Norton resident Lois O. Dietz passed away Sept. 12 at the Andbe Home in Norton at the age of 102. She was born March 4, 1914 in Phillips County, the daughter of Arthur & Elizabeth (Noel) Flowers. She was the Lenora City Clerk and Postmaster in Lenora.

Survivors include her daughter, Joyce Scott of Norton; her son, James McNulty of Columbus, OH; 3 grandchildren & 1 great grandchild.

Graveside services will be held Friday, Sept. 16 at 2:30 p.m. in the Lenora South Cemetery.

Memorials have been established to the United Parish Church or the Lenora Senior Center.

Leona Lorraine (Aden) Simonds, 78, Beatrice, died Thursday, September 8, 2016. She was born January 7, 1938 in Beatrice, NE. She was baptized, confirmed and married in St. Peter Lutheran Church in Wymore, NE. She served in the U.S. Air Force from January 1957 to August 1959. She married William “Bill” Simonds on June 7, 1959. She worked in the Country Store in Weston, VT, then for the Postal Services for 40 years retiring as Postmaster. Leona ushered at the Community Playhouse in Weston, VT.

Survivors include her daughter, Tena Mowrey of Jamaica, VT; granddaughters, Rachel & Jennifer Mowrey; one great-granddaughter; sister, Eleanor Tangman McMindes and husband Jim of Hays, KS; sister-in-law, LaRue Ellis of Wymore, nieces and nephews, Jodi Dorn and husband Rich of Wymore, Judy Eichelberger and husband Greg of Omaha, NE, Eydie Weyer and husband Fred of Lincoln, NE, Beth Ackland and husband Gene of Martell, NE, Robyn Sejkora of Lincoln, Steve Aden of Grand Island, NE, Rodney Aden and wife Melody of Beatrice, Deb Aden and friend Milford of Blue Springs, NE, David Tangman and wife Vickie of Salina, KS, Janis Lawrence and husband Corbett of Raleigh, N.C.; numerous great-nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gerd and Tena (Forden) Aden; husband, William “Bill” (11/2/2006); son, William “Billy” (1/23/2006); brothers Ed and Melvin Aden; sisters-in-law Donna Aden and Velma Aden; brother-in-law, Jack Tangman; nephew, Ron Tangman (2009).

Memorial Services will be held 10:30 a.m., Friday, September 16, 2016 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Beatrice with Pastor Douglas Irmer officiating. Burial will be in Vermont at a later date. No visitation but a book is available 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at Harman-Wright Mortuary. A guestbook is also available online at www.harmanwrightmortuary.com Harman-Wright Mortuary and Crematory, Beatrice in charge of arrangements.

Leonard Rohleder, 91, Hays, died Saturday, September 10, 2016 at Via Christi Village, Hays.

He was born October 28, 1924 in Salina, Kansas the son of Conrad and Catherine (Brungardt) Rohleder, of Collyer, Kansas. On April 24, 1951 he married Mary Ann Rome in St. Peter, Kansas. They celebrated 65 years of marriage. Leonard grew up in the St. Peter area, which is where he lived until he retired and moved to Hays in 1987.

He spent three years in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was shipped to Germany where he was seriously wounded during the Battle of the Bulge. He spent three years in the hospital before he was discharged as a Disabled Veteran. Even with his handicap, he didn’t let that stop him from his life’s dream of being a farmer, cattleman, and dairyman. He was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, the Disabled Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Third Degree Knights of Columbus Council #6984.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann, of Hays, four sons; Steven Rohleder and wife Linda of WaKeeney, David Rohleder and wife Susan of St. Peter, Patrick Rohleder and wife Karla of Collyer, and Michael Rohleder and wife Ella of Wheatridge, CO, three daughters; Clara Unrein and husband Joe of Great Bend, Roberta Rein of El Dorado, KS, and Tamara Poulton and husband Gary of Hutchinson, a brother; Cletus and wife EvaGene of Mesa, AZ, a sister; Genevieve “Jenny” Bellerive of Logan, a sister-in-law; Maxine Rohelder of Topeka, nine grandchildren, five great grandchildren, six step grandchildren, and nine step great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a granddaughter Christy Ann Rohleder, two brothers; Ben and Don Rohleder, a brother-in-law Richard Bellerive, and a sister-in-law Anna Mary Rohleder.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 am on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 1805 Vine St. Burial with military honors by the Hays VFW Honor Guard will be at 2:00 pm at the Kansas Veterans Cemetery, WaKeeney. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 4:00 until 8:00 pm and on Wednesday from 9:30 am until 10:15, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine St. A parish vigil service will be at 6:00 pm followed by a Knights of Columbus rosary at 6:30 pm, both on Tuesday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested in Leonard’s memory to CedarView Assisted Living, in care of the funeral home.

