Hays, Kansas-Elouise D. Miller, age 84, died Friday, May 1, 2015 at Hays Medical Center.

She was born November 24, 1930, in Alton, Kansas, to Clarence S. and Laura Areta Sparks.

She was a graduate of Alton High School and then attended a nine week summer school at Fort Hays State College. At age seventeen she began teaching school at Liberty Bell School and Mt. Hope School in rural Osborne county for two years, then five years at Woodston, Kansas.

At age 24, she moved to Hays and taught nine years of first grade and 44 years of kindergarten at Lincoln School. She also taught Fort Hays State Summer Lab School and for the Hays Summer Reading programs.

She received her Bachelor of Science Degree, Masters Degree and Specialist in Education Degree from Fort Hays State College. She also studied at The University of London, Zhejiang University of China and on an Around the World Study Tour.

Her awards include, Outstanding Young Educator for Kansas; Kansas Teacher’s Hall of Fame; Kansas Master Teacher; Who’s Who in America; Phi Delta Kappa Cunningham Award; Delta Kappa Gamma Scholarship and the Phi Kappa Phi.

She was a member of First United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, Sisters of Survivorship, Ellis County Historical Society, Sternberg Museum, Hays Arts Council,
Friends of the Hays Public Library, Cancer Council of Ellis County, Life Member of National Education Association, Life Member of Fort Hays State University Alumni, Past President of Hays Teachers Association and Past Delta Kappa Gamma State President. She was a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity of Ellis County, Community Assistance Center, Hospice Hays Medical Center and a Salvation Army bell ringer.

Survivors include one sister, Donna McComb and husband, Gail, Stockton, KS; one sister-in-law, Cathy Miller, Gilbert, AZ; many nieces and nephews including, Kathryn Rees and husband, Howard, Dodge City, KS; Michele Kee, Stockton, KS; Melanie Hoch and husband, Charlie, Topeka, KS; Leo Oliva and wife, Bonita, Woodston, KS; Peggy Kiper, Apache Junction, AZ; Junior Taylor and wife, Barbara, Shenandoah, IA.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, C.J. Miller; three sisters, Madge Taylor, Lela Oliva and Georgia Schmitz and her special friend, Fritz Meis.

Her body was donated to Kansas University Medical Center.

A memorial service will be at 11:00 a.m. Thursday at the First United Methodist Church, 7th and Ash, Hays, Kansas. The family will receive friends from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the church.

In lieu of flowers the family suggest memorials to Sisters of Survivorship, the First United Methodist Church or U.S.D. 489 Foundation for Educational Excellence.

Cline’s Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601 is in charge of arrangements and condolences can be sent via email to [email protected].

Edwin Ervin Langer, age 89, passed away on May 2, 2015 at the Ness County Hospital, Ness City, Kansas. He was born on December 24, 1925 in rural Barton County, Kansas near Olmitz. He was the son of Joseph and Mary Rabenseifner Langer.

He was a farmer and a stockman and a member of the Sacred Heart Church, Ness City. On December 28, 1954 he married Marjorie Beck in Ness City. She survives.

Other survivors include two daughters, Kathy Herrman (Randy), Hays, Kansas and Nancy Schwartz (Dale), Phoenix, Arizona and three grandsons: Dustin and Skyler Schwartz and Shawn Herrman. He was preceded in death by his daughter Kimberly; four brothers, Leonard, Paul, Adolph, and Alvin; and four sisters, Helen Koester, Marie McDonald, Ann Weilert, and Evelyn Schlegel.

Friends may call on Sunday from noon until 9pm and on Monday from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm at Fitzgerald Funeral Home. Rosary will be held at the funeral home on Sunday at 7:00 pm. Mass of Christian burial will be at Sacred Heart Church, Ness City on Monday, May 4, 2015, 2:00 PM. Burial in the Sacred Heart Cemetery.

Memorial Contributions may be given to Cedar Village or Sacred Heart Cemetery.

Wade M. Dreiling, 22, Hays, died Thursday, April 30, 2015 at his home in Hays.

