Edna Christene “Chris” (Walker) Garrett, age 92, of WaKeeney, Kansas, passed away after a short illness on February 22, 2018 in Peoria, Arizona. She was born November 21, 1925 at home, north of WaKeeney to Ralph and Leona (Rucker) Walker. She graduated in 1943 from TCHS in WaKeeney. She attended both KU and Wichita State University.

She married Richard “Dick” Garrett on April 1, 1946. He preceded her in death August 22, 2001. She married Stuart Hutchison on February 16, 2008. He survives.

Dick and Chris managed and then owned a grocery store in WaKeeney for several years and later were in the farming and ranching business. She also worked in the business office of Trego Lemke Memorial Hospital, and later did medical transcription there and at the medical clinic. They enjoyed dancing, camping/boating, bridge, traveling, and later spent winters in Arizona. She and Stuart also enjoyed wintering in Arizona, and had a wonderful cruise last winter in the Caribbean.

Chris was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church of WaKeeney, and served in various capacities through the years. She was an American Legion Auxiliary member, a past member of the order of Eastern Star, and belonged to several bridge clubs.

Her husband, Stuart Hutchison survives. Other survivors are her daughters, Cheryl Fabrizius, Sun City, Arizona, and Cathey (Don) Lynn, Ozawkie, Kansas; four grandchildren, Andrea and Andrew Fabrizius, Peoria, Arizona, Jamie (Marcellus) Stiede, St. Lucia, West Indies, and Jodie Boots, Olathe, Kansas; six great-grandchildren, Taylor and Braden Boots, Raven, Jasmine, and Levi Stiede, and Amani Fabrizius; a sister, Sandra (Ken) Sloan of Ridgway, Colorado; and step children; Jon (Cindy) and Jay (Wendy) Hutchison, Janet (Alan) Luttrell, and Julie (Bruce) Deterding.

Chris was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband; her grandson, Matthew Fabrizius; brother, LaVerne Walker; and sister, Frances Hilyard.

Funeral service will be 2:00 p.m., Friday, March 2, 2018 at Schmitt Funeral Home, WaKeeney. Visitation after burial will be held at the Presbyterian Church. Burial will be in the WaKeeney City Cemetery.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the WaKeeney Presbyterian Church. Donations may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS 67672.

Condolences may be left at www.schmittfuneral.com.

It is with great sadness William “Bill” Joseph Fry, age 58, died at Hays Medical Center, Hays, Kansas on January 22, 2018. He was born on October 15, 1959 in WaKeeney, Kansas, to William “Jack” and Elizabeth “Betty” Joan (Opat) Fry.

Bill is a graduate of Trego Community High School Class of 1979. After high school he took part in a State of Kansas Voc-Rehab program to find out his job skills. He was placed in a program at Wichita State University’s Engineering Department where he later got work at Center Industries in Wichita, Kansas retiring with over 30 years of performance.

Bill loved to watch sports. He was a big fan of the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. He collected sports trading cards and anything dealing with wolves.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Karen Fry; faternal grandparents, George and Grace (Newman-Frye) and Jessup and Harvey Frye; maternal grandparents, Joe and Anne Opat; aunts and uncles Mabel and Clyde Jessup; Hazel and Roy Carson; Patsy and Ben Opat; Dorothy and Curtis Mong; and uncles Vernie Deines and James “Jim” Opat.

Surviving family members are brothers and sisters, Ruth and Maralene Fry of Hays, Anna, Barry, Lester and Kevin Fry, all of WaKeeney, and Beverly (Tracy) Howard of Wamego. Other family members surviving were nieces and nephews, Christopher (Kira) Howard of Manhattan, Danielle Howard of Hays, and Joey and Noah Fry of WaKeeney; and great nieces, Aubrey Howard of Oak Harbor, WA, and Aryel Fry of Hays.

Celebration of Life will take place at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, March 3, 2018 at Schmitt Funeral Home, WaKeeney. There will be no visitation as cremation was chosen.

Family suggests memorials in lieu of flowers or plants to the William Fry Funeral Fund to help offset expenses. Donations may be made out to Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS 67672.

Richard L. Moore died Sunday, February 18, 2018 at Citizens Medical Center.

He was born November 24, 1946 in Colby to Elmer and Ellen (White) Moore of Levant. He graduated in 1965 from Brewster High School and then went into the two year carpentry program at Goodland Vo-Tech, graduating in 1967.

