Elmer D. Erskin, age 89, passed away on Saturday, March 26, 2016 at the Scott County Hospital in Scott City, Kansas. He was born on September 22, 1926 in Shallow Water, Kansas, the son of John and Martha Allen Erskin. A resident of Scott City, Kansas, he worked for Shallow Water Refining until 1954 moving to North Dakota where he worked for Standard Oil Company and then back to Scott City in 1970 where he was a farmer until he retired in 1993.

He was a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church of Scott City, Kansas.

On December 31, 1949 he married Luella B. Wiechman in Scott City, Kansas. She passed away on November 17, 2015 in Scott City, Kansas.

Survivors include his One Son – Harold & Susan Erskin of Mulvane, Kansas, Three Daughters – Sandra & Rick Kahl of Scott City, Kansas, Shirley & Dan Rogers of Valley Center, Kansas, Sharon & David Powers of Scott City, Kansas, One Brother – Alvy & Joyce Erskin of Davilla, Texas, Nine Grandchildren and Eighteen Great Grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, four brothers – Joe Erskin, Albert Erskin, Leroy Erskin, John Erskin and three sisters – Lily Sharp, Frances Malchow and Bertha Paul.

Funeral Services will be held at the Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Scott City, Kansas at 2:00 p.m. Friday, April 1, 2016 with Pastor Warren Prochnow presiding.

Memorials may be given to the Holy Cross Lutheran Church or Park Lane Nursing Home % Price & Sons Funeral Home in Scott City, Kansas.

Interment will be in the Scott County Cemetery in Scott City, Kansas.

Visitation will be from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Wednesday and 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Thursday at Price & Sons Funeral Home in Scott City, Kansas.

Robert Mark “Bob” Nelson, 55, of Quinter, Kansas, passed away on March 2, 2016 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Bob was the beloved son of Charles M. Nelson and (the late) Cleo Pfaltzgraff Nelson. 

Bob is survived by his father, Charles M. Nelson of Lancaster PA; a sister, Ruth (William) Hannum of Lancaster PA; two brothers, John Nelson of Harrisonburg VA and James (Carol) Nelson of Bradenton FL; a niece, Elizabeth Nelson of Harrisonburg VA; and many cousins.

Bob is also survived by his many supportive and loving friends in the Quinter area who were always there for him.

Bob Nelson grew up in Lansdowne PA graduating with the Lansdowne-Aldan High School Class of 1978; he moved to Quinter in 1981 where he lived for almost 35 years. Bob was a Master Gardener who enjoyed growing plants for himself and others.

Bob truly loved watching things grow and fixing things. He worked as an auto mechanic, two-way radio technician, combine owner/operator, pig farmer, landscaper, gardener, general handyman, flour mill operator, trash hauler, driver/caregiver, and greenhouse operator. Bob had a kind caring human spirit and performed many random acts of kindness.



A family hosted memorial service celebrating Bob’s life will be held April 2, 2016 at 11:00 am at the Quinter Church of the Brethren, 700 Grant St Quinter KS. 

There will be visitation with the family at 10:00 am prior to the service at the church. 



In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Quinter Church of the Brethren, The American Cancer Society or to a charity of your choice. Donations made to the organization may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 South Main, Quinter, KS 67752.

Harlen L. McGinness, 88, of Wichita (formerly of WaKeeney), died March 23, 2016. Harlen was born October 26, 1927, in Lincoln County, Kansas, to Harley and Minnie (Yohe) McGinness. He was the youngest of seven children. He attended Westfall Grade School and graduated from Beverly Rural High School in 1945 with a class of six boys and six girls.

Harlen served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, at the close of World War II. He attended Merritt Business College at Oakland, California. He was an accounting instructor at Brown Mackie College in Salina, Kansas, where he met his wife Audrey Ann Knutson. They were married on June 10, 1951.

Harlen was an accountant for Harper Construction Company in Great Bend, Kansas. In 1954 he became Office Manager at Western Cooperative Electric in WaKeeney, and in 1969 became General Manager, retiring in 1990.

He has been a member of the Presbyterian Church in WaKeeney for 60 years, where he has served as elder, deacon, Sunday school teacher, and church treasurer for several years.  He was Master of the WaKeeney Masonic Lodge #148 AF & AM in 1961.  He was Worthy Patron of WaKeeney Margaret Chapter #149, Order of Eastern Star in 1975; and was Associate Guardian of WaKeeney Job’s Daughters Bethel No. 40. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harley and Minnie; brothers, Thomas (Doris), Robert (Janice), Max (Diane); and sisters, Delores (Fred Borgstadter), Lauretta (Kasper Erickson), and Geneva (Marden Rohrer).

Harlen is survived by his wife, Audrey Ann; daughters, Terri (Tom Smiley) of Kansas City, Kathi (Steve Clavin) of Wichita, and Conni (Terry Steininger) of Salina; grandchildren, Tara Smiley of Fort Scott, Chris (Jill) Clavin of Wichita, Traci Smiley of Kansas City, and Cody (Charla) Steininger of Dodge City; and great-grandchild, Boston Ray Steininger.

Funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, March 29, at the WaKeeney Presbyterian Church. Burial will be in the WaKeeney City Cemetery.

Visitation will be Monday evening from 5:00 to 7:00 at the funeral home.

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

Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.schmittfuneral.com.

