Larned – Mary Anna Urban, 94, passed away December 7, 2018 at her home in Larned,

She was born April 20, 1924, in Penalosa, KS, the daughter of Bernard and Anna (Geris) Ebenkamp. A longtime area resident she was a homemaker, a clerk at J.C. Penney in Larned and also worked in the banks in Wichita and Cunningham.

She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the Altar Society, Larned. She volunteered at the food bank and shared her time, visiting with elders of the community.

On August 5, 1946, she married Gilbert G. Urban at Sacred Heart Church in Cunningham, KS. He died February 28, 2016.

Survivors include: son, David (Ruth Ann) Urban, Soldotna, Alaska; three daughters, Linda Urban, Arvada, Colorado, Janice (Mike) Pardoe, San Antonio, Texas and Barbara Carveth, Arvada, Colorado; a sister, Martha Strong, Pratt; seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Edward and Lawrence Ebenkamp; five sisters, Pauline Rohling, Sister Cassian Ebenkamp, Lucy Rohling, Eleanor Rohling; two sons, Dennis and Wayne Urban; a grandson, Stefan Martin-Urban; son-in-law Mark Carveth

Funeral Mass will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Larned, with father Bernard Felix presiding. Vigil service will be 7 p.m. Tuesday, December 11, 2018 at Beckwith Mortuary Chapel, Larned. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the mortuary. Graveside service will follow the funeral Mass and Reception at Sacred Heart Cemetery, Cunningham, KS

Memorials may be given to Sacred Heart Altar Society in care of Beckwith Mortuary, P.O. Box 477 Larned, KS 67550. Personal condolences may be left at www.beckwithmortuary.com.

Ernest Garza, age 53, of Goodland passed away Friday, December 7, 2018. He was born May 16, 1965 to Ray C. and Maria S. (Salas) Garza in Tulia, Texas.

Ernest attended school in Scotts Bluff, Nebraska and in Goodland and graduated in 1985. He enjoyed playing bingo, reading books, cheering on the Dallas Cowboys and spending time with his family.

Preceding him in death are his mother, Maria and his grandparents.

He is survived by his brothers: Mario Garza of Kansas City, MO; Roy Garza of Lincoln, NE; Jessie Garza of Salt Lake City, UT. Sisters: Lisa Garza of Burlington, CO; Virginia Salinas of Lohn, TX; Samantha Garza of Amarillo, TX; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 3 p.m. MT at the Church of Christ, 1630 Sandy Drive, Goodland. Interment will follow the service at the Goodland Cemetery, North Main Street.

Visitation will be prior to the funeral service at the Church of Christ on Wednesday, December 12, 2018 beginning at 1 p.m. MT.

Memorials will be designated by the family later and may be left at the services or mailed to Bateman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 278, Goodland, KS 67735. Online condolences and information www.batemanfuneral.com

Alvin E. Lichter, 90, died December 6, 2018, at Locust Grove Village, LaCrosse, Kansas. He was born December 3, 1928, in Olmitz, Kansas, the son of John A. and Lillian (Mauler) Lichter. He was a Korean War veteran serving on the front lines with the United States Army as a sergeant, receiving the Bronze Star and Korean War Service Medal.

A lifetime Olmitz area resident, he worked for Thies Company of Great Bend, the Helium Plant, Barton County Highway and MAC Truck.

Alvin was a member of St. Ann’s Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus, Olmitz. He was a lifetime member of the V.F.W. Post #7428 of Hoisington, and the DAV of Great Bend. Alvin also coached the Olmitz Little League for 10 years.

On August 31, 1955, he married Marietta A. Ohnmacht at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, Olmitz. She preceded him in death on June 29, 2016.

Survivors include: three children, Terry L. Lichter of Great Bend, Brenda A. Dreiling and husband Jerry of Pfeifer, and Lynn A. Lichter of Topeka; sisters, Rosemary Linn of Albert, and Mary Evelyn Linenberger of Great Bend; sister-in-law, Loretta Southard and husband Joe of Great Bend; and six grandchildren, Andrew Lichter and fiancé Erin of Corpus Christi, TX, Erin Lichter of Lake Charles, LA, Brett Lichter of Topeka, Isaac, Noah, and Wyatt Dreiling of Pfeifer; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, daughter-in-law, Kyle A. Lichter; brothers, Joseph Marvin Lichter and wife Irene, Henry L. Lichter, and John Raymond Lichter and wife Christine; brothers-in-law, Marion Ohnmacht and wife Lillian, Harvey Linn and Sylvester Linenberger.

