HAYS, Kan. — Elaine Frances (Hammerschmidt) Sunley, age 74, died Wednesday, April 23, 2014, at her home in Hays, Kansas.

She was born January 2, 1940, in Victoria, Kansas to Joseph and Mathilda (Kuhn) Hammerschmidt.  She married Earl L. Sunley on September 3, 1962, in Hays, Kansas.

She was a homemaker and a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church and Hays V.F.W. Auxiliary.  She was a Senior Companion for three years, a volunteer at Birthright, Community Assistance Center and the lunch programs at Holy Family School and TMP-Marian School.   She enjoyed playing cards, Polka music and spending time with her family.

Survivors include her former husband, Earl L. Sunley, Hays, KS; one daughter, Pam Cain, Topeka, KS; five sons, Kevin Sunley Aventura, FL; Steve Sunley and wife, Kerri, Eric Sunley, Duane Sunley, all of Hays, KS; Brian Sunley and wife, Leni, Salina, KS; two brothers, Leon Hammerschmidt and wife, Jeannie, Bill Hammerschmidt and wife, Cecile, both of Plainville, KS; four sisters, Alice Arnold, Mary Hammersmith and husband, Al both of Hutchinson, KS; JoAnn Jacobs and husband Bill, LaCrosse, KS; Theresa Convoy and husband, Mark, Topeka, KS; three sisters-in-laws, Lila Hammerschmidt, Hays, KS; Nora Hammerschmidt, Plainville, KS; Rhonda Hammerschmidt, Keys, OK; one brother-in-law, Ron Heidel, Wichita, KS; seven grandchildren, Jonathan Sunley, Brady Sunley, Noah Sunley, Kayla Urban, Kelsey Cain, Krystina Sunley, Kinzie Sunley.

She was preceded in death by her parents; five brothers, Pete, Bob, Leo, Ernie and Tom Hammerschmidt; one sister, Rosie Heidel.

Services are 10:00 A.M. Saturday, April 26, 2014, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 18th and Vine, Hays, Kansas.  Burial in St. Fidelis Cemetery, Victoria, Kansas.

A vigil service is at 6:30 P.M. Friday, followed by a V.F.W. Auxiliary memorial services/rosary at 7:00 P.M. Friday, all at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas  67601.  Visitation is from 5:00 to  8:00 P.M. Friday, and from 8:30 to 9:45 A.M. Saturday, at Clines Mortuary of Hays. Memorial to Hospice of Hays Medical Center.

Condolences can be sent via email to [email protected]

Marvin Wayne Sprenkel was born on a farm west of Quinter on February 14, 1922, to Emmert and June (Winkler) Sprenkel. He was baptized in the Church of the Brethern as an infant. He started school in the new Quinter Grade School where he met his future wife, Willetta Blickenstaff, in the first grade. They continued through school together, graduating from the new high school in 1940.

Upon graduation, he was offered basketball scholarships at both K-State and Kansas University, but he turned both down because he didn’t want to let Willetta get away. They were married on February 7, 1942. He left for the Army later that fall where he served in World War II for almost three years.

When he returned to Quinter, he bought a store which became known as Sprenkel Home and Auto. It remained a cornerstone of the business district for many years to come. During these years, Marvin was active in many aspects of the Quinter community, most especially the Methodist Church where he taught Sunday School for many years. He retired in 1984 and enjoyed owning some farmland which gave him much pleasure as he followed the various crops.

Marvin was proud of Quinter and worked hard to make sure it would not only survive, but that it would grow. He was instrumental in building the community pool, in expanding the hospital, and in building the nursing home and its attached apartments. He was also instrumental in maintaining the integrity of the Quinter School District. He believed strongly in education and that having good schools was at the heart of having a community that would stand the test of time.

But more than all of this, Marvin loved his wife Willetta and the 72 years they spent together. Although his grandchildren lived on the East Coast, he loved the time they spent together. He was preceded in death by his daughter Libby in 1964. He is survived by his wife Willetta, his daughter Kathy, three grandchildren– Mindy, David, and Susan and their spouses… Andy, Katey, and Jon. He also has five great-grandchildren: Daisy, Torin, Lila, Addison, and Reilly Marvin– his namesake.

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, April 25, 2014, at United Methodist Church of Quinter. Burial will be in the Baker Township Cemetery, Quinter.

Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. to service time Friday at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to either the Quinter Unified School District 293 for support of its library and technology needs/and support of its basketball program or to the Quinter Methodist Church. Checks made out to the above organizations may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 S. Main, Quinter, KS 67752.

