Obituaries
Raymond E. 'Ray' Ward
ERIE — Raymond E. “Ray” Ward, 79, of Erie died at 4:55 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, at Prairie Mission Retirement Village in St. Paul. He was born Jan. 16, 1933, in St. Paul to Add and Elsie (Holding) Ward. As a young boy, he grew up and attended school in St. Paul. For a time, he farmed with his uncle Bud Holding. He then served in the United States Army during the Korean War.  He married Mary Ann Brooks on Dec. 18, 1953, in Girard. In 1954, ...
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Darlene A. Bass
NEVADA, Mo. — Darlene A. Bass, 79, of Nevada, Mo., formerly of Parsons, died on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, at Nevada Regional Medical Center in Nevada, Mo. She was born on Sept. 30, 1932, in Galena to Earl Stanley and Edna Mildred (Walters) Holford. She married Perl M. Bass in Huntsville, Ark., on June 4, 1951, and he preceeded her in death on Jan. 22, 1997. She grew up in Joplin and graduated from Joplin High School in 1950. She resided in Taft...
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Hannah 'Maxine' Clark
CHETOPA — Hannah “Maxine” Clark, 87, of Chetopa died at 12:48 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012, at Oswego Hospital. Her husband, Chester Clark, preceded her in death April 15, 2005. A graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Oak Hill Cemetery in Chetopa. The family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday at Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa. Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer’s Disease Association. These may be left at...
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Lawrence H. 'Larry' Campbell
CHETOPA — Lawrence H. “Larry” Campbell, 73, of Chetopa died at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012, at Chetopa Manor.  He was born Feb. 6, 1939, in Oswego to Lawrence and Nelma (Nash) Campbell. He was a graduate of Labette County Community High School in Altamont. He was a self-employed mechanic and truck driver. He married Sharon Garrison on Jan. 4, 1956, in Miami, Okla.  Survivors include his wife, Sharon, of the home; a son, John Campbell o...
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Mary Elizabeth Sanders
Mary Elizabeth Sanders, 82, of Parsons died at 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, 2012, at Labette Health. She was born April 4, 1929, at Waurika, Okla., a daughter of Claude and Bessie (McCracken) Glazner. She was raised in Oklahoma and attended school there. She married Fred D. Sanders on Oct. 6, 1951, at Waurika. Mr. Sanders served in the Air Force. They later divorced and she moved to Parsons in the late 1970s. Survivors include a son, Allan Ray...
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Wayne Arthur Reel Jr.
Wayne Arthur Reel Jr., 72, of Parsons died at 5:05 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin following a lengthy illness. He was born May 7, 1939, in rural Coffeyville to Wayne Arthur Sr. and Elna Mae (Moore) Reel. He lived in Altamont until age 6, and moved to Parsons. He was a graduate of Parsons High School. He then served in the Army and upon his honorable discharge returned to Parsons, where he attended Parsons Ju...
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Lupe R. Cervantes
Lupe R. Cervantes, 89, of Parsons died at 5:20 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, at the home of her son in Parsons.  She was born Feb. 28, 1922, in Buffalo to Angel and Lusiana (Lazarin) Reyes. As a young girl, she grew up in Independence and Parsons where she attended school.  She married Charles “Charlie” Cervantes on Oct. 21, 1941, in Labette City. After raising her family, she worked at the Mercy Hospital, National Gypsum, Adventure Line Manuf...
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Mary Elizabeth Sanders
Mary Elizabeth Sanders, 82, of Parsons died at 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, 2012, at Labette Health. Further obituary details and funeral arrangements will be announced by the Carson-Wall Funeral Home.
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Wayne Arthur Reel Jr.
Wayne Arthur Reel Jr. 72, of Parsons died at 5:05 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin following a lengthy illness. He is survived by his wife, Jean Reel, of the home. Following cremation, a Celebration of Life service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. The family will receive friends from 1 p.m. until service time Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to The 50...
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Mable Louise Collins
Mable Louise Collins, 76, of Carmichael, Calif., formerly of Parsons, died at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012, at the Mercy San Jaun Hospital in Carmichael, Calif. Further obituary details and funeral arrangements will be announced by the Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Parsons.
