Johnny Mac Showalter, age 65, passed away at his home in McCracken, Kansas on November 17, 2018. He was born on October 29, 1953 in LaCrosse, Kansas the son of Kenneth and Goldie (Higgins) Showalter.

He was member of the St. Mary’s Catholic Church of McCracken and attended McCracken High School. He worked for the Deines Corporation and Fritzler Trucking, Rush County Landfill, two trash services, many area farmers including Showalter and Sons, and most recently drove a dump truck for Black Dog. Johnny Mac was very active in the McCracken community and helped with the community dinners and fundraising. He enjoyed coon and coyote hunting, golfing, Bingo, casino trips and playing the lottery. He was an exceptional cook and would typically make the gravy for family dinners. He loved auto racing and would travel anywhere to watch the races, but his greatest love was his grandchildren and great niece and great nephews. He attended any sporting, school, and church event that he could to support them.

On July 15, 1978, he married Diane McFarren in McCracken. Two children were born to this union.

Johnny Mac is survived by his son, Jason Showalter and his wife, Jessica, of LaCrosse; his daughter, Amanda Showalter, of El Dorado, Kansas; his former wife, Diane, McFarren of Lacrosse; two brothers, Kenneth Richard “Froggy” Showalter of McCracken and Terry Showalter and his wife, Helen, of LaCrosse; one sister, Helena McGaughey and her husband, Rob, of McCracken; 7 grandchildren, Havyn, Shaili, Taybree, and Ryker Showalter of LaCrosse and Rianne, Kyson, and Terren Showalter of El Dorado; 1 great grandchild, Jayde Yergey, also of El Dorado, two nephews, Aaron “Spanky” McGaughey, and his wife, Lesley, of Lacrosse and Austin McGaughey and his fiancé, Marcus Allen, of McCracken and one niece, Ashley Gonzales and her husband, Richard of Stanton, TX; his great niece and nephews, Lillian and Jackson McGaughey of Lacrosse and Roman Gonzales of Stanton.

He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Funeral service will be held on Tuesday, November 20, 2018, 2:00 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, McCracken. Rosary and parish vigil will begin at 6:30 p.m. with family present on Monday, November 19 at the church. Viewing will be held on Monday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home, Ness City, Kansas and at the church prior to the services.

Memorial contributions may be given in lieu of flowers to The Johnny Mac Funeral Fund, McCracken American Legion Post #59, The McCracken Country Club “McCracken Golf Course.”

Memories and words of support may be left for the family by writing in the guestbook below.

Albina C. Besperat, 90, La Crosse, Kansas, died Sunday, November 18, 2018, at Rush County Memorial Hospital Intermediate Swing Bed, La Crosse, Kansas.

Mrs. Besperat was born November 10, 1928, in rural Timken, Kansas, the daughter of John M. and Elsie (Stika) Oborny. She was lifelong resident of Rush County, Kansas, moving to La Crosse, Kansas, in 1975. She was employed at the Dee Ge Café in Rush Center, Kansas, for 30 years before retiring in 1999. During her retirement, she volunteered at A Second Chance Thrift Shop in La Crosse, Kansas.

She loved cats, and always had one for a companion. She enjoyed visiting and working crossword puzzles.

She had a strong prayer life, and was a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, and St. Michael’s Altar Society, both of La Crosse, Kansas.

On April 15, 1947, she married Charles J. Besperat at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Timken, Kansas. They lived on the family farm until his death October 12, 1973.

Survivors include: two sons, John Besperat (Charmane), Timken, Kansas, and Charles Besperat (Debbie), Branson West, Missouri; two daughters, Patsy Basgall (Ron), Basehor, Kansas, and Kathy Basgall (Ray), Topeka, Kansas; 14 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren; two step great grandsons; one nephew; and three nieces.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; an infant grandson, Jeffrey Lee Basgall; and a sister, Elizabeth Oborny.

Visitation will be Tuesday, November 20, 2018, from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at the Janousek Funeral Home, La Crosse, Kansas. A vigil service and rosary will be at 7:00 P.M.

Church visitation will be Wednesday, November 21, 2018, from 9:00 A.M. to 9:50 A.M. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, La Crosse, Kansas.

Funeral service will be Wednesday, November 21, 2018, at 10:00 A.M. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, La Crosse, Kansas, with Father Eric Gyambi officiating. Interment will be in the Holy Cross Cemetery, Timken, Kansas.

In lieu of flowers or plants, the family request memorials to St. Michael’s Catholic Church, La Crosse, Kansas.

Condolences or remembrances may be left for the family at www.charterfunerals.com/locations/janousek-lacrosse.php.

Arrangements were by Janousek Funeral Home, 719 Pine Street, P O Box 550, La Crosse, Kansas 67548, 785/222-2517.

Mary Ann Gabel, 85, Hays, died Friday, November 16, 2018 at Homestead of Hays.

