Merle Gates
Apr 2, 2012
HAZELTON, KS Gates, Merle Eugene, 88, farmer, beloved dad, brother and uncle, passed away on Monday, April 2, 2012. He was born October 13, 1923, at home on the farm, 5 miles north of Hazelton, Kansas, oldest child of Eugene Griffith Gates and Jamima (Garlow) Gates. He attended Maple Grove Country School and graduated from Hazelton High School. He married...
William "Don" Slenker
Mar 31, 2012
VALLEY CENTER, KS Slenker, William McDonald "Don", 94, of Walsenburg, Colorado, formerly of Valley Center, Kansas, passed away on March 31, 2012. He was born in September 22, 1917 in East Lynn, Missouri to Isaac and Jennie Freude Slenker. Don served in the U.S. Navy as an Aviation Chief Radioman from December 15, 1941 to December 23, 1946. Right after...
Russell Beck
Mar 30, 2012
WICHITA, KS Beck, Russell H., 29, Broadway Home Medical Technician, went to be with his Lord on Friday, March 30, 2012. Russell was born on April 21, 1982 to parents, Floyd and Sandy Beck. He is preceded by his grandparents, Homer Beck, Toscar and Dottie Culp, and Gene Vogel. Left to cherish his memory are his parents, grandmother Margaret Beck,...
David Webb
Mar 29, 2012
Webb, David Truan, 79, was born Aug. 10, 1932 in Larned, Kan., to Edgar L. and Henrietta Webb. He died Thursday, March 29, 2012. He was preceded in death by parents and second wife, Diane Kelley. Survivors: children, Elizabeth H. Webb, Dana T. Webb; brother, Ed Webb; grandchildren, Rachel, Paul, and Ethan; and niece and nephew, Diann and David Webb;...
Tommy George
Mar 27, 2012
VALLEY CENTER, KS George, Tommy Knox, 83, retired Cessna Avionics Engineer, beloved husband and uncle, passed away on Tuesday, March 27, 2012. He was born in Neodesha, Kansas to Leo Edgar George and Cecil Fay (Knox) George. He served in the United States Army and Air Force. He was a Veteran of the World War II and Korean conflicts. Tommy...
Edward Cross
Mar 25, 2012
EL DORADO, KS Cross, Edward Willis, 82, retired Hawker Beech Machinist, beloved husband, dad, grandpa and friend passed away on Sunday, March 25, 2012. He was born in Grenada, Colorado to Robert E. Cross and Lily (Foster) Cross. Survived by his wife, Madge; children, Robert (Anne) Cross of Towanda, Peggy (Alan) Clubb of Valley Center, Donald (Wendy) Cross of Winfield,...
Violet Carr
Mar 24, 2012
VALLEY CENTER, KS Carr, Violet May (Brown), 86, homemaker and daycare provider, passed away Saturday, March 24, 2012. She was born in Stohrville Twp, Harper County, Kansas, the second of eight children to Vernon Manley Brown and Bertha Jane (Osborn) Brown. She loved music and taught herself to play the piano and guitar, joining her brother playing at dances. She...
Donna Smith
Mar 23, 2012
WICHITA, KS Smith, Donna Jeanne, 69, retired Horace Mann teacher, beloved sister, aunt and friend, passed away Friday, March 23, 2012 after a courageous battle with numerous illnesses. Donna's strong will and sense of humor helped her fight these illnesses. She was born on Christmas day, 1942 in Boone, Iowa to James Wellington Smith & Florence Ethel (Risinger) Smith. She...
Sally Alstatt
Mar 23, 2012
VALLEY CENTER, KS Alstatt, Sally Ann (Underwood), 73, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and sister, passed away on Friday, March 23, 2012. She was a member of the Valley Center Chapter and the Wichita Chapter of the Sweet Adelines for a total of 35 years. She participated in several quartets and several positions at the regent level. She loved music and...
Kelli Janzen
Mar 17, 2012
VALLEY CENTER, KS Janzen, Kelli Renee (Kotzman), 37, Newton Medical Center X-ray Tech, passed away on Saturday, March 17, 2012. Kelli was a loving mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She found her greatest joy spending time with her family and watching her children engage in school activities and sports. Kelli had a heart of gold and a sensitive...
