All Obituaries

Edward George “Ed” Ankerholz, 95, of Lyons, passed away March 19, 2019 at Good Samaritan Society, Hutchinson, Kansas. He was born October 18, 1923 in rural Chase, Kansas, the son of Henry and Lena Blank Ankerholz. He graduated from Chase High School with the class of 1941. Ed was a near lifelong rural Chase resident. He was a farmer and oil field truck driver. Ed served in the United States Army during World War II, from February 13, 1945 until December 2, 1946. He was a member of Salem...

John Richard “Jack” Bray, 84, of Sterling, passed away March 19, 2019 at Hospital District #1 of Rice County, Lyons. He was born on January 20, 1935 on a farm near Belleville, Kansas, the second child of Richard and Dora Saip Bray. Jack graduated from Belleville High School with the class of 1952. He served in the United States Army from January 1957 until October 1958; and in the Army Reserves until January 1963. Mid-year 1959, Jack met Nettie Trost. They dated at the skating rink...

Jean Gail Smith, 74, of Lyons, passed away March 20, 2019 at Good Samaritan Society, Lyons. She was born October 17, 1944 in Yakama, WA, the daughter of Augustus and Dorthea Bensinger King. Jean attended Sterling Schools. She has resided in Lyons since 2002, formerly of Hutchinson. Jean was a florist for Dillions in Liberal, KS. She was member of the Calvary Baptist Church, Sterling and the Westside Baptist Church, Hutchinson. On February 6, 1960, Jean was united in marriage with Lewis McCay...

Gale Howard Earle, 87, of Sterling, passed away March 10, 2019 at Hospice House, Hutchinson. He was born August 7, 1931 in Sterling, Kansas, the son of Seale and Roella Magers Earle. He graduated from Sterling High School with the class of 1949, and received his Associates Arts Degree from Hutchinson Community College. Gale was a lifetime Sterling resident, having moved to Hutchinson in 2013. He was a retired store manager for Westlake Hardware, working in the hardware and sporting goods...

Martin E. John, 74, of Lyons, passed away March 9, 2019 at Good Samaritan Society of Lyons, Kansas. He was born October 2, 1944 in McPherson, Kansas, the son of Leonard E. and Elsie Lighthill John. He graduated from Lyons High School with the class of 1963. Martin was a longtime Lyons resident. He was a wedding and school photographer in Lyons; and worked at Disability Support of the Great Plains. Martin was a member of Nazarene Church of Buffalo, KS; and was active in 4-H. On September 4,...

Anna May Johnson-Campbell, 87, of Sterling, passed away March 9, 2019 at Presbyterian Manor, Sterling. She was born on February 18, 1932 in Hutchinson, the daughter of Weldon and Vivian Crane Manwarren. Anna May was a longtime Sterling resident. She owned and operated her own restaurant in Battle Creek, MI; worked as a mixer and sewer for the Lyons Salt Plant; and was a homemaker. Anna May was a member of the First Christian Church, Lyons; Rebekah Lodge #172 of Lyons; Pythian Sisters Lodge...

Sara Barbara Fair Sleeper, died peacefully on March 7, 2019, at the age of 101 in Hutchinson, Kansas. She was born in Alden, Kansas, on September 23, 1917 to Nina M. Altland Fair and James H. Fair. JH was out in the field hauling silage when he was told he had a daughter. As their only child she was much loved and enjoyed an idyllic childhood in Alden, and often reminisced about how fortunate she was to have lived in small town America. Sara graduated from Alden High School in 1936, followed...

Debra Lynn Gliem-Birzer, 64, of Lyons, passed away February 28, 2019 at Hospice House of Hutchinson. She was born on November 25, 1954 in Great Bend, the daughter of Manford Wayne “Sonny” and Natha Gay White Julian. Debra graduated from Garden City High School. She was a longtime Lyons resident, formerly of Ellinwood. She was a retired Lyons Foodliner manager. On July 22, 2001, Debra was united in marriage with David John Birzer in Lyons. He preceded her in death on December 5,...

Judith Ann Tatlock, 73, of Lyons, passed away on February 26, 2019 at Hospital District #1 of Rice County, Lyons. She was born on March 18, 1945 in Austin, Texas, the daughter of Leland Merle “Tat” and Anna Velsie Hapes Tatlock. She graduated from Lyons High School with the class of 1963, and received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Sterling College in 1967. Judith has been a lifelong Lyons resident. She was a retired loan officer at First Bank in Lyons. She was a member of...

Clarence “C.O.” Sherwood, 88, of Wichita, formerly of Lyons, Kansas, passed away February 21, 2019 at his home in Wichita. He was born September 23, 1930 in Hutchinson, Kansas, the son of Clarence Berger and Carmelita Sweet Sherwood. He graduated from Lyons High School with the class of 1948, and attended the University of Kansas. C.O. has resided in Lyons since 1946. He retired in 1995 as owner of Lyons Lumber Company. C.O. was a member of First United Methodist Church, Lyons; past...