Lawrence A. “Lon” Proffitt, of Hays, age 74, passed away Wednesday, September 28, 2016, at the Las Colinas Medical Center in Irving, Texas. He was born June 15, 1942, in St. Louis, Missouri to Joseph Martin and Marjorie (Finlay) Chiri- Proffitt. He married Shirley Ann (Bollig) on October 13, 1962 at Liebenthal, Kansas.

He was an auto-diesel mechanic, fabricator and worked part time at The Auman Company. He was a veteran of the U S Navy. He lived in Russell for 32 years, moved to Ypsilanti, MI for 11 years, retired in 2012 and moved to Hays. He was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hays, Russell American Legion, Russell 3rd Degree Knights of Columbus Council #3034 and 4th Degree Assembly. He was a past Grand Knight and Past Faithful Navigator of the Knights of Columbus and a past member of the Russell County Rural Fire Department. Lon developed a passion for reading later in life, enjoyed watching movies and spending time with his family.

Survivors include his wife, Shirley Proffitt, of the home; five sons, Charles Proffitt and wife, Melissa, Denver, CO; Joseph Proffitt and wife, Tammy, LaCrosse, KS; David Proffitt and James Proffitt and wife, Tatjana, all of Irving, TX; Jacob Proffitt and wife, Shanda, Hays, KS; two daughters, Laura Forslund and husband, Andrew, Oakley, KS; Mary Hoisington and husband, Matthew, Great Bend, KS; one brother, Joel Chiri, Lady Smith, British Columbia, Canada; one sister, Patricia Seaman, Joplin, MO; 15 Grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his step father, Benjamin Proffitt.

Service are 10:30 A.M. Friday, October 7, 2016 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Liebenthal, Kansas. Burial in St. Joseph Cemetery Liebenthal, Kansas with military honors by the Hays V.F.W. Post No. 9076.

A vigil service is at 6:30 P.M. Thursday, followed by a 3rd and 4th Degree Knights of Columbus rosary at 7:00 P.M. Thursday, all at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601. The 4th Degree Knights of Columbus will stand honor guard from 6:00 to 7:00 P.M. Thursday, at the mortuary.

Visitation is from 5:00 to 8:00 P.M. Thursday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary of Hays and from 9:30 to 10:30 A.M. Friday, at St. Joseph Catholic Church Liebenthal, Kansas.

Memorial to St. Joseph Church or St. Joseph Cemetery Liebenthal, Kansas.

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

Robert J. “Bobby” Braun, 80, Hays, died Saturday, October 1, 2016 at the Locust Grove Village in LaCrosse, Kansas.

He was born August 27, 1936 in Hays the youngest child of Frank J. and Helen M. (Brungardt) Braun. He was raised on the dairy farm just outside of Hays and graduated from Hays High School in 1955. He was a dairy farmer, cattleman, and farmer. On June 13, 1959 he married Benita A. Dreiling in Victoria. He later married Janice M. (Horinek) Hopkins on August 27, 2005 in Hays. He was very hard working, was a good mechanic who could rebuild machinery to suit his needs, and was very generous and faithful. He was very active in 4-H with his children for many years. He was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church.

Survivors include his wife, of the home, three sons; Larry Braun of Hays, Richard “Rick” Braun and wife Debra of Alan, TX, and Kent Braun of Hays, three daughters; Bobbi Jo Braun of Hays, Nicole Zeeman and husband Richard of Carmel, Indiana, and Jodi Martinez of Montrose, CO, seven grandchildren; Terri Polifka, Dylon Braun, Daniel Braun, Taylor Braun, Dalton Braun, Kristeny Davis and husband Taryn, and Austin Martinez, a great granddaughter; Paige Denson-Polifka, four step children; Monique Pfannenstiel and husband Scott of Marquez, TX, Craig Hopkins of Independence, MO, LaDonna Taylor of Omaha, NE, and Jacqueline Hopkins-Walton and husband Phillip of Independence, MO, eight step grandchildren; Afton Berger and husband Brandon, Serene Pfannenstiel, Terence Pfannenstiel and wife Amy, Layne Pfannentstiel, Abigail Hopkins, Cheyanne Taylor and husband Derrick Staley, Brynn Taylor, and Karmen Hopkins-Walton, three step great grandchildren; Kaydence Berger, Tessa Pfannenstiel, and Zlayde Taylor-Staley, a brother Francis F. Braun and wife Jackie of Schoenchen, two sisters; LaVerna M. Younger of Hays, and Helen F. Werth and husband Clifford of Hays, and a sister-in-law Mary Jo Braun of Hays.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Marvin F. Braun, a brother-in-law Bernie Younger, and a nephew, Tom Braun.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 am on Tuesday, October 4, 2016 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 1805 Vine Street. Burial will follow in the St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 pm 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 St. An Adorer’s rosary will be at 5:00 pm with a parish vigil service at 6:30 pm, both on Monday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the Buckeye Jr. Farmers 4-H, Hospice of Hays Medical Center, or to Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, in care of the funeral home.

Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com or via email at [email protected].

Marie Celine “Tiny” (Carrier) Albers passed away Friday, September 23, 2016 at Wheatland Nursing Center in Russell, Kansas at the age of 87. She was born on December 6, 1928 in Cloquet, Minnesota to the late Dennis and Marcella (Shanda) Carrier. She graduated from Cloquet High School and on April 12, 1947 she was united in marriage to Roy C. Albers in Reno, Nevada.

Tiny moved to Palco, Kansas in 1949 where she and Roy began working and raising their family. She was a homemaker and worked for Baxter-Travenol Laboratories in Hays, Kansas until their closing, she also waitressed at the Palco Café for many years. She loved music and watching sports, especially basketball, football, and golf. She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Plainville, Kansas.

Tiny is survived by her son Dr. Robert Albers of Albuquerque, NM; daughter Marie Albers of Commerce City, CO; daughter-in-law Christine Albers of Olathe; brother Ki Carrier and wife Helen of Klamath Falls, OR; sister Mae Storts of Longview, WA; grandchildren Jennifer Kysar of Luray, Wade Albers of Lenexa, Mark Paonessa and wife Elisa of Moore, OK, and Michael Albers of Bartlesville, OK.

She was preceded in death by her parents Dennis and Marcella Carrier, husband Roy Albers, son Dennis Albers, daughter-in-law Lynne Albers, brothers Albert, Kenny, and Willie Carrier, and sisters Blanche LaVoie and Kathy Paup.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:00pm on Saturday, October 8, 2016 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Plainville. Inurnment will follow in the Pleasant View Cemetery near Palco. Visitation will be from 4:00-8:00pm on Friday at the funeral home with Rosary Service at 7:00pm.

Elmer Mermis, 86, of Russell, Kansas, died on Thursday, September 29, 2016, at the Apostolic Christian Home in Sabetha, Kansas.

Elmer was born on June 01, 1930, in Gorham, Kansas, the son of Alex and Elizabeth (Kisner) Mermis. He grew up in Gorham and graduated from Gorham High School in the class of 1949. After high school he joined the U.S. Army and served in Austria during the Korean war. After the war he met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Dolores Hammerschmidt on September 04, 1954 in Victoria, Kansas. From this union Elmer and Dolores were blessed with 5 children Robert, Karen, Donna, Glenn and Mary. He worked most of his adult life for the Union Pacific Railroad as a section hand, machine operator, and section foreman. After retiring from the railroad he worked as a janitor at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and several banks in the area. He was a lifetime member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church as well as a member of the Knights of Columbus, Russell V.F.W., American Legion and TOPS. He enjoyed fishing, polka dancing, playing computer games, leading wedding marches, singing old German songs, playing cards and attending the activities of his children and grandchildren. Most of all he enjoyed spending time with his family.

Surviving family include his wife Dolores of Sabetha, Kansas; daughter Karen Ulrich (Dale) of Sabetha, Kansas; daughter Donna Vlcek (Jim) of Russell, Kansas; son Glenn Mermis of Phoenix, Arizona; daughter Mary Nuss (Monte) of Russell, Kansas; daughter-in-law Carol Mermis of Salina, Kansas; 15 grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren and 1 great grandchild on the way.

He was preceded in death by his son Robert Mermis, brothers Edwin Mermis, Ralph Mermis and Alphonse Mermis; sisters Evelyn Warfield, Sr. Concepta (Loretta) Mermis, Henrietta Sommers and Alice Milke; daughter-in-law Stacey Mermis; grandsons Bryan Mermis, Timothy Mermis; and great grandson Gabriel Haverkamp.

The funeral mass celebration of Elmer’s life will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, October 05, 2016, at St. Mary’s Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Russell, Kansas. Burial will follow the funeral mass at St. Ann’s Catholic Cemetery in Walker, Kansas. Vigil and Rosary will be held at 7 P.M. on Tuesday, October 04, 2016, at the Catholic Church. Visitation will be from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. on Tuesday, October 04, 2016, at the mortuary. Memorials may be given to St. Mary’s Queen of Angels Catholic Church or Nemaha County Home Health-Hospice and sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.

Dorothy Ann Horchem, age 82, passed away on Wednesday, September 28, 2016 at Rhode Island Suites, Ransom.

Memorial services are planned for Tuesday, October 4, 2016, 2:00 P.M. at the Church of Christ, Ransom.

Memorial contributions may be given to the Church of Christ, Rhode Island Suites, or the Hospice of the Prairie, Dodge City.

Words of sympathy and support may be left for the family by writing in the guest book below.