On June 3, 1967, he married Maybelle Bieker at Sacred Heart Church in Colby. They celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2017.

Dick enjoyed keeping busy working with machinery, motorcycles, and playing music for 35 years for weddings, anniversaries, and singles dances. His career with D&M Trucking included 3 million miles over the road.

He was a member of the American Legion and Goldwing Riders of America.

Survivors include his wife; Maybelle of the home; Darren (Janet) Moore of Lawrence; Eric (Alicia) of Colby; and Shelly Alcock of Loveland; and his brother, Jim, of Levant: Nine grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Preceding him in death were his parents and two brothers, LeRoy and Bob; and a nephew, Jared.

A Memorial Mass will be held March 3, 2018 at Sacred Heart Church in Colby at 10:30 with internment in the church’s cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Sacred Heart School – 585 N. French Ave – Colby 67701 or Central Care Cancer Center -100 E. College Dr. Ste 200 – Colby 67701-3702

Longtime Goodland, KS, resident Albert “Bud” Enfield, 89, passed away on Wednesday, February 21, 2018 at the Hays Medical Center in Hays, KS.
Bud was born on April 19, 1928 in Dundy County, KS to William H. and Leona (Thompson) Enfield. He was one of six children. He graduated from McDonald High School, McDonald, KS in 1944.

In September of 1949, Bud married Millie (Milda) Harris. To this union, two children Brent and Valorie were born. After Milda’s death in 2003, Bud married Jessie Owens in 2006. This marriage then brought three more children, Barbara, Bob and Scott as well as some extended family into Bud’s life.

Bud spent his life working as a farmer and raising cattle. Aside from working, Bud enjoyed fishing, splitting wood and playing cards with his friends. He also enjoyed spending time outdoors.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his two wives Millie and Jessie, 3 sisters, one of which was his twin and 2 brothers.

He is survived by his two children; Brent (Toni) Enfield of Derby, KS and Valorie (Reed) Rolfs of Scott City, KS. He is also survived by his two granddaughters Lisa (Alex) Tilma of Wichita, KS and Lora Enfield of Overland Park, KS; four great grandchildren Mason and Avery Tilma of Wichita, KS and Veronica and Evie Parker of Overland Park, KS; as well as numerous extended family and friends.

Funeral services were held on Monday, February 26, 2018 at 10:00 AM MT at the Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Goodland with Pastor Ed Sanderson officiating. Burial followed in the Goodland Cemetery.

Visitation was held on Monday, February 26, 2018 from 9:00 to 10:00 AM MT at the funeral home.

Memorials are designated to the Goodland Senior Citizen’s Center or to Donor’s Choice and may be left at the services or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main Ave., Goodland, KS 67735.

Online condolences may be left at www.koonsrussellfuneralhome.com.

Funeral services were entrusted to Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Goodland.

Leo A. Walter, age 86, of Hays died Saturday, February 24, 2018, at Hays Medical Center, Hays, Kansas. He was born October 22, 1931, at Catharine, Kansas to Leo and Ida (Polifka) Walter. He married Betty (Leiker) on October 1, 1960 at Hays, Kansas. She preceded him in death on September 13, 2009. He then married Wanda Jean (Maxwell) on August 27, 2011, at Hays, Kansas.

He was a farmer and had a dairy farm operation for over 20 years on the family homesteaded farm at Catharine, Kansas. He was a veteran of the US Army and served during the Korean Conflict. He was a member of St. Catherine Catholic Church, St. Catherine Knights of Columbus Council #11687 both of Catharine, Kansas, a lifetime member of the Hays V.F.W. Post #9076 and served two terms on the Hays Co-op Board.

Survivors include his wife, Wanda Jean Walter, of the home; four daughters, Doris Smolik and husband, Gary, Hutchinson, KS; Sharon Schmitt and husband Scott, Great Bend, KS; Brenda Bryant and husband, Tate, Hays, KS; Pam Montgomery and husband, Will, Catharine, KS; two step daughters, Shelly Standridge, Plainville, KS; Jennifer Standridge, McCook, NE; eight, grandchildren, Tyler Werth, Morgan Werth and Trevor Deets, Kacey Bryant, Josh Bryant, Ashley Visocsky (Josh), Amanda Kruse (Tyler), Laura Montgomery, Luke Montgomery; seven step-grandchildren including, Samantha Schmitt, Ryan Schmitt; and two great grandchildren, Melanie Kruse and June Visocsky; three step-great grandchild including, Joshua Manning; one brother, Melvin R. Walters, Tulsa, OK; one sister-in-law, Sophia Walter, Victoria, KS.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Betty, one brother, Ralph Walter; three sisters, Bertha Pfeifer (Willie), Edna Schumacher (Richard), Melvina Walters, one sister-in-law, Ellen Walters.

