Cherry Lynn Martin, 57, Hays, died Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at the Hays Medical Center.

She was born August 9, 1958 in Norton, Kansas, the daughter of Raymond D. and Delpha Galene (Corder) Stephenson. She graduated from Norton High School in 1976 and attended Manhattan Christian College.

On November 21, 1978, she married Jan Kyle Martin in Norton. She was a housewife and enjoyed playing Bingo, camping and fishing, and sporting events. She taught Bible school, and enjoyed being a dental assistant for Dr. Ruliffson and working with the elderly. She was very active in Vacation Bible School and loved being a grandmother.

Survivors include her husband, of the home in Hays, her father Raymond D. Stephenson of Scranton, Kansas, a son Kyle Martin and wife Denise of Salina, two daughters; Kristin Martin of Great Bend and Kayla Lonnon and husband Dane of Hays, two brothers; Rex Stephenson of Salem, Oregon and Terry Stephenson of Hays, a sister Dana Stephenson-Webber of Scranton, and nine grandchildren; Gabriel, Gage, Grayson, Galadriel, Colby, Chloe, Cayli, Mason, and Claire.

She was preceded in death by her mother.

Funeral services will be at 2:00 pm on Monday, March 7, 2016 at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street.  Visitation will be from 5:00 pm to 7:00 on Sunday and from 1:00 pm until service time on Monday, all at the funeral home.  Memorials are suggested to Hays Good Samaritan Society in care of the funeral home. 

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

Linda M. (Fallows) Gasper, 91, died Monday, March 1, 2016, at Brookdale Meridian Senior Living Center, Lakewood, Colo.

She was born Jan. 10, 1925 in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, to Annie (Mathers) and William Fallows.

She married Francis C. Gasper, who was a member of the Army Air Corps during World War II, on Sept. 1, 1945 in St. Peter and Paul Church, Bolton, England.

After the war, they resided in Tipton, Kan., where they farmed for a short time before assuming ownership of the Tipton Telephone Company. Upon sale of the company, they resided in numerous Kansas communities, including Wilson, Lenora, Victoria, Ellis, and Hoxie, as well as Phoenix, Ariz., and the Denver area. Her many friends and acquaintances will remember her as outgoing and very entertaining as well as an excellent mother, grandmother, homemaker and baker. While in Victoria, she worked as a cook at Victoria High School for many years.

Survivors include four children, Shirley Richard and husband Ken, Phoenix, Carol Koel, Golden, Colo., Sandy Jackson, Wheat Ridge, Colo., and Bill Gasper and wife Pam, Hays; five grandchildren, Brian Koel and Brent Koel, Lakewood, Kevin Koel and wife Claire, College Station, Texas, Eric Gasper, Lakewood, and Kyle Gasper and wife Trista, Hays; one great-grandchild, Sophia Koel, College Station, and one brother, Leonard, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, three sisters and one brother.

A memorial service for Denver-area friends will be at Mt. Olivet in Wheat Ridge. Another memorial service is planned at a later date in Tipton, where her and her husband’s cremains will be laid to rest in the Saint Boniface Cemetery, Tipton.

Esther Bruntz, age 92, died at Ness County Hospital, February 26, 2016.

She was born on December 12, 1923 in Darrouzett, Texas, the daughter of George and Mollie (Fritzler) Schoenhals.

She married Sam Bruntz on September 14th, 1950. She was a homemaker, loved gardening, woodworking, arts and crafts, and was a family historian. She also served as mayor of Bazine. She was a member of the St. Paul Congregational Church, Bazine.

She is survived by her husband, sons Craig and wife Beverly of Overland Park, Ks; Rodney and wife Patty of Valley Center, KS; Kent and wife Cindy of Mulvane, KS. Grandchildren, Kim (Bill) of Loveland, Co; Kelley of Hampton, NE; Jonathon (Allison) of Wichita, KS; Christopher (Tracy) of Topeka, KS; Carissa (Jensen) of Mulvane, KS; Michelle Bruntz and Jordan Bruntz. Great-Grandchildren Jack, Kate, Samual, Benjamin, Leah, and Jaden. Sister Ruth (Delbert) of McLean, TX, brothers Bill of Grand Junction, CO and Sam of Ridgecrest, CA.

She was preceded in death by son Lyle and wife Del, sisters Helen Herbel and Katherine Mattison, brothers H.E. and George.

Viewing will be Sunday, February 28, 9 A.M. – 9 P.M. with family present 6 P.M. – 8 P.M. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home.

Funeral service will be at St. Paul Congregational Church, Bazine, Monday, February 29, 2016, 11:00 A.M.

Burial in Bazine Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be given to St. Paul Congregational Church, Bazine.

