Rita “Ritie” M. Bell, age 84, of Hays, KS, passed away on Tuesday, June 19, 2018 at the Hays Medical Center. Ritie was born on February 5, 1934 in Catharine, KS to Alphonse and Albina (Schukman) Wolf.

She was an Environmental Specialist with Fort Hays State University for almost 30 years. Ritie was a senior companion that volunteered and help facilitate activities at nursing homes. She enjoyed babysitting for her family, friends, neighbors and was always helpful and generous of giving herself to help others. She was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church and Daughters of Isabella, both of Hays. Most of all, Ritie had a special bond with her family and especially with her niece, Jackie Eakin.

Survivors include her sister, Darlene Rogers of Hays; niece, Jackie Eakin and her husband Shannon of Hays; great-niece, Cassie Johnson; two great-nephews, Cody Johnson & Brandon Kahrs two great-great-nieces, Emry & Jazmine and two great-great-nephews, Lucas & Rowen.

She is preceded in death by her parents; nephew, Joey Jacobs; husband, Leonard “Doc” Bell and a brother-in-law, Charlie Rogers.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, June 23, 2018 at 10:00 AM at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 1805 Vine St., Hays, KS 67601. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Hays.

Visitation will be on Friday, June 22, 2018 from 5-8:00 PM and on Saturday from 9-9:45 AM both at Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel & Crematory, 2509 Vine St., Hays, KS.

A parish vigil service will be held on Friday at 6:30 PM followed by a Daughters of Isabella rosary service at 7:00 PM all at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions can be made in Ritie’s loving memory to the church. Donations can be left or mailed to the funeral home.

To share a memory or to leave condolences, please visit www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or can be made via email at [email protected].

Richard Dwain Schmalzried, age 80, of Quinter, went to be with his Lord on June 18, 2018 with family by his side.

He was born March 29, 1938, in Dighton, KS to parents Dayton and Selma (Uppendahl) Schmalzried.   On July 21, 1962, he married his high school sweetheart, Rozan Heath.  After getting married, they lived in Dighton, KS and moved to Quinter in 1971.   To this union, 5 children were born and he felt his family was the best crop he ever raised.

Richard graduated Dighton High School in 1956 and attended Fort Hays State University for several years.  He graduated from the Colorado School of Banking in 1972.

Richard wore many hats throughout his life, working as a loan officer for First National Bank in Dighton and Quinter, manager of Flex-King Manufacturing, farmer, entrepreneur with the Town and Country Shop and later the Pizza Station in Quinter, real estate salesman, and postman.  But he spent most of his life as a school bus driver and he loved interacting with the school children.

Richard was a strong believer in Christ.  He served as the youngest elder at First Christian Church while in Dighton and joined the Quinter Church of the Brethren in Quinter and served as a deacon, church moderator, choir member, Sunday School teacher, and member of the district board.  He also was a member of Gideons International.

Within the community, Richard volunteered with the Quinter Ambulance Service for many years and served as President of the Chamber of Commerce in both Quinter and Dighton.  He also acted as Interim County Commissioner and was involved with Prairie Community Theater.  Richard often opened up his house or offered jobs to people who were struggling.  He loved old cars and could identify almost every make and model, even from a distance.

Richard is survived by his wife of 55 years and 11 months,  Rozan Schmalzried; 3 sons, Rick (Liz) Schmalzried of Lafayette, IN; Rory (Dawn) Schmalzried of Castle Rock, CO; Rhett (Patty) Schmalzried-Lugo of Olathe, KS;  2 daughters  Rache (Marlan) Wente of Quinter and RaLynn (Joe) Schmalzried Schmidt of Topeka, KS;  Grandchildren Heath (Amanda) Schmalzried, Tyler (Amber) Schmalzried, Jennifer (Larry) Bolan, Jack Schmalzried, Samuel Schmalzried, Shayla (David) Stuenkel, Nicholas Wente, Hope (Norris) Payne, Thomas Schmalzried, Alana Schmalzried-Lugo, Derek Schmalzried-Lugo, Lillie Wente, Carina Schmalzried-Lugo, Brody Schmalzried-Lugo, Timothy Wente, and Eliza Schmidt and 4 great-grandchildren, a twin brother Ronald (Virginia) Schmalzried of Topeka, KS and a sister, Mary Wagner of Lincoln, NE.   He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Francis and Edward Schmalzried.

Service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 23, 2018 at the Quinter Church of the Brethren and a 3:00 graveside service and burial in the Dighton Memorial Cemetery.   The family has opted to host visitation from 2:00-8:30 p.m. Friday at the family home at 2590 County Road 74, Quinter, because one of the last things Richard told them is that “When the nurses come, I want to catch a ride home.”

Memorials are suggested to Gove County Medical Center Vein Finder Fund and may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 South Main, in Quinter.

Mike Mahorney, age 59, passed away June 14, 2018, in the presence of loved ones at Citizens Medical Center in Colby, KS. Born in Colby, KS, June 14, 1959 to J. D. and Dorreen Mahorney. Mike was married and two sons, Micheal and Brett were born from that union.

Mike worked at many jobs during his life with the most recent as shop foreman for Northwest Fire Extinguishing.

Mike loved staying in touch with family and friends. Social media giving him the opportunity to catch up with all. He also enjoyed camping and fishing with family and friends. He could be found hanging out at the Bee Hive catching up with friends.

Mike is survived by sons: sisters Melody (Larry) Higgins of Riverton, WY, and Tanya Grubb of Colby, KS. Step brother Dennis (Kathy) Mahorney and step sister Kim Urbanek. Niece Michelle (Mike) Nelson, nephews Matthew Higgins of Riverton, WY, and Lucas Higgins of Rock Springs, WY, and numerous aunt, uncles and cousins.

