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Author: Hays Post

Violet (Vi) Lashell Collins

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Violet (Vi) Lashell Collins, 85, died on Friday, September 6, 2019 at Ness County Hospital in Ness City. She was born on April 18, 1934 at Utica the daughter of Leroy Lloyd “Babe” & Vera Azalea (Morland) Lashell. She married Fred W. “Wes” Coker on January 14, 1955 at Utica. She later married George B. Collins on July 4, 1992 at Dighton.

Violet graduated from Utica High School in 1952 and started working at a bank in Ness City. After her first marriage she lived in Alabama and Morton County until moving to Dighton in 1964. She started working at Dighton Bowl as a waitress, then as a cook and later the manager. Before her second marriage she went to dog grooming school with her daughters and started grooming dogs. Then she began helping her husband on the farm and keeping books for Collins Steel and C & C Welding. She was a member of the First Christian Church of Dighton and was a past member of EHU and 4-H Leader. She enjoyed playing softball, bowling, playing cards and games, knitting, sewing, her spoon collection and being involved with her Grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her Parents, Daughter- Michelle Annette Coker, 2 Brothers- Leroy Lloyd Lashell, Jr. & Leo Edward Lashell and Sister- Thelma Maria Patterson.

She is survived by her Husband- George Collins, Son- Leroy Coker wife Mickey of Bull Shoals, Arkansas, Daughter- Vera Coker of Dighton, Sons- Craig Collins wife Beth of Dighton, Henry Miller wife Eljean of Shallow Water, 9 Grandchildren and 5 Great-Grandchildren.

Funeral Service will be at 2:00 PM Tuesday at First Christian Church with Rev Aerii Smith officiating. Burial will be in Utica Cemetery. Friends may call from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM Monday and 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM Tuesday at Boomhower Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to First Christian Church in care of Boomhower Funeral Home. Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com

Charlotte Ann Wyatt

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On Friday, September, 6, 2019, Charlotte Ann Wyatt, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away at the age of 86 at her home south of Gorham.

She was born on October 29, 1932 in Hastings, Nebraska, the daughter of Chester C. and Isabelle (Archibald) Gates. On August 13, 1954, she was united in marriage to Richard Wyatt in Hastings.

Ann will be forever remembered by her husband and best friend of 65 years; Richard L. Wyatt, her precious children; Nancy A. Seitz, Timothy J. Wyatt, and Terri L. Wyatt, 14 grandchildren, and a plethora of great-grandchildren, extended family and dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her beloved son; Ronald L. Wyatt and her brother; Gerald Gates.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 am on Wednesday, September 11, 2019 at the Gorham Community Church, 101 Clifford Street, Gorham, Kansas. Burial will follow at Winterset Cemetery, south of Gorham. Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer’s Association. Condolences and memories of Ann may be shared with the family at www.haysmemorial.com

Judith Ellen (Peterson) Driscoll

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Judith Ellen (Peterson) Driscoll, 77, of Russell, Kansas, passed away Thursday, September 5, 2019, at the Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kansas.

Judith was born March 19, 1942 in York, Nebraska. She was one of four children born to Edward Theodore and Wreatha Irene (Talbot) Peterson. She grew up and attended schools in York, Nebraska, Topeka, Kansas, Salina, Kansas and Manhattan, Kansas. She graduated from Manhattan High School and then attended Kansas State University.

Judith was united in marriage to Jerry Dean Driscoll in November of 1962. This union was blessed with a daughter, Debora. During their marriage Jerry and Judith lived in Salina, Pueblo, Colorado, Greensburg, Kansas, Salina, Colby, Dodge City, Salina and moved to Russell in 2003. Jerry preceded her in death on May 23, 2005.

Judith was a secretary and key punch operator for the Farm Management Company in Colby. Later she was a physical therapist at a nursing home in Colby. When she lived in Salina she worked for Hedges Neon and was a Home Health Aid. When living in Dodge City she worked with Youthville. When Debora was young, Judith was a devoted wife and homemaker for her family. She is a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church and Women of the ELCA. She was also active with the church knitting group. In her spare time she enjoyed fishing, knitting and especially helping take care of the grandchildren.

Judith’s surviving family include her daughter, Debora D. Kreutzer (John Jay) of Russell, Kansas; sister, Verna Del Sullivan of Derby, Kansas; sister-in-law, Nancy Peterson of Maryville, Tennessee; three grandchildren, Michael Kreutzer, Kira Towery and Steven Kreutzer; and four great grandchildren, Maria, Cadence, Draco and Emma.

Judith was preceded in death by her parents, husband Jerry, and two brothers, Joe Peterson and Marvin Peterson.

