Chad R. Sharpe, 54, of Oakley, died Monday, April 8, 2019. He was born June 6, 1964, in Scott City, KS, to Harley and Ora Sharpe.

Chad married Rebecca Buffington on January 31, 1998. He was good at building things and worked in construction. Chad enjoyed fishing, hunting and playing cards. His favorite thing was playing with his grandchildren.

Chad was preceded in death by his grandparents, Clive and Nellie Sharpe and Ed and Lottie Smith; father-in-law Ken Buffington and granddaughter Evelynn.

He is survived by his parents, Harley and Ora Sharpe; wife Becky; children, Collin, Curtis, Chase, Corbin and Ryley Sharpe; brothers, Calvin and Dale Sharpe; sister Susan Smith; mother in-law Vera Buffington and 3 grandchildren.

Cremation was chosen and no services are scheduled at this time. For more information or condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com

Joyce Willene Phillips was born October 7, 1937 in Peach Orchard, MO, to Earnie and Carry (McGinty) Bratcher. She passed away January 27, 2019, in Tulsa, OK.

Joyce attended grade school in Missouri and then Porterville High School in California. She also had special training in short hand and computers. Joyce worked in farming at an early age and was a Med Aid in 3 states including Colby, KS. She also was a team truck driver with late husband George Phillips along with other odd jobs. Joyce’s hobbies were playing bingo, casinos, bowling and socializing with her many friends

Survivors include her son Jerry; 5 daughters, Janice, Rhonda, Jackie, Laurie and Penny; numerous grandchildren; great grandchildren; 3 great-great grandchildren; sisters, Linda Miller, Martha Griffin, Carolyn Caudill, and Tina Allred; brother Dewayne Bratcher; many nieces, nephews and loved ones and her beloved friends, Danny and Beverly Barker, Don Kernal and mother Anni Kernal, Pastor Jim and Tammy Kent, Gene Duke, Nita Grimes and many others.

She was preceded in death by loved ones, George Phillips, Jessie Lee Rosales and Jimmy Dean Rosales.

There will be a memorial service at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, April 18, 2019, at New Beginning Family Ministry, 305 S. Saddler, Poteau, OK 74953. A graveside service will take place at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 16, 2019, at Beulah Cemetery, Colby, KS. Flowers, cards and monetary contributions may be sent to either the church or Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701.

For condolences or information visit www.baalmannmortuary.com.

DOWNS — Duane D. Teselle, 68, passed away April 7, 2019. He was born November 18, 1950 in Beloit, the son of John and Virginia (DeBey) Teselle.

He was a retired marine mechanic.

He is preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include his children: Seone Hunter (Jeremy) of Kensington, Leslie Cosgriff (Casey) of Lincoln, NE., Elizabeth Stokesbury (Anthony) of Jacksonville, FL and Matthew Teselle (Lacey) of Smith Center; siblings: Joyce Nicholson of Jewell, Janet Alflen of Puyallup, WA, Jerry Teselle (Judy) of Downs, Dorine Stuart of Downs, 8 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Graveside service will be held Friday, April 12, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at the Downs Cemetery. No visitation.

Memorials may be given to Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks-Youth Programs in care of Domoney Funeral Home, PO Box 127, Downs, KS 67437

Mary Lucille (Dillard) Henzel was born December 16, 1934 in Merrill, Oregon, the first daughter of her parents Uel and Wilma (Dawson) Dillard. She passed away March 29, 2019 during a brief stay at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska. She was 84.

Mary was a long-time resident of Southern Oregon. Born in Merrill, Oregon, she was raised on her parent’s farm, the Dillard Ranch, along with her two sisters, Dorothy (Dottie) and Mona. She attended first and second grade at Merrill Elementary, then Henley schools from third grade through 12th. Upon graduation from Henley High School in 1953, she moved to Corvallis, Oregon to study for her Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education with a math, science and music minor at Oregon State College (Oregon State University).

