Margaret Frances DeBey, 91, died Saturday, September 15, 2018 at St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City. She was born June 26, 1927 in Hoxie, Kansas the daughter of Samuel Thomas, Sr. and Flossie (Maples) Thomas.

Margaret grew up and attended schools in Gaylord, Kansas. After graduating from high school, she earned her normal training from Emporia State Teachers College. She then began her teaching career in a one-room school house in Corinth, Kansas.

She then taught in Gaylord, Kansas and Downs, Kansas. On June 24, 1951, she married Carl E. DeBey in Gaylord, Kansas. They lived in Wichita and Lyons before moving to Garden City in 1963. Margaret then attended Garden City Community College and then earned a Bachelor’s degree in teaching from St. Mary of the Plains College. Margaret then continued her teaching career. She taught for a few years in Deerfield, and then for 18 years in Holcomb, retiring in 1995. She was a member of the Church of the Brethren of Garden City; Friendship Sunday School Class; and the Rebekah Lodge. She enjoyed baking, watching ball games, and spending time with her family.

Survivors include a daughter Gina Bennett of Garden City; two sons Jeffery (Tamara) DeBey of Garnett, Kansas and Greg (Malinda) DeBey of Huntsville, Texas; seven Grandchildren; and four Great-Grandchildren. Margaret is preceded in death by her husband Carl who died on January 21, 2004. She is also preceded in death by her parents; three brothers Alfred Thomas, John Thomas, & Samuel Thomas; two sisters Audrey Hull & Louise Wilcox; and a Grandson Devin DeBey.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 22, 2018 at the Church of the Brethren in Garden City with Bob Bates and Von Hunn officiating. Burial will follow at Valley View Cemetery in Garden City. Friends may call from Noon to 8:00 p.m. on Friday at Garnand Funeral Home in Garden City.

The family suggests memorials given to the Church of the Brethren in care of Garnand Funeral Home.

EvaLee Wheeler, 101, of Oakley, passed away Monday, September 10, 2018.

She was born April 15, 1917 in Norton, Kansas to Walter and Elizabeth (Dunwood) Peterson. EvaLee married Melvin “Mel” Wheeler on October 30, 1937 in Denver, Colorado. She was an honored member of Daughters of American Revolution (DAR) and a longtime member of the United Methodist Church in Oakley. EvaLee loved all music. She and Mel provided the music for Dance Club in Oakley and surrounding areas. EvaLee also enjoyed singing and playing bridge. Some of her favorite jobs were working at the Second Time Around shop well into her 90’s; Oakley librarian for 15 years; Flower Shop owner off of Center Avenue where she got to use her creativity.

Preceded in death by her husband, Mel, son, Michael “Mickey” Wheeler, and granddaughter, Tina Wheeler.

Survivors include four grandchildren: Todd Wheeler, Terri Wheeler, Tim Wheeler, and Tammi Wheeler, and three great-grandchildren: Brett, Aubrey, and Stuart Wheeler.

Memorial service: 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 22, 2018 at the Oakley United Methodist Church with Pastor Darlene Sheffer officiating. Pot luck dinner after the service. Memorials to Oakley United Methodist Church may be sent in care of Kennedy-Koster Funeral Home, P.O. Box 221, Oakley 67748.

Guestbook/Condolences: www.kennedykosterfh.com

Walter Vance Carlson, 92, of Hays, passed away peacefully on September 17, 2018, surrounded by family at the Good Samaritan Home in Ellis.

Vance was born on November 14, 1925, in Falun, the son of Walter and Helga Alice (Blomquist) Carlson. Their lives changed forever when the family moved to McPherson in 1942 after the U.S. Government declared eminent domain to construct Camp Phillips, a training facility for World War II soldiers and internment camp for German prisoners of war.

Over 72 square miles were used to build the military facility, some of this acreage included the Carlson farm and relatives that farmed nearby, all of which were homesteaded by their grandparents who were immigrants from Sweden. Vance held his Swedish heritage close to his heart and brought smiles to friends and associates with Swedish humor. His gratefulness for his heritage was exhibited through working as a board member at the Bethany Home, Lindsborg, KS for fifteen years.

Vance excelled in education, sports, and music. He graduated from McPherson High School in 1943 receiving All-State honors in basketball. He originally entered McPherson College in the fall of 1943, only to interrupt his education and enter the U.S. Air Force in 1944. Upon his return to campus, after advancing to the rank of lieutenant during World War II, Vance earned All-KCAC basketball honors in 1947 and graduated in 1950.