Friends may call 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home. Vigil with rosary by the Knights of Columbus will be 7p.m. Sunday at St. Ann Catholic Church, Olmitz. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. Monday, December 10, 2018, celebrated by Father Don Bedore, also at St Ann Catholic Church. Burial will follow in St. Ann Catholic Cemetery, Olmitz, with military honors conducted by the Ft Riley Honor Guard.

Memorials may be made to St Ann Catholic Church or Olmitz Fire Department in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544.

Carolyn Kaser, 80, of Portis, KS passed away on Thursday, December 6, 2018 at the Osborne County Memorial Hospital. She was born on November 10, 1938 to Carl & Alma (Thompson) Caldwell, Sr. in Portis, KS.

Carolyn graduated from high school and continued with 2 years of further education. She lived in the Portis area all her life.

Carolyn married Merwin Kaser and to this union, 3 sons were born. She worked for the Osborne County ASCS office for 25 years. Her usual occupation was farmering.

Carolyn was a faithful member of the Grace Brethren Church in Portis, KS.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Merwin in 2004: brothers; Marvin, Keith and Carl, Jr. She is survived by her sons: Stephen (Darci) of Osborne, KS; Doug and John, both of Portis, KS; 7 grandchildren.

Donations may be made to:

Osborne County Memorial Hospital
424 W. New Hampshire St., Osborne KS 67473
or
Grace Brethren Church
Portis KS 67474

Click HERE for service details.

Glenda R. Hammerschmidt, age 71, from Victoria, Kansas died Thursday, December 6, 2018, at the Good Samaritan Society-Ellis.

She was born June 17, 1947, at Russell, Kansas to Dale and Della (Sander) Post. She married Verlin E. Hammerschmidt on August 21, 1965 at Russell, Kansas.

She was registered nurse for over 30 years and also an X-ray technician for a few years. She worked at the Hadley Hospital in Hays and the Russell Regional Hospital, she also was a traveling nurse for a number of hospitals throughout Kansas. Glenda grew up in Oklahoma City and Russell. She was a 1965 graduate of Russell High School and received her RN Degree of Nursing in 1980 from Fort Hays State University.

She was a member of The Basilica of St. Fidelis and the V.F.W. Auxiliary Post #1751 both of Victoria. She enjoyed reading, craft working and flower gardening.

Survivors include her husband, Verlin E. Hammerschmidt, of the home; one son Michael Hammerschmidt and wife, Teresa, Victoria, KS; one daughter, Lisa Norris, of Florida; her mother, Della Post, Russell, KS; two brothers, Gerald Post, Hutchinson, KS; Kenneth Post, Enid, OK; four grandchildren, Ashlyn Hammerschmidt, Grant Hammerschmidt, Brittany Porter and Brianna Norris. She was preceded in death by her father.

A celebration of life reception will be from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Tuesday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, 412 Main Street, Victoria, Kansas 67671. A private family inurnment will be held at a later date.

A Victoria V.F.W. Auxiliary memorial service will be at 6:30 P.M. Tuesday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, Victoria, Kansas.

The family suggest memorial to the V.F.W. Auxiliary Post #1751 Victoria, Kansas.

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

Laurel Ted “Wimp” Goddard was born July 13, 1928. The third son of Ed “E.P.” and Katie (Fox) Goddard, he was born in the Goddard Ranch house 200 feet from where he departed this life, peacefully, in his home of 90 years.

He grew up on the ranch in rural Penokee. He attended grade school at the country school north of the home place. His job before he could barely see over the steering wheel was to pick up all the neighbor kids in his big sedan and drive them to school. He later attended and graduated from Morland Rural High School with the class of 1947, the only boy with six girls in his graduating class. After high school, he attended Kansas State University majoring in Agriculture. During college, he thoroughly enjoyed his time on the cheerleading squad, the Wampus Cats, and airplane rides back and forth to school with his brother Bill and brother-in-law Wilbur Born.