While attending OSC, she met her husband, Stuart Lee Henzel, another Klamath County resident. They dated during college and married on June 24, 1956, at her family church, Mt. Laki Presbyterian, in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Their first home was in Corvallis, Oregon, where they finished college.

Upon graduation in 1958 with their bachelor’s degrees, Mary and Stuart moved to the family cattle ranch in Klamath Falls, Oregon. There, they raised their four sons. On the ranch, she spent a lot of time in the office, on horseback and working cattle with her family.

Mary was a substitute teacher at Henley Elementary, and then a 5th grade teacher at Stearns Elementary. Although she resigned in 1961 to raise her boys, she later returned to Henley Elementary to teach classroom music for grades 1-6. She also began giving private piano lessons.

In 1981, they moved to their ranch in Holdenville, Oklahoma, and in 1998, they moved to their ranch in Oberlin, Kansas. Throughout this time, Mary continued to work with the American National CattleWomen, Inc. (ANCW), at schools and to teach piano.

Mary was named the Outstanding CattleWoman of the Year in 2002 by the ANCW. In 1998 Mary was National President of the ANCW serving a total of eight years on the Executive Committee. She served as state president of Oklahoma CattleWomen in 1991 and 1992 and was a local member of ANCW for over 60 years while holding memberships in local and state groups in Oregon, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Mary had a life-long love of music. She began to play piano at the age of five and learned to play the saxophone in fifth grade. She was an active band member in high school and college. She learned to play every band instrument while getting her degree in music education. She played piano, organ and guitar for many of the churches she attended, including Oberlin Covenant Church. She was also an accomplished piano teacher for many years in Oregon, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Mary was the current program chair of the Oberlin Arts and Humanities Commission, bringing arts and entertainment programming to Oberlin. Last October, she was honored by the City of Oberlin for serving more than 20 years with the organization.

Mary was a longtime member of the Oberlin Evangelical Covenant Church, worked at the Landmark Inn and was formerly on the Board of Trustees at the Decatur County Hospital.

She is survived by three sons, Jim Henzel (Connie), of Pahrump, NV, Barron Henzel (Tom Fitzpatrick), of San Diego, CA, and Richard Henzel (Pamela Newby), of St. Petersburg, FL; sister and brother-in-law, Mona and Gordon Zumwalt, of Minden, NV; grandson, Jacob Henzel (Ali), of Sapulpa, OK; in addition to many other family members and countless friends.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband Stuart Henzel, son Clint Henzel, sister Dorothy (Dottie) Manz and her parents Uel and Wilma Dillard.

Donations can be made to the Oberlin Arts and Humanities Commission in her name:

Oberlin Arts and Humanities Commission
512 N. Penn Avenue
Oberlin, KS 67749

A celebration of life ceremony will be held at the Oberlin Evangelical Covenant Church on Saturday, May 4, at 11am. A luncheon reception will be held afterward in the church fellowship hall.

“I thank God for the life He has let me live and for the gifts of family and friends.” Mary Henzel

Judith L. “Judy” Ratzlaff, 70, of Colby, KS, formerly of Ulysses, KS died Sunday April 7, 2019. She was born June 8, 1948, in Ulysses, to Richard and Barbara (Brown) Martin. On November 8, 1969, Judy married Donald Ratzlaff at the Methodist Church in Ulysses. Judy worked in healthcare in hospitals. She enjoyed ceramics, reading and word searches.

She was preceded in death by her parents; son Heath Richard Ratzlaff and brother Ned Martin.

She is survived by her husband Donald, of the home; son Scott (Beatrice) Ratzlaff; daughter Tina (Chris) Schritter; son Brock (Helena) Ratzlaff; sister Maryanne (Mike) Gepner; brothers, Richard (Gloria) Martin and Steven (Susan) Martin and grandchildren, Tyler, Braden and Matthew Schritter, Alec and Karalynn Ratzlaff and Fernando and Aljona Ratzlaff-Bauer.