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

Charlene “Smitty” Teare (Smith) passed away on September 8, 2016 at Trego County-Lemke Memorial Hospital in WaKeeney, Kansas.

She was born December 24, 1929 to Jesse and Marie (Hutchings) Smith, on a farm outside of Excelsior Springs, Missouri. She graduated from Excelsior Springs High School, and received her B.S. in Nursing from The University of Kansas at Lawrence, where she met many lifelong friends who have been close throughout the years. She met Max E. Teare, M.D., at KUMC, where she was a nurse, and they married in November of 1957 in Excelsior Springs. He preceded her in death in 2014. They have two children, Marijo Teare Rooney (husband Davis) of Hays, KS. and Thomas M. Teare of Chicago, IL, and three grandchildren: Christopher, Sarah and Dawson. Charlene dedicated most of her life to her family, however, later continued her education, receiving a M.S. in Nursing from The University of Kansas in 1984. She was a nursing instructor and taught at KU, Avila College, and Garden City Community College.

Charlene was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother who loved her family very much and also held a love for nature and the outdoors. She was especially fond of bird watching from outside her kitchen window, growing tomatoes, helping others and traveling adventures with her husband. She will be greatly missed by all those that knew and loved her.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, September 17, 2016, at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine St. Visitation will be from 10:00 am until service time on Saturday at the funeral home. It was Charlene’s wish to be cremated after the services, and her ashes will be scattered aside her husband’s on the Missouri farm where she grew up. No flowers are requested, however, donations can be made to the Trego County-Lemke Memorial Hospital or to The University of Kansas Nursing Endowment Fund (TBD).

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

Douglas Kent Huscher, age 73, of Stockton, passed away Wednesday, August 31, 2016 in Stockton. He was born June 20, 1943 in Colorado Springs, Colorado to Walter and Mona (Clark) Huscher. He married Sondra McCall on December 11, 1992 in Goodland, Kansas.

Douglas was a Telecommunications Instructor at NWKAVTS in Goodland, Kansas and also worked for Rural telephone in Lenora, Kansas in management, sales and as a communications technician. He was a US Air Force veteran attaining the rank of A1C E-4. He was a gifted artist, painter and a devoted mentor. He enjoyed gardening, fishing and rock hounding and spending time with his grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, Sondra of Stockton; a daughter, Krista; two step daughters, Alana Delgado of Hill City and Laura Burton and husband Derrick of Stockton as well as three step grandchildren, Axel Ginn, Makayla Burton and Holden Burton.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, David Huscher.

Private family services will be held at a later date. Arrangements in care of Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory 2509 Vine Hays, KS 67601.

Memorials are suggested to the Stockton, Kansas VFW.

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

Jean Armbruster, age 84, of Ellis passed away Saturday, September 10, 2016 at the Good Samaritan Society, Hays.

Funeral services will be 1:00 PM Wednesday, September 14, 2016 at Keithley Funeral Chapel 400 E. 17th Ellis, KS. Burial will follow in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Ellis.

There will be no visitation.

A complete obituary is pending.

Eldon Lee Luhman, 79, of Russell, Kansas, and formerly of Natoma, Kansas, passed away Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at Wheatland Nursing Center in Russell.

Eldon was born August 5, 1937 in Rooks County, Kansas, the son of Henry and Alvina (Tatkenhorst) Luhman. He grew up in Natoma and graduated from Natoma High School in the class of 1955. He attended and graduated with a degree in business from Brown Mackie College in Salina, Kansas. He then served his country in the U.S. Army for two years. After his service, he resided in San Francisco, California, and Salina before returning to the Natoma area with his family.

Eldon worked as a bank examiner for a short time until eventually pursuing a career in insurance sales for most of his life. He also enjoyed and collected classic antique cars.

Surviving family include two sons, Michael Luhman of Alexandria, Virginia, and Kevin Luhman of State College, Pennsylvania; daughter, Janella Williams (Jeff) of Lawrence, Kansas; brother, Lyle Luhman (Betty Jo) of Natoma, Kansas; sister, Brenda Price of Salina, Kansas; and two grandsons, Matthew Luhman and Jacob Luhman (father Michael). He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Merlin Luhman, and sisters Byrdene Mason and Bonnie Schlesener.

Celebration of Eldon’s life and his burial will occur at 10:30 AM Monday, September 12, 2016 at the North Lutheran Cemetery north of Natoma. Visitation will be from Noon until 8:00 PM Sunday, September 11, 2016, at Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell with the family present to greet friends from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Memorials may be given towards the North Lutheran Cemetery Fund and sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary, is in charge of these arrangements.