His collegiate career came to a premature end when, after signing a contract with the New York Yankees professional baseball club in 1946, he was declared ineligible to compete in intercollegiate sports. He would go on to have a 10-year minor league career in professional baseball both as a pitcher and manager, accumulating a win/loss pitching record of 54-67. His best year was his first, when he went 17-8 in 216 innings for the Twin Falls Cowboys and Kansas City Blues.

With his college eligibility ended, Vance began his high school and small college football and basketball officiating career to supplement his income. His love of sports led to the decision to accept a football officiating position with the Big 8 Conference in 1958 and three years later, opening Starlite Lanes in McPherson as a bowling lanes proprietor.

Vance would go on to be known as one of the leading football referees in collegiate football, working a record 270 conference games, among those were 15 bowl games including two times each in the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl; three times each in the Cotton Bowl and Sun Bowl; and once each in the Bluebonnet, Independence, Holiday, Peach, and Aloha Bowls. Three of those games were for the national championship – the 1971 Orange Bowl (Nebraska-LSU), 1978 Cotton Bowl (Notre Dame-Texas) and 1983 Sugar Bowl (Penn State-Georgia) as well as the Thanksgiving 1971 “Game of the Century” between Oklahoma and Nebraska, at one time the most watched televised football game with 55 million viewers. In basketball, he was selected to officiate in two NAIA national basketball tournaments and basketball games between the Wichita Vickers and Phillips 66ers, both members of a semi-professional basketball league in the 1950’s.

Vance became the first football official to receive a three-year extension beyond the Big 8 Conference mandatory retirement age of 57, which required unanimous consent by the head football coaches, and the first individual to be inducted in the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame based on his 39 years as an athletic official in 2003. Named to the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988 and Kansas Collegiate Officials Hall of Fame in 1993, Vance managed the McPherson’s Ban Johnson baseball team to three state championships and one state semi-pro runner-up finish between 1956 and 1959. In 1975, he directed the McPherson American Legion team to a state title. He was an avid golfer and bowler, accumulating nine holes in one; three at the Smoky Hill Country Club and three at the McPherson Country Club.

A former member of the McPherson College Board of Trustees, he received the College’s Citation of Honor in 1984 and after 26 years as owner and manager of Starlite Lanes, Vance retired to Hays, Kansas. As he said many time, “Keep’em Rollin”.

Vance is survived by his wife, Margaret (Brungardt) Schmidt-Carlson, Hays, his children; Susan (Steve McCall) of Goodland, Marty Carlson (Deborah) of Snoqualmie, Washington, Neal Carlson (Yunhee) of Kenmore, Washington, and his former wife, Marilyn Carlson of Goodland. His step children; Robert Schmidt, of Lenexa, Donald (Cheryl Baldwin) Schmidt of Lawrence, Lori Schmidt of Dallas, Texas, Jon (Cindy) Schmidt of Leawood, Christa Walter of Gaitersburg, Maryland, and Melissa Schmidt of Hays his 6 grandchildren; Megan and Jena McCall, Zachary and Gunnar Carlson, and Cody and Jacob Carlson, his 8 step-grandchildren; Hannah (Daniel) Brockway, Erin (Drew) McDermott, Jacob (Jessica) Schmidt, Graham Huey, William, Isaac and Andrew Schmidt, Neil Walter, and his great-step-grandchild; Max Schmidt.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Thursday, September 20, 2018 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 2703 Fort Street, Hays, with Rev. Marie Sager officiating. Burial with military honors by the United States Air Force funeral detail will be at 2:30 pm on Thursday in the McPherson Cemetery, McPherson, Kansas. Visitation will be from 5:00 pm until 7:00 on Wednesday at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, and from 9:00 am until service time on Thursday at the church.

Memorials are suggested in Vance’s memory to Trinity Lutheran Church or the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, in care of the funeral home. Condolences and memories of Vance may be shared with the family at www.haysmemorial.com.

March 27th, 1929, to September 6th, 2018

Click HERE for service details.

Albert Kevin Kobler died on September 11, 2018 at his home in Kansas City, Kansas. His funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, September 21, 2018, at Hill City First United Methodist Church, 118 N. 4th St., Hill City, KS. He will be laid to rest in Hiawatha, Kansas.