He was born July 29, 1992 in Hays the son of Bruce M. and Mary Beth (Dechant) Dreiling. He was a 2010 graduate of Hays High School and worked for Service Master of Hays. He enjoyed hanging out with his brother, loved animals and took great care of the rose bushes at the shop. He also enjoyed camping, canoeing and woodworking.

Survivors include his parents, of the home in Hays, a brother Dane M. Dreiling of Hays, grandparents Marvin M. and Kathleen A. Dreiling of Hays, and Dorothy M. Dechant of Hays, numerous Aunts, Uncles, and cousins, and his beloved cat Rascal and dog, Yukon.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Alfred W. Dechant.

Funeral services will be at 2:00 pm on Monday, May 4, 2015 at the St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church, 2901 E. 13th. Inurnment will follow in the St. Joseph Cemetery, Hays.

Visitation will be from 6:30 pm until 8:00 on Sunday and from 1:00 pm until 1:45 on Monday, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine. A parish vigil service will be at 7:00 on Sunday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to the Humane Society of the High Plains, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.

Marine Leiker, 92, Hays, died Thursday, April 30, 2015 at the Good Samaritan Society, Ellis.

She was born March 28, 1923 in Hays the daughter of Joseph and Kathren (Hertel) Eberle. She grew up and attended school in Yocemento, Kansas.

On November 26, 1951 she married Marcell Leiker in Hays. He died on April 19, 1970. She was a housekeeper for the Schwallers, Tom Boone, and Dale and Iris Davis for many years.

She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Hays. She was well known for “Marine’s Rolls” which were her delicious cinnamon rolls. She enjoyed cooking and baking, and making holiday dinners for her nieces and nephews. She loved sitting outside and visiting with her neighbors, and spending time with her family.

Survivors include three sisters in law, Katie Eberle of WaKeeney, Kansas, Wilma Unrein of Hays, and Irene Leiker of Wichita, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, six brothers; Halarius, Anton, Ralph, Eddie, Alfred and Alvin Eberle, and three sisters; Anna Boucher, Marcella Weber, and Evelyn Hoff.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Monday, May 4, 2015 at the St. Joseph Catholic Church, 215 W. 13th, Hays. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends on Sunday from 6:00 until 8:00 pm and on Monday from 9:00 until 9:45 am, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine. A parish vigil service will be at 6:30 pm on Sunday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to St. Joseph Catholic Church, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.

E. Jean Herrman (November 2, 1929 – April 27, 2015), 85, peacefully passed away in her sleep on April 27, 2015 at St. Thomas More Hospital while recovering from a fall from the previous day.

She was born in Omaha, Nebraska on November 2, 1929 to Anthony and Cecelia Fleissner and received her elementary and secondary education there. As a child, Jean suffered from polio but, with the attentive care of her mother, was able to avoid many of the more serious consequences of the disease. As an adult, however, she developed post-polio syndrome which increasingly weakened her legs and impaired her balance.

In the meantime, Jean earned a Bachelor degree in Nursing at the Denver School of Nursing in Denver, Colorado and later a Master degree in Psychiatric Nursing at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. After teaching for several years at The Menninger (Psychiatric) Clinic in Topeka, Kansas she met the widower Dr. Ralph Herrman, D.D.S., of Seneca, Kansas. Ralph and Jean were married in November of 1969, and Jean immediately became the mother of Ralph’s eight children which included two sets of twins. Jean loved family, friends, the Church, and cooking. In 1973, the family returned to Omaha where Jean assumed a part-time teaching position at the College of St. Mary, School of Nursing and Ralph became a full-time faculty member at Creighton University School of Dentistry. After almost three decades in the Omaha area, Ralph and Jean retired from teaching (but not parenting) and moved to Canon City, Colorado.