The Rev. August W. Homburg, age 83, of Ellis passed away Friday, February 26, 2016 at Via Christi Village in Hays. He was born September 19, 1932 on the family farm located 9 miles north of Ellis, KS to August Walter and Elsie (Zachman) Homburg. He attended Sleepy Hollow for five years which was a one room country school located two miles from the family farm. He then attended Washington Grade School in Ellis and graduated from Ellis High School in 1950.

August married Billie Ann Edwards June 14, 1952 in McAllen, TX and to this union were Randal Doyle Homburg and Rebecca Ann Homburg as well as a foster son, Donald Johnson. Billie died of Cancer March 26, 1997. In the summer of 1999 while attending a Homburg reunion in Ellis he met Edna Fabrizius Niernberger and married November 7, 1999 in Ellis at Christ Lutheran Church.

August worked in heavy construction as a welder for several years and felt called to the Gospel Ministry while on a road job near Manhattan, KS. He started college in 1953 at Southeastern Oklahoma Teachers’ College in Durant, OK and graduated with a B.A. in Education in August of 1956. He then went to seminary at Central Lutheran Theological Seminary in Fremont, NE and graduated and was ordained in May of 1959 with a Bachelor of Divinity Degree and later was granted a Master of Divinity Degree from the Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago, IL. He accepted a call from the Board of American Missions of the United Lutheran Church to Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church Durant, OK which he started while in college. He redeveloped missions in Durant, OK Our Saviour’s Lutheran and Kansas City North, MO, Holy Shepherd Lutheran.  After twelve years in mission work he served Elim Lutheran Church, Marquette, KS for six years and then returned to Durant where he taught school for two years while serving Our Saviour’s in a “Tent Making Ministry”. After serving part time for two years the church grew to full time and then served at Our Saviour’s until 1988 when he was forced to retire due to an auto accident.

He is survived by his wife, Edna of Ellis; children Randy (Robyn) Homburg of Midwest City, OK and Rebecca (Paul) Reed of Ardmore, OK; foster son, Donald Johnson of Casa Grande,  AZ; step children, Nancy (Craig) Allison of Lyons, KS, Joe (Carol) Niernberger of Champaign, IL and Mark Niernberger of Grandview, MO; a brother, Allaire (Arla) Homburg of Stockton, KS; grandchildren, Hannah and Sarah Homburg of Midwest City, OK, Katie and James Bleeker, Joshua Reed, Melanie and Karl Bergstrom, Melissa Allison, Darren Allison, Haley Niernberger; foster grandchildren, Alex Poma, Andi Wright; great grandchildren, Bradyn, Bryce and Brody Bergstrom; foster great grandchild,Josee Wright as well as many beloved nephews, nieces, wonderful friends and former parishioners.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Betty and brothers Harold, Rev. Arthur and Alfred.

Funeral services will be 11 AM on Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at Christ Lutheran Church in Ellis. Interment will be prior to services on Tuesday at 10 AM  in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Ellis.

Visitation will be Monday 5 PM – 7 PM with a prayer service at 7 PM all at Keithley Funeral Chapel 400 E 17th Ellis, KS 67637.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Christ Lutheran Church of Ellis.

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

Kenneth “Ken” Lee Culver, Olathe, Kansas died February 18, 2016 at Evergreen Community of Johnson County at 84 years old. Ken was born on September 12, 1931 in Yates Center, Kansas. He was the 3rd son of Lesslie Charles Culver and Clara Mae (Burkey) Culver. He graduated from the Kansas School for the Deaf in 1949.

His training at KSD was in Linotype operations and his first employment after graduation was in St. Johns, Kansas.

He married his high school sweetheart, Peggy Joyce Smith from Hoxie Kansas on October 5, 1952 at the Christian Church in Hoxie. They moved to Colby, Kansas where he was employed by the Colby Free Press from 1952-1967. To this union three children were born in Colby.

In 1967, the family moved to Lawrence, Kansas where he was employed at Allen Press until his retirement in 1996 in photo-composition and computers. In 2005, Ken & Peggy moved to Shawnee, Kansas until they moved into Evergreen Community of Johnson County on February 18, 2015.

Ken was involved in many roles for the Kansas Deaf Association for many years. He was elected and served as President from 1975-1979. In 1991, he was honored by the Association for his dedication and became President Emeritus. He and Peggy assisted with the creation of the first in the nation the Deaf Cultural Center in Olathe. Upon the completion of the DCC, they continued to be volunteers for many years.

Ken was selected and honored as Man of the Year for Kansas School for the Deaf Alumni Association in 2004. He was also honored in 2014 as Hall of Fame Inductee in Community services for KSDAA.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, his brother Gerald, and his niece Brenda.

