All Obituaries

Mary Frances Otto, 90, of Lyons, passed away November 24, 2022, at Sandstone Heights Nursing Home, Little River. She was the fifth child born April 9, 1932, in Little River, the daughter of Fred and Nancy Attie Crandall. Fred Crandall, came to Rice County with his parents, A.A. Crandall and Rhoda (Jodan) Crandall, about 1895 and settled in Little River. Nancy Attie Jane Cooter Crandall came from Green County, Tennessee about 1900, in a covered wagon, with her parents, James Alfred Cooter and...

Luceda Ann “Lucy” Hager, 84, of Lyons, Kansas, passed away November 23, 2022, at Hospital District #1 of Rice County, Lyons. She was born September 23, 1938, on the family farm in Rush County, Kansas, the daughter of Wendelin and Rose Mary Leiker Urban. Lucy has resided in Lyons for the past eleven years, formerly of Geneseo, Kansas. She was a homemaker. Lucy was a member of St. Paul Catholic Church, Lyons and the St. Paul Altar Society. She enjoyed gardening, was an excellent...

Arleen R. Branson, 96, of Lyons, Kansas, passed away November 22, 2022, at Country Living of Lyons. She was born April 20, 1926, on her parents’ farm south of Bushton, Kansas, the daughter of Elmer and Anna Schroeder Wesseler. Arleen had stated that she had a fun and interesting childhood growing up on the farm with her brother Orville. She was the last surviving member of the class of 1944 at Bushton High School. Arleen attended Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas and then Adela Hale...

Gary Eugene “Papa G” Miller, 66, of Lyons, Kansas, passed away November 20, 2022. He was born November 3, 1956, in Little River, Kansas, the son of Donald E. and Marilyn A. Brown Miller. Gary was a lifetime Little River resident. He graduated from Little River High School with the class of 1974 and attended Hutchinson Community College. Gary was a farmer, rancher, and owner and operator of Miller Heating and Plumbing, LLC. He was a member of the Little River Jaycee’s,...

Bradley Nelson “Brad” Wellman, 73, of Alden, Kansas, passed away November 19, 2022, at Hospice House, Hutchinson, Kansas. He was born November 8, 1949, in Sterling, Kansas, the son of Richard and Myrtle Belden Wellman. Brad was a lifelong Alden and Sterling resident. He graduated from Lyons High School, with the class of 1968, and later attended Fort Hays State University and Wichita State University majoring in Fine Arts. Brad was a farmer, rancher and partner at Wellman Ranch, LLC. He...

Mark Stephen Knight, 57, of Lyons, Kansas, passed away November 18, 2022, at Riverview Estates, Marquette, Kansas. He was born May 14, 1965, in Lyons, the son of Kenneth Edward “Kenny” and JoAnna McCoy Knight. Mark was a lifelong Lyons resident. He graduated from Lyons High School with the class of 1983; and later attended Kansas State University and Hutchinson Community College, where he played football. Mark worked for Knight Farms, before assuming responsibility of managing...

Wanda Florine Plautz, 95, of Bushton, Kansas, passed away November 17, 2022, at Hospital District #1 of Rice County, Lyons. She was born October 7, 1927, in Frederick, Kansas, the daughter of Elda and Grace Huckstop Kitchen. Wanda was a lifetime Bushton area resident. She graduated from Bushton High School with the class of 1945. Wanda was a farmwife and once worked at the Rice County Extension Office in Lyons. She was a member of the Salem United Methodist Church, Bushton, United Methodist...

Melissa Diane Barton, 56, of Sterling, Kansas, passed away on November 17, 2022, at Hospice House, Hutchinson, Kansas. She was born on October 14, 1966, in Odessa, Texas, the daughter of Herbert and Mary Lou Fletcher-Smothers. Melissa graduated from Diamond Hill - Jarvis in Fort Worth, TX. On October 12, 2007, she married James “Jim” Barton in Fort Worth, Texas. Melissa is survived by her husband, Jim; brother, Eddie “Noodle” Smothers; and her two children, daughter,...

Candy Lynn Kelley, 71, of Lyons, Kansas, passed away November 15, 2022, at Hospital District #1 of Rice County, Lyons. She was born July 27, 1951, in Sterling, the daughter of Marvin Elliott and Virginia Detwiler Cain. Candy attended Sterling High School. She has resided in Lyons since 2004, formerly of Sterling. Candy was a waitress at the Sterling Café for many years; worked in the cafeteria for Sterling USD #376; was a dental assistant for Douglas Hinshaw in Sterling; and was a...

Isabel Molina Macias, 82, of Lyons, Kanas, passed away November 6, 2022, at his home. He was born December 26, 1939. Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced later by Birzer Funeral Home, Lyons.