Obituaries
Ruby Elliot
Ruby Elliott, 92, of Parsons died at 11:50 p.m. Thursday, March 8, 2012, at Good Samaritan Society in Parsons. She was born April 13, 1919, at Monett, Mo., to Bert L. and Goldie M. (Reno) Martin. She grew up in Parsons and graduated from Parsons High School. She married Milton C. Elliott, and they lived in Wichita, Shepherdstown, W.V., and Seattle. Mr. Elliott preceded her in death, and in 2000 she returned to Parsons to live close to family...
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Lola M. Richwine
ST. PAUL — Lola M. Richwine, 92, a longtime resident of Stark and the rural Savonburg area, died early Thursday morning, March 8, 2012, at Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul. She had lived there the past five years. She was born March 26, 1919, in rural Moran to Edward and Lora (Gimlin) Manbeck. She grew up in the rural Moran area. She married Leon Richwine on Aug. 26, 1937. They first lived in Stark and then for many years farmed...
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Roland Lakes
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Roland Lakes, 72, of Santa Clara, Calif., died Monday, March 5, 2012. He was born on Dec. 25, 1939, in Vicksburg, Miss., and graduated from Parsons High School in 1957. Lakes was a second-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 1961 out of Wichita State University. He played 10 of his 11 NFL seasons with the Niners, spending his final season of 1971 with the New York Giants before retiring. Lakes finished with 10 f...
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Lola M. Richwine
ST. PAUL — Lola M. Richwine, 92, a resident of Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul, died there early Thursday morning, March 8, 2012. She was the widow of Leon Richwine, who preceded her in death on Nov. 17, 1983. She was a former longtime resident of the Stark and Savonburg areas. The service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Mount Moriah Cemetery near Stark. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Carson-Wall Funeral...
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Gene Curless
LIBERAL, Mo. — Gene Curless, 80, of Liberal, Mo., died on Tuesday, March 6, 2012, at his home. He was born Oct. 6, 1931, in Pittsburg to William Henry and Sylvia Etta (Comfort) Curless. He graduated from Liberal High School and from Kansas State Teachers College in Pittsburg, where he received a bachelor’s degree in engineering. He also served time in the U.S. Navy. On Feb. 16, 1952, he married Shirley (Lance) Curless in Huntsville, Ark. She ...
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Alice Marie Pope
SHAWNEE — Alice Marie (Stephan) Pope entered eternal rest at Shawnee Mission Hospital on March 7, 2012. Alice was born in rural Walnut on Jan. 17, 1926, to Charles Edward and Theresa Agnes (Schulz) Stephan. Alice was a child of the Depression. Her father passed when she was 13 years old, and she was instrumental in the raising and care of her six brothers and sisters. She counted herself very fortunate to be able to attend Walnut High School, ...
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Anna N. Ramsey
Anna N. Ramsey, 85, of Parsons died at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 7, 2012, at Parsons Good Samaritan Society. She was born March 15, 1926, at Kansas City, Mo., to William and Elnora (Hester) Scheibner. At an early age, she moved to Parsons, where she grew up and attended school. As an adult, she was employed at Broderick’s, Fred Ronald and the Kansas Ordnance Plant. She later operated a hamburger stand with her husband and worked at Wal-Mart....
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Dwain L. Watson
Dwain L. Watson, 72, a longtime resident of Parsons, died at 11:07 p.m. Friday, March 2, 2012, at Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice Center at the Via Christi St. Francis Campus in Wichita, where he entered Feb. 22.  His death followed a brief illness. He was born March 28, 1939, in Altamont, the son of Clarence H. and Lorene V. (DeBolt) Watson. In 1945, he moved with his family to Parsons. He attended McKinley Elementary School, West Junior High Sc...
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Johnnie V. Law
Johnnie V. Law, 72, of Parsons died at 7:03 a.m. Monday, March 5, 2012, at Elmhaven East nursing home in Parsons. He had been in failing health. He was born Dec. 12, 1939, in Shreveport, La., to Frank and Maggie (Head) Law. He grew up in Shreveport, where he attended school and later earned a bachelor’s degree from Grambling State University. He was a guard at the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant, retiring following 33 years of service. He married...
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Bertie L. Gearhart
Bertie L. Gearhart, 91, of Parsons died at 1:40 a.m. Sunday, March 4, 2012, at Parsons Good Samaritan Society. She was born March 5, 1920, in Butler County to Gid Harrison and Pearl (Edwards) Williams. She grew up in Butler County and graduated from Downs High School in 1938. She married Maynard Gearhart on June 5, 1938, at Washington, Kan. They later divorced. In 1947, she married Randall Smith. He preceded her in death on July 23, 1962. In 1...
