David Dean Myers, 64, Hays, died Friday, June 13, 2014 at the Hays Medical Center.

He was born October 5, 1949, in Hays the son of James T. “Bud” Myers and Josephine (Ptachek) Myers. On September 6, 1969, he married Dolores Hertel in Hays.

He was a street foreman for the City of Hays and was in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1968 until 1974. He was a member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, the Hays VFW Post #9076 and the Hays American Legion Post #173. He enjoyed restoring old cars, fishing, and spending time with family and friends.
Survivors include his wife, of the home in Hays, two sons, Kevin Myers and wife Trisha, and Paul Myers, all of Hays, a brother, James L. Myers and wife Alfreda “Fritz” of Hays, and four granddaughters, Gracie, Rease, Jill, and Claire Myers.

He was preceded in death by brothers John and Billy “Hiney” Myers, and sisters Betty Hoss and Janet Sue Reever.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Monday, June 16, 2014 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church.  Burial with military honors by the Hays VFW and American Legion will be in the Ft. Hays Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Friends may call on Sunday from 5:00 until 8:00 pm and on Monday from 9:00 am until 9:45 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 the Cancer Council of Ellis County, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com

Baby Jaxson Michael Daniels passed away Tuesday, June 10, 2014, in WaKeeney. He was born April 13, 2014, in Hays to Justin Malcolm Moore-Daniels and Madeleine Paige Tuttle.

Jaxson is survived by his parents; grandparents, Mickey Daniels of Dallas, TX, Cranston Daniels of WaKeeney, Heather Tuttle of WaKeeney, and Jason Gager of Olathe; great-grandparents, Delton and Ruth Tinkler of WaKeeney, LaMonte Tuttle of WaKeeney, Rick and Sally Gager of Hays, and Ron and Linda Taylor of Topeka; great-great-grandmother, Ella Fabrizius of WaKeeney. He also is survived by his brothers Maxuim and his twin, Justin Jr.

He was preceded in death by his great-grandmother, Shirley Moore, and his great-great grandparents Everett and Lela Tuttle and Rubin Fabrizius.

Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, June 13, 2014, at Schmitt Funeral Home of WaKeeney.

Funeral and burial will be private family services.

A memorial luncheon will be held at noon, Saturday, June 14, at the VFW Hall in WaKeeney. Friends and family are invited.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Jaxson Daniels Memorial Fund. Checks made to his memorial may be sent in care of Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS 67672.

Words of support may be sent online to www.schmittfuneral.com.

Lifelong WaKeeney area resident Duane Owen Newcomer passed away Friday, June 6, 2014, at Trego County-Lemke Memorial Hospital, Long Term Care.  He was 82 years of age.  He was born on January 5, 1932, on the family farm east of WaKeeney to Dean S. and Mabel A. (Link) Newcomer.

Duane was a graduate of Trego Community High School with the class of 1949.  On September 25, 1950, Duane was united in marriage to Elaine Denning.  To this union, seven children were born.  They enjoyed 51 years of marriage, until Elaine’s death on November 3, 2001.  On July 19, 2003, Duane married Ann Lindsay Clark Tomanek.  She survives of the home.  Duane was a farmer and rancher for his entire working life.  He was a member of the Christ the King Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus Council #4113.  He was also a charter member and past president of the Fraternal Order of Eagles #3374 in WaKeeney.  Duane was known to have the talent and ability to create or fix most anything.  In addition to being an outstanding steward of the land and successful farmer/rancher, he was a woodworker and carpenter, a mechanic, and an inventor with a very creative mind.  He made fine furniture for family members and loved making toys for his grandchildren.  He cherished time spent with family, especially his grandchildren. Duane had a wonderful sense of humor.

Survivors include his wife, Ann; six sons, David and wife Kathy of Greeley, CO, Randy and wife Julie of Louisburg, Keevin and wife Mary Lou of Ogallah, Brian and wife Jeris of Wildwood, MO, Steve and wife Brenda of WaKeeney, and Eric and wife Dolores of San Antonio, TX; one daughter, Sandra and husband David French of Salina; one step-son, Kevin Clark and wife Kathy of Inman; four step-daughters, Karen and husband, Ernie Littlechild of WaKeeney, Toni and husband Marvin Ayers of McPherson, Verla and husband Wayne Duryea of Overland Park, and Kerri and husband Mike Kosman of Ft. Morgan, CO; twenty-five grandchildren, Brice Newcomer, Greg Newcomer, Doug Newcomer, Jeff Newcomer, Debbie Newcomer, Kellie Bledsoe, Annie McMahill, Scott Newcomer, Craig Newcomer, Emily Roehrick, Leanna Keller, Cory French, Lance French, Gary French, Melanie Morrison, Brett Newcomer, Jordan Newcomer, Haleigh Newcomer, Tayler Newcomer, Mitch Newcomer, Whitney Newcomer, Lexsie Newcomer, Jennifer Ramos, Aris Franco, and Jonathan Franco; twelve step-grandchildren, Nichole Mattheyer, Kristin Fleser, Dylan Clark, Bethany Littlechild, Stacy Littlechild, Christopher Ayers, Amy Ayers, Tracy Duryea, Daniel Duryea, Alex Iungerich, Jamie Kosman, and Austin Kosman; twenty-one great-grandchildren; ten step-great-grandchildren; one step-great-great-grandson; one brother, Dale and wife Roberta of WaKeeney, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.  He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife Elaine; an infant great-granddaughter, Caitlynn Lea Morrison; and a brother Raymond.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, June 9, 2014 at Christ the King Catholic Church. Burial will be in the Christ the King Cemetery.