Services are 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, February 28, 2018, at St. Catherine Catholic Church, Catharine, Kansas. Burial in St. Catherine Cemetery, Catharine, Kansas with military honors by the Hays V.F.W. Post #9076.

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

Visitation will be from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. Tuesday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, at St. Catherine Catholic Church, Catharine, Kansas. The family suggest the memorial to St. Catherine Catholic Church.

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

Virginia Sue “Ginger” Fabrizius passed away Thursday, February 22, 2018 at the Trego County Lemke Memorial Hospital in WaKeeney, Kansas at the age of 81. She was born on the family farm in Trego County, Kansas on November 28, 1936 to Rudolph and Martha (Kerth) Nelson. On October 19, 1957 she was united in marriage to Leon Fabrizius. They were blessed with 6 children, Kevin, Paula, Mark, Scott, Kelli, and Daniel.

Ginger graduated from Ellis High School and attained an education degree from Fort Hays State University. She retired from USD 388 where she taught for most of her career. In 1997 she was inducted into the Ellis Teacher Hall of Fame. She was an avid music fan and especially loved Gospel and Ragtime Music. She was a member of the Emanuel Lutheran Church near Ogallah. But the most important thing in her life was her family. There was nothing she would not do, or give of herself, in love and service to them.

Ginger is survived by her children Kevin Fabrizius and wife Donna Brown of Kerrville, TX, Mark and wife Kathleen Fabrizius of Ogallah, Kelli and husband James Morrill of Pleasant Hill, MO, and Daniel Fabrizius of Memphis, TN; Sisters JoAnn Schoenthaler of Ellis, Patricia Turner of Quinter, and Judith Nelson of Quinter; grandchildren Erik Fabrizius with Ellen McNerney, Savannah Butler and husband Gordon, Sierra Fabrizius with Cory Lampe, Jackson Morrill, Nelson Fabrizius, Easton Morrill, and Drew Fabrizius; and great-grandchildren Eli, Nora and Ella Butler.

Ginger is preceded in death by her parents Rudolph and Martha Nelson; husband Leon Fabrizius; daughter Paula Fabrizius; and son Scott Fabrizius.

It has been said, “The only thing more powerful than a mother’s love, or stronger than her humble whispered prayers, is the very hand of God that answers those earnest pleadings on your behalf.” So it is with the love that Ginger had for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. A love that knew no bounds this side of heaven, and has now found its fullness in Christ; for that we rejoice, until we see her again, on the other side of heaven.

Click HERE for service details.

Michael Tod Steele, age 64, passed away on Thursday, February 22, 2018 in Grant County, Kansas. He was born on April 30, 1953 in Scott City, Kansas, the son of Morris Todd and Donita Rae Unruh Steele. A lifetime resident of Scott City, Kansas, Mike was a United States Postal Carrier.

He enjoyed his music with Blue Steele and was a member of the Scott City Church of Christ. He also was a Eagle Scout, Boy Scout and Boy Scout Leader, a Park Lane Nursing Home Board Member and was a Music Teacher and gave music lessons.

On May 31, 1975 he married Sharri L. Kern in Hoyt, Kansas. She survives.

He is survived by his wife, Sharri Steele of Scott City, Kansas, Two Sons – Matthew & Megan Steele of Abilene, Texas, Aaron & Kristin Steele of Mt. Pleasant, North Carolina, One Daughter – Kelsi & Kyle Holsey of California, Maryland, Two Brothers – Patrick & Joanne Steele of Lowell, Michigan, Keith & Linda Steele of Ulysses, Kansas and Six Grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his Parents – Todd & Donita Steele and One Sister – Peggy Pfannennstiel.

Services will be held AT 10:30 A.M. Tuesday, February 27, 2018 at the First Baptist Church in Scott City, Kansas.

