All Obituaries

Judith Ann “Judy” Daffern, 80, of Ellinwood, passed away April 12, 2018 at Ellinwood District Hospital, Ellinwood, Kansas. She was born April 13, 1937 in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of LeRoy Daniel and Gladys Agnes Smith Doyle. She graduated from Kearney High School in San Diego, California. Judy has resided in Ellinwood since 1987, formerly of San Diego, California. She was a teacher’s aid at the Ellinwood Grade School and St. Joseph Catholic School. Judy was of the...

Gregory Tyrone Stebens, 67, of Lyons, passed away April 16, 2018 at his home in Lyons. He was born June 5, 1950, at Liberal, KS to James Edward and Wilma Lee Pinuel Stebens. He grew up in Medicine Lodge, KS and served in the United States Navy. Gregory graduated from Medicine Lodge High School with the class of 1969. He was a member of the American Legion post #58, Topeka, KS and member of the NRA. Gregory married Janice McDaniel on March 5, 1975, to this union were born 3 children. He was...

Joyce Adell Ward, 78, of Chase, passed away April 1, 2018 at Hospital District #1 of Rice County, Lyons. She was born on May 29, 1939 in Pueblo, Colorado, the daughter of Herman and Esther Duke Schlegel. She graduated from Pueblo High School in Pueblo, Colorado with the class of 1957. Joyce has resided in Chase since 1965, formerly of Great Bend, KS. She was a bank teller for Chase State Bank, Chase, and was the Chase City Clerk for many years. Joyce was a homemaker. Joyce was a member of...

Mary Madena Kern Smith, 99, Lyons, passed away March 17, 2018 at the Sterling Presbyterian Manor. She was born on May 25, 1918 in Frederick, KS, the daughter of Frank M. and Ina Lavern (Verna) Maxwell Kern. Mary graduated from Lyons High School with the class of 1936, and from the Venus Academy of Beauty Culture in Wichita, KS in 1937. She has resided in Hutchinson, KS since 1991, formerly of Lyons, KS. Mary worked as a dental assistant for Dr. L. Thane Frazier DDS in Lyons for 29 years....

Elnora Reazin, 97, passed away peacefully in Little River, KS on March 17, 2018. She was born on December 23, 1920 in St. John, Kansas to Mathew and Josephine (Calloway) Barber. She was a homemaker and helped in the office at the elevator during busy times. She was a member of Ebenezer United Methodist Church, rural Lyons, E.H.U in Rice County, and a 4-H community leader in Lyons, past-president of the Kansas Lamp Lighters, and loved square dancing and bowling. On August 7, 1939, she...

Mary Louise Schoonover, 80, of Lyons, died peacefully March 14, 2018 at 7:00 A.M., at the Hutchinson Hospital. She was born February 24, 1938 at Lyons Hospital, Lyons, Kansas, daughter to Edward (Snub) and Teresa Pollard. Mary graduated from Norton High School, class of 1956. She married Wayne Schoonover, her high school sweetheart, they celebrated 61 years of marriage last July 2017. In addition to her husband, Wayne, she is survived by 3 children; Doug and Chris, Lori and Dale, and Ron...

Rodney Jim (Jimmie) Holmes, 91, affectionately known as Coach by his many former students, passed away on Sunday, March 11, 2018 in Little River. He was born in Gillette, Wyoming on August 28th, 1926 to Elizabeth (Springer) Holmes and Rodney James Holmes. He graduated from Geneseo High School in 1944 and entered the US Navy where he served for two years as a nurse. On July 27th, 1947 he married Leona Ontjes in Fredrick. Jimmie attended Hutchinson Community College and Sterling College where...

Mary Catherine Spear, 59, of Lyons, passed away March 12, 2018 at Hospital District 1 of Rice County, Lyons. She was born on August 19, 1958 in Houston, TX, the daughter of Dwight and H. Joan Brosius Zongker. She graduated from Buhler High School with the class of 1976. Mary has resided in Lyons for the past 5 years, formerly of Dwight, KS. She was a CNA for 18 years. Mary was a member of the United Methodist Church, Lyons. On October 3, 1979, Mary was united in marriage with Edward Spear...

Bernd “Sonny” Wiesner, 72, of Chase, passed away February 28, 2018 at Diversicare of Hutchinson. He was born on November 17, 1945 in Wolfratshausen, West Germany, the son of Kurt and Ilse Kuehl Wiesner. He has resided in Chase since 1997, formerly of Los Angeles, California. He was an aerospace electrician. Sonny was a former past president of Chase Senior Center and vice-president of Rice County Council on Aging. He is survived by his lifetime companion, Georgia Penn of the home;...

Laurence Leon Archer, 70, of Lyons, passed away March 6, 2018. He was born on July 16, 1947 in Lyons, KS, the son of Charles and Berta Dee Strohm Archer. He graduated from Lyons High School with the class of 1965, and from West Point Military Academy in 1969. Following his military career, Laurence received his veterinarian degree from Kansas State University in 1980. Laurence was a near lifelong Lyons resident. He worked as a Veterinarian from 1980 to 2004. He served in the United States...