Helen C. Ediger, age 87, went to be in the presence of the Lord Jesus on the morning of September 5, 2014. She was born July 15, 1927 to Bernhardt (BH) Doerksen and Marie F (Classen) Doerksen on the family farm in rural Meade County, Kansas.

She lived all but several years in Meade County and attended Lily Dale School, Monte Vista School (Colorado), Good Will School, and Meade Bible Academy.

She met Nickolai “Nick” T. Ediger while Christmas Caroling and they married on August 11, 1946 at the Meade EMB Church. Together they farmed and ranched, raised their family and served their church. A member of Countryside (EMB) Bible Church, she taught in the children’s Sunday School Department for many years and helped with Vacation Bible School. Helen was actively involved in the Ladies Mission Society and especially loved Prayer Band. Her love for Jesus and the Word of God was readily evident in all this as she read and taught the Word consistently, earning numerous Bible reading certificates.

She also was active in community life, a participant and teacher in EHU and in her later years active in the Beam Center and Golden Notes singing group.

She moved to Hays, KS in 2011 to be near family and was a recent member of North Oak Community Church.
She is survived by three sons, Earl Ediger and wife JoAnn of Cairo, Georgia, Richard Ediger and wife Nancy of Kingwood, Texas. Ken Ediger and wife Rachel of Hays, Kansas, one sister, Tena (Doerksen) Ediger and her spouse Walter Ediger of Rochester, MN, twelve grandchildren, Kent Ediger-Peck and wife Lori, Kyle Ediger-Peck, Kala Mercer, Brian Kestel, Karin Pearce and husband Ray, Lara Ediger, Cameron Ediger and wife Kendra, Chayson Ediger, Sara Froese and husband Josh, Nicole Iman and husband Jonathan, Kimberly Andis and husband Robert, and Kellie Babb and husband Brent, seventeen great-grandchildren, Chad Mercer, Ali and Emily Ediger-Peck, Joey Knight, Billy Ray and Lindsay Pearce, Olivia McCorkle, Caleb and Katelynn Ediger, Jacob and Bethany Froese, Lily and Emma Iman, Zack. Garett and Cassidy Andis, and Jayton Babb.

Preceding Helen in death were her husband, Nick, her parents, her sister, Adena Nachtigall, her brothers, Henry “Hank” Doerksen, Ben Doerksen, Pete Doerksen and Bill Doerksen.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Tuesday, September 9, 2014 at the North Oak Community Church, Hays.  Burial will be at 4:00 pm on Tuesday at the Countryside Bible Church Cemetery in rural Meade County.  Visitation will be from 5:00 until 7:00 pm on Monday at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home and from 9:00 am until service time on Tuesday at the church. 

Memorials are suggested in Helen’s memory to North Oak Community Church or to Hospice of Hays Medical Center, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com

HAYS — Pauline Cecilia Herl, age 89, died Saturday, June 14, 2014, at Hays Medical Center, Hays, Kansas.

She was born October 11, 1924, in Hays, Kansas, to Alex and Pauline (Schwalyer) Kisner. She married Bruno T. Herl on July 28, 1947. He died October 18, 1979.

Survivors include two sons, Dennis W. Herl and wife, Rita, Andover, KS; Terry F. Herl and wife, Rhonda, Carnation, WA; one daughter, Carol Susan Engel and husband, Dennis, Hays, KS; six grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; one brother-in-law, Clarence Fisher and wife, Shirley, Wichita, KS; and one sister-in-law, Alverna Kisslinger and husband, Herman, Ransom, KS.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Bruno; five brothers, Tony, Isadore, Al, Cliff and Joe Kisner; three sisters, Barbara Waldschmidt, Rosie Pfannenstiel and MaryAnn Fisher.

A memorial service will be at 7:00 P.M. Friday, September 12, 2014, at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Friday, at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays. Inurnment will be at St. Joseph Cemetery, Hays, Kansas.

Memorial to Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in care of the mortuary. Condolences can be sent via email to [email protected]

Lillian Jacobs, age 83 of Hays, passed away Wednesday, September 3, 2014 at her home. She was born August 26, 1931 on the family farm in rural Ellis County, Kansas to Isidore and Anna (Meier) Klaus. She attended Girl’s Catholic High School. She married Gene Jacobs February 23, 1952 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Pfeifer.

Lillian was a farmwife and also worked for Travenol for 10 years and then worked as a bookkeeper at Coca-Cola for 32 years. She was a member of the Victoria Daughters of Isabella, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Hays and a past member of Holy Cross Catholic Church.  She was a loyal volunteer at the ARC Thrift Shop and she also supported numerous charities. She also enjoyed her grandchildren’s school and sporting events and was a loving, compassionate and caring person.

She is survived by her husband Gene of the home; two daughters, Patty Way and husband Larry of Wichita and Debbie Hoffman and husband Tom of Hays; two granddaughters, Whitney Woods and husband Adam of Norman, OK and Kaylee Hoffman of Laramie, WY; a step granddaughter, Brandi Way of Wichita; three step great grandchildren, Ryan, Tayton and Mallory Way; two sisters-in-law, Mary Klaus of Schoenchen and Alberta Klaus of Hays. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; four brothers, Julius, Lavern, Edward and Robert and three sisters, Esther Rogers, Verneda “Neats” Dorathy and Mary Alice Rupp.