Celebration of Judith’s Life will be held at 10:30 AM, Wednesday, September 11, 2019 at St. John Lutheran Church in Russell. A Graveside Service will be held at 2:00 PM, Wednesday at Crown Point Cemetery north of Salina. Family has selected cremation and no visitation will be held. Memorials have been established with St. John Lutheran Church or Russell County Food Pantry. Contributions and condolences may be sent to Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, who is in charge of these arrangements.

Bonnie Carol Fuentez

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Bonnie Carol Fuentez, 76, of Gorham, Kansas, died on Friday, September 06, 2019 at the Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kansas.

Bonnie was born on April 29, 1943 in Wallace County, Kansas. She married Oscar Lee Fuentez on August 20, 1966 in Sharon Springs, Kansas. Bonnie and Oscar were blessed with three children: Christina, Regina, and Joseph. Oscar preceded Bonnie in death on June 07, 2007.

Bonnie was a parishioner of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Gorham, Kansas. She enjoyed baking elaborately decorated cakes and cookies which were shared and cherished by family and friends. Bonnie took great pleasure and pride in maintaining her flower garden as well as collecting cookie cutters and Hallmark ornaments. Most of all, she enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren.

Surviving family include her daughter Christina Bourland of Russell, Kansas; daughter Regina Gronewoller and husband John of Onaga, Kansas; son Joseph Fuentez and wife Amanda of Windsor, Colorado; grandchildren Christianna Pruden and Danielle Bourland; Eryn, John Michael, and Jarod Gronewoller; Jacob and Abigail Fuentez; and great-grandchild Owen Watts.

A rosary and celebration of the funeral mass will be held Saturday, September 14, 2019 at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Gorham, Kansas. Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Gorham, Kansas. Memorials may be made to St. Mary’s Catholic Church or Hospice at Hays Medical Center and can be sent in care of the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

Shirley Kay Coleman

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Shirley Kay Coleman, a.k.a. Grandma Gray, 76, of Colby, died Thursday, September 5, 2019 at Citizens Medical Center, surrounded by numerous loved ones. She was born June 11, 1943 in Hastings, Nebraska, the daughter of Otto and Dorothy (Arterburn) Schutte. She was the third to the oldest of eleven children. She met and married the love of her life, Robert Coleman, November 27, 1961, in Hastings. To this union three children were born Wesley, Candy and Debbie.

They moved to Colby, Kansas in 1965, where she owned and operated Coleman’s Cleaning Service for over 15 years and co-owned and operated Village Laundromat for over 10 years, before retiring. She enjoyed playing Bingo, painting rocks, and being Mrs. Claus. She loved volunteering for RSVP, taking admissions at the community building. She was an avid sports fan and loved cheering (loudly)for her favorite teams and players. But her biggest passion was spending time with her grandchildren and extended grandchildren.

She is survived by her husband Robert; son Wesley Coleman; daughter-in-law Cheryl Coleman and grandson Aaron, all of Wichita, KS; daughter Debbie (Brian) Quagliano and grandson Nathan Quagliano, all of Colby, KS; grandson Casey (Sabryn) Quagliano, of McCook NE; siblings, Larry Schutte and Alvin (Linda) Schutte, of Hastings, NE, Linda(Danny) Sadd, Glenvil, NE, Richard Schutte, Colby KS, Patricia Haskins and Calvin (Carmen) Schutte, Pender NE.

Preceded in death by daughter Candy; her parents; brothers, Vincent “Skeeter” Schutte and Otto Jr. “Butch” Schutte; sisters Daisy Dickensen and Virginia “Suzie” Condry; brothers-in-law, Archie Platt and Claude “Perry” Condry.

Visitation will be 5-8:00 p.m. Thursday, September 12, 2019, at Baalmann Mortuary, Colby. Funeral Service to be held Friday, September 13, 2019, 10:30 am, at the Colby United Methodist Church, with burial at Beulah Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Grandma Gray Memorial Fund, in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com

Henry C. Walz

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Henry C. Walz, age 105, died peacefully Friday, September 6, 2019, at the Trego County Lemke Memorial Hospital in WaKeeney, Kansas, surrounded by his family. He was born August 16, 1914 at the Walz farm in Trego County, Kansas, the son of Henry C. and Rose Esther Haneke Walz. He was the fourth of their nine children.

He attended grammar school at the Union schoolhouse where he completed the 8th grade. He married Ruth Marjorie Noah on October 8, 1938, at Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church in rural Graham County, Kansas. He was a member of that church until its closing and then became a member of the Red Line Church of God, Palco. Ruth and Henry had five children and were married 74 years prior to her death on October 9, 2012.

