government shutdown began on Dec. 22. Funding for Trump’s pet project, a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, has been the sticking point in passing budgets for several government departments.
The briefing is scheduled for 3 p.m. EST Wednesday, the day before Democrats are to assume control of the House and end the Republican monopoly on government.
The exact agenda, however, was not immediately clear, according to a person with knowledge of the briefing who was not authorized to speak publicly about the issue and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the top incoming House Republicans — Kevin McCarthy of California and Steve Scalise of Louisiana — planned to attend, according to aides. The departing House speaker, Paul Ryan, was not expected.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, who is expected to become speaker on Thursday, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer planned to attend. Pelosi said Tuesday that Democrats would take action to “end the Trump Shutdown” by passing legislation Thursday to reopen government.
“We are giving the Republicans the opportunity to take yes for an answer,” she wrote in a letter to colleagues. “Senate Republicans have already supported this legislation, and if they reject it now, they will be fully complicit in chaos and destruction of the President’s third shutdown of his term.”
The White House invitation came Tuesday after House Democrats released their plan to re-open the government without approving money for a border wall — unveiling two bills to fund shuttered government agencies and put hundreds of thousands of federal workers back on the job. They planned to pass them as soon as the new Congress convenes Thursday.
Responding to the Democratic plan, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders late Tuesday night called it a “non-starter” and said it won’t re-open the government “because it fails to secure the border and puts the needs of other countries above the needs of our own citizens.”
Trump spent the weekend saying Democrats should return to Washington to negotiate, firing off Twitter taunts. After aides suggested there would not necessarily be a traditional wall as Trump had described since his presidential campaign, Trump stated that he really still wanted to build a border wall.
On Tuesday morning, after tweeting a New Year’s message to “EVERYONE INCLUDING THE HATERS AND THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA,” Trump tweeted: “The Democrats, much as I suspected, have allocated no money for a new Wall. So imaginative! The problem is, without a Wall there can be no real Border Security.”
But he seemed to shift tactics later in the day, appealing to Pelosi. “Border Security and the Wall ‘thing’ and Shutdown is not where Nancy Pelosi wanted to start her tenure as Speaker! Let’s make a deal?” he tweeted.
Whether the Republican-led Senate would consider the Democratic bills — or if Trump would sign either into law — was unclear. McConnell spokesman Donald Stewart said Senate Republicans would not take action without Trump’s backing.
“It’s simple: The Senate is not going to send something to the president that he won’t sign,” Stewart said.
Even if only symbolic, the passage of the bills in the House would put fresh pressure on the president. At the same time, administration officials said Trump was in no rush for a resolution to the impasse.
Trump believes he has public opinion on his side and, at very least, his base of supporters behind him, the officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
The Democratic package to end the shutdown would include one bill to temporarily fund the Department of Homeland Security at current levels — with $1.3 billion for border security, far less than the $5 billion Trump has said he wants for the wall — through Feb. 8 as talks continued.
It would also include another measure to fund the departments of Agriculture, Interior, Housing and Urban Development and others closed by the partial shutdown. It would provide money through the remainder of the fiscal year, to Sept. 30.
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