Shelley Kay (Weber) Holder, age 63 of Hays, after a lengthy illness passed away Monday, August 29, 2016 in Kansas City Missouri. She was born February 24, 1953 at Rush County Memorial Hospital to Vernon and Francis (Johnson) Weber.

Shelley graduated from LaCrosse High School, North Central Kansas Technical College and Barton County Community College. She was a Registered Nurse, and worked in a profession she loved allowing her to help others.

She is survived by her mother Francis Wells of Vero Beach, Florida, her brother Scott Weber of Riverside Missouri; her two sons, Kelly Holder and wife Tara of Eudora, Kansas and Kyle Holder and wife Erin of Hays; 3 grandchildren Justin Schmidt, Rylee Holder and Aiden Holder as well as several cousins all of which will miss her dearly.

She is preceded in death by her father Vernon Weber.

Funeral services will be 10 AM Saturday, September 3, 2016 at Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel and Crematory 2509 Vine Hays, KS 67601.

Visitation will be Friday 5 PM – 8 PM at the funeral home.

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

Milton J. Leiker, 87, Hays, died Tuesday, August 30, 2016 at the Hays Medical Center.

He was born November 5, 1928 on the family farm four miles west of Antonino, Kansas the son of August and Pauline (Unrein) Leiker.  On May 3, 1952 he married Mathilda “Tillie” Honas of Ellis, Kansas, beginning a life-long adventure of 64 years.  After graduating from Hays High School and FHSU, he began what would become for him a vocation, teaching high school mathematics and science.  After fourteen years, he transferred to personnel administration for the Department of Defense, specifically the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

Following a varied career at several locations including; Quantico Marine Corps Base and Crystal City in Virginia, Washington D.C. and the Pentagon, he retired from Federal Civil Service in 1986 and returned home to Hays.  He briefly returned to teaching at TMP and substituting at Hays Middle and High Schools.  His pastimes included crossword and Sudoku puzzles, and designing house plans (building four of them).  His favorite hobby became rosary making.  Those efforts supported Missions overseas, and closer to home, the RCIA candidates, and the St. John Retirement Home.  He and his wife were members of St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church.

Survivors include his bride, Tillie, of the home, a daughter; Lorraine “Laura”, four sons; Arthur and wife Barbara, Duane and wife Anne, Mark and wife Marla, and Warren, two sisters; Norma Fox and Benita Boos, eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, six brothers; Alphonse, Alfred, Edwin, Clarence, Eugene, and Norbert, and two sisters; Josepha and Armella.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Saturday, September 3, 2016 at the St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church, 2901 E. 13th.  Burial will follow in the St. Joseph Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 4:00 until 8:00 pm on Friday and from 9:00 am until 9:45 on Saturday, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street.  A combined Christian Mothers/Altar Society of Catharine and Daughters of Isabella of Hays rosary will be at 6:00 pm followed by a vigil service at 6:30, all on Friday at the funeral home.  Memorials are suggested to St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church, in care of the funeral home.  Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.

Elizabeth Marie Wessel, 92, of Oakley, died Tuesday August 30, 2016 at Gove County Medical Center. She was born December 17, 1923, in Norton County, KS, to John and Frances (Swingler) Vahling. Elizabeth married Francis Wessel at St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Almelo, Kansas on May 11, 1948 and to this union 11 children were born. Elizabeth was a homemaker, enjoyed canning fruits and vegetables, gardening and time spent with family and friends. She loved to host a group of family and friends that joined her sons in their yearly pheasant hunt. After her younger children were in school, she took a job cleaning rooms at a local motel. She was a member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church and St. Ann’s Altar Society.

Elizabeth was preceded in death by her parents; husband Francis; daughters, Mary Geraldine and Rose Marie; grandsons, Jason & Isaac; son-in-laws, Erwin Zerr and Carlos Palma; four sisters, Agnes, Annie, Francie and MaryAnn; brothers, Joseph, John & Louie along with many sisters-in-law & brothers-in-law.