He is preceded in death by his parents J. D. and Dorreen Mahorney, grandparents Lloyd and Veneta Graham, Fred and Ethel Dean and Aunt Sandy Owen.

Memorial services will be held Monday, June 18, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at Kersenbrock Funeral Chapel. Donations may be made to the Mike Mahorney Memorial Fund.

Clifford E. Roach, 95, of Alton, KS, died on Thursday, June 14, 2018 at Parkview Care Center in Osborne, KS. He was born to Orva & Lillian (Lampman) Roach in Osborne County, KS.

Clifford graduated from Harlan High School in 1944. He has lived in the Alton area all his life. He married Marcella Theresa Mans and to this union, several children were born. Clifford farmed in the Alton area.

Clifford was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Marcella in 1998, a brother, Paul Evans, sisters, Beryl Schoenberg, Velva Reinking & Euleta Gregory. He is survived by his daughter, Cheryle (Jerry) Roach-Anderson of Highlands Ranch, CO; sons: Orvan Roach, Randy (Shelley) Roach, Stan (Deanna) Roach & Mark (Claudia) Roach, all of Alton, KS; sister: Avis Walker of Stockton, KS; 9 grandchildren & 20 great-grandchildren.

Click HERE for service details.

Don Michael Brown, age 63, passed away Sunday, June 17, 2018, at his home near Hays, Kansas. He was born October 17, 1954 in Russell, Kansas, to Thomas Eugene “Gene” and Mary Lou (Sarver) Brown.

Don was a 1972 graduate of Plainville High School. He went on to serve our country in the United States Navy. On December 9, 1979, Don was united in marriage to Sharyl Gerber, in Plainville. He worked in his family’s oil business, and then became owner and operator of The Don Brown Company, an independent oil producer. In 2003, while living in Stockton, Don saw a community need for a good car wash. The result was “The Auto Wash”, which he was very proud of building. Most people who knew Don, know that he loved motorcycles. He was always up for a group ride to about anywhere. He loved the comradery that came with riding. He was a member of the American Motorcycle Association and a life member of Harley Owners Group. He was also a member of the American Legion. Don was also known for keeping a perfectly manicured and maintained lawn and landscape. His spirit will live on in the lives of many. He will be missed.

Survivors include his mother, Mary Lou Brown of Plainville; his wife, Sharyl of the home; a daughter, Gina and husband Ben Errebo of Topeka; a son, Jeremiah of Plainville; six grandchildren, Bradey Chard of Kansas City, Kansas; Noah Chard of Topeka, Kansas; Devin Brown of Plainville; Elizabeth Brown and Emily Norton, both of Plainville, and Emma Errebo of Topeka; two sisters, Kathy and husband Bob Wise of Plainville, and Debra Brown of Topeka; and numerous nieces and nephews, and grandnieces and grandnephews. He was preceded in death by his father; a brother, Tom, a nephew, Michael Dreiling, and a niece Jessica Brown.

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday, June 21, 2018 at the United Methodist Church in Plainville. Burial will be in the Plainville City Cemetery with military honors.

Visitation and viewing will be Wednesday evening, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Methodist Church in Plainville.

Memorial contributions are suggested toHospice at HaysMed and Cancer Council of Ellis County. Donations to the organization may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS 67672.

Betty Ann Porter, age 86, passed away peacefully on June 17, 2018 in her home, with family and loved ones by her side.

She was born January 5, 1932 in McPherson, KS to parents Chester and Pearl (Crumbpacker) Murrey of Conway, KS.

Betty Ann married Irwin Porter on December 16, 1951 at the Monitor Church of the Brethren. She and her husband, Irwin, raised four children; Randy Porter of Quinter, Jana Dee of Warrensburg, MO, Kay Ann of Rosemont, MN, and Denny Porter of Denver, CO. They were blessed with nine grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren.

She joined the Monitor Church of the Brethren by baptism at an early age and always kept her faith in God, Jesus, and eternal life.

Betty Ann attended a rural one-room schoolhouse, riding her pony three miles to school. Following High School graduation in McPherson, she attended McPherson College where she was inducted into the “Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities,” after receiving a degree in Home Economics. She loved her Alma Mater and encouraged several students to attend there by paying for their tuition.

Her passion was her family and helping others. She sent hundreds of “Get Well” wishes and “Congratulations” cards to her many friends in the community, and she made many phone calls to her neighbors and friends in need.

The time spent in raising her four children was shared with teaching Sunday school, playing in the Bell Choir, in youth counselor leadership, and representing her church in various meetings and conferences.

Betty Ann kept a daily diary for many years. Her most notable entry was dated August 14, 1945: “What a historic day! It is really wonderful to be at peace once more with the world.”

Betty Ann was a life-long “4-H’er”, starting at an early age with her sewing and baking projects, and was always pleased with the blue ribbons she won at the Kansas State 4-H Fair. The motto she lived by was the 4-H pledge; “I pledge my heart to greater loyalty; my hands to larger service; and my heart to better living for my club, community, my country, and my world.”

Better Ann was a Hospice volunteer for several years at the LTCF, where she passed on her love to her many friends there.

She always reminded her family that God should come first, then your neighbor, and finally yourself.

Thank you, Betty Ann, for your presence here on planet Earth for a short time, to make a difference.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 27, 2018 at the Quinter Church of the Brethren, 700 Grant St., Quinter, KS along with a display of Betty Ann’s personal memorabilia.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Hospice Foundation. Donations to the organization may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 South Main, Quinter, KS 67752.