Elaine Gonzales, age 83, passed away on Wednesday, February 13, 2019 at Wichita County Health Center in Leoti, Kansas. Elaine was born June 9, 1935 at Mud Hen Lake, Wisconsin, the daughter of Harry & Mabel (Anderson) Hochstetler. Elaine graduated high school in St. Paul, Minnesota then earned a Registered Nursing degree from nursing school in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She also attained a degree in Nurse Anesthesiology. She was a nurse at Wichita County Health Center in Leoti, Kansas retiring in the 1999.

Elaine had a beautiful singing voice and enjoyed playing the accordion. She was well known for her nursing abilities which she enjoyed providing for others.

On January 15, 1984 she married Emilio Gonzales at Leoti, Kansas. Emil passed away on September 7, 2016 at Leoti, Kansas.

Elaine’s surviving family includes-

Three Children-
Brian Hogan-​Aiken, South Carolina
Diana Hogan-​Leoti, Kansas
Carol Hogan-​Leoti, Kansas

Nine grandchildren-
Christopher, Jessica, Karen, Brigit, James, Ian, Michael (Shawn), Colin James (CJ) and Alyssa.

Three siblings-
Carl Hochstetler, Dennis Hochstetler and Hope Sjodin

Her parents, a daughter Cheryl in 2015, one brother and four sisters precede her in death.

A gathering will be held Sunday, February 17, 2019 at 3:00 pm at the Parkview Apartments common room in Leoti, Kansas.

Memorials may be given to the Elaine Gonzales Memorial Fund in care of Price & Sons Funeral Home in Leoti, Kansas.

Amelia Kathryn “Emma” Kaiser, 90, of Grainfield, Kansas, passed away on February 13th, 2019.

Emma was born Amelia Kathryn Hartman in Grainfield, Kansas on April 20th,1928 to Adam and Kathryn (Zimmerman) Hartman. She graduated from Grainfield High School in 1946.

Emma was married to George Kaiser on August 28th, 1950 at the Sacred Heart Church in Park Kansas. They were married for 56 years before his death in 2007.

Following her marriage to George they settled in Park, Kansas where Emma worked for Tony Wildeman at the Park grocery store for several years. The couple then moved to Barstow, California where Emma worked as an office clerk at the Army base. In 1955 the Marine base where George was employed closed down so they made the decision to move back to Kansas so that George could farm. Shortly after returning to Kansas they purchased the family farm 2 miles west of Gove.

Emma worked for the US Postal Service in Gove, Kansas beginning as a clerk on Saturday mornings and ultimately became the Postmaster where she worked until 1992 when she retired after 23 years. In August of 2000, Emma and George moved from the family farm to Grainfield Kansas.

After beating breast cancer, Emma became a volunteer with “Reach for Recovery”, where she counseled women who suffered from the disease in the Gove County area. During her own recovery she began quilting and crocheting as a form of therapy and this quickly turned into a hobby. During her time at the post office, Emma began collecting stamps and also occasionally spoke to local children about the history of stamps. She also was an avid collector of salt and pepper shakers, building a very impressive collection. In her later years Emma enjoyed watching the Royals baseball and college basketball.

Emma was a very devout Catholic and a lifelong member of the St. Agnes Catholic Ladies of Grainfield, Kansas. Countless numbers of rosaries were said daily for family and friends. Also, mountains of blessed candles were burned for traveling family members often hearing those infamous words “I’ll light a candle for you”.

Emma is survived by her four children: David (Louella) of Wakeeney, KS, Norma Weber (Tom) of Grainfield, KS, Alan (Phyllis) of Grainfield, KS, and Duane (Karen) of Littleton, Co. She is also survived by eight grandchildren: Lee, Adam, Eric, Ryan, Janneke, Ty, Alexandra and Dylan; and five great-grandchildren.

Emma is preceded in death by husband George, grandson Paul, brothers George, Frank and Joe Hartman; Sisters Helen Robben, Mary Struble, Anna Karlin and Judy Albers.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m., Monday, February 18, 2019 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Park. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be Sunday, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home in Quinter.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, memorial contributions are suggested to Hospice Services, Inc. Donations made to the organization may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 South Main, Quinter, KS 67752.

Junior Dean Cooper, 89, passed away February 14, 2019 at Country Living Memory Care in Larned.

Dean was born June 6, 1929 in Burdett, the son of Paris and Irene Crockett Cooper. He was a farmer and rancher.