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Edwin H. Smith
Edwin H. Smith, 93, a longtime Chetopa businessman, died at 10:15 a.m. Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, at Chetopa Manor. He was born Oct. 23, 1918, in Locust Grove, Okla., to William Aubrey and Dora Mae (Morehead) Smith. He graduated high school in Chelsea, Okla.  He served in the Army during World War II in Germany. Upon his honorable discharge from the Army, he attended watch-making school in Kansas City and gemology school in Los Angeles. For numer...
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Lupe R. Cervantes
Lupe R. Cervantes, 89, of Parsons died at 5:20 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, at the home of her son in Parsons. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles “Charlie” Cervantes, on June 2, 2010. The funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Parsons. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery. The rosary will be prayed at 5 p.m. Sunday at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. The family will receive friends ...
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Ruth Delyte Cook
OSWEGO — Ruth Delyte Cook, 93, a resident of the Home Place in Oswego, died at 7:35 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, at the Oswego Community Hospital. She was born Oct. 18, 1918, at rural West Mineral to John A. and Ruth (Todd) Allen. She grew up in that area and attended the Stone City Grade School and then graduated from the West Mineral High School. On Oct. 5, 1942, she married Walter N. Cook at the Methodist Church parsonage in Columbus. ...
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Clement T. Switlik Jr.
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. — Clement Thomas Switlik Jr., 70, of Los Alamos, N.M., died Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012, at Los Alamos. He was born Oct. 19, 1941, in Parsons to Clement Thomas Sr., and Margaret (Currigan) Switlik. He attended St. Patrick's Catholic School in Parsons and graduated from high school in 1959. He joined the Navy. After his service, he attended the University of Kansas, where he received a degree in zoology. He later received a master'...
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Edwin H. Smith
CHETOPA — Edwin H. Smith, 93, a longtime Chetopa businessman, died at 10:15 a.m. Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, at Chetopa Manor. Complete obituary details and funeral arrangements will be announced by Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa. Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.
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Dean L. Nading
CHETOPA — Dean L. Nading, 68, of Chetopa died at 9:10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, at Chetopa Manor. He was born June 18, 1943, in rural Oswego to Walter and LaVerna (Foster) Nading. As a young boy, he attended Fairview country school and was a 1962 graduate of Labette County Community High School in Altamont. He most recently worked as a contract laborer for his brother, Bob, and others until he was forced to retire due to illness. Survivor...
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Bill E. Tate Sr.
DENNIS — Bill E. Tate Sr., 72, of rural Dennis died early Saturday morning at his home. His death was unexpected. He was born on July 8, 1939, at Vinita, Okla., to Odes and Verlie (Weddle) Tate. The family moved to Coffeyville, where he grew up and attended Coffeyville schools. He moved to Odessa, Mo., where he owned and operated a welding shop for many years. He moved to Parsons in 1984 where he also worked as a welder. He retired in 2006....
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Flossie I. ‘Onie’ Short
Flossie I. “Onie” Short, 81, of Parsons died at 2:25 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012, at Elmhaven West. She had been in failing health. She was born Nov. 4, 1930, in Miltonvale to Ralph “Red” and Flossie (Emig) Garretson. As a young girl, she moved with her family to Parsons, where she grew up and attended school. In 1950, she graduated from Labette County Community High School in Altamont.  She married Melvin C. Short on July 22, 1950, in Frostbur...
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Jennifer Larson
ALTAMONT — Jennifer Larson, 34, of Altamont died Saturday morning, Feb. 18, 2012, at her home. Death was unexpected, but she had been in failing health several years. She was born April 14, 1977, in Parsons to John A. and Debra K. (Pearce) Stuart. She grew up in the Parsons area and attended high school in Altamont. Later she also took classes at Labette Community College. For about 12 years she worked as a home care attendant for Southeas...
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Clyde Russell Towles
Clyde Russell Towles, 85, of Parsons died at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012, at his home. He was born June 27, 1926, at Parsons a son of Earl Clay and Nellie G. (Russell) Towles. He was raised at Parsons and attended school here. He then enlisted in the United States Navy. Following his discharge, he worked as a machinist for Gates Rubber Co. in Denver. He later retired. He married Eleanor Andrews. They later divorced. Survivors inclu...
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