She is survived by her children, Donald Wessel, Carol (George) Raney, Rose Wessel, Mary Zerr, Barb Wessel, Dorothy (Jeff) Graham, Mike Wessel, Patrick (Annelie) Wessel and Laura Palma; sixteen grandchildren; twenty one great grandchildren and one great great grandchild.

Visitation is 6-7:00 p.m. Thursday, September 1, 2016 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Angelus, with a Vigil at 7:00 p.m. Funeral Mass is 10:00 a.m. Friday, September 2, 2016 also at the church, with burial to follow in St. Paul’s Catholic Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the St. Paul’s Catholic Church or to Logan County Manor for the maintenance fund, in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 204, Oakley, KS 67701. For condolences or information visit www.baalmannmortuary.com

Thelma May McAfee, 88, Hays, died August 30, 2016, at Via Christi Village in Hays, Kansas. She was born January 19, 1928, to Lenna Elizabeth (Green) and Charles Lester Keith at their farm home south of Penokee in Graham County, Kansas.

A 1947 graduate of Morland High School, and that class year’s valedictorian, Thelma married Darral Lee “Mac” McAfee on June 28, 1947, in Hill City, Kansas. He preceded her in death in January 2013.

Thelma and Darral began their marriage living in eastern Sheridan County, Kansas, and Thelma worked as a bookkeeper for A.T. Sanger Motor Company.  About 1949 the couple moved to Rooks County and Thelma became a full-time homemaker. They first rented a farm home, then moved to Plainville in 1954 and to Palco in 1963. In 1970, due to Darral’s work transfer, the couple moved to Duncan, Oklahoma, where they resided until 2008 when they returned to northwest Kansas to live in Hays.

Thelma was a former member of the First Christian Church in Plainville and she was also active in a local Home Demonstration Unit (HDU).

Thelma’s family was her joy. She was an exceptional cook: she was everyone’s favorite room mother with her decorated cookies, and her daughters’ friends looked forward to stopping by after school for snacks. Thelma was also an expert seamstress in both fashion clothing and home decor, and she could build furniture.

Thelma loved a wide variety of music genres, and it wasn’t uncommon for her to dance and sing—even sometimes yodel—while working at home. In retirement she and Darral enjoyed traveling and spending time with family and friends, and especially with their grandsons.

Survivors include two daughters and sons-in-law, Kathy (Mrs. Pat) Spicer, Hays, KS; Karen (Mrs. Kenneth) Ross, Fort Wayne, IN; two grandsons, Geoffrey, Fort Wayne, IN, and Ethan, Grand Rapids, MI; one sister and brother-in-law, Arvilla (Bell) and Harold Taylor, Hoxie, KS; four sisters-in-law, Mary (Mrs. Howard) Keith, Garden City, KS; Venita (Mrs. Loyd) Keith, Hill City, KS; and Edna (Mrs. Ivan) Keith and Coralie (Mrs. Otto Keith) Bise, both of Moses Lake, WA; plus numerous nieces and nephews and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents; by six brothers and two sisters-in-law: Ivan, Floyd (Verla), Russell (Becky), Otto, Howard, and Loyd Keith; and by two sisters and three brothers-in-law: Marjorie (Mrs. Lee) Toll, Vera (Mrs. Guy) Duvall, and Albert Bell.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 am on Friday, September 2, 2016 at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street.  Visitation will be from 10:00 am until service time on Friday at the funeral home.  Interment will be at 2:00 pm on Friday at the Kansas Veterans Cemetery in WaKeeney, Kansas. 

Memorials are suggested in Thelma’s memory to Fort Hays State University academic and fine arts scholarships. 

Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.

Joseph Edward Stenger, son of John & Gertrude (Hardiek) Stenger, was born April 22, 1941 in Norton County, KS and passed away August 27, 2016 at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City, KS at the age of 75.

On May 8, 1993, Joe was united in marriage to Marcella A. (Prokop) Stickel in Colby, Kansas. The couple made their home on a farm near Densmore, Kansas.