Dean was of the Christian faith, he belonged to the Burdett Pinochle Club, Brown’s Grove Township Board, Monday Night Bowling League and drove a school bus for many years. He was a dog lover, avid hunter and loved sports, especially baseball and basketball.

He married Lenora Jane Troutman in Kinsley on December 26, 1951, she survives.

Other survivors include: sons Ron (LaRue) Cooper, Burdett, and Terry (Haydee) Cooper, South Korea; daughters Linda Best, Larned, and Nada (Kirk) Wells, Alexander; twelve grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren.

Dean was preceded in death by his parents, a son Gary Alan Cooper; two step-sisters, Ina Mae Selfridge and Alice Chaffee, step-father Lewis Eakin, and one grandson, Ethan Cooper.

Funeral will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 20, 2019, at Beckwith Mortuary Chapel, with Carolyn Tarman presiding. Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, with family present from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Interment will be at Brown’s Grove Cemetery, Burdett.

Memorials may be given to Pawnee County Humane Society or Burdett EMS, in care of Beckwith Mortuary, P.O. Box 477, Larned, KS 67550.

Bernard “Ben” Joseph Donovan, beloved son of Leo and Helen (O’Conner) Donovan, was born in Norton, Kansas on March 27, 1924, and peacefully passed away at his home in Norton on February 14, 2019, at the age of 94.

Ben grew up in the Norton community and graduated from Norton Community High School. On May 12, 1944, Ben married the love of his life Wava Shaw in Norton. They made their home in Norton where he made his living as a farmer and stockman.

Ben was a member of the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and also a member of the Knights of Columbus. Farming and family was his life. He loved spending time with his children, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Survivors include: one son, Patrick, and wife, Linda Donovan, Norton; one daughter, Carol, and husband, David Leighton, Wichita, KS; one sister, Mary Jean, and husband, Larry Mueller, Greeley, CO; six grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; his caregiver and friend of 9 years, Bobbie Stewart; several other relatives and friends.

Ben was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Wava; one son, Capt. Michael L. Donovan; one infant daughter, Martha Donovan; two sisters, Anna Lee Forgy and Patricia McLean; one brother, James Donovan; one great-grandchild, Elliot Conard.

MASS OF THE CHRISTIAN BURIAL – Wednesday, February 20, 2019 – 10:30 AM
PLACE – St. Francis of Assist Catholic Church – Norton, Kansas
VISITATION – Tuesday, February 19, 2019 from 6:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Enfield Funeral Home in Norton
ROSARY – Tuesday, February 19, 2019 – 7 PM at Enfield Funeral Home
MEMORIALS – In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Norton Senior Center

Norman G. Seller, 87, passed away Feb. 14, 2019, at Medicalodges of Great Bend. He was born Nov. 1, 1931 to Elmer and Myrtle (Schneider) Seller. Norman married Edna (Lively) and were later divorced.

A Great Bend resident, coming from Liberal in 2014, Norman was a driller in the oilfield and a lifetime member of the V.F.W Post 9139 in Ellis County. He was stationed in Germany during the Korean Conflict with the United States Army, earning the rank of PFC (T). He also was an avid gardener, planted tomatoes that grew to 13 feet and Oklahoma sugar cane that he used for shade and wind block for his garden and house.

Survivors include, one son, Bill Seller and wife Sara of Oberlin; one daughter Dianna Gosselin of Plainville; six grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, and infant brother, Carl H. Seller.

Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019, at Bryant Funeral Home, with family receiving friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Graveside Service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, at the Wildmead Cemetery in Nickerson, with Larry Schumacher presiding. Military rites will be conducted by the Ft. Riley Honor Guard. Memorials have been suggested to the Wildmead Cemetery, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

Mary Catherine “Kay” Wellbrock, age 81, former Hays, Kansas resident died Friday, January 25, 2019, at Select Specialty Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

She was born December 15, 1937, in Hays, Kansas, to Louis and Louise (Leikam) Wellbrock.

She worked for South Western Bell as an operator from June 1957 to August 1993. She worked at the Hays office for 20 years then transferred to Wichita and Topeka. Upon retiring in 1993 she moved back to Hays. In 2011 she moved to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma to live with her niece, Pam Whitham and her husband, Dave.
She grew up and when to grade school in Catharine, Kansas. She was a 1956 graduate of Girl’s Catholic High. Mary, not having children of her own was a grandma to all of the family and enjoyed spending time with them.