He leaves behind his wife, Peggy of 63 years of marriage, daughter, Nancy (Mark) Edelman of Boone, Iowa, son, Dale (Mary) of Shawnee, Kansas, and daughter Judith (Kelly) Wheeler of Lawrence, Kansas. Ken has 5 grandchildren, Amanda (Justin) Wright, Kansas City, Keith Culver, Kansas City, Adam Edelman, Austin, Texas, Alex (Derek) Merk West Point, Iowa and Aaron Edelman, Boone, Iowa. He was great-grandpa to Sawyer Merk, Mila Wright and Theo Merk. Ken also is survived by his brother Leonard (Doris), Mesa, AZ and his niece, Linda (Dale) Johnson, Loveland, CO.

A Celebration of Life for Ken will be February 28, 2016 in the community room at Evergreen Community in Olathe, Kansas at 2:00 pm. Inurnment will be at Hoxie City Cemetery in Hoxie, Kansas at a later date.

Memorials in honor of Ken are Deaf Cultural Center, Olathe, Kansas, Evergreen Community of Johnson County, Olathe, Kansas and Hospice Partners of Kansas, Basehor, Kansas. They may be sent in care of Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home, PO Box 987, Hoxie, KS.

Lucida “Zita” (Schmidt) Dreiling, 90, Hays, died Wednesday, February 24, 2016 at the Good Samaritan Society in Ellis.

She was born November 14, 1925 in Catharine, Kansas the daughter of Albert A. and Wilhelmina “Minnie” (Kinderknecht) Schmidt. On May 23, 1944 she married Richard Dreiling in Catharine. He died May 3, 1993. She was a homemaker until her children were grown, then worked at Hays High Cafeteria, Travenol, and was a demonstrator at Dillon’s grocery store. She was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, the VFW Auxiliary, and was a devout Catholic and enjoyed listening to Divine Mercy. She loved to play pinochle, spend time with her grandchildren, and was very honest and close to her sister Alice.

Survivors include two sons; Howard Dreiling and wife Vera of Arlington, TX, and Duane Dreiling and wife Debbie of Olathe, two daughters; Shirley Dreiling of Hays and Linda Haas and husband Fredd of Des Moines, Iowa, a daughter in law Betty Dreiling of Richmond, Indiana, three brothers; Melvin “Joe” Schmidt and wife JoAnn of Catharine, Howard Schmidt of Hays, and William “Bill” Schmidt and wife Delores of Westminster, CO, two sisters; Gladys Jacobs of Overland Park, KS, and Carol Canfield of Fayetteville, Arkansas, 14 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, and one great great granddaughter.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a son Rick Dreiling, brothers Ralph and Rich Schmidt, and sisters, Joyce Gonzalez, Pauline Schmidt, MaryAnn Stecklein, Alice Freitag, and Jeanette Gottschalk.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 am on Saturday, February 27, 2016 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 1805 Vine Street, Hays. Burial will be in the St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 until 8:00 pm on Friday and from 9:00 am until 10:30 Saturday, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street. A parish vigil and rosary will begin at 6:00 pm on Friday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the church or to masses, in care of the funeral home.

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

Lawrence J. “Larry” Dreiling, 84, Hays, died Thursday, February 25, 2016 at the Good Samaritan Society in Ellis.

He was born November 10, 1931 in Gorham, Kansas the son of Alex P. and Anna (Dechant) Dreiling. On November 21, 1951 he married Norma Jean Urban in Hays. She died October 29, 1991. He served in the National Guard and was a carpenter and farmer. He was a member of Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in Antonino and the Knights of Columbus 3rd Degree Council #4166 in Schoenchen, Kansas. He was a hard worker, often doing odd jobs with his children in the evening after he got off of work. He loved playing pinochle and enjoyed spending time with his family, grandchildren and friends. He restored vintage John Deere tractors and went to numerous shows, Antique Tractor Pulls, and Old Iron Days with his tractors. He was an expert story teller, and was quick to share a joke when he’d see you.

Survivors include three sons; Larry A. Dreiling and wife Anita of Catharine, Alex J. Dreiling and wife Shari of Hays, and John J. Dreiling and wife Bonnie of Hays, two daughters; Linda Pfannenstiel and husband A.J. of Hays and Janie Dorzweiler of Catharine, a brother; Gilbert Dreiling and wife Clara of Hays, and Lillian Dinkel and husband Leon of Victoria, seventeen grandchildren, and thirty one great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, two brothers Benedict and Martinus Dreiling, three sisters Celestina “Sally” Braun, Evelyn Dechant, and Jenny Leiker, a granddaughter Lisa Pfannenstiel, a daughter in law Glady Dorzweiler Dreiling and a son in law Harold Dorzweiler.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Monday, February 29, 2016 at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in Antonino. Burial with military honors by the Hays VFW and American Legion Riders will be in the St. Catherine Cemetery. Visitation will be on Sunday from 4:00 until 8:00 pm and on Monday from 8:30 am until 9:30, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street. A parish vigil service will be at 6:30 pm followed by a Knights of Columbus 3rd degree council #4166 rosary at 7:00, all on Sunday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church, the St. Catherine Cemetery Fund, or to masses, in care of the funeral home.

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