Joseph was a career farmer who loved working the land and being outdoors. He thought of himself as a “tinkerer”, but to his family and friends he was a talented builder and “inventor”, creating his own self-propelled sprayer to use around the farm.

In his free time he enjoyed golfing as well as taking Marcella to K-State football games. Their grandchildren referred to the couple as “Grandpa & Grandma K-State”!

He was a long-time member of the Catholic Church and was a Fourth Degree Knight.

Joe was a loving and devoted husband, stepfather, step grandfather & step great-grandfather. He had a wonderful sense of humor and was a jokester at heart. He treasured his family and was a friend to everyone he met.

Joseph was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, John and Tim Stenger; and sister, Joann Stenger.

He is survived by his wife, Marcella, of their home in Densmore; four stepsons: Tim Stickel of Elbert, CO, Terry Stickel of Colby, KS, Travis Stickel of Hays, KS and Tom Stickel of Nebraska; three stepdaughters: Belinda Doonan of Phillipsburg, KS, Deanna Smith of McCook, NE; and Tina Touchet of Aledo, TX; 14 step grandchildren and 10 step great-grandchildren; two sisters, Nora Ellen Stenger of Teresina, Brazil and Alice Marie Weber (Warren) of Golden, CO; along with three nephews: Wes and Wayne Weber and Jay (Sandra) Stenger; and a niece, Michelle Stenger.

Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, September 1, 2016 at the St. John’s Catholic Church in Logan, KS with Father George Chalbhagam officiating. Burial will follow in the Mount Calvary Cemetery, Densmore.

A Scriptural Wake Service will be at 7pm Wednesday at the Logan Funeral Home, 102 E. Church St., Logan, KS 67646, with the family greeting friends afterward from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Mr. Stenger will lie in state from noon – 9 p.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the St. John’s Catholic Church or Mount Calvary Cemetery.

Kanorado, Kansas resident Peggy Lou (Swayne) King, 86, passed away Saturday, August 27, 2016, at Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital in Burlington, Colorado.

Peggy was born December 24, 1929, at her Grandma Rose Doggett’s house in Goodland, Kansas, the daughter of Wilma Ethel (Doggett) and Henry Franklin Swayne, Sr. Peggy started school in Goodland, but the family moved north of Kanorado after her kindergarten year; she graduated from Kanorado High School with the class of 1948. She started work at A.L. Duckwall’s, and quickly advanced to fountain manager. While working at Duckwall’s, Peggy met Darrell J. King, and they married on January 1, 1953, in Burlington, Colorado. To this union, four daughters were born: Sherry King, Sandra King, Sally King, and Sue King. The family moved to Aspen, Colorado, where Peggy worked at the Valley View Hospital as a relief cook. While in Aspen, Peggy enjoyed dancing, fishing, boating, and spending time with friends and family. She was the leader of the Drill Team and President of the Eagles Auxiliary #184. The family then moved to Craig, Colorado, where Peggy, Darrell, and the girls owned the Shady Lawn Motel. Peggy and Darrell’s last business adventure together was King’s Conoco in Kanorado, which they managed for thirteen years. Peggy enjoyed the daily coffee shop talk with the locals, and created lasting friendships. Her grandkids enjoyed riding their bikes out there for their daily snack from Chuckwagons to French Pizza to Hot Mama Pickled Sausages. You could even catch a grandkid or two taking naps in the unused/unplugged beer cooler during a hot summer day.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband Darrell King; sister Jean Fick; brother Henry Swayne, Jr.; and grandsons Kyle Lee King and Rex Bagley II.
Surviving family includes her daughters Sherry Wilkerson and her husband Larry of Colorado; Sandra Bagley and her husband Rex of Kansas; Sally Pettibone and her husband Greg of Kansas; Sue Shepherd and her husband Tim of Nebraska, and many nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and numerous friends.

The Celebration of Peggy’s Life will be held Tuesday, August 30, 2016, at 10:30 AM MT, at the Kanorado United Methodist Church. Memorials may be designated to Kanorado Fire Department, Kanorado Museum, or Kanorado Senior Center. Online condolences: www.koonsfuneralhome.com.