Henry attended airplane trade school in Glendale, California in 1938 and then moved to Wichita, Kansas where he was employed by Beech Aircraft. The couple returned to rural Trego County and Henry farmed and worked as a road-grader for the Ogallah Township for four years before assuming responsibility of the family farm upon his eldest brother’s death in 1943. He had two airplanes, an Areonca Champ and a Cessna 170, in the 1950s. He also owned and operated the Ellis Case Dealership, Walz Brothers Equipment Company, out of the original stone house on the Walz farm for several years. He also served on the local COOP board where he was instrumental in getting the Riga Elevator built. He was a life-long farmer and rancher and enjoyed actively living out his years on the family farm.

Survivors include his children, Roma (& Darris) McConkey of Olathe, Kansas; Leroy Walz of rural Trego County, Kansas; Stephen Walz of Crescent Valley, Nevada; Linda Thompson of Corona, California and Beth (& Ralph) Johnson of WaKeeney, Kansas; 12 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; brothers Albert, Harry and William “Billy”; sisters Virginia Elting, Dorothy Shubert, Gladys Fowler, Marjorie Weisner and Margaret Emmerton; sisters-in-law Leona (Shubert) and Helen “Byrl” (Jacobs); brothers-in-law John Elting, Lawrence Shubert, Homer “Pat” Fowler, Clarence Weisner and Homer Emmerton; and daughter-in-law, Brenda (Dirks) Walz.

Funeral Services will be held at 10 o’clock a.m. on Tuesday, September 10, 2019 at the Red Line Church of God, 1 mile south and 4 miles west of Palco, Kansas, with Pastor Jerod Brown presiding. Interment will be in the Morlan Township Cemetery, Graham County, Kansas. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Trego County Lemke Memorial Hospital or Nicodemus Historical Society and Museum. Contributions may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th Street, WaKeeney, KS 67672.

KWEC offers ‘World Shorebirds Day’ program to area students

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FHSU University Relations

Fort Hays State University’s Kansas Wetlands Education Center has partnered with The Nature Conservancy to offer a “World Shorebirds Day” program to area seventh- and eighth-grade students.

Mandy Kern, program specialist at the KWEC, began visiting schools at the end of August and will continue through the end of next week. Visits were scheduled to Ellinwood Middle School and St. Joseph Catholic School in Ellinwood, Central Kansas Christian Academy and Great Bend Middle School in Great Bend, Smoky Valley Middle School in Lindsborg and Stafford Middle School in Stafford.

“World Shorebirds Day,” celebrated annually on Sept. 6, was created to raise public awareness about the need to protect shorebirds and their habitat for ongoing shorebird research, monitoring and conservation.

“I want youth to realize what an amazing gem and natural resource we have in Cheyenne Bottoms,” Kern said. “Thousands of shorebirds pass through each year and I’m thankful The Nature Conservancy in Kansas, and especially Rob Penner, Cheyenne Bottoms and Avian Programs Manager, provided me with the opportunity to impact over 520 area students.”

The program covers shorebirds’ migration and the importance of resting areas like the Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. Students are introduced to a variety of shorebirds who migrate through the Cheyenne Bottoms, study mounts and sculpt various habitats shorebirds use during their migration.

“Cheyenne Bottoms is the largest interior marsh in the United States and it has been designated as a Wetland of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention. As many as 500,000 shorebirds pass through Cheyenne Bottoms in years with favorable habitat conditions,” Kern said.

Teachers participating in the program received a tub of supplies including books, lesson plans, posters, field guides, a bird feeder, games and student hand-outs courtesy of The Nature Conservancy.

About The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit that works to conserve the lands and waters across the world. In Kansas, the nonprofit has permanently protected 139,470 acres including five preserves open to the public. They manage about 8,000 of the 41,000 acre Cheyenne Bottoms basin.

About KWEC
The KWEC partners with many agencies including, Fort Hays State, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and The Nature Conservancy. The KWEC educates the public about wetland communities, their importance, conservation and restoration needs through interactive exhibits and interpretation, programs, outreach, and partnerships with cooperating stakeholders.

Hays man hospitalized after motorcycle, school bus crash

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LANE COUNTY— One person was injured in an accident just before 8:30p.m. Sunday in Lane County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1988 Blue Bird Bus from USD 482 Dighton and driven by Mark Duane Hager, 48, Ness City, was westbound on Kansas 96 nine miles east of Dighton attempting a left turn.

At the same time, a 2004 Kawasaki motorcycle driven by Paul Dean Simpson, 58, Hays, was attempting to pass the bus on the left. The motorcycle struck the bus on the driver’s side steering axel.

EMS transported Simpson to Wesley Medical Center.

Hager, four teens and one other adult on the bus were not injured. Simpson was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

Allen Street closes between 23rd & 24th

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CITY OF HAYS

Beginning Monday, September 9, Allen Street will be closed between 23rd and 24th Streets in Hays for pavement repairs. The road should be reopened by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 11.

Signs will be in place to direct the traveling public. The traveling public should use caution and if possible avoid areas of construction.