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Simon Duran Martinez Jr.
Simon Duran Martinez Jr. went to be with his Lord and Savior at 11:10 p.m. Friday, March 2, 2012, at Landmark Hospital, Joplin, after a brief illness. His loving family was by his side as he went to Heaven to receive his eternal reward from Jesus. Simon was born Oct. 22, 1946, at Fort Davis, Texas, to Simon Duran Martinez Sr. and Alice (Rudy) Martinez. Simon attended schools in Texas and New Mexico. He met the love of his life, Sherry Winslow,...
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Johnnie V. Law
Johnnie V. Law, 72, of Parsons died at 7:03 a.m. Monday, March 5, 2012, at Elmhaven East nursing home in Parsons. He had been in failing health. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marva (Pierce) Law, on Dec. 22, 2003. The service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. The funeral home will announce ...
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Dwain L. Watson
Dwain L. Watson, 72, a longtime resident of Parsons, died at 11:07 p.m. Friday, March 2, 2012, at Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice Center at Via Christi St. Francis Campus in Wichita, where he entered Feb. 22. His death followed a brief illness. He is survived by his wife, Mary Etta Watson, of the home. The service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Wesley United Methodist Church in Parsons. Friends may call at their convenience after 9 a.m. Wednesday...
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Simon Duran Martinez Jr.
Simon Duran Martinez Jr., 65, of Parsons died at 11:10 p.m. Friday, March 2, 2012, at Landmark Hospital in Joplin following a brief illness. He is survived by his wife, Sherry Martinez, of the home. The service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Parsons Foursquare Church. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery with military honors given by George L. Hendricks American Legion Post No. 102, Erie. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday a...
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Larry D. Goodnight
Larry D. Goodnight, 59, of Parsons died at 11:31 a.m. Saturday, March 3, 2012, at the Labette Health emergency room in Parsons. He had been in failing health, but his death was unexpected.  He was born on Oct. 15, 1952, at Oswego to Cecil and Bonnie (Collins) Goodnight. He traveled with his family while his father worked in the construction industry when he was young before settling in the Parsons area at age 14. He graduated from Labette Cou...
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Bertie L. Gearhart
Bertie L. Gearhart, 91, of Parsons died at 1:40 a.m. Sunday, March 4, 2012, at Parsons Good Samaritan Society. Following cremation, the memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Altamont. Memorials are suggested to the Parsons Good Samaritan Society garden fund or Hospice Care of Kansas and may be left at or mailed to the funeral home, P.O. Box 325, Altamont, 67330. The funeral home will announce compl...
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Rose Etta Cutshall
Rose Etta Cutshall, 91, of Parsons died at 8:25 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012, at Parsons Good Samaritan Society.  She was born May 10, 1920, in rural Labette County on the family farm to James Luther and Rose Florence (Fowler) Plummer. She spent much of her childhood in Mound Valley, where she graduated high school.  She then moved to Parsons, where she attended college. There she met and later married Ralph Emery Cutshall on May 4, 1940. Man...
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Dorothy Jean Bailey
PEA RIDGE, Ark. — Dorothy Jean Bailey, 91, of Pea Ridge, Ark., a former Parsons resident, died at Circle of Life Hospice Home in Springdale, Ark., on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012. She was born on Aug. 24, 1920, in Parsons to Phillip H. and Grace M. (Elliott) Bohrer. She grew up in Parsons and attended Parsons schools, graduating from Parsons High School. She graduated from Parsons Business College and worked as a legal secretary for several attorneys...
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Jerry C. Russell
ZAVELLA, Texas — Jerry C. Russell, 73, of Zavella, Texas, a former Parsons resident, died on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012, in Lufkin, Texas. He was born May 12, 1938, in Fort Scott to Claude and Gertrude Russell. He grew up in Parsons and graduated from Parsons High School in 1956. He attended and graduated from Phillips University in Enid, Okla. While living in Parsons he was a member of the Central Avenue Christian church. He lived in Pittsbur...
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Edith B. Dick
Edith B. Dick, 90, a longtime Parsons resident, died at 9:55 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012, at the Good Samaritan Society in Parsons. She was born on Nov. 22, 1921, at Centerville to John and Ethel (Campbell) Johnson. The family moved to Altamont, where she grew up and attended Altamont schools. She graduated from Labette County Community High School. She married Max Dick on Aug. 6, 1939, at Oswego at the home of a family friend. He preceded he...
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