Words of support and sympathy may be sent to the family at www.schmittfuneral.com.

Irene Bittel, 97, a longtime Hays resident, died on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2014, at the Overland Park Regional Hospital.

She was born March 31, 1917, in Catharine, Kansas, the daughter of Paul and Mary (Seitz) Miller. In 1945, she married Isidore Philip Bittel, Hays, at the Army Base Chapel in Alamogordo, N.M. He died November 7, 1989. Irene was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, the Daughters of Isabella, and the VFW Auxiliary. She worked at St. Anthony Hospital/Hays Medical Center for 45 years and was the recipient of the Norman W. Jeter Humanitarian Award in 1996. She resided in Hays until 2010 when she moved to the Kansas City area to be near her family.

Survivors include her daughters, Mary Ann Tsucalas and husband Chris of Elkridge, MD, Carol Andersen and husband Tony of Overland Park, KS, and Jane Moran and husband Jim of Overland Park, KS; seven grandchildren, Jonathan Tsucalas and wife Erin of Charlotte, NC, Hillary Tsucalas of Baltimore, MD and Justin Tsucalas and wife Michele of Baltimore, MD, Allison Dreiling Gutierrez and husband Jacob of Lenexa, KS, Todd Dreiling of Overland Park, KS, Alice Andersen of Overland Park, KS, and Natalie Moran of Overland Park, KS; three great grandchildren, Thea and Brynley Tsucalas of Charlotte, NC  and Oliver Tsucalas of Baltimore; two sisters, Louise Hammerschmidt of Victoria, KS and Mary Agnes Hayes of Topeka, KS; and many nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and 13 brothers and sisters,  Alphonse, Otilla, Joseph, Marcel, Severin, Rudolph, Rita (Bieker), Leona (Smith), Edgar, Cyrilla (Dinkel), Gilbert, Eugene and Robert.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 26th at the St. Joseph Catholic Church, Hays.  Burial will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 6:00 pm until 8:00 on Friday and from 9:00 am until 9:45 on Saturday all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street.  A Daughters of Isabella rosary will be at 6:00 pm followed by a parish vigil service at 6:30, both on Friday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to the Hospice of Hays Medical Center, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.

HAYS, Kan. — Rita (Staab) Billinger, age 93, died Saturday, April 19, 2014, at Hays Good Samaritan Center.

She was born March 10, 1921, in Las Vegas,  NM, to Albert J. and Ida (Wiesner) Staab.  She married Leo R. Billinger on August 27, 1940, in Catherine, Kansas.  He died November 27, 2002.

She grew up in Catherine, Kansas, and made her home in Victoria and was a substitute cook at the Schools in Victoria.  She enjoyed playing cards, music  and spending time with her family.   She was  a member of St. Fidelis Catholic Church, Christian Mothers and Daughter of Isabella all of Victoria, Kansas.

Survivors include four sons, Vernon Billinger and wife, Dorothy, Macomb, Mich; Earl Billinger, Rich Billinger and wife, Jeani, Bill Billinger and wife, Cindy, all of Hays, KS; two daughters, Marlene Brown and husband, Ken, Attica Mich; Mary Kay Pfeifauf and husband, George, Capac, Mich; five brothers, Robert Staab and wife, Alice, Hays, KS;  Paul Staab, Frank Staab and wife, Irma, both in Denver, CO; Norman Staab and wife, Barbara, Tucson, AZ; Joseph Staab, Dear Trail, CO; three sisters-in-law, Rosie Suppes, Hays, KS;  Dorothy Billinger, Kansas City, KS; Catherine Staab, Denver, CO; 24 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren; 4 great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; one son, Wayne Billinger; three brothers, Albert, Richard, Fred Staab; one sister, Eileen Bollig and one great grandson, Aaron Koehn.

Services are 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, April 23, 2014, at St. Fidelis Catholic Church, Victoria, Kansas.  Burial in St. Fidelis Cemetery, Victoria, Kansas.

A Daughters of Isabella/Christian Mothers rosary will be at 6:30 P.M. Tuesday, followed by a vigil services at 7:00 P.M. Tuesday, both at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas  67601.

Visitation is from 5:00 to 9:00 P.M. Tuesday, and from 8:30 to 9:30 A.M. Wednesday, all at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays.