Memorial Service
Tuesday, October 04, 2016
2:00 PM
Church of Christ
119 Tennessee Ave
Ransom, Kansas 67572

Elmer A. Augustine, 79, Hays, died Tuesday, September 27, 2016 at Hays Medical Center.

He was born November 24, 1936 in Ellis, Kansas the son of Joe and Sophia (Weber) Augustine. He graduated from Ellis High School and entered the U.S. Army in 1957 as a radio teletype operator and was honorably discharged in 1963. He loved farming, and was also an oil field pumper and worked construction. On September 10, 1960 he married Marjorie “Margie” Zimmerman in Schoenchen, Kansas. He was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Hays and the Third Degree Knights of Columbus in Ellis. He enjoyed playing cards and trips to the casino, was an avid Kansas City Royals, Chiefs, and KU fan, and loved family time and visiting with family and friends.

Survivors include his wife Marjorie, of the home, two brothers; Harold Augustine and wife Kay of Hutchinson, and Leonard Augustine of Ellis, two sisters; Dorothy Younger and husband Ed of McPherson, and Mary Jane Daniels and husband George of Laramie, WY, a brother-in-law; Bill Beer of Wichita, three sisters-in-law; Shirley Augustine of Russell, Rosita Augustine of Topeka, and Phyllis Augustine of Hutchinson, and numerous nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers; Donald, Robert, and Larry Augustine, a sister; Martha Beer, and a sister-in-law; Tillie Augustine.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 am on Monday, October 3, 2016 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 1805 Vine Street. Military honors will follow by the Hays VFW Honor Guard. Private family inurnment will take place at a later date in the St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 pm until 8:00 on Sunday and from 9:00 am until 9:45 on Monday, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine St. A Knights of Columbus rosary will be at 7:00 pm followed by a parish vigil service at 7:30, all on Sunday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church or to the Knights of Columbus Council #2133, Ellis, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com or via email at [email protected].

Leslie Ann Burtner Gregory, 67, passed away on Saturday, September 24, 2016 in Dalhart, Texas.

Funeral Service will be at 3:00 pm on Thursday, September 29, 2016 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Dumas, Texas. There will be viewing followed by a service in Kansas City, KS at 2 pm Saturday, October 1, 2016 at the Porter Funeral Home in Kansas City, KS. Burial to follow in Osborne, KS. Arrangements provided by Horizon Funeral Home and Porter Funeral Home.

Leslie Ann Burtner Gregory was born October 25, 1948 in Buffalo, NY to Orville Leslie Burtner and Mildred Nadine (Davidson) Burtner. Her family moved back to Kansas City, KS in 1953. She was a proud member of the Wyandotte High School class of 1966, whose 50th class reunion is being held Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 2016.

She graduated from the University of Kansas in 1970, earning a BA in Latin American Studies. She graduated from the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, TX in 1991, earning a Master’s of Divinity degree. Leslie was an Episcopal Priest, having been ordained by Bishop Sam Hulsey May 8, 1992 in Lubbock, TX. She served several churches in Texas including Brownfield, Kermit, Andrews, Monahans, St. John’s in Odessa and, since 2009, St. Paul’s in Dumas. She was a founding member of the Board of Directors for the Permian Basin Inter-Tribal Powwow in Odessa. In 1995, she became heavily involved in prison ministry, first in Odessa and then for the entire Episcopal Diocese of the Northwest.

Leslie married Alan Bryant Gregory in Kansas City, KS on July 31, 1988. They rented a U-Haul and moved to Austin, Texas for her to begin her Seminary studies eight days later. Leslie and Alan spent their married lives in Austin, Wilson, Crane and Dalhart, TX. Their daughter, Alexandra was born March 26, 1990 in Austin, TX. We believe that Alexandra was the first child born to a female Seminarian in the Episcopal system. When Leslie started breast-feeding Alex in classes, the Seminary was forced to create a policy allowing that to be done. Leslie loved singing and some of the happiest times in her life were spent singing in the choir at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Dumas, Texas.

She was proceeded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband, Alan Gregory of Dalhart, TX; daughter Alexandra and husband Clayton Parker of Odessa, TX; two brothers and their wives, Dale and Carolyn Burtner of Olympia, WA and Charles and Ruth Ann Burtner of Scottsdale, AZ; two nephews, two nieces, four grand-nephews and three grand-nieces.

Memorials may be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Dumas, TX.

(August 3, 1927 – September 26, 2016)

Funeral Mass: Friday, September 30th at 11:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oberlin with Rev. Gnanasekar Kulandai officiating

Burial: Oberlin Cemetery with military rites by American Legion Post #70

Vigil Service: Thursday, September 29th at 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home in Oberlin

Visitation: Thursday 8 a.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home

Memorial Fund: Varlan Neal Memorial Fund