Brenda Sue Dirks Walz, age 68, of rural Ellis, died Tuesday, September 30, 2014 at Hays Medical Center.  She was born September 15, 1946, in Great Bend to Raymond H. and Irma G. (George) Dirks.

Brenda married Leroy H. Walz on November 19, 1976, at Red Line Church of God in rural Graham County.  She was a homemaker, former school bus driver for USD 208, a genealogist, and served as Sunday School Superintendent and Treasurer for many years at her church.

Survivors include her husband of the home; two daughters, Laura and husband Jeff McGee of rural Graham County; Ann Marie and husband Mark Knipp of Damar; a son, Matthew Walz and his fiancé, Yvonne Gilmore of rural Ellis; and a step-son Kenrick Walz and his wife Yvette of Santa Cruz, California; one sister, Sandra and husband Jerry Waite of Salina; two grandchildren; and four step-grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her parents and a grandson.

Funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, October 4, 2014 at Red Line Church of God, 1 mile south and 4 miles west of Palco.  Burial will be in the Morlan Township Cemetery.

Visitation will be Friday, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home in WaKeeney.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Brenda Walz Memorial Fund (for her grandchildren’s education).  Checks made to the fund may be sent in care of Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS  67672.

Condolences may be sent to www.schmittfuneral.com.

December 13, 1923 – September 27, 2014

Cecilia C. Quint, age 90, passed away at the Via Christie Ridge Cornerstone Skilled Nursing Center in Wichita, Kansas. She was born and raised in Ellis County, Kansas, one of 13 children to the late Paul and Catherine (Walters) Schmidt.

Cecilia was an avid bridge player and sports fan, and a member and past President of Toast Mistresses in Hays, and a lifetime member of the VFW Auxiliary Post No. 9076. She enjoyed traveling, and loved quilting and needlework.

Cecilia was preceded in death by her 1st husband of 29 years Richard Pfeifer, who passed away in 1972. Together, they farmed and ranched in Rush County and lived in Hays where they raised their children. Cecilia later remarried in 1974, to her 2nd husband, Richard Quint, who passed away in 2010. Together, they owned and operated Southwest Carpet in Garden City, Kansas, before retiring to Wichita, Kansas.

Cecilia is survived by her children: Linda Mudd and husband, Darrell of Wichita, Kansas; Marie Rohleder and husband, Jerry of Omaha, Nebraska; Diane Jensen and husband, Jim of Wichita, Kansas; and Neal R. Pfeifer and wife, Laurie of Chesterfield, Missouri; along with 9 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Cecilia also has 5 step children: Richard Quint Jr. of Nixa, Missouri; Rodney Quint of Lake Mary, Florida; Katherine Vogel of Loveland, Colorado; Evelyn McMillan of Pacific, Missouri; Donna Rooney of Bartlette, Illinois; and Deborah Landry of Mukilteo, Washington.

Cecilia’s surviving siblings are: Loretta Joy of Temple, Texas; Helen Edmunds of Grosse Pointe, Michigan; Mary L. Schmidt of Hays, Kansas; Marion Schmidt and wife Donna of Hays, Kansas; and Don Schmidt and wife Rose of Sun City, Arizona.

Cecilia’s family sincerely thanks the entire staff of the Cornerstone Assisted Living/ Skilled-Nursing Facility and Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice at Via Christi for their wonderful care and support to our family.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Saturday, October 4, 2014 at the St. Joseph Catholic Church, Hays. Burial will be 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. A VFW Auxiliary rosary will be at 6:00 pm and a parish vigil service will be at 7:00 pm, both on Friday at the funeral home.

Memorials for Cecilia Quint can be sent to the Endowment Foundation of Thomas More Prep-Marian, Inc., in the name of the Paul J. and Catherine Schmidt family. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.

Chloe Michelle Medina, 2, Hays, died after a long illness on Friday, September 26, 2014 at Children’s Hospital in Aurora, Colorado.

She was born March 29, 2012 in Hays, Kansas the daughter of Frank M. Jr.  and Renee M. (Dreher) Medina.

Chloe loved spending time with her family and going places with them, including seeing the dinosaur footprints in the mountains and attending a Colorado Rockies baseball game. She loved going to Bass Pro Shops because that meant she could climb aboard the pontoon boats and “drive” them. She was a member of and was baptized at St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church.