Survivors include one brother, Richard “Dick” Wellbrock and wife, Kim, Hays, KS; many nephews, nieces, great nephews, great nieces, great great nephews and great great nieces.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Louis Wellbrock Jr., Leo J. Wellbrock and her dog, “TYGIE”.

Funeral Services at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, February 23, 2019, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Hays, Kansas. Inurnment will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Hays, Kansas.

A vigil service and rosary will be at 7:00 P.M. Friday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Friday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary and from 9:30 to 10:00 A.M. Saturday, at St. Joseph Catholic Church.

Memorials to the Victory Worship Center/Food Pantry in Colcord, Oklahoma or the Hays Community Assistant Center.

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

Amelia “Emma” Kaiser, 90, of Quinter, Kan., passed away Wednesday, February 13, 2019, at Gove County Medical Center Long Term Care. Schmitt Funeral Home, Quinter, is handling arrangements.

Click HERE for service details.

September 25, 1927 – February 13, 2019

An obituary and services are pending with Plumer Overlease Funeral Homes.

Clara M. Riedel Finan, 86, of Salina, passed away February 11, 2019. She was born April 3, 1932, in St. Peter, Kan., the daughter of John and Anna Katherine (Rome) Riedel. She married her husband, Jerry, Sept. 12, 1953 in Salina. She was a bank teller for UMB and co-owner of Designs and Accents Flower Shop and an office manager for Dr. Bruce Johnson. She was a member of the St. Mary’s Parish, Ladies of Columbus, SRHC Ladies Aux, Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, Lady Elks, and enjoyed the card game, pitch.

She is survived by: her daughters, Malynn Gasswint (Randall) Broken Arrow, Okla., and Pamela Welsh (Todd) of Salina; grandchildren, Brett Gasswint (Amber) of Navarre, Fla., Tyler Gasswint of Tulsa, Okla., and McKenzie and Rase Welsh of Salina; brothers, Vern Riedel of Morland, and Robert Riedel of Topeka; and sisters, Jeannie Gross of Hays, Doris Perry of Salina, Vera Hartman of Grainfield, and Mary Lynn Ryan of Salina.

She was preceded in death by: her husband, Gerald “Jerry” in 1998; brothers, Edward, Joe, and John; and sisters, Isabel Fiffe, Aurelia Artzer, Viola Gross, and Leona Kinderknecht.

Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, at Ryan Mortuary, Salina, where the family will receive friends f rom 5-7, and vigil services will be at 7 p.m.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 15, at St. Mary Queen of the Universe Catholic Church, Salina, with burial in Mt. Calvary Cemetery.

Memorials to: St. Mary’s Church, St. Mary’s Grade School, or Sacred Heart Jr.-Sr. High School, all of Salina.

Barbara Ellen Berkley passed away February 12, 2019 at the Red Bud Village in Plainville, KS at the age of 94. She was born in Willits, CA on December 13, 1924 to Bernard W. Booker and Leota A. (Provines) Booker. Barbara married Warren “Jim” Riffel on January 13, 1944 in Oakland, CA. They were blessed with two children: Robert and Cynthia. Barbara later married Jack Berkley in 1978 blessing her with three step-children: John, James, and Patricia.

Barbara was born and raised in California. She graduated high school and attended two years of college studying art at the University of Berkeley. When WWII began, her schooling ended and she began her first job at a five-and-dime store. Barbara met her husband Jim, and they were blessed with Robert and Cynthia. They later relocated to Jim’s hometown of Stockton where Barbara was a bookkeeper for the sale barn and Ostmeyer Implement. She also worked at Solomon Valley Manor for a short time.

Barbara loved to paint everything from beautiful hollowed-out Easter eggs, mermaids in her pool, and grand sceneries on walls. She also enjoyed crewel embroidery, golfing, traveling and shopping. She had an eye for sales and was still shopping just two days before she passed for her “shimmery jacket”. Barbara loved, and was so loved by, her assisted-living nurses. Always the life of the party, she made everyone’s time at the home good.