Kevin was born in May 1947 in Kansas City, Kansas, the eldest of four children of Carl and Elma (Haas) Kobler. He spent his childhood in Kansas, California, Idaho and Massachusetts. He was a graduate of Hill City High School and Fort Hays State University. After graduating with a degree in Accounting, he spent most of his life dedicated to that field. Kevin became a Freemason in his 20s and remained active in the Grand Lodge of Kansas, serving as the Grand Secretary for a period of time. He was a passionate reader, had a love of cars and enjoyed watching any type of sport.

Kevin raised his two sons, Craig and Jay Kobler, in Hill City, Kansas. They remained close until his death. His greatest sources of pride, however, were his three grandchildren. He was a wonderfully loving grandfather who always had a treat on hand for his grandkids and enjoyed spending time with them no matter what the activity. They already miss him dearly.

Kevin is survived by his siblings, Karen Peek, Carl, Jr. (Joan) and John (Marllys); his sons, Craig (Erin) and Jay (Lisa); and his grandchildren, Amelie, Jakob and Declan.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the charity of your choice in Kevin’s name.

Brenda Lee LaShell, age 64, of Ulysses, Kansas, died Friday, September 14, 2018, at Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital in Ulysses. She was born November 2, 1953, in Ransom, Kansas, the daughter of Leo Edward and Donnetta Lee (Kiser) LaShell.

Brenda grew up on the farm near Utica and graduated Valedictorian of her class from Utica High School. While in high school, she enjoyed playing sports, and was also active in 4-H. After high school, Brenda started her family. She lived in Ransom, Dodge City, Hays, Colorado, Hugoton, and settled in Ulysses in 1999. Working for the United States Post Office for over 23 years; she filled many positions, among them delivering the mail and working as a clerk. She knew many residents’ addresses. Brenda loved her grandkids and spending time with her family. She enjoyed attending concerts, sewing, quilting, and crocheting.

Brenda is survived by her sons, Terrance Edward Lutters and Stacia Giesick, and Justin Jay Lutters all of Ulysses; daughter, Alisha Lee Masingale and husband Justin of Buena Vista, Colorado; brothers, Butch LaShell and wife Barbara of Long Lane, Missouri, and Larry LaShell and wife Katy of Grand Junction, Colorado; sisters, Linda Turley and husband Jim of Wakeeney, Sherry McGraw of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Suzanne Brown and husband Darrell of Cedar Hill, Texas, and Jenette Lewis of Ellis; four grandchildren, Samantha Lutters and her son Ryker, Pixie Oversole, Tessa Lutters, and Nickalas Taylor.

Brenda is preceded in death by her parents.

Funeral service will be Wednesday, September 19, 2018, at 10:00 AM at Garnand Funeral Home Chapel in Ulysses with Jason King officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday, September 18, 2018, from 10:00 AM until 8:00 PM at Garnand Funeral Home in Ulysses. Graveside service will be at 3:00 PM at Utica Cemetery in Utica, Kansas. Memorial contributions may be given to the National Brain Tumor Society in care of Garnand Funeral Home, 405 W. Grant Ave, Ulysses, KS 67880.

Donald Lee Smith, 90, of Oakley, died Wednesday, September 12, 2018, at the Logan County Hospital, in Oakley. He was born December 8, 1927, in Logan County, KS, to Earl and Edna (Holmes) Smith. Don grew up on a farm west of Monument KS. He graduated from Monument High School in 1945. He served in the United States Air Force, flying in the Korean Conflict. Don married Elaine Jennings on August 8, 1946, in Colby, KS and they recently celebrated 72 years of marriage. One child blessed this union, Robert “Bruce” Smith, who was born on April 2, 1955.

In June of 1960, Don and his brother Stan opened S&S Body Shop, in Oakley. Don was known region wide as the radiator repair specialist. He enjoyed jeeping, riding motorcycles and working on his #5 stock car. He also acquired his pilots license and purchased a plane with his brother Stan. Don was very well known and liked throughout the community- he was considered a bit of an ornery prankster at times. Don served on the VFW, E.M.S., Oakley City Council and the Oakley Fire Department for 31 years and was Fire Chief for part of that time. In addition, Don was a member, deacon and elder of the Oakley Christian Church

Don was preceded in death by his parents; son Robert “Bruce” Smith and brother-in-law Robert Randle.

He is survived by his wife Elaine; brother Stanley (Virginia) Smith, of Oakley; sister Phyllis Randle, of Wichita and many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

Cremation was chosen. Family will receive friends on Sunday, September 16, from 2-4:30 p.m. at Baalmann Mortuary, Oakley. Memorials are suggested to the Don Smith Memorial Fund, in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 204, Oakley, KS 67747. For condolences or information visit www.baalmannmortuary.com