Survivors include her parents, Hays, a brother Trey Medina, two sisters Michaela and Olivia Medina, grandparents, Frank Medina, Sr. and wife Maria Diana of Weskan, Kansas, and Lois A. Dreher of Hays, great grandparents, Maria Garcia of Roma, TX and Alice Weber of Ellis, Kansas, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by a grandfather, Robert L. “Bob” Dreher, and great grandparents, Willie Garcia, Ralph Weber, Wendelin and Sophia Dreher, and C.P. and Mary Medina.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 1, 2014 at St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church, Hays.  Burial will be in the St. Joseph Cemetery.  The family will receive friends on Tuesday from 6:00 until 8:00 pm and on Wednesday from 9:00 am until 9:45, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine. A parish vigil service and rosary will begin at 7:00 pm on Tuesday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested in Chloe’s memory to Brent’s Place, 11980 E. 16th Ave., Aurora, CO 80010, or in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.

HAYS, Kan. — Patsy Ann Huff, age 67, died Thursday, September 25, 2014, at the Good Samaritan Society of Hays.

She was born January 28, 1947, in LaCrosse, Kansas, to Lester and Elizabeth (Houser) Witthuhn. She married Jim Haas and later separated, then married Ronald R. O’Connor on August 25, 1978, and he died April 30, 1992. She then married Randy L. Huff on August 23, 1993, and he died February 20, 2012.

She worked 15 years for the Ellis County District Court and then 14 years for the Hays SRS Office. She retired early due to her health and was a graduate of Hays High School. During her working years she was very active in the Hays Tavern Dart League.

Survivors include three sons, Jeff Haas, Denver, CO; Blue Haas and fiancé, Adrienne Young, Pagosa Springs, CO; Chris Haas and fiancé, Ursula Hudson, Pagosa Springs, CO; her father, Lester Witthuhn and wife, Elaine, Hays, KS; three step daughters, Julie Huff, Roeland Park, KS; Raina Huff, Hays, KS; Heather Lyman and husband, Chad, Ellis, KS; one brother, Lester “Butch” Witthuhn and wife, Mary, Hutchinson, KS; two sisters, LuAnn Gore and husband, Steve, Hershey, PENN; Louise Roy and husband, Randy, Abilene, TX; two step brothers, Tim Wilson and wife, Wendi, Fort Myers, FL; David Wilson, Atlanta, GE; two step sisters, Debbie Boehler and husband, Steve, Oklahoma City, OK; Jackie Fitz, Gibsonton, FL; seven grandchildren, Kylie Wiesner, Amelie Haas, Simone Haas, Caden Huff, Carson Jones, Holden Lyman and Bryson Lyman.

She preceded in death by her mother, her two husbands.

Services are 10:00 A.M. Saturday, October 4, 2014, at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601. Inurnment in Mount Allen Cemetery Hays, Kansas.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Friday, and from 9:30 to 10:00 A.M. Saturday, at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays. Memorial to the Good Samaritan Society Hays, Kansas.

Condolences can be sent via email to [email protected].

CATHARINE, Kan. — Cecilia Staab, age 96, died Friday, September 26, 2014, at Via Christi Village Hays, Kansas.

She was born January 3, 1918, in Catharine, Kansas to Jacob F. and Angelia Staab. She lived in Catharine, Kansas all of her life until moving to Hays, Kansas in 2000. She was member of St. Catherine Catholic Church and St. Catherine Christian Mothers/Altar Society.

Survivors include several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; five brothers, Leo, Frank, Herbert, Jacob, and Raymond Staab; five sisters, Clara Rohr, Angela Koerner, Alexia Staab, Louise Koerner and Mary Alice Kundred; one infant brother and one infant sister.

Services are 10:00 A.M. Monday, September 29, 2014, at St. Catherine Catholic Church, Catharine, Kansas and burial in St. Catherine Cemetery.

A vigil service is at 6:30 P.M. Sunday, followed by a St. Catherine Christian Mothers/Altar Society rosary at 7:00 P.M. Sunday, both at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas  67601.
Visitation is from 5:00 to 8:00 P.M. Sunday, at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Monday, at St. Catherine Catholic Church.

Memorial to St. Catherine Catholic Church. Condolences can be sent via email to [email protected].