Richard Dean Krug, 71, of Russell, Kansas, died on Sunday, April 01, 2018, at the Russell Regional Hospital. He went out with his boots on.

Richard was born on October 31, 1946, in Russell, Kansas, the son of Harvey Dean and Mittie Lavene (Ashley) Krug. He grew up in Russell and graduated from Russell High School in the class of 1964. After high school he graduated from Kansas State University in 1969, with a BS in Animal Science. He was united in marriage to Susan Louise Marlatt on August 16, 1969, and from this union they were blessed with two sons Michael Dean and Jason Charles. He was drafted into the United States Army and served in Vietnam as a member of the 595th Military Police Company.

He ran Krug’s Welding and Repair in Russell from 1974 to 1994. He raised cattle on the family farm and loved working with his cows. He also worked as a part-time deputy for the Russell County Sheriff’s Department. He was a longtime member of St. John Lutheran Church in Russell. He was also a lifetime member of the Russell V.F.W. Post #6240. He enjoyed KSU Football, driving his 57 Chevy, listening to the Rock ’n’ Roll of the 50’s and 60’s, playing his Ludwig Drums, and spending time with his dogs. Most of all he enjoyed spending time with his family

Surviving family include his wife of 48 years Susan of the home, son Michael Dean Krug (Carrie) of Buda, Texas and Jason Charles Krug (Sara) of Russell, Kansas, sister Marlene Katherine. Mighell (Jim) of Russell, Kansas; 5 grandchildren Charles Frederick Krug, Alex Raymond. Krug, Cade Richard Krug, Zane Chad Krug and Cash Dean.Krug and his niece Rayna’ Amelia Tonne (Travis). He was preceded in death by his parents.

A memorial service to celebrate Richard’s life will be held at 3 P.M. on Saturday, April 07, 2018, at the St. John Lutheran Church in Russell, Kansas, with Pastor Roger Dennis Officiating. Cremation has been selected by the family and services will conclude at the church. In lieu of flowers the family has requested memorials be given to the ROAR V.F.W. Mural Project and sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

Rae Ellen D. (Strecker) Smith Pfeifer, 80, of Olathe, KS, passed away on Sunday, April 01, 2018 in Olathe, Kansas. She was born March 5, 1938, on the family farm of her grandparents, Emanuel and Ida (Ochs) Karst, southwest of Russell, KS. She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward August and Alverda (Karst) Strecker Mortimer.

Rae’s father, Eddie was killed in an oilfield accident in l950, so she and her sister Mavis had to help support their family. Rae worked at the Dream and Mecca movie theaters, the City Dairy, and R.C Williams Trucking Company doing office work during her high school years.

Rae graduated from Russell High School in 1956. She married Denton Smith in 1957. From that union came three sons: Dirk, Derek and Dustin. Rae and Denton later divorced.

She worked for the federal government at Great Lakes Naval Training Base in Illinois, and also at Kansas State University and Oklahoma State University. From 1971 to May of 2000, she was secretary to two presidents: Dr. Gerald W. Tomanek and Dr. Edward H. Hammond, at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas.

In May of 2000, Rae retired after 29 years at FHSU. In August she married Herbert Pfeifer and moved to Olathe, Kansas, where they lived for l8 years. They spent time traveling to Hawaii, Alaska, California, North Carolina, Washington, D.C. and Florida to be with family.

Rae is survived by her husband Herb, her three sons; Major General Dirk D. Smith and his wife, Mary, of Washington, DC; Derek Edward Smith and wife, Karen, of Charlotte, NC; and Dustin D. Smith and wife, Kristi, of San Francisco, CA; and a sister, Mavis Kingsley of Hays, KS.