Funeral Service will be at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, April 11, 2019, at the Methodist Church in Ulysses, KS, with visitation starting at 12:00 p.m. Interment will take place in the Grant County Cemetery, Ulysses. Memorials are suggested to the COPD Foundation, in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For condolences or information visit www.baalmannmortuary.com

Lyle Eugene “Gene” Cunningham, 81, passed away April 5, 2019 in Olathe, KS.

He was born April 23, 1937 in Parsons, KS to Verdna Lavina( Bowman) and Lyle Frank Cunningham.
On July 5, 1958 he was married to Elizabeth “Betty” O’Hara at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Parsons, KS.

Gene and Betty moved to Chanute, KS in 1965 and he was employed as a Marketing Group Representative for over 27 years with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas, until his retirement in 1992. During his time with Blue Cross Blue Shield, he was the recipient of several awards and special recognitions.

Following his retirement, Gene enjoyed helping at Cleaver Farm and Home Rental Store, golfing, helping a friend with his farming needs, and participating in his grandchildren’s activities. Gene and Betty were also able to travel to all 50 states, and enjoyed traveling in their RV for more than 16 years.

Gene was a proud 3rd and 4th Degree members of the Knights of Columbus, a lifetime member of the Elks Club and a member of Prince of Peace Catholic Church.

Surviving family include his wife, Elizabeth “Betty”, of the home, daughter Brenda (Marlyn) Swayne of Hays, KS, son Steve (Lisa) Cunningham of Olathe, KS., and six grandchildren: Michelle (Spencer)Swayne-Goff of Victoria, KS, Shannon Swayne of Glenwood Springs, CO, Samuel (Haley) Cunningham of Olathe, KS, Grace Albers of Norfolk, VA, Andrews Cunningham of Olathe, KS, Erin Albers of Muncie, IN, and two great-grandchildren, Mason and Aeris Goff of Victoria, KS.

Gene is also survived by his brother Richard (Beth) Cunningham of Salina, KS.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his daughter Debra Kathleen Cunningham-Albers, and his brother, Larry Cunningham.

Visitation will be held Wed., April 10 from 6-8pm at Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home, Olathe, KS, followed by funeral mass on Thurs., April 11 at 11:00am at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, Olathe, KS. Committal services will be held on Thurs., April 11 at 4pm at Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery, Parsons, KS.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Prince of Peace Catholic Church Altar Fund.

Mary Emma Fischli Fix was born June 21, 1919 in Valentine, Nebraska. The second daughter of Richard Julius Fischli and Mary Elizabeth Kinter Fischli, she passed away from this life on April 6, 2019 at the age of 99 at the Solomon Valley Manor in Stockton, Kansas.

Mary was born on her Father’s homestead two miles East and three miles north of Valentine, Nebraska. In March 1922, when she was two and a half years old, Mary’s parents returned to the area where they had grown up, to a farm Northwest of Speed, Kansas. Mary’s parents built the farmstead structures starting with the barn, in which they lived while the house and other farm structures were being built. Mary started school when she was 5. She attended a one room schoolhouse called Wolf Creek in Belmont Township located Southwest of the farmstead. After grade school, she attended and graduated from Speed High School.
Mary was united in marriage to Floyd Dean Fix on June 21, 1938 in the probate judge’s office in Phillipsburg, Kansas.

On May 10, 1939, the following year, the couple welcomed a son, William Leroy. Needing to support a family, Floyd learned telegraphy, became a telegraph operator and went to work for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, taking the young family to live in Mt. Clair, Nebraska. Floyd continued “to bid” on stations in order to move to better locations which took the family to Speed, Edmund and Woodston, Kansas. Mary was a homemaker until the railroad drafted her to run the depot so they could send Floyd to other locations as needed during World War 2.

On July 5, 1948, the family welcomed a daughter, Mary Ann, into the world and in 1950 made their last move to Stockton, Kansas. Mary continued to work with Floyd for the railroad until 1955 when Mary took a job as a clerk in the Rooks County Clerk’s Office and later became deputy clerk before being elected to County Clerk; she worked for 26 years before retiring in 1981.