She was born October 28, 1933 in Antonino to Jacob and Amelia (Werth) Haas. She attended Girls Catholic High School and later received her GED. On August 6, 1951 she was united in marriage to Leon N. Gabel in Hays, and they celebrated over 51 years of marriage before he preceded her in death on March 12, 2003. She was a homemaker, farmwife, a cook at Thomas More Prep-Marian High School and St. John’s New Horizons, substitute rural mail carrier, Southwestern Bell Telephone operator, and a volunteer at the ARC Thrift Shop. Her memberships included St. Joseph Catholic Church, Christian Mothers, and the Daughters of Isabella Circle #254. She enjoyed gardening, sewing, baking, praying the rosary, and gambling trips with husband.

Survivors include a son; Anthony “Tony” Gabel and wife Christine of Hays, five daughters; Carol Legleiter and husband Clarence of Hays, Jackie Rothenberger and husband Danny of Olathe, Amy Dreiling and husband Dave of Colwich, Nicki Russell and husband Blair of Abbott, TX, and Kim Schmidtberger and husband Ron of Victoria, 17 grandchildren; Frank Legleiter and wife Donna, Leon Legleiter and wife Carrie, Matthew Legleiter, AJ Jensen and wife Theresa, Nick Jensen and wife Melissa, Christopher Rothenberger and wife Heather, Joshua Dreiling, Kenton Dreiling and wife Lindsay, Phillip Dreiling and wife Nichole, Kenneth Wolf and wife JJ, Jessica Neill and husband Chris, Lucas Wolf and wife Lauren, Cassie Hanks and husband David, Cammie Whisman and husband Geoff, Cody Schmidtberger, Michael Gabel, and Stephen Gabel, 23 great grandchildren, one great-great granddaughter, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Leon, a daughter; Kathleen Gabel Jensen, two sisters; Helen Koerner and husband Ervin, and Alvera Boos and husband Gilbert, a son-in-law; Bob Hudson, and a granddaughter; Monique Rothenberger

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 am on Tuesday, November 20, 2018 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 215 W. 13th Street, with Fr. Fred Gatschet officiating. Burial will follow in the St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00pm until 8:00 on Monday and from 9:00 am until 9:45 on Tuesday, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, Hays. A Daughters of Isabella rosary will be at 5:30 pm and a parish vigil service will be at 6:30 pm, both on Monday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to Thomas More Prep-Marian High School, in care of the funeral home. Condolences and memories of Mary Ann may be shared with the family at www.haysmemorial.com.

HAYS – Anthony “Tony” Ruder, 91, of Hays, passed away Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, at Hays Medical Center. He was born Dec. 30, 1926, in Antonino, the son of Albert and Adeline (Korbe) Ruder.

Tony was a 42-year employee of Central Kansas Power Co./Midwest Energy, where he was a longtime lineman and retired in 1988 as Midwest Energy’s line supervisor. He was a Navy veteran of World War II and a member of VFW Post 9076 in Hays. He was a past commander-in-chief of the Hays post and a longtime member of the organization’s honor guard.

He was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, where he was an usher for several decades. He also was an honorary graduate of Thomas More Prep-Marian High School in Hays and a longtime academic and athletic supporter of St. Joseph’s Military Academy and TMP-Marian. He was honored as a TMP-Marian Point of Light recipient in 2017 for his faithful dedication and commitment to Catholic education in Hays.

Tony was a loyal fan of Notre Dame football teams and a baseball fan of the Hays Larks. He coached youth baseball in Hays during the 1950s and ’60s.

Tony married Armella Denning on June 14, 1948, in Russell. They had four sons and one daughter.

He was the proud patriarch of a loving family and a loyal friend to many past and present Hays area residents.

Tony is survived by three sons, Roger and wife Carol, of Universal City, Texas, Rod and wife Donna, of Austin, Texas, and Russ and wife Janel, of Hays; a daughter, RaNell Ruder and husband Brad Catt, of Salina; a daughter-in-law, Donna Ruder, of Frisco, Texas; 13 grandchildren, Curtis (Kim) Ruder, Greg (Monica) Ruder, Patrick (Bonnie) Ruder, Cori Ruder, Erin Dann, Burke (Jessica) Ruder, Marissa (Bryan) Bunn, Lindsay (Kendal) Kershner, Bryanne Ruder, Shaunna Ruder, Heather Ruder, Ryan Ruder and Luke Ruder; and seven great-grandchildren, Katie, Lilly, Tony, Logan, Parker, Kayleigh and Charlie.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Armella, in 2003; a son, Ron, in 2015; five brothers, Nick, Julius, Virgil, Albinus and Albert Jr.; a sister, Armella Lonnon; and a grandchild, Jeffrey Ruder.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 21, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hays. Burial with military honors will be provided by the Hays VFW Honor Guard in St. Joseph Cemetery, Hays.

Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday and 9-9:30 a.m. Wednesday, all at Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory, 2509 Vine, Hays 67401.

A combined parish vigil and VFW Auxiliary rosary service will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral chapel.

Memorials are suggested to TMP-Marian, VFW Post 9076 and Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church.

Condolences may be left by the guest book at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or by email at [email protected].

Jeff Stults, 52, of Phuket, Thailand passed November 14, 2018 at Aurora Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado. He was born December 18, 1965 to Larry and Linda (Petersen) Stults.

Jeff is survived by his wife of 12 years, Natcha Stults.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Larry and Linda Stults, and his grandparents, Oscar and Alvena Stults and John and Mary Petersen.

Jeff is survived by his sons, Aaron (wife Hannah) Stults and Caleb Stults, brothers, Steve (wife Stacey) and Scott (wife Rhonda), niece, Emily Stults, nephews, Liam Stults, Alec Stults, Brendan Stults and Trevor Stults. He is also survived by a great nephew, Noah Acosta.

Jeff taught business and history for the last 15 years in numerous international schools in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, China and Thailand. He had recently completed his Masters of Education.

A private spreading of ashes will be held at a later date at his boyhood farm home near Wray, Colorado.

Martina Younger, age 92, of Munjor, Kansas died Friday, November 16, 2018 at the Good Samaritan Society of Ellis.

She was born September 15, 1926, on a farm at Munjor, Kansas to Felix and Anna E. (Wasinger) Korbe. She married Walter Younger on October 19, 1948 at Munjor, Kansas. He preceded her in death on October 21, 2014.

She was a homemaker and a farmer. She worked at the Ellis County ASCS in Hays for 35 years and worked a few years at the Walker Air Base. Martina retired in 1981. She was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, loved the outdoors, enjoyed quilting, gardening, collecting depression glass and rosaries.

Survivors include one son, Neal Younger and wife, Carolyn, Munjor, KS; one daughter, Gladys Powell and husband, Jamie, Beloit, KS; on sister, Mary Richmeier, Denver, CO; one brother-in-law, Don Hintz, NE; one sister-in-law, Olivia Korbe, Liebenthal, KS; six grandchildren, Mike Gross (Lisa), Jeremy Zimmerman, Amy Swanson(Virgel), Erin Garst (Justin), Maeghan Linder (Dustin), Brianna Younger and companion, McKinley Ross; nine great grandchildren, McKenzie Gross, Taylor, Merritt and Isabella Swanson, Clayton and Trinity Garst, Arya Linder, Bella Bailey and Lennon Ross.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Walter; one daughter, Gloria Zimmerman-Gross; one grandson, Cody Younger; three brothers, Felix Korbe and wife, Evelyn; Killian Korbe; Fred Korbe and wife, Zora; two sisters, Isabelle Dougherty and husband, Eddie; Bernadine Hintz and one brother-in-law, Cletus Richmeier.

Services are 10:30 A.M. Tuesday, November 20, 2018, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Munjor, Kansas. Burial in St. Francis of Assisi Cemetery, Munjor, Kansas.

A vigil service and rosary will be at 6:30 P.M. Monday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays, 1919 E. 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601.

Visitation is From 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. Monday and from 8:30 to 9:30 A.M. Tuesday, all at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays.

The family suggests memorials to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church or the Cody Younger FFA Memorial Scholarship Fund.

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

Albert Taney Coberly, 91, died on Friday, November 16, 2018 at Lane County Hospital in Dighton. He was born on November 28, 1926 at Glenville, West Virginia the son of Taney Albert & Clara Benidicta (Fox) Coberly. He married Merlyn Dawn Thomas on November 28, 1948 in Dighton. She died on November 5, 2017.

Albert graduated from Meta, Missouri High School in 1944. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and after his discharge was in the Navy Reserves for 4 years. He moved to Lane County after his discharge and was a salesman of insurance, magazines, sewing machines and other things and also was a farmer. He was a member of the United Methodist Church of Dighton where he served as a Sunday School teacher and lay minister. He also was a member of American Legion Post # 190, V.F.W., Masonic Lodge and Odd Fellows. He was preceded in death by his Parents, Wife, Brother- Arthur Coberly, Sister- Margarite Dole & 2 Grandchildren- Gaylene Kerschen & Jason Kerschen.

Survivors include his Daughter- Nora & Tom Kerschen of Dighton, Son- Tom & Edie Coberly of Wamego, 7 Grandchildren, 16 Great-Grandchildren & 1 Great-Great-Grandson.

Funeral Service will be at 10:30 AM Tuesday at the United Methodist Church with Rev Berniece Ludlum officiating. Burial will be in Dighton Memorial Cemetery with military honors by the United States Navy Honor Guard and American Legion Post # 190. Memorials are suggested to the United Methodist Church in care of Boomhower Funeral Home. Friends may call from Noon to 8:00 PM Monday at Boomhower Funeral Home in Dighton. Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com