Rae valued her family above all else. She said: “They are the greatest gifts I have ever been given.” She had eight grandchildren: Kaycee, Lt. Garret, Jared, Khaner, Dawson, Deegan, Justin and Ruby Dae. She had one great-granddaughter, Kaeva, and one great-grandson, Levi. She had two stepchildren, five step-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Rae Ellen’s life will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Friday, April 06, 2018, at the St. John Lutheran Church in Russell, Kansas, with Pastor Roger Dennis officiating. Burial will follow at the St. John Lutheran Cemetery in Russell. Visitation will be from 2 P.M. to 8 P.M. on Thursday, April 05, 2018, at the mortuary with family greeting guests from 6 P.M. to 7 P.M. Thursday evening. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to FHSU Foundation, Rae Ellen (Smith) Pfeifer Graphic Design Scholarship and can be sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

Frances E. Eichman, age 90, former Palco, Kansas resident, died Sunday, April 1, 2018, at the Good Samaritan Society of Hays Care Center. She was born February 22, 1928, in Hays, Kansas, to James L. and Anna A. Joy. She married Cleo I. Eichman on May 25, 1949, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in rural Hays. He preceded her in death on July 7, 2003.

She was a cashier at the First National Bank at Palco, for several years, and then a homemaker, spending her life in Palco until moving to Hays in 2007. She was a Girl Scout Leader and a 4-H Club Leader for many years. She attended St. Michael’s Episcopal and was a member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Altar Guild and served on the church board. She served on the PECUSA Camp staff and board. She served on the Palco library board and started the Palco Story Hour Program. She served on the Embers Housing Board at Palco and a member of the Bogue American Legion Auxiliary serving as Historian.

Survivors include, one son, David Eichman and wife, Sheila, Hays, KS; two daughters, Tabetha Schraeder and husband, Robert, Hutchinson, KS; Marlene Pfeifer, Colby, KS; six grandchildren, Sierra Eichman and Derek Eichman, Sarah Mattson (Paul), Karen Beaudet (Joe), Preston Schraeder and fiancé (Sherree), Angila Pfeifer; four great grandchildren, Madelyn Beaudet, Trinity Pfeifer, Wesley Stegeman, Brielle Britton; one sister, Norma Gagnon, Lawrence, KS; two sisters-in-law, Ellenora Meyer and husband, Truman, Newton, KS; Betty Jean Kay, Portland, OR.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; one brother, Cecil Joy; two sisters, Helen Joy and Thelma Eichman.

Services are at 10:00 A.M. Thursday, April 5, 2018, at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Hays, Kansas. Graveside services will be at 2:00 P.M. Thursday, at the Pleasanview Cemetery at Palco, Kansas.

Visitation will be from 5:00 to 8:00 P.M. Wednesday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas and from 9:00 to 10:00 A. M. Thursday, at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church.

The family suggests memorials to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church or St. Michael’s Episcopal Church.

Condolences can be left by guestbook at www.keithleyfuneralchapels,com or can be sent via e-mail to [email protected]

Marcella Drewes Otteson passed away on Friday, March 23, 2018 at the age of 99 1/2 at Park Lane Nursing Home in Scott City, Kansas. She was born on a farm near Rolla, North Dakota on September 19, 1918, the daughter of Diedrich and Martha Freier Drewes.

Marcella attended Rolla High School graduating in 1936 as valedictorian. After graduation, she attended Dakota Business College where she learned secretarial skills and flourish handwriting. She continued to use flourish writing for high school diplomas, awards and graduation certificates for many in the area.

She married Harold R. Otteson in 1945 in Roulette, North Dakota. They moved to Scott City shortly after their marriage. In 1949 their son Gary Richard Otteson was born. In February, 1992 Harold was in a serious car accident and passed away from his injuries at St. Francis Regional Medical center in Wichita, KS.

Harold, Marcella and Gary joined the Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Scott City. Marcella continued to attend Holly Cross services while in Park Lane.

Marcella worked at various business firms including ASC in Rolla, North Dakota and Schiller Photographic Co. in St. Louis, Missouri. For ten years in the 1960’s, she as a secretary at Century Refinery. After that she was Scott County Treasurer for 11 years.

She is preceded in death by her parents Martha M. (Freier) and Dietrich J. Drewes. Also, her sister Margaret Nelson and her brothers Walter Drewes and Henry Drewes.

Surviving relatives include her son Gary Otteson and his wife Ginny Otteson of Midway, Utah. She also leaves behind nephews John Drewes and Terry Nelson and a niece Ellen Drewes-Stoen.