Visitation will be Sunday, June 8, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., followed by a parish vigil service and Knights of Columbus rosary at 7:00.  All will take place at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Hospice Services, Inc., Trego County Lemke Memorial Hospital LTC, or Christ the King Catholic Church Masses.  Checks made to any of these organizations may be sent in care of Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS  67672.

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

Charles Guercio, 90, died Thursday, June 5, 2014 at Hays Medical Center.

He was born April 20, 1924 in Blasedale, New York, the son of Samuel and Theresa (Catalano) Guercio. He served in the United States Navy in WWII on the USS Lake Champlain. After the war he graduated from photography school in Dallas, Texas.

He moved to Hays, Kansas, where he worked as a photographer and soon opened his own photography studio. He married Peg Green in June of 1949. She preceded him in death in December of 1995. They operated Guercio Studios in Hays for many years preserving weddings and family ties along with other subjects through his work over the years.

He married Rose (Pfeifer-Windholz) Guercio on August 14, 1999. He moved to Victoria where they enjoyed retirement and family.  Together they traveled Kansas and took extended trips to visit relatives.  They shared a love for taking beautiful pictures of the old farmsteads, birds and churches.

Survivors include his wife, Rose, Victoria; a brother, Jake Guercio, Hutchinson, and one sister, Sandy Guercio, Buffalo, NY.; one stepson, Carl Windholz and wife, Valorie, Wichita; two step daughters, Jane Windholz, Wichita and Rhoda Urban and husband, Jerry, Victoria; six step grandchildren, Candy Miller and husband, Chris, Kansas City, Heather Smith, Wichita, Tammy Batt and husband, Tim, Russell, Heather Arasmith and husband, Chad, McCook, NE, James Wittman and wife, Jennifer, Hays, Jeremy Urban, Dallas,TX; and 12 step great grandchildren, Alex Richardson and Kyla Smith, Raven, Kyra, Kael,and Sawyer Arasmith, Skylar Wittman, Taryn and Tayler Batt, Chase, Lane and Jersey Wittman.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Peg, and four brothers, Joseph, Salvator, Vincent, and Anthony Guercio.

Funeral services will be at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, June 10, 2014 at The Basilica of St. Fidelis in Victoria, Kansas. Burial will be in the St. Fidelis Cemetery. Visitation will be on Monday from 6:00 until 9:00 pm and on Tuesday from 1:00 pm until service time, all at The Basilica of St. Fidelis. A Daughters of Isabella rosary will be at 6:30 pm followed by a parish vigil service at 7:00, both on Monday at The Basilica.

Memorials are suggested to The Basilica of St. Fidelis or to masses, 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

W. Lynn Wickizer, 75, Hays, died Saturday, May 31, 2014, at the Hays Medical Center.

He was born July 5, 1938 in McCook, Nebraska the son of Waldo E. and Helen M. (Christensen) Wickizer. He was the retired co-owner and CEO of the Wickizer Petroleum Company. He attended public schools in Wakeeney and was a 1956 graduate of Trego Community High School. He played basketball at Fort Hays Kansas State University, was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, and graduated in 1961.

On November 4, 1973 he married Carol S. Chandler in Osborne, Kansas. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Hays, was a longtime member of The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and was a Past State President of the Kansas Elks Association, was a member of the Half Century Club at FHSU, was an avid pheasant, turkey, and deer hunter who loved to help his sons get their deer. He also enjoyed camping and boating with family and friends and pulling his kids waterskiing.

Survivors include his wife, of the home, two sons, Ward Wickizer of Ellis, KS and Jess and Dawn Wickizer of Manhattan, two daughters Laura Dunaway and husband Tim of Olathe and Meagan Sherard and husband Ronnie of Alamogordo, NM, a sister Christine Vitztum and husband Gerald of Hays, eight grandchildren Cody Lockett, Shawn Dunaway, Wray Wickizer, Ben Wickizer, Shannon Dunaway, Taylor Sherard, Emma Sherard, and Levi Wickizer, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Rhetis Ann Simons.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Thursday, June 5, 2014, at the First United Methodist Church, Hays. Burial with graveside services by the BPOE will be in the Mt. Allen Cemetery. Friends may call from 5:00 pm until 7:00 Wednesday at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home and from 9:00 am until service time Thursday at the church.

Memorials are suggested to the Kansas Elks Training Center for the Handicapped or to the Elks Hoop Shoot Scholarship Program, in care of the funeral home.

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