Barbara is survived by her son, Robert Riffel and wife Kay of Stockton; daughter, Cynthia McDowell of Stockton; step-sons, John Berkley and wife Malee and James Berkley and wife Vicky of Stockton; step-son-in-law, Roger Taylor of Leawood; 4 grandchildren, Niki Cullum and husband Brian of Leawood, Wade McDowell and wife Suzie of Hill City, Christine Riffel of Topeka, and Tasha Kuhlmann and husband Danny of Wichita; 7 great-grandchildren, Lexie McDowell of Manhattan, Aaron, and Brody McDowell of Hill City, Madison and Colby Riffel-Kuhlmann of Wichita, and Imani and Preston Cullum of Leawood; 8 step-grandchildren, Rick Sanders and family of Bellevue, NE, Jerry Sanders of Stockton, Jonathan Berkley and family of Stockton, Brian Berkley and family of Stockton, Renee Earl and family of Alabama, Thui Miller and family of Topeka, Brooke Taylor of Kansas City, and Michael Taylor of Denver.

Barbara is preceded in death by her parents Bernard and Leota; husband Jack Berkley; step-daughter, Patricia Taylor; son-in-law, Arthur McDowell; daughter-in-law, Susan Riffel; and brother shot down in WWII, Robert Booker.

It has been said that the best things in life are free: hugs, smiles, friends, family, love, laughter, and good memories. Barbara will be forever missed and her memories forever cherished by family and friends alike. She showed us by example how to live every moment, laugh every day, and love beyond words.

A memorial service will be held at the funeral home in Stockton on Saturday, February 16, 2019, at 10:30 A.M. Burial will follow at the Stockton cemetery. There will be no visitation. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Hays Medical Center or V.F.W. Auxiliary and may be sent in care of Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, 723 N. 1st, Stockton, KS 67669.

Irene Blanch (Sorell) Fringer was born September 28, 1921 in Garden City, Kansas to Louis Edward (Ed) and Evelyne Eva (Patenaude) Sorell.

She passed away February 13, 2019 at the age of 97 at Good Samaritan Center in Oberlin.

Irene was the youngest of four daughters born to Ed and Evelyne. Her childhood was spent in many places, as Ed was a handyman and went where he could find work. At the age of four, Irene and her family moved to Dresden, Kansas. This is where they called home for many years.

Irene graduated from Dresden High School in 1942. After high school she took care of her parents and was a house keeper for people in the community.

On January 19, 1957 Verman Jessy Fringer and Irene were married in Norton, Kansas. After their marriage they made their home on the Fringer farmstead in Custer Township south east of Oberlin. To this union three children were born. Rose, Robert, and Patricia (Patty).

Irene enjoyed farm life and all that came with the title of being a farmer’s wife. She loved and cared for the many animals on the farm. Her favorites were her cats; however, with the many family dogs running a close second.

In 1981 Irene and Verman moved to Oberlin as the farm life was getting too much for them. It was also about this time that Irene decided she needed to learn to drive a car. So, at age 60, Robert taught his mom to drive. She then became very self-sufficient and loved making trips up town.

Irene was a resident at CLC and then at Good Sam for many years. She always enjoyed being the “greeter” and always had a smile for those entering if she was at her table.

Irene enjoyed visiting with whoever might stop by. She especially loved visits from her grandkids and great grandkids, and always insisted she needed new pictures of them.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Evelyne; sisters: Zelda Barker, Josephine Plante and Louise Tilten and husband, Verman.

Irene is survived by her son, Robert Edward (Penny) Fringer of Oberlin; daughters: Rose Evelyne Fringer (Rick Stienhour) of Nebraska, and Patricia Ann (Bill) Killingsworth of Salina; grandchildren: Dylan Jay Killingsworth of Salina, KS, Ellen JoAnn (Fringer ) Osborne of Wichita, KS, Wayland Stienhour of Nebraska, Rebecca Jean (Fringer) Jones of Colby, KS, Wendi Alta Kay (Killingsworth ) Davila of Salina, KS, Dalton Stienhour of Nebraska, Sarah Jane (Fringer) Wolf of Colby, KS; 11 great grandchildren; nieces, nephews and many many friends.

A Wake Service will be held Saturday, February 16, 2019 at 1:30 pm at Pauls Funeral Home, Oberlin, KS. Burial will follow at Oberlin Cemetery. Visitation will be 9:00 am – 1:00 pm before the service. The family will receive friends from 10:00 – 11:00 am. Memorial Contributions may be made to the Good Samaritan Society of Decatur County for the flooring project. Condolences may be left at www.paulsfh.com