Obituaries

Sep 15, 2023

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Norma Angeline Stricker, 91, passed away on September 15, 2023, at Azria Health Woodhaven, Great Bend, Kansas. She was born on November 22, 1931, to John and Rachel (Steinert) Karst, in Hoisington, Kansas. Norma married Glen Stricker on September 28, 1952, at Bender Hill Lutheran Church in Russell County, Kan. He passed on August...

Sep 14, 2023

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Clarence Richard "Dick" Meitler, 80, passed away September 14, 2023, at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita, Kansas. He was born on September 29, 1942, near Sylvan Grove, Kansas, to Clarence W. and Lois Bonnel (Zacho) Meitler. On December 13, 2008, he was united in marriage to Cynthia Tittel.

Dick grew up at Sylvan...

Sep 10, 2023

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Albert Allen Whipkey, 77, passed away September 10, 2023, at Locust Grove Village, LaCrosse, Kansas. He was born on October 2, 1945, in Fairfax, Oklahoma. He was adopted a few days later by Albert A. and Beatrice S. Whipkey of Fairfax, Oklahoma and later Hoisington, Kansas. Allen graduated from Hoisington High School in 1963...

Sep 10, 2023

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Gerri Lynn Roach, 44, passed away September 10, 2023, at her home in Great Bend. She was born September 25, 1978, to Mike & Linda (McLean) Copeland, in Hutchinson. She married David Roach September 13, 1997, at Great Bend.

A longtime Great Bend resident, Gerri was a cattle rancher and secretary for...

Sep 6, 2023

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Garland "Garb" LeRoy Ensley, 100, passed away September 6, 2023, at Medicalodges of Great Bend. He was born November 11, 1922, in Jefferson, Kan., to Heber T. & Lettie L. (Skinner) Ensley. As a young boy, Garb learned to weld having worked alongside his father in their "Ensley and Son" welding shop in Woodston,...

Sep 4, 2023

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Larry Allan Fradd, 74, passed away after a valiant battle with Alzheimer's on September 4, 2023, at Medicalodges, Great Bend, Kansas. He was born on April 22, 1949, in Great Bend, Kansas, to Kenneth and Cleone (Wesley) Fradd.

Spending the past few years in Great Bend, after spending time in Colorado, Texas,...

Sep 3, 2023

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Myrna Joyce Branstetter-Schartz, 74, passed away on September 3, 2023, at Chisholm Place in Wichita, Kansas. She was born on September 21, 1948, in Great Bend, Kansas, to John and Pauline (Ferrell) Beal. On December 12, 1993, she married James "Jake" Branstetter in Las Vegas, Nevada; he passed away on July 20, 2007. Myrna...

Aug 31, 2023

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Patty Jean Vratil, 79, passed away August 31, 2023, at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita.  She was born February 1, 1944, in Independence, Kansas, to James and Lorene (Pundsack) Keeley.  On January 29, 1966, Patty was united in marriage to Ronald Dean "Ron" Vratil.

Patty grew up in Radium, Kansas, graduating from Radium...

Aug 30, 2023

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Pastor Arlyn Leroy Thielenhaus, 80, passed away August 30, 2023, at Via Christ St. Francis, Wichita, Kan.  He was born August 3, 1943, in Hays, Kan. to Elmer and Lena (Niedenthal) Thielenhaus.  Arlyn married Carol Ray, then later married Janice (Verna) Winter December 5, 1981, in Great Bend, Kan.

Arlyn grew up...

Aug 28, 2023

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Larry Laurence Nutting, 84, passed away August 28, 2023, at the University of Kansas Health System – Great Bend Campus. He was born December 25, 1938, in Haskell County, Kan. to Harlie Edwin and Helen Luticia (Sanders) Nutting. He married Dorothy Welsch February 14, 1960, in Kinsley.

A longtime Great Bend resident,...

Aug 27, 2023

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Elias M. Gonzalez, 71, passed away peacefully August 27, 2023, surrounded by his family at his home in Great Bend, Kansas. He was born on February 5, 1952, in Guadalupe Victoria, Durango, Mexico, to Candelario and Concepcion (Martinez) Gonzalez. In 1970, he married Irene Tinoco in Guadalupe Victoria, Durango.

A resident of...

Aug 26, 2023

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Jacob Leo Stremel, 88, passed away August 26, 2023, at the University of Kansas Health System - Great Bend Campus, Great Bend, Kansas.  He was born April 23, 1935, in Greenbush, Kansas to Jacob john and Anna (Westhoff) Stremel.  He married Margaret (Peggy) Heckele April 9, 1956, in Ellinwood, Kansas.

Jake, a...

Aug 25, 2023

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Sonja Pauline Julian, 62, passed away on August 25, 2023, at Ascension Via Christi - St. Francis in Wichita, Kansas. She was born on December 2, 1960, in Great Bend, Kansas, to Eldon and Delpha (Anthony) Wilson. Sonja was married to Clay Julian; they later divorced.

A lifetime resident of Great Bend,...

Aug 15, 2023

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Ricky James "Rick" Phelps, 62, peacefully passed away on August 15, 2023, at his home in rural Ellinwood, Kansas. He was born on June 30, 1961, in Great Bend, Kansas, to James and Eunice (Williams) Phelps. On June 7, 1997, he married Kathryn "Kathye" Ramsey in Pawnee Rock, Kansas. She survives.

A...

Aug 10, 2023

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Karen Kay Smith, 81, passed away August 10, 2023, at Kansas Heart Hospital, Wichita, Kan. She was born on October 3, 1941, in Great Bend, Kan., to E.D. and Mary (Bagby) Wright. On February 10, 1975, she married J.W. Smith in Brookport, Ill. He passed away on September 3, 2007.

Karen grew...

Aug 10, 2023

Elmer Lawrence Rowe, 89, passed away on August 10, 2023, at Clara Barton Hospital, Hoisington. He was born on July 10, 1934. Elmer was married to Mary Ann Augustine for "47 years" before her passing over 30 years ago.

A lifetime resident of Great Bend, Elmer was a jack of all trades. He spent many years working...

Aug 9, 2023

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Lisa Anne Jones, 56, passed away on August 9, 2023, at Ascension Via Christi – St. Francis, Wichita, Kansas. She was born on January 21, 1967, in Great Bend, Kansas, to Bill and Mary (Cook) Jones.

A lifetime resident of Great Bend, Lisa was a graduate of Great Bend High School and...

Aug 8, 2023

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Howard Wayne Lindberg, 78, passed away August 8, 2023, at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, Hutchinson, Kan. He was born December 30, 1944, in Great Bend, to Ernest and Lucile (Weathers) Lindberg. He married Karen (Rinker) Lindholm on November 6, 1986, in Great Bend.

At the age of nine, Howard and his brother...

Aug 2, 2023

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James C. "JC" Underwood, moved to heaven Aug. 2, 2023, at age 80. He was born July 5, 1943, to Spencer E. and Harriett C. (Hawk) Underwood in Atchison, KS. He understood working for a wage at an early age and bought his first car at age 12. He became a United States Navy...

Aug 2, 2023

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Gary Lee McDonald, 82, passed away August 2, 2023, at Hays Medical Center, Hays, Kan. He was born May 9, 1941, to Maurice and Hazel (Herter) McDonald, in Great Bend. He married Judy Klapp March 7, 1973, in Ellinwood. She died June 19, 2019.

A lifetime area resident, Gary was the Electrical...