Memorials to St. Fidelis Daughters of Isabella and St. Fidelis Cemetery.  Condolences can be sent via email to [email protected]

Perry A. Corke, age 87, of Quinter, passed away Wednesday, April 16, 2014 at Gove County Medical Center – Long Term Care.  He was born November 10, 1926 in rural Sheridan County to Ray G. and Rena Floy (Breeden) Corke.  He was a Hoxie High School graduate.  Perry went on to serve our country during World War II in the United States Army Air Corps.

On July 19, 1953, Perry was united in marriage to Betty L. White.  They have enjoyed 60 years of marriage together. Betty survives him. Perry owned and operated Perry’s Electric for many years.  He started his career working on appliances, and as his experience developed, he went out on his own as an electrician.  He was a member of the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church.

Perry is survived by his wife, Betty; three daughters, Treva Corke of Quinter, Rena and husband Paul Finster of Overland Park, and Lora Gurley of Overland Park; four grandchildren Dan and Sarah Gurley and Nathan and Aaron Finster, all of Overland Park; a brother Kenneth Corke of Goodland; and four sisters Frances Corke of Pratt, Paula Koogler of DeBary, Florida, Kathryn Morgan of Smith Center, and Lois Kaiser of Hartford, South Dakota.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Verna Corke.

Services will be 10:00 a.m., Monday, April 21, 2014, at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, rural Studley. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. to service time at the church.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church Caring and Sharing Fund, Gideon’s International, or Hospice Service, Inc. and may be sent in care of the funeral home.

 Words of comfort may be sent to the family at www.schmittfuneral.com.

LAWRENCE — Adam Dean Denning age 38, died Tuesday, April 15, 2014, at his apartment in Lawrence.

He was born May 24, 1975, in Wichita, Kansas.

He was an computer code writer of software and was a chief project engineer. He spent most of his adult years in Lawrence, Kansas. He was a 1993 graduate of Hays High School and a graduate of Fort Hays Sate University with a degree in philosophy. He was an avid KU basketball fan, he enjoyed golfing, bicycling and spending time with his family and friends.

Survivors include his parents, Dean and Arlene (Leiker) Denning, Hays, KS; one sister, Jennifer Taggart, Hays, KS; three nephews, Charlie Stieben, Max Stieben, Jesse Taggart; one niece , Meg Taggart and his beloved cat, Daisy.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Max J. and Frances (Kreutzer) Denning, Clarence J. and Mary A. (Leiker) Leiker; and one nephew, Joey Hammerschmidt.

Services are 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, April 22, 2014, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 18th & Vine, Hays, Kansas.

A vigil service is at 7:00 P.M. Monday, at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street, Hays, Kansas 67601. Visitation is from 5:00 to 9:00 P.M. Monday, and from 8:30 to 9:45 A.M. Tuesday, all at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays.

Memorials are to the Community Assistance Center or First Call For Help. Condolences can be sent via email to [email protected]

Longtime WaKeeney resident June M. McKinley passed away Monday, April 14, 2014, at Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice in Wichita.  She was 87 years of age.  June was born January 21, 1927, in WaKeeney, to Ralph R. and Bertha M. (Britt) Berry.

On March 25, 1944, June was united in marriage to Andrew E. McKinley in WaKeeney.  They enjoyed 27 years of marriage together before Andrew’s death on January 13, 1972.  June worked in many areas of the banking industry for 39 years. She was a proud member of WaKeeney VFW Auxiliary Post 3449 for 55 years.

She will be dearly missed by many friends and family.  Survivors include her daughter, Andrea (Bill) Packard of Wichita; 10 grandchildren, Michael Packard (Rami) of Smithville, MO, Aaron Packard (Shelley) of Wichita, Wendy Packard Tolleson (Glen) of Suwanee, GA, Suzanne Packard Ferley (Shane) of Goddard, Jamie Packard Newman (John) of Halstead, Blain Packard (Alison) of Florence, AZ, Thad Packard (Kathryn) of Olathe, Jared Packard (Laura) of Wichita, Andrew Packard (Jessica) of Wichita, and Ryan Packard of Wichita; thirty great-grandchildren; and a brother, Joe Berry (Virginia) of WaKeeney.  She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.

Funeral services will be 12:30 p.m., Saturday, April 19, 2014 at Schmitt Funeral Home of WaKeeney.  Burial will be in the WaKeeney City Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 11:30 to service time at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Victory in the Valley (a cancer support organization) and may be sent in care of Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS  67672.

Words of comfort may be sent to the family online at www.schmittfuneral.com.