Donald H. Humphreys, an attorney in Great Bend since 1963, died Monday morning, August 4, 2008, after a brief illness. Born in Ashland on May 16, 1932, son of John E. and Vinette (Hutcheson) Humphreys, he graduated from Ashland High School, received a BA in history from the University of Kansas, and, after 3 years in the U.S. Marine Corps as an artillery officer, got his Juris Doctor degree, also from KU. He married Alice Gould in 1961, enjoyed a couple of years in California as a Special Agent in the FBI, then moved to Great Bend, where he helped Alice raise six children: Doug, Alyson, Jay, Meredy, Hutch, and Hank. During his time in Great Bend he served as Barton County Attorney for 4 years, as Municipal Judge of Great Bend for 3 years, and as vice-president of the Kansas County Attorneys Association and president of the Barton County Bar Association. He taught a legal procedure course at Barton County Community College (BCCC) for several years. Among Dons many civic contributions, at one time or another, were: 8 years on the Great Bend USD #428 Board of Education, including 2 years as Board president; president of Park School PTA; chairman of Cheyenne District Boy Scouts, as well as a cubmaster and Webelos leader; chairman of the Barton County Red Cross, and director, officer, and committee member of the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce; president of the Great Bend Kiwanis Club and Kiwanis District Lieutenant Governor; member of the Board of Directors of KOOD Public Television; vice-chairman of the American Legion Baseball committee, Babe Ruth Baseball coach, and an ardent spectator and supporter of many Great Bend High School and BCCC sporting events. He was a former president of the Great Bend Civic Theater, and he had several well-received but non-Tony-Award-nominated roles in community plays over the years. Don served on the City-County Planning Commission and the BCCC Steering Committee and Board of Trustees; he had been an elder, treasurer, board member and Sunday School teacher at his church. For many years Don, a wordsmith and passionate speller, coordinated the annual staging of the Barton County Spelling Bee. He recently completed a term as a Great Bend City Council member, was a long-time member of the City Tree Board, and promoted the local geography bee. Don was preceded in death by his three brothers, Frederick (Mike), J.P., and Richard; his sister, Maxine; and his daughter, Meredy. Don loved reading of all sorts, telling stories, planting trees, studying maps, engaging in debates and arguments, pulling for the underdog in sports and in his legal practice, crooning hymns and ballads, hearing and relating jokes of all colors, conversing with familiars and strangers, jotting down inspirations and new words, watching the local and regional teams try their best, seeing the world, and, most of all, spending time with his family. Survivors include his wife Alice of 47 years; son Doug, of Tarpon Springs, Florida; daughter Alyson Walter and husband Dave, of Topeka, Kansas, and their two children, John, 13, and Christian, 10; son John (Jay) of Castle Rock, Colorado; son Donald (Hutch) of San Diego, California; and son Richard (Hank) and wife Amy of Hesston, Kansas, and their two children, Jackson, 6, and Anna, 3. Dons ashes will be interred next to those of his daughter Meredys in the Great Bend Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church in Great Bend on Saturday, August 16, at 10:30 a.m. with Reverend Gary R. Brooks presiding. There will be a gathering of family afterward. Instead of flowers, memorials may be made to The Donna Meredith (Meredy) Humphreys Award for Teaching at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas, or to the Great Bend Tree Board, care of Bryant Funeral Home, 1425 Patton Road, Great Bend, KS, 67530.