She enjoyed reading, needlework, crocheting and knitting until macular degeneration took her eyesight and even then, remained independent in her own home until 2016, when she went to the Solomon Valley Manor, where she continued to voraciously “read” her audiobooks. She was a member of the Stockton United Methodist Church and served as a Worthy Matron of the Eastern Star.

She was preceded in death by her loving and faithful husband Floyd, her treasured daughter Mary Ann McLaughlin, her beloved father, mother, and her two sisters Beatrice Kloepper and Lucille Loyd.

Left to cherish her memory is her brother Richard Fischli of Logan, KS; son William Fix and wife Louise of Orange, CA; son-in-law, Donald McLaughlin and wife Linda of Stockton, KS; grandchildren, Vickie and Walter Turkowski of San Antonia, TX, Mary and Steven Cardinal of La Quinta, CA, Diana and Gail Strutt of Stockton, KS, Laurie and Brian Fritz of Topeka, KS, and Dawn and Jerry Gerstenkorn of Arlington, TX, and twelve great-grandchildren.

She leaves many other relatives and friends who will miss her sharp wit, intelligent conversation, generous spirit, peaceful wisdom, fierce devotion, and unending love.

Funeral Services are planned for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 13, 2019 at the United Methodist Church in Stockton with burial following in Stockton City Cemetery. Visitation will be on Friday from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home with family greeting friends from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Memorials are suggested to United Methodist Church in Stockton or Solomon Valley Manor and may be sent in care of Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, 723 N. 1st, Stockton, Kansas 67669.

Roy E. Wangerin, 97, passed away Saturday, April 6, 2019 at Smith County Memorial Hospital, Smith Center, KS.

A celebration of Roy’s life will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, April 20, 2019 at First Saint John Lutheran Church, Kensington, KS, with Pastor Dave Hutson officiating. There will not be a public visitation as cremation was chosen. Inurnment will take take place in Germantown Cemetery, Kensington, KS. Memorials may be given to Roy E. Wangerin Memorial Fund and can be sent in care of All Faiths Funeral Chapel, 113 S. Madison St., Smith Center, KS 66967.

Aull obituary is pending with All Faiths Funeral Chapel.

Helen L. Shubert, 84, passed away Thursday, April 4, 2019.

Services will be held at 1 pm, Saturday, April 13, 2019, at Ogallah Christian Church, Ogallah, Kansas. A service celebrating Helen’s life will be held at the Oxford Grand Assisted Living in Wichita in the coming days.

Helen was born in El Dorado, Kansas, on January 21, 1935, to Claude Cecil and Faye Ellen (Shaffer) Chance. She attended Ellinwood and Palco schools and has been a member of the Church of God since 1949. On October 27, 1954, she married Elvin Virgil Shubert at Red Line Church of God in Palco. They had three children, Michael Elvin, Cynthia Faye and David Chance Shubert.

They lived in Ogallah until 1989 and then moved to Hays. Helen worked as a secretary for the Kansas Department of Transportation retiring in 2000. She was involved in many activities and served as a member of the board for Hays Christian Church. She did literacy tutoring, square dancing, and was a member of the women’s Phoebian Group.

Helen was very involved in the arts and theatre. She was a passionate writer and several of her articles have been published in different magazines. A lifelong learner, she took classes at Fort Hays State University and was currently taking a class at Wichita State University about writing poetry. Up until her death, Helen was the Resident Ambassador for Oxford Grand Assisted Living.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Tom Chance; husband, Elvin V. Shubert; son, Michael Shubert, and granddaughter, Sara Shubert Starr.

Survivors: son, David (Dale) Shubert of Wichita; daughter, Cynthia “Cindy” (Bradley) Bruns of Wichita; sisters, Marie Schepmann of Claflin and Pam Dufresne of Galveston, TX; 5 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great-grandchildren. Memorial established with Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, 313 S. Market, Wichita, KS 67202 and Women’s Initiative Network, 510 E. 3rd St. N., Wichita, KS 67202.

Arrangements by Downing & Lahey Mortuary West.