The city of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If there are any questions, please call the Office of Project Management at 628-7350.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: See you at the convention

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Steve Gilliland
I have a question for all you outdoorsmen and women. Think back with me as to how you learned to enjoy the outdoors.

I doubt it suddenly just happened, so who was it that taught you deer hunters where to put a stand, and you turkey hunters how to sound like a lonely lovesick hen? Who showed you upland bird hunters how to harvest a cackling rooster in mid-flight and you waterfowlers how to correctly dress a limit of Canadian honkers? How did you trappers learn where to look for coyote sign and how do you fishermen know when and where to find slab crappies? Who helped you campers and hikers learn to appreciate a crackling campfire or a lonely wilderness trail? How do you outdoor photographers know how to quietly slip up on a grazing deer and her fawn? In short, who helped you learn these skills?

I learned trapping from Mr. Wolfe, a grizzled, soft-spoken old guy who trapped the creeks on our land before I was old enough to do so. I’ll always remember him stopping at the house and opening the trunk of the old dark Ford he drove to show me the muskrats, ‘coons and mink he’d caught. Eventually he let me go along, and I was hooked. I think he even helped me get my first traps. Some years later my brother started tagging along on my trap checks, and eventually dad’s pond became his to trap. We both learned to hunt deer from a neighbor guy who took us with him and a group of other area farmers on their annual neighborhood hunts. In fact my brother harvested his first deer before I did, and on my land!

My point to all this is that in most cases, someone else had a hand in all of us learning to enjoy and become proficient in the outdoor sports we choose to pursue. Years back I was given the opportunity to spend some time with an experienced local trapper and was able to learn from him by setting and removing practice snares in some of the actual spots he traps each winter.

I was honored he chose to share some of his wisdom and knowledge with me. Each year I help at the Kansas Fur Harvesters booth at the state fair, where I have the opportunity to pass along some of my enthusiasm for the sport of trapping to all who stop by. Numerous teachers and 4H leaders eagerly leave with educational packets put together to help them educate students about correct and ethical trapping, and telling the kids why fur harvesting is an essential tool in maintaining healthy populations of Kansas furbearers.

In this day and age, information is almost overly-available, and if you can’t find a You Tube video of what you want to know, you’re probably not searching correctly. But even with the wealth of digital and printed instructional materials, for my money the absolute best instruction about anything still comes from the hands of a real person.

A wonderful opportunity to hang out with trappers and learn from them firsthand is coming to McPherson Kansas this October, 2019 as the state trappers organization, the Kansas Fur Harvesters, bring their annual convention to the fairgrounds at 600 W. Woodside in McPherson. The event runs all day Friday October 4, all day Saturday October 5 and Sunday morning October 6.

Trapping supply venders from all across the country, including the major companies that put out the catalogs will be in attendance offering everything trappers need, often at special prices for the event. Friday and Saturday will be filled with trapping demonstrations by experienced trappers, some will be the guys that write the trapping books and make the trapping videos. These guys are walking encyclopedias for all things trapping and are happy to share that wealth with everybody that asks. Kids and novice trappers are always encouraged to hang out after each demonstration for one-on-one time with the presenters.

This event will also attract lots of “tail-gaters” selling and trading for everything from soup-to-nuts from the bed of their pickups. Used traps and equipment will also be in abundance. No better opportunity exists to glean firsthand knowledge from experienced outdoorsmen and women than to attend a convention of some sort. So see you at the Kansas Fur Harvesters 2019 convention October 4, 5 & 6 at the McPherson Fairgrounds, 600 W Woodside, McPherson, Kansas, 67460.

Check out the daily convention schedules at their website, www.kansasfurharvetsersassociation.com. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.

Steve Gillilnd, Inman, can be contacted by email at [email protected].

Kan. bank robber’s note to teller, ‘Give me 100’s and 50’s’

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KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced last week to 77 months in federal prison for robbing a bank and a pharmacy and attempting to rob a retail store, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Ralph McGinnis photo Johnson Co.

Ralph McGinnis, 63, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and one count of attempted robbery.

In his plea, McGinnis admitted he robbed the Bank of Labor at 756 Minnesota in Kansas City, Kan. According to documents filed in the case, McGinnis told a teller, “Don’t say anything,” as he handed her a note. The note said: “This is a robbery. Give me 100’s and 50’s.” After the robbery, a security guard followed the robber to a nearby apartment building where McGinnis was living.

The day before the bank robbery, McGinnis was carrying what appeared to be a rifle when he attempted to rob a Family Dollar at 1200 N. 7th Street. After the clerk ducked behind the counter, McGinnis left with no money.

On the same day as the attempted robbery, McGinnis robbed the CVS Pharmacy at 950 Minnesota. He told a clerk he had a gun and would use it if he didn’t get what he wanted. He fled with cash.

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