Jean was preceded in death by her parents, Anthony and Cecelia, and her step-son Nicolas Herrman. She is survived by her husband, Ralph, their seven children: David (Vicki) in Omaha, NE, Terry (Elin) in Ames, IA, Tim (Kathy) in Mesa, AZ, Eileen (Mark) Molzen in Mesa, AZ, Mark (& Ingrid) in Spokane, WA, Monica (Jim) Tolas in Sumner, WA, and Amy in Riverside, PA along with twelve grandchildren and one great grandchild. She is also survived by a brother, Robert (Janet) Fleissner, and a sister, Kathleen (Fleissner) Wolford both in Omaha, NE, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Liebenthal, KS on Monday, May 4, at 10:30am. The burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery in Liebenthal, Kansas. Following services a luncheon will be held with the location to be announced.

Visitation will be 10 AM – 10:30 AM at the church on Monday.

Arrangements in care of Brock’s-Keithley Funeral Chapel, 2509 Vine Hays, KS 67601.

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

Esther Marie (Kraus) Deines, 95, was born August 1, 1919 in McCracken, Kansas to William Sr. and Eva Elizabeth (Schwartzkopf) Kraus. She passed away on April 28, 2015 at Hays Medical Center, Hays, Kansas. She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church where she was confirmed on June 24, 1934.

She married Alfred Sigmund Deines on June 16, 1940 at Zion Lutheran Church. They worked alongside each other on the Deines family farm where they lived all their married life. Alfred passed away December 14, 1996.

Esther was a Sunday School teacher and Superintendent at Zion Lutheran Church She was an active member of the Ladies Group (WELCA) and Financial Secretary for the church. She was also a member of the “Stitch & Crackle” Club.

Esther leaves to mourn her passing her daughter, Judith (Carroll) Fabrizius of WaKeeney; her son, William F. (Marilyn) Deines of WaKeeney; five grandsons, Eric (Jennifer) Fabrizius of Manhattan, Kansas, David (Marie) Fabrizius of Spring Hill, Kansas, Stephen Deines of Medford, Oregon, Timothy Deines of Manhattan, Kansas, and Michael (Lindsay) Deines of WaKeeney, Kansas; fourteen great-granchildren, Madison and Ethan Fabrizius of Manhattan, Kansas, MacKenzie, Allison, and Andrew Fabrizius of Spring Hill, Kansas, Caleb and Benjamin Deines of Manhattan, Kansas, Allison, Ava, and Lucas Deines of WaKeeney, Kansas, Avery, Matthew, and Adrienne Deines of Mangum, Oklahoma, and James Deines of Medford, Oregon.

Preceding her in death were her parents; husband; brothers, William Jr. and Henry Kraus, and two infant brothers; sisters, Pauline Stenzel and Lydia Fabricius.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 2, 2015 at Zion Lutheran Church, Trego Center-WaKeeney. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be Friday, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, memorial contributions are suggested to Zion Lutheran Church. Checks made to the church may be sent in care of Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS 67672.

Condolences may be left for the family online at www.schmittfuneral.com.

Elizabeth Ann Fackler, 86, Victoria, passed away Monday, April 27, 2015 at her daughter’s home in Victoria.

She was born December 6, 1928 in Buffalo, New York the daughter of James L. and Fairrie Gladis (Nichols) Palmer. She was united in marriage on September 29, 1963 to Lynn Fackler.

She enjoyed reading, quilting, cooking and was an avid seamstress. She taught several people how to sew, quilt, and cook as a volunteer community teacher of adult education at Boise Community Education Dept. She was a member of the Dutch Oven Society and was very proficient in Dutch oven cooking.

Survivors include a son Donald Dugger and wife Barbara of Boulder, CO, two daughters, Linda Kenne and husband John of Victoria, and Carol Fackler of Olympia, WA, five grandchildren, Paul Kenne, Stephanie Grippin and husband Morgan, Jacquelyn Norris and husband Willard, Jennifer Kivett and husband Joel, and Meaghan Dugger, six great grandchildren, Miles Grippin, Kendall Grippin, Eleanor “Nora” Kivett, Harrison Norris, Mackenzie Norris, and Mahala Norris. She is also survived by two brothers,  Ernest Palmer of Chico, CA and Norman Palmer of Sacramento, CA.

She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband.

Graveside Services will be held at 1:00 pm on Friday, May 8, 2015 at Dry Creek Cemetery, Boise, Idaho. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Hays Medical Center and may be sent to the family or to Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.

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