Bernice Rupp
Hays, Kansas – Bernice Rupp, age 83, died Wednesday, February 29, 2012, at St. Francis South Campus Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana. She was born April 20, 1928, at Emmeram, Kansas, to August V. and Marie (Always) Weigel. She married Linus J. Rupp on November 9, 1948, at Emmeram, Kansas, and later separated.
She was a graduate of Victoria High School and lived in Colorado and Wyoming before moving back to Hays in 1977. She was a waitress most all of her life and worked at the Golden Ox and Everybody’s restaurants both in Hays and retired in 1994. She played in a polka dance band for a number of years, she enjoyed word search puzzles, playing bingo and the Hays singles dances. She was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church and V.F.W. Auxiliary both of Hays, Kansas, and the Daughters of Isabella, Gorham, Kansas.
Survivors include three sons, Curt Rupp and Fred Rupp, both of Bushton, KS; John Rupp and wife, Kim, Greenwood, IN; one daughter, Jan Yanda and husband, Daryel, Gorham, KS; one brother, Eugene Weigel and wife, Arlene, Gorham, KS; two brothers-in-law, Ray Herrman and wife, Katie, Russell, KS; Dwight Murray, Wichita, KS; three sisters-in-law, Viola Weigel, Gorham KS; Velma Weigel, Munjor, KS; Joan Weigel and Ron Arneson, Hays, KS; nine grandchildren, Michelle Yanda, Jericho Hutchinson and wife, Christina, Marque Monsees, Miles Rupp and wife, Jamie, Forrest Rupp, Steve Frost, Krista Frost, Mellisa Butler and husband Chris, Joseph Nealy; twelve great grandchildren, Aubrey Campbell, Brian LeGrand, Matt Elms, Fabian Hutchinson, Katana Hutchinson, Xavier Rupp, Jaidy Rupp, Izyk Rupp, Steven Schultz, Bethany Monsees, Garrett Butler and Delilah Butler. She was preceded in death by her parents; former husband; one grandson Dale LeGrand Yanda; five brothers, Francis, Gilbert, Albinus, August Jr., Edward Weigel; five sisters, Virginia Windholz-Herrman, Olga Hoffman-Montgomery, Mary Zimmerman, Catherine Logsdon-Murray and Dolores Heit-Ralston.
Services are 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, March 7, 2012, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 18th & Vine Hays, Kansas. Burial at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Gorham, Kansas.
A Hays V.F.W. Auxiliary memorial service is at 6:00 P.M. Tuesday, a vigil service is at 6:30 P.M. Tuesday and a Gorham Daughters of Isabella rosary is at 7:00 P.M. Tuesday all 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 9:00 to 10:45 A.M. Wednesday all at the mortuary. Memorials to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church or St. Mary’s Cemetery. Condolences can be sent via e-mail to [email protected].
Sueellen K. “Sue” Pfeifer
Sueellen K. “Sue” Pfeifer, 69, Hays, died March 2, 2012, at her home. She was born August 28, 1942, in Hays to Michael D. and Leenore (Bieker) Billinger. She married Al F. Pfeifer on October 26, 1990.
Sue graduated from Girls Catholic High School, attended Creighton University, and graduated from Fort Hays State University. She worked for the Kansas Department of Revenue for 20 years and was co-owner of the Ellis County Star. She was a volunteer at Hays Medical Center and for the AARP Tax Aide Program. She was a member of St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church, St. Nicholas Ladies Guild and Perpetual Eucharist Adoration. Although Sue grew up in Hays, she moved away shortly after high school. Upon her parents’ retirement from the Ellis County Star, she and her daughters returned to the Hays area and she, along with her brother Kim, purchased the business. She served as editor of the weekly newspaper and spent several years as a local reporter. This was a dream come true to Sue because she was an enthusiast about writing. Eventually, the decision was made to sell the newspaper part of the business, and she went to work for the State.
In 1985 she met Al Pfeifer on the dance floor and they discovered that they both shared a love for dancing. Five years later that love turned into a
marriage. Their union united their 5 children who eventually provided them with 20 grandchildren who loved to visit nanny. There was never a dull moment in their household, especially during the holiday season. They enjoyed traveling and spending time with their family and friends, but their plans for their retirement years were cut short due to the cancer that Sue struggled with during the last 8 months. Her peaceful nature and faith in God has been her strength throughout her illness. Sue will be cherished always and greatly missed by all that knew and loved her.
Survivors include her husband, Al, of the home; two daughters, Gretchen Brown and husband Tom, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Joelle Lehman, Hays; three stepdaughters, Dana Pfeifer, Hays, Misty Shepker and husband Matthew, Overland Park and Tamie Dragone, Council Grove; two brothers, Mike “Mickey” Billinger and wife Susie, Kim Billinger and wife Tina, a sister-in-law Betty Befort and husband Jerry, all of Hays.
Sue, was known as “Nanny” to the following grandchildren: Lacey Thompson, Robert Riedinger, Taylor Riedinger, Reagan Riedinger, Caleb Riedinger, Ryan Riedinger, all of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Kiefer Schmidt, Kade Schmidt, Kameron Schmidt and Carley Lehman of Hays, and step grandchildren: Scot Brown and Hannah Brown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Jeffrey Pfeifer, Jillian Augustine and Javian Augustine of Hays, Noah
Shepker and Isabella Shepker of Overland Park, Brooke Dragone, Elle Dragone and Dani Dragone of Council Grove. She was preceded in death by her parents, father and mother-in-law Alois and Mae (Windholz) Pfeifer.
Services will be 10:00 AM Monday, March 5, 2012, at St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church; burial in St. Joseph Cemetery in Hays. A Perpetual Eucharist Adoration rosary is at 6:30 PM Sunday, followed by a vigil service at 7:00 PM Sunday, at Clines Mortuary of Hays, 1919 East 22nd Street Hays, Kansas 67601. Visitation is from 5:00 to 9:00 PM Sunday, and from 8:30 to 9:45 AM Monday, at Cline’s Mortuary of Hays.
Memorials are suggested to St. Thomas More Society, St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church Faith and Family Center, and Hospice of Hays Medical Center. Condolences can be sent via e-mail to [email protected].