In Lieu of Flowers Memorials can be given to Scott Community Hospital, Park Lane Nursing Home or the Spencer Flight Center.

There will be no calling times.

Ruth Mae (Carstens) Bainter was born November 28, 1928 to Henry and Lottie (Benda) Carstens northwest of Jennings, Kansas, the second of 5 children, and passed away on February 22, 2018 at the age of 89. She graduated from Jennings High School in 1946. After that she attended a cosmetology school in Topeka, KS. On January 1, 1947 she married Gayle Clifford Bainter in Topeka. They celebrated 71 years of marriage. They were blessed with three children, Warren Bainter of Oberlin, Judy Gaumer of Oberlin and Wesley Bainter of Hoxie. By the time she was 22 she had all three children in diapers!

Ruth lived in Topeka until 1957 when the family moved to northeast Sheridan County to join Gayle’s father in his family’s farming operation. While in Topeka she worked at Washburn book store during the first part of each semester, after the children were in school fulltime.
Ruth worked as a cook at the Dresden Grade School for several years, and then cooked and became head cook at Jennings School for several more years. Ruth studied and passed the county appraiser’s exam, and became the Decatur County Appraiser for from October, 1987 to September, 1990.

Ruth was a loving and dedicated wife and mother. She raised a large garden each year and canned lots of vegetables for the winter. She raised lots of chickens to butcher and freeze for later in the year. She sold eggs and cream weekly to raise cash for groceries for the family. She was active in the Methodist church, teaching Sunday School and helping with all the church activities. Her life revolved around her family and church continually working to help others. She was a member of Eastern Star and the McGraw Methodist Church.

Ruth was active in charity work. One year she went to Panama for a week on a Rotary Free Eye Clinic for the poor. She cooked at the Methodist Camp Lakeside during several summers. She baked countless cakes, pies and cookies for numerous pot luck dinners and bake sales.

Ruth was predeceased by her parents, brother James Carstens; sisters, Marie Brown and Lucile Larcom; and grandson Adam Gaumer.

She is survived by her husband Gayle, sister Joann Manico of Troy, NY, son Warren (Jan), daughter Judy, and son Wesley (Casey), 10 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

Services will be held at the Hoxie United Methodist Church, Hoxie, Kansas on Monday, February 26, 2018, at 10:30 A.M. with Pastor Jake Schadel presiding. Interment will follow in the Hoxie City Cemetery. Visitation wil be held on Sunday, February 25, 2018, at the Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home from Noon until 7:00 P.M. Memorials are suggested to the McGraw United Methodist Church and may be sent in care of Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home, PO Box 987, Hoxie, Kansas 67740. On-line condolences may be left at www.mickeyleopoldfuneral.com.

Daniel Robert Dunn, age 68 passed away Thursday, February 22, 2018. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri June 26, 1949, the son of Bob & Ione Sevier Dunn.

On December 28, 1968, Dan married Ruth Nettleton in Wichita, Kansas. He graduated from Wichita State University in 1970 and University of Kansas Medical School in 1974. Following a three year family practice residency at Southside Hospital in Bay Shore, New York, the family moved to Colby, Kansas in 1977. In 1979 Dan began his practice in Scott City, Kansas where he served the community for 35 years as a family practice Physician. He loved delivering babies and caring for the sick.

Away from his practice he enjoyed flying his plane, computing, hiking, traveling, and being with his grandchildren. He served on the Scott County Hospital board, the Scott City airport commission, and a member of the Spencer Flight Education Center. He enjoyed his music with Blue Steele and was an avid supporter of Scott City sports. He was a member of the Scott City Church of Christ.

He is survived by his wife, Ruth Dunn of Scott City, Kansas, two daughters—Everett and Rochelle Miller of Scott City, Kansas and Joshua and Denise Cummings of Sugarland, Texas, and a son, David and Stacy Dunn of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Brother Ed and Donna Dunn of Cripple Creek, Colorado and Sister Renee Ebel of Parker, Colorado, and eight grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Bob and Ione Dunn.

Services will be held AT 10:30 A.M. Tuesday, February 27, 2018 at the First Baptist Church in Scott City, Kansas.

In Lieu of Flowers Memorials can be given to Scott Community Hospital, Park Lane Nursing Home or the Spencer Flight Center.

There will be no calling times.