He started raising and showing Hereford cattle with his family at a young age. As the story goes his brother Bill talked the rest of the family into getting rid of the sheep and changing the operation over to a focus on Hereford cattle. Laurel was integrally involved in helping form the Kansas Hereford Association, served as President and sales manager and organized many Kansas Hereford sales.

In the early 50’s, he began selling Kelly Ryan feed wagons, Foremost cattle chutes, Richardson sweeps, T & L irrigation systems, Lundell choppers and various other farm equipment. He was instrumental over the years in helping engineer many aspects of feed wagons built by Kelly Ryan out of Blair, Nebraska.

Laurel was a charter member of Elks Lodge 1995 in Hill City and a charter member of Farm Bureau. In 2005, Laurel and his family received the Farm Bureau Century Farm Award. He was a member of the Methodist Church of Morland.

Laurel married Pat Schuricht on October 17, 1953. Three children were born of this union: Jerry, Julie and John. Pat passed away December 28, 1992 and Laurel was remarried to Mary Childers on July 9, 1994. The two of them had 24 very happy years enjoying each other’s company. They especially enjoyed fixing up old abandoned houses as well as the Smith horse barn and turning them into beautiful guest lodges. They proudly hosted hunters and others from many states and several foreign countries, allowing them to enjoy the beautiful rolling hills of Goddard Ranch and Seven Two Bar Adventures. Laurel and Mary were also host to three exchange students who became their “Italian children”. Matilde Nicolotti of Milan, Italy, Deborah del Negro, Leeds, England, and Riccardo Parigi, Ferrara, Italy. While they all stayed at different times, they became part of Laurel and Mary’s family and have returned many times to visit at the ranch.

Some of Laurel’s favorite things to do were taking care of the cattle and horses, giving ranch tours, dancing, boating, water skiing, and just in general working the cattle and land. Laurel planned to continue with his business, farming, ranching and selling livestock equipment, which was also his passion, his entire life. In later years, he faced cancer and won the battle three times, had open heart surgery and various other health issues, none of which slowed him down much. He was able to focus on enjoying his grandchildren and great grandchildren, telling stories, keeping up on politics and encouraging his family in their endeavors.

Laurel was preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Katie, brothers Elmer and Bill and a sister, Alice Born. He is survived by his wife Mary; his children Jerry and Ruth Goddard of Logan, Julie and Rick Roberts of rural Hill City, John and Rhonda Goddard, rural Penokee; stepsons: Chuck Childers, Colorado and Scott Childers, Morland and stepdaughter Jennifer Childers and her husband, Brett Smith of San Francisco, California. He has five grandchildren: including granddaughters Jaime and her husband Tim Nestor, Overland Park, Darci Goddard, Kansas City, Kristan Fisher, Fremont, Nebraska; grandsons: Lucas Goddard, Norton and Cordell Goddard, Manhattan as well as three great grandchildren: Genesis, Eli and Adaline: and many nieces, nephews and friends will also mourn his passing.

He will be remembered fondly by many in the area as Wimp, nicknamed in high school by his friends after the cartoon character Wimpy on Popeye, for his similar love of hamburgers.

Click HERE for service details.

John “Irvin” Wolf, 91, of Quinter, passed away on December 4, 2018 in Hospice House of Olathe, Kansas. He was born on September 11, 1927, on the family farm just east of Quinter to Ezra Lawrence Wolf and Zora Blanche Jamison Wolf. He grew up with older sister Eula and younger brothers Elvin and Ed where the children were busy with the family’s milking shorthorn cattle and Rhode Island Red chickens.

After graduating from Quinter High School, Irvin attended McPherson College where he played basketball. He graduated from Kansas State University in 1952 with a degree in animal husbandry and returned to Quinter to farm.

While at Kansas State University Irvin met the love of his life Sylvia Kathleen Boettcher and after proposing on Valentine’s Day they were married on May 30, 1953. Irvin and Sylvia welcomed four children, Karen, Tom, Melissa, and Kimberly, fifteen grandchildren, thirty-four great-grandchildren and one precious great-great granddaughter. Irvin and Sylvia greatly enjoyed watching the grandchildren grow and babysitting those that were close. Birthday gatherings and holidays were very special to Irvin.

