All Obituaries

Dolores June (Cook) Nickelson, 86, peacefully passed away at the Woodhaven Care Center in Ellinwood, KS on May 22, 2019. The funeral service will be at 10:00 am May 29th at the Minnis Chapel in Ellinwood, KS; with burial following at Lakin-Comanche District Cemetery. Visitation will be at Minnis Chapel on May 28th from 4-6 PM. June was born in Ashland, KS June 13, 1932, the daughter of Harrison Lee Cook and Naomi Lillian (Bradley) Cook. She graduated from Coldwater High School and...

Marvin Woodrow Koch, 83, passed away at his home in Ellinwood, KS on May 17, 2019. Born on September 23, 1935 he was the son of Harry & Bernice (Parker) Koch. Marvin graduated from Ellinwood HS in 1953. Marvin married Mary Lee Straub who passed in 2010 and Lucille M. Koch who passed in 1999.  Mr. Koch worked various jobs in the oilfield that took him all over Kansas and even working overseas in Libya. Later he worked as a corrections officer at Fort Supply in Woodward, OK. Upon his...

Ellinwood, KS  Michael Menges, 62, passed away from liver disease on April 11, 2019 at Clara Barton Hospital in Hoisington, KS. Born on June 11, 1956 in Ellinwood, KS he was the son of Jerry & Geraldine (Bouseser) Menges. A lifetime Ellinwood resident Mr. Menges was a master Electrician. He married Belinda Ketch on May 9th, 1981 in Great Bend, KS. She survives of the home. Additional survivors include his mother, Geraldine Menges; sons, Michael (Katie) Menges and Matthew...

Olive M. Schmit, 96, passed away in Ellinwood, KS on March 20, 2019. Born in Duluth, MN on February 1, 1923 she was the daughter of Joseph L. & Dodie (Bilben) Shannon. Olive grew up in Wisconsin later marrying Robert R. Schmit in Montgomery, AL and raising 4 children. She was involved with the local girl scout chapter, Women’s Club, Trinity Lutheran Church (Kenosha) then moved to Florida in 1984 where she enjoyed her time working at Key Royal Golf Course on Anna Maria Island. She...

Gordon was born May 31, 1943 in Great Bend, KS to Nick and Rose (Schartz) Bieberle. He passed away on February 11, 2019 in Chicago, IL. Gordon graduated from Ellinwood High School in 1961 later graduating from Kansas State University in 1965. He was honorably discharged as a Lieutenant from the Navy. He then moved to Chicago where he worked as the Editor of the 4H Magazine. He was also a Free-Lance Photographer. He retired from Columbia University in Chicago, IL. Survivors include sisters,...

Ellinwood, KS  Helen Marie (Beck) Urban, 84, of Ellinwood, Kansas.  Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother (Gigi) went to her heavenly home on January 27, 2019.  She was born August 23, 1934 on the family farm north of Hoisington, Kansas to Frank and Marie (Klug) Beck. She grew up in the Hoisington/Odin area and graduated from Odin high school.  She married Melvin Urban on August 31, 1953 in Beaver, KS and shortly thereafter moved to Ellinwood where she...

Robert L. (Bob) Peter, 68, of Ellinwood, passed away January 17, 2019 at Ellinwood Regional Hospital. He was born September 14, 1950 in Great Bend, Kansas, the son of Lorin and Jean (Reed) Peter. He graduated from Ellinwood High School with the class of 1968 with a impressive athletic career. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1970 spending most of his service in Germany. On September 6, 1970, he married Jackie Glenn. Upon their return to the States, he graduated from Emporia State in 1975...

Vernon Hammeke, 84, passed away at the Kansas Heart Hospital in Wichita, KS on January 10, 2019. Born on November 18, 1934 he was the son of David & Frances (Sprinker) Hammeke. After attending St. Joseph's Catholic grade school and later Ellinwood High School, Vernon joined the United States Army and served his country from 1957-1959. He later married Louise Penka on May 2, 1964 at St. Rose Catholic Church in Great Bend, KS.    Vernon was a lifetime Ellinwood resident...

Kenard Kent Koetter, age 63, of Ellinwood, KS passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, December 25, 2018 at the Hutchinson Regional Medical Center in Hutchinson, KS. Kenard was born July 11, 1955 in McCook, NE to parents Woodrow R. and Emma W. (Springer) Koetter.   Kenard grew up in McCook where he attended McCook High School.  Following high school, in September 1974, Kenard enlisted in the United States Army.  During the Vietnam War, he proudly served his country as a...

Sally S. Bayer, 76, passed away peacefully on December 3, 2018 at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas.  She died of natural causes.  Sally was born at home in Greenwood County, Kansas to loving parents Christopher “Harmon” Meadows and Clara “Louise” (Sanders) Meadows on October 10, 1942.  She spent her childhood with them and her two sisters Imogene and Carol in Ellinwood Kansas where she attended elementary and high school.  Sally was a...