Funeral Services will be at the Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Scott City, Kansas at 10:00 a.m. Friday, April 13, 2018 with Pastor Warren Prochnow presiding.

Memorials In Lieu of Flowers can be made to the Holy Cross Lutheran Church in care of Price & Sons Funeral Homes.

There will be no calling times.

Freda Rose (Queen) Hunt passed away on Thursday, March 29, 2018 at Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida at the age of 77. She was born on March 22, 1941 on a farm in Thomas County, Kansas to the late Herbert A. and Lillian M. (Kleymann) Queen. She grew up in the Grainfield, Kansas area graduating from Grainfield High School with the Class of 1959. She went on to earn her Associate of Arts Degree from Colby Community College in Colby, Kansas in 1976, and then completed her Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology, graduating Suma Cum Laude from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas in 1978.

After completing her college education, Freda began working as an Information and Referral Specialist for Northwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging from which she eventually retired. A strong hardworking single mother, she was always involved in her children’s activities including Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Little League Ball, Kid’s Wrestling, and most especially 4-H. She was a 4-H Club Leader, Project Leader, and Assistant County Club Leader. She also spent many years participating in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program helping people file their income taxes. She was not only proud of her own work and career, but was even more proud of her children and their accomplishments, particularly of the fact that three of her children also earned their four year college degrees.

Freda is survived by her children William W. Dossey of Oliver Springs, TN, Catherine M. (Dossey) Nelson and husband Paul of Deland, FL, Randy A. Dossey and wife Kim of Fleming Island, FL, and Frederick A. Hunt of Jacksonville, FL; siblings Edna M. Queen of Lakewood, CA, Herbert F. Queen of Grainfield, KS, Henry Queen and wife Wilma of Bremerton, WA, Sylvia Tanner and husband Tom of Independence, MO, and Leonard J. Queen and wife Donna of Salina, KS; step-siblings Gerhard “Gary” May of Hanover, MD, Marilyn May of Wichita, KS, Rose Nickelson and husband Nick of Nixa, MO, David May and wife Toy of Tucson, AZ, and Karen May of Wichita, KS; grandchildren Pamela Dossey of Oliver Springs, TN, Patricia Dossey of Raleigh, NC, Peggy Dossey of Oliver Springs, TN, Benjamin Dossey of Oliver Springs, TN, Charina Cross of Deland, FL, Joshua Cross of Deland, FL, Adam and Mariann Nelson of Jacksonville, FL, Kevin Nelson of Palatka, FL, Sabrina and Fred Teem of Satsuma, FL, Heather and Blake Hornung of DeLand, FL, Tasha and Nathan Farnsworth of Jacksonville, FL, Melissa and Joshua Jacobson of Orange Park, FL, Elyse and John Girard of Charlottesville, VA, Christina and Aaron Stemen of Gainesville, FL, Randy T Dossey of Orlando, FL, and Alexadria Martinez of Colfax, WA; great-grandchildren Logan Doa, Danielle Nelson, Stacy Nelson, Alex Hornung, Jacob Hornung, Stella Hornung, Adam Hornung, Savannah Nelson, Jordan Cable, Caleb Farnsworth, Allie Farnsworth, Abbey Farnsworth, Conor Farnsworth; Annabelle Jacobson, Marlowe Girard, Tristan Dossey, Tyler Stemen, Lily Stemen, and Tanner Stemen; great-great-grandchild Rylee Driggers; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents Herbert and Lillian Queen, step-mother Evelyn (May) Queen, brothers John Queen and Nickolaus “Nick” May, and great-granddaughter Amelia Kate Jacobson.

The 4‑H Pledge says, “I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service, and my health to better living, for my club, my community, my country, and my world.” Freda not only lived these values, but passed them on to her children and grandchildren. She leaves a legacy of strong independence mixed with love and compassion for family, friends, and neighbors that will live forever in the generations that follow her.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00pm on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home in Hoxie. Burial will follow at the Grainfield Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1:00-2:00pm on Saturday at the funeral home.