Irvin was also very involved in the Quinter community. He was baptized in and attended the Quinter Church of the Brethren where he also taught Sunday school. He was on numerous boards including the Co-op Credit Union and U.S.D. 293. He was on the Federal Land Bank Board of Directors and the Federal Land Bank National Advisory Board. Irvin partnered with Merton Ikenberry to build the Quinter Dairy Queen and the Texaco, which is now Alta. One of his proudest accomplishments was spearheading the expansion of the Quinter Public Library into the larger Jay Johnson Public Library.

In addition to farming, Irvin sold crop insurance for fifty years. He and Sylvia provided this essential service to area farmers well into their retirement. He also worked at Northwest Kansas Planning and Development as a grant administrator.

Irvin had many hobbies and interests. In the early 1980s, he and his youngest daughter, Kimberly, were delighted to show Arabian horses. He had an appreciation for Western Art and greatly enjoyed many hours of landscaping and what the grandchildren called “vacuuming” his lawn.

Irvin was preceded in death by his wife, his parents and two siblings, Eula and Elvin.

Irvin is survived by his four children, Karen (Galen) Heinrich of Paola, Tom (Linda) Wolf of Olathe, Melissa (Sam) Atkins of Hill City, and Kimberly (Rod) Renyer of Quinter; grandchildren, Kristy (Shad) Vermeesch, Becky Escobar, Emily Heinrich, Matthew (Dana) Heinrich, Shawn (Kayla) Atkins, Tommy (Kelli) Atkins, David (Christine) Atkins, Casey (Tayler) Atkins, Carter Atkins, Kelli (Kyle) Moles, Amy (Eric) Shackelford, Anthony Lakin, Jessa (Justin) Johnson, Johanna Renyer, Jayma Renyer; thirty-four great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter, and his brother Ed (Marlene) Wolf of Ithaca, New York.

A funeral service celebrating Irvin’s life will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, December 10, 2018, at the Church of the Brethren, Quinter, Kansas. Burial will follow in the Baker Township Cemetery, Quinter.

There will be a short viewing and visitation one hour prior to services at the church.

The family suggests that those who desire to memorialize Irvin do so with gifts to the Jay Johnson Public Library. Contributions to the library may be left in care of Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 Main Street, Quinter, KS 67752.

Leo K. “Kent” Swords, 73, of Russell, Kansas, died on Tuesday, December 04, 2018, at the Russell Regional Hospital in Russell, Kansas.

Leo was born on April 01, 1945, in Eureka, Kansas, the son of Leo H. “Henry” and Ellen Jean (Hart) Swords. He grew up in Eureka, Kansas, Great Bend, Kansas, Nebraska and Garden City, Kansas. He graduated from Garden City High School in the class of 1966.

After high school he joined the Air Force and for 20 years he served his country. While in the Air Force he was a jet engine mechanic. He traveled to Thailand, Germany and Arizona and retired from the Air Force as an E6 Tech Sergeant.

He was united in marriage to Kathleen Marie Bratton on November 06, 1982, at Williams A.F.B. in Chandler, Arizona. From this union, Leo and Kathleen were blessed with 4 children, Sean, Shane, Anita and Steven.

Leo worked for 20 years with ABCO Wire and Metal as a Line Worker. He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Russell, Kansas. He was also a member of the Russell V.F.W. Post #6240 and the Russell American Legion Post # 99. He enjoyed fishing, camping, hunting and tinkering. Most of all he enjoyed spending time with his family, and especially enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren.

Surviving family include his son Sean Swords (Susan) of Topeka, Kansas; son Shane Swords of Hays, Kansas; daughter Anita Swords (Timothy Ehrlich) of Bunker Hill, Kansas and son Steven Swords (Chelsey) of Russell, Kansas; sister Charlotte Roth of Pawnee Rock, Kansas; 6 grandchildren Madelyn, Seth, Camden, Logan, Colby & Charles.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Kathleen on September 09, 2014, and a brother David J. Swords.

A celebration of Leo’s life will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Monday, December 10, 2018, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell with Pastor Ezekiel Koech officiating. Burial will follow at the Russell City Cemetery. Military honors will be performed by the Russell V.F.W. Post #6240. Visitation will be from 1 P.M. to 8 P.M. on Sunday, December 09, 2018, at the mortuary.

Memorials can be given to Trinity United Methodist Church and sent in care of the mortuary 610 N. Maple St., Russell, Kansas 67665. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.