Terry Lee Riddle, 38, died Aug. 27, 2016 at Deaconess Hospital, Oklahoma City. He was born Jan. 8, 1978 at Phoenix, Ariz., the son of Ron and Shannon (Pound) DeHaan. He was a 1996 graduate of Macksville High School. He enjoyed playing football and running track, especially hurdles, at Macksville and ran in the AAU Nationals at Rochester, Minn. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and being with family.

Terry was previously employed by Fuller Brush, Devine Masonry and Chase Well Service, all of Great Bend; and Key Energy of Oklahoma City.

Survivors include his parents Ron and Shannon DeHaan of Pawnee Rock; two sons, Jericho James Riddle of Oklahoma City, and Jaron Alan Riddle of Sterling; two brothers: Shawn David DeHaan and wife Elisha of Spearman, Texas, and Ryan Charles DeHaan and Amber Sisson of Great Bend; two nephews, Connor DeHaan and Colton DeHaan; grandmother, Ruth Hoard of Tucson, Ariz.; special aunts and uncles, Donna and R. C. Williams of Great Bend; and Charlie and Sherry DeHaan of Hays; and very special friend, Kristen Johnson of Oklahoma City. He was preceded in death by one sister, Nicole Sue DeHaan; and grandparents, Donald Pound, Richard Hoard and John and Evelyn Drew.

Memorial service will be at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, September 3, 2016 at Bryant Funeral Home with Pastor Mike Joiner officiating. Inurnment will be at a later date in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery. There will be no visitation as cremation has taken place. Memorials are requested to the Terry Riddle Funeral Expense Fund, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

Laurence LeRoy Hull went to be with his Lord on August 27, 2016, at his home in Woodston, Kansas at the age 91. He was born on January 19, 1925 to the late Downer and Elsie (Thomas) Hull on the family farm just northeast of Woodston. He attended his first seven years of grade school at the Spring Branch country school until its closing when he began attending school in Woodston, where he graduated high school with the Class of 1942. After graduation he attended Fort Hays State College for one year before being drafted into the United States Army during World War II.

After being discharged from the Army in the spring of 1946, Laurence was united in marriage to Marvel Stanfield on August 22, 1946. Together they attended Fort Hays State and both of them graduated in January of 1950. He majored in Music Education and taught music in the Alton and Woodston, Kansas schools, and later in the Arkansas City, Kansas senior high school and junior college. After four years of teaching, he returned to what he knew and loved most – farming. It was a joy and an honor to him to be farming the same ground that his great-grandfather had homesteaded in 1878.

Laurence had a beautiful tenor voice and was often called upon to sing solos at church, community functions, and funerals up until a year ago. He loved to read, and he loved to tinker. He could repair nearly anything that was broken. He loved spending time with his family, especially family dinners, and camping in the Rocky Mountains. He was a member of the Woodston United Methodist church, and served on the Stockton School Board and Rooks County Conservation Board for many years.

Marvel and Laurence moved to their present home in Woodston back in 1957. It was here they raised their three children, Elizabeth, Cynthia, and Downer. Earlier this month they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with their family at home.

Laurence is survived by his wife Marvel of the home; daughter Elizabeth Marcotte of Woodston; son Downer Hull of Woodston; son-in-law Dan Sarian of Littleton, CO, grandchildren Tabitha Marcotte, Laurissa Marcotte, Haley Sarian, Colton Hull, Kyle Hull, and Jace Hull; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Downer and Elsie Hull, daughter Cynthia Sarian, son-in-law Ron Marcotte, and siblings Frances VanGundy, Lucille Stanfield, and Lee Hull.

Laurence was a man of strong faith, abiding hope, and deep love for God, his wife, his family, and his farm. Although we will miss him greatly for now, we take comfort knowing that today he is with Jesus, and those who went before him. Our hearts rejoice because we look forward with anticipation to the day we shall all be reunited in Heaven.

Funeral Services are 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 30, 2016 at Woodston United Methodist Church with burial to follow in the Spring Branch Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday from 2:00 p.m.until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.