Jack Hays
Mar 17, 2012
WICHITA, KS Hays, Jack Truman, 80, retired Sedgwick County Division Chief Firefighter, passed away on Saturday, March 17, 2012. He was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Raymond Carl Hays and Dorothy Modesta (Keene) Hays. He is a U.S. Navy Veteran. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Hays; daughters, Sherry (Dan) Murphy of Wichita and Lori (Brian) DeWeese of Overland...
Edwin Merkel
Mar 12, 2012
VALLEY CENTER, KS Merkel, Edwin William, 83, Merkel Airplane Company owner, retired Aeronautical Engineer from Learjet, Cessna and Boeing Aircraft, beloved husband, dad, grandpa, brother and uncle, passed away on Monday, March 12, 2012. He was born in Glenwood Landing, New York to Joseph and Mary Elaine (Hogan) Merkel. He attended Clarkson College and Wichita State University, receiving his Bachelor...
Christopher Traffas
Mar 7, 2012
WICHITA, KS Traffas, Christopher Allan, 51, Traffas Lawncare Owner and Landscaper, and USD 259 Warehouse Tech, beloved husband, dad, grandpa, son, brother and uncle, passed away on Wednesday, March 7, 2012. He is survived by his wife, Paulette Traffas; sons, Jay (Jessica) Traffas and Brett Traffas; grandchildren, Hannah Traffas and Levi Traffas, all of Wichita; father, Don (Beth) Traffas of...
O. Gail Watkins
Mar 6, 2012
VALLEY CENTER, KS Watkins, Oleta "Gail" (Schlicher), 81, beloved mother and grandmother, passed away on Tuesday, March 6, 2012. She was born in Artesia, California, to Charles Rudolph Schlicher and Sylvia Opal (Moody) Schlicher. She was a Piper plane pilot and loved flying. She also loved and devoted herself to her family. Gail is survived by her son, Chris (Karen)...
Margaret Berry
Mar 5, 2012
VALLEY CENTER, KS Berry, Margaret Louise (DeVore), 91, retired Berry Hardware co-owner, beloved wife and mother, passed away on Monday, March 5, 2012. She was born in Topeka, Kansas to Ed and Katherine (Fieger) DeVore. On January 28, 1939 in Valley Center, Kansas, she married John R. Berry. Margaret was the first women pilot in Valley Center and she, also,...
Billy Lane
Mar 5, 2012
MAIZE, KS Lane, Billy Trumble, 89, retired Union 171 pipefitter, passed away on Monday, March 5, 2012. He was born in Franklin, Kansas to Oral T. and Anna (Klier) Lane. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Frances; daughters, Debra (Clyde) Cowan of Oark, AR and Karen (Steve) Thome of Caldwell; 8 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; brothers, Jack...
Daniel Arrington
Mar 2, 2012
TOPEKA, KS Arrington, Daniel Lee, 45, OTR Truckdriver, beloved grandson, brother, uncle and friend, passed away on Friday, March 2, 2012. He is survived by his brother, Curtis (Shirley) Arrington of Valley Center; sisters, Kerry Arrington (John) of Hugoton, Kim Arrington of Wichita and Sara Smith of TX; grandmother, Mary Arrington of Wichita, brother-in-law, Burt Smith of Wichita; many family...
Wanda Crawford
Feb 26, 2012
WICHITA, KS Crawford, Doris "Wanda", 89, retired IRS Auditor, beloved cousin, passed away on Sunday, February 26, 2012. She was born in Wichita, Kansas to Burchard Samuel Crawford and Ruby Eva (Smith) Crawford. She is survived by her many cousins and friends, two special cousins, Viola Strausz of Moundridge and Ermina Shepherd of Newton. She is preceded in death by...
Fred Urban
Feb 25, 2012
WICHITA, KS Urban, Fred, 81, retired Boeing machinist and Union Equity grain mixer, beloved husband, dad and grandfather, passed away on Saturday, February 25, 2012. He was born in Ashland, Kansas to George S. and Phileomana Urban. He is survived by his wife, Patricia "Pat" Urban; daughters, Deborah (Jim) Buller of Wichita, and Leigh Ann (Mike) Lies of Wichita; grandchildren...
Inez Branson
Feb 25, 2012
DOWNS, KS Branson, Inez Gertrude (Breakey), 82, retired Starkey, Inc. and registered nursed, beloved mother and grandmother, passed away on Saturday, February 25, 2012. Services Pending. Baker Funeral Home, 100 S. Cedar, Valley Center. www.bakerfhvc.com