Genevieve Smith Lorenzen, 90, died March 25, 2016, at Citizens Medical Center in Colby. Born October 12, 1925, in Seattle, Wash., she was the daughter of Robert P. Hemmingsen and Ella Francis Totten. Seattle is where she met her first husband, Oliver O. Smith Jr. They were married on May 15, 1945. He preceded her in death on August 1, 1976. This union had four children, David, Bertie, Gary and Sharon. During this marriage, at age 45, she received her Registered Nurse degree and worked at Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend and then became Administrator at Woodhaven Nursing Home in Ellinwood.

She found her second love and best friend, Dale A. Lorenzen. They were married July 28, 1978, and resided in Oakley. They loved to travel and go fishing. She was blessed to inherit two more daughters and a son from this marriage, Jean, Sherry and Paul.

She loved her family very much and when they would get together, she always wanted to play games, even up to the end. She also loved crossword puzzles and watching Jeopardy. She had many friends and caretakers that all respected and loved her.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Oliver; daughter, Sharon Komarek; and sister, Beatrice Keenan, of Seattle, Wash.

She will be missed by her husband Dale; children, David (Susie) Smith, of Sussex, WI, Bertie (Donnie) Lang, of St. John, KS, Gary D. Smith of Atlanta, GA, Jean (Bill) Huntley, of Kinsley, KS, Sherry (Wade) Taylor, of Oakley, KS, and Paul (Amy) Lorenzen, of Wallace, KS; nine grandchildren, Shawn and Shane Smith, R.C. Wondra Jr., Matt Wondra, Kelsey Peterson, Garrett and Lisa Taylor, Joshua and Jared Lorenzen and 10 great-grandchildren.

Cremation has taken place. Memorial services will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Untied Christian Church of Oakley, PO Box 186, Oakley KS 67748. Online Condolences: www.baalmannmortuary.com

Anna Christine Ridder, age 91, passed away on Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at Wichita County Health Center Long Term Care in Leoti, Kansas. Anna was born March 6, 1925 at Garden Plain, Kansas, the daughter of William & Catherine (Ven John) Betzen. Anna was a farm wife and had been a resident of Wichita County since 1930.

Anna was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Marienthal, Kansas and St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Leoti, Kansas, as well as St. Mary Alter Society and Daughters of Isabella.

On November 27, 1945 she married Joseph John Ridder, Jr. at Marienthal, Kansas.

Joe passed away on October 27, 2003 in Leoti, Kansas.

Anna’s surviving family includes-

Five Children-

Dan Ridder- Leoti, Kansas

Jim & Geraldine Ridder- Lenexa, Kansas

Chuck Ridder- Marienthal, Kansas

Mary Sue & Dennis Luebbers- Hutchinson, Kansas

Bonnie Pfannenstiel- Leoti, Kansas

Five Siblings-

Clarence Betzen- Hereford, Texas

Cleta & Herman Jasper- Colorado Springs, Colorado

Gertrude & Pat Weinzerl- Kansas City, Missouri

Linda Giachino- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Joe & JoAnne Betzen- Lees Summit, Missouri

Eleven Grandchildren, Thirteen Great Grandchildren

Her parents, husband, one son, Jerry Ridder, one grandson, Traci Pfannenstiel, one granddaughter, Ann Luebbers precede her in death.

Vigil services will be held at 7:00 pm Monday, March 28, 2016 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Marienthal, Kansas

Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 am Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Marienthal, Kansas with Father Benjamin Martin officiating.

Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery in Marienthal, Kansas.

Friends may call from 10:00 am until 8:00 pm Friday at Price & Sons Funeral Home in Leoti, Kansas.

Memorials may be given to Wichita County Health Center Long Term Care, St. Mary Catholic Church or St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in care of the funeral home.

Helen June Kraemer, 94, Hays, died Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at the Via Christi Village, Hays.

She was born June 19, 1921 in Holton, Kansas the daughter of Harold F. and Blanche V. (Haas) Gordon. On March 29, 1943 she married Maurice William “Mo” Kraemer in Henderson, Kentucky. Shortly thereafter she was deployed to North Africa and Italy serving as an Army nurse until the conclusion of World War II. Upon her return to the United States, she and her husband moved to Hays. She was a homemaker, and a loving wife and caring Mother to three boys. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Hays for over 60 years and a member of the PEO Chapter EC. She loved her family and her interests included travel, golf, and duplicate bridge.

She is survived by two sons, Richard G. Kraemer and wife Marty of Hays, Allen A. “Andy” Kraemer and wife Judy of LaCrosse, a brother Donald Gordon and wife Norma of Schenectady, NY, six grandchildren, Brandon Kraemer, Kasey Booth and husband Andrew, AJ Kraemer and Tina, Mitchell Kraemer, Tonya Normandin and husband Brian, Tate Gooden and wife AJ, and eight great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband Maurice “Mo” in December of 1997 and by her son Robert William in December of 1982.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 am on Monday, March 28, 2016 at the First Presbyterian Church, 2900 Hall Street, Hays.

Private family inurnment will take place at a later date. Visitation will be from 10:00 am until service time on Monday at the church and military honors by the Hays VFW Honor Guard will follow the church services.

Memorials are suggested to the First Presbyterian Church or to the Humane Society of the High Plains, in care of the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, Hays, Kansas 67601. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com