Mary Mae Huffman, 102, of Russell, Kansas, died on Wednesday, February 21, 2018, at Wheatland Nursing Center in Russell.

Mary was born on December 22, 1915, in Fairport, Kansas, the daughter of John and Mable Bridges. She grew up in Fairport, Kansas, and attended school in Fairport. She was united in marriage to Floyd W. Clark on July 24, 1933 and from this union they were blessed with 3 children Floyd, Anita and Karen. Floyd preceded her in death in 1986. Mary found love a second time and was united in marriage to Loy Huffman in 1988 and he preceded her in death in 1999. She was a member of the Lutheran Church and Eastern Star. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting and embroidery.

Surviving family include her son Floyd “Tom” Clark, and wife Melissa, of Hendersonville, Tennessee, daughters Anita Mohr of Andover, Minnesota and Karen Hunter and husband George
of Cheyenne, Wyoming; close friends Gary and Peggy Drake of Lawrence, Kansas; 13 grandchildren and many great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, two husbands 2 stepbrothers and 3 stepsisters.

Services for Mary will be held at 10 A.M. on Monday, February 26, 2018, at the mortuary. Burial will follow at Fairport Cemetery in Fairport, Kansas. Visitation will be from 9 A.M. to 10 A.M. on Monday morning, February 26th at the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

Shirley A. Bieker, 84, Topeka, formerly of Russell and Hays, died Wednesday, February 21, 2018 at Aldersgate Village in Topeka.

She was born September 5, 1933 near Gorham, Kansas the youngest of nine children of Michael and Katherine (Mermis) Schmidtberger. On May 17, 1949 she was united in marriage to Julius A. Bieker in Gorham, Kansas and they were blessed with two sons and made their home in Russell, Kansas until 1972, when Julius died as the result of a work-related accident. Shirley then moved to Hays and remained there until 2009, when poor health forced her to move to the nursing facility. She was a homemaker and clerk at Ruder Liquor Store and a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Hays for many years.

Survivors include two sons; David Bieker and wife Nadine of Newton, Kansas, and Rodney Bieker of Topeka, five grandchildren, fifteen great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and all eight of her brothers and sisters.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 am on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 1805 Vine Street, Hays with Fr. Leo Blasi officiating. Inurnment will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Gorham, Kansas. The family will receive friends from 10:00 am until service time on Saturday at the church. Memorials are suggested in Shirley’s memory to Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hays or to Midland Care of Topeka, in care of the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, Hays. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com

Michael F. “Mike” Herrman, 74, Schoenchen, died Thursday, February 22, 2018 at the Rush County Memorial Hospital in LaCrosse, Kansas.

He was born September 27, 1943 on the family farm near Liebenthal, Kansas, the son of Isidore and Albertina (Legleiter) Herrman. In 1961, he graduated from LaCrosse High School and went on to attend the Colorado Technical Institute in Denver, Colorado for one year, graduating in 1962. In October of 1962, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he was an Electronics Technician (Radar). After his honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy in 1966, he worked for RCA, for the NASA Space Center in Houston, TX, for Sperry Univac and Unisys in Houston for 23 years, and for Glassman Corporation in Hays for fifteen years, until his retirement in 2013. On April 23, 2004 he was united in marriage to Alice (Mermis) Munsch at St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church in Hays. Mike was a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church in Schoenchen, and he loved to hunt, fish, play cards, and attend grandchildren’s sporting events. He was also a history buff, a dog lover, and he loved to dance.

Survivors include his wife, Alice, of the home, two step-sons; Troy Munsch and wife Laura of Salina, and Les Munsch and wife Cathie of Thornton, Colorado, a step-daughter; Stacey Walters and husband Bob of Kingman, KS, a brother; William “Bill” Herrman and wife Lucy of LaCrosse, five sisters; Viola Depperschmidt of LaCrosse, Henrietta Haselhorst of Hays, Mary C. Dreher of Plainville, Lillian Leiker of Schoenchen, and Georgiana Herrman of Great Bend, seven grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 am on Monday, February 26, 2018 at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Schoenchen. Burial will follow with military honors by the Hays VFW Honor Guard in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 pm until 8:00 on Sunday and from 8:30 am until 9:30 on Monday, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street. A vigil service will be at 6:30 pm followed by a rosary led by the St. Anthony Altar Society at 7:00, all on Sunday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested in Mike’s memory to charities to be determined later, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com