Funeral Mass will be 10:30 AM Saturday, September 6, 2014 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Pfeifer, KS. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be held Friday 4-8 PM and Saturday 9 AM – 10 AM at Brock’s – Keithley Funeral Chapel, 2509 Vine St.

A Victoria Daughters of Isabella Rosary will be Friday at 6:30 PM followed by a parish vigil at 7:00 PM all at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Holy Cross Charities or St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Hays.  Condolences may be left by guest book at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or emailed to [email protected]

Valdah Lois Burns was called home at the age of 96 on August 30, 2014 in Kennesaw, Georgia.

She was born March, 8, 1918 on the Pember farm southwest of Ness City, Kansas and was the daughter of Irvin A. and Minnie (Koester) Pember. She lived most of her younger life in Ness County, Kansas, most of her married life in Dodge City, Kansas and her later years in Kennesaw, Georgia where she moved with her husband to be near family in 1989. She always considered home as the homestead “the farm” in Ness County.

She was a devoted and caring daughter, wife, mother and grandmother and great grandmother.

She was a member of the United Methodist Church, Ness City, Kansas, United Methodist Church, Dodge City, Kansas and the First United Methodist Church, Marietta, Georgia in her later years.

Valdah married Waverly Franklin Burns in on March 26, 1944. Waverly and Valdah were married 48 years.

She was preceded in death by her husband Waverly on March 15, 1992; her brother Laverne; and three sisters, Mary, Dorothy and Oma.

Survivors include Valdah’s brother, Arthur I. Pember, of Ness City, Kansas; her son Ronald, and his wife, Marlena Burns, of Overland Park, Kansas; her son, Robert, and wife, Melanie Burns, of Acworth, Georgia; her six grandchildren (Derrick, Courtney, Sarah, Brendan, Colby and Max) and two great-grandchildren (James and Ava).

Since her parents didn’t have the opportunity to finish school, they made certain that all of their children attended and graduated from high school. Valdah attended the Pember School, a country school which was located on her grandfather’s land, through the eighth grade. She then went on to attend Ness City High School and graduated in the class of 1937. One of her first jobs was teaching in a “one room country school”. Part of her work history included working for Aero Parts in Wichita, Kansas during World War II and the Medical Center in Dodge City until she retired in 1985.

Friends may call on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 from 1:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M. with the family present from 7-9 P.M.

Funeral service will be held at the United Methodist Church, Ness City, Kansas on Thursday, September 4, 2014 at 11 A.M, graveside services will follow at the Ness City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that Valdah be honored with a donation to one of the following memorials: American Kidney Fund (AKF), www.kidneyfund.org/give-now/, American Heart Association, https://donate.heart.org or the United Methodist Church, 316 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Ness City KS 67560.

Patricia Ann (Hill) Stutz, age 81, passed away Wednesday, August 27, 2014, at her home near Utica, Kansas, after a short illness. Patricia was born on June 11, 1933 in Carthage, MO to Lee C. and Nellie P. (Berkebile) Hill and grew up and attended school in Carthage. After graduation from Carthage High School in 1950, she worked at Smith Brothers Company in Carthage, and volunteered with USO entertainers at Camp Crowder Army Base near Neosho, MO.

She married William Robert Stutz, Utica, on February 6, 1955 in Carthage, MO. He survives of the home where they have lived since the spring of 1959. Children include Cheryl (Ralph) Herrman, St. Joseph, MO; Bill (Lynne) Stutz, Cheyenne Wells, CO; Joy (Steve) Hembree, Great Bend, KS; Melody Stutz, Phoenix, AZ, currently living at the farm; and Greg (Michelle) Stutz, Weatherford, TX. Patricia has 10 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

She is also survived by two brothers, Jim Hill, Tempe, AZ and Bill (Helen) Hill, Emporia, KS and one sister-in-law, Dorothy Hill, Lee’s Summit, MO. She was preceded in death by both parents and two brothers, Bob and Richard Hill.

Pat was involved with 4-H and the Fair Board in Ness County for 35 years, serving as project leader, Utica Meadowlarks Club leader, and in many leadership and judging capacities. She was also very involved in the local, regional, and state activities of the Disciples of Christ Church and was a member of the Utica First Christian Church since 1960. She had a ceramics shop in her basement and taught lessons from the 60’s through the 90’s, taught swimming lessons in the summers, and had been an AVON representative for 30 years.

Known for her laugh and humor, Pat enjoyed listening to the music of her children and working with youth, whether at school, church, or in 4-H. She had a gift of creativity and loved to organize events and special occasions for others.

A candlelight memorial service to celebrate, remember and honor Pat’s life will be on Monday, September 1, 2014, 6:00 P.M. at the First Christian Church, Utica.

Respecting Pat’s wishes, in lieu of flowers, the family requests you do a random act of kindness for a stranger or suggest memorials to Tennyson Center for Children, c/o The First Christian Church, Utica.

Words of sympathy and support may be left for the family by clicking on the “Sign Guest Book” link above.