All Obituaries

Ellinwood, KS  Phyllis Marie (Alpers) Miller, 94, of Ellinwood passed away peacefully at Ellinwood Country Living on April 6, 2026. She was born June 22, 1931, to Elmer Leo and Laura Matilda (Hullman) Alpers at St. Rose Hospital in Great Bend. Phyllis attended German Valley Grade School, graduated from Hudson High School in 1949, and Hutchinson Community Junior College.  After college, she taught 1st through 3rd grades at Wheatland School, District 105 south of Ellinwood for ...

Joseph Leonard Birzer November 2, 1944 – March 1, 2026 Joseph “Joe” Leonard Birzer, 81, of Maize, Kansas, passed away in his home on March 1, 2026, on what would have been the 57th anniversary of his marriage to his beloved wife, Marilyn. Joe was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend, known for his quiet strength, generosity, and lifelong ability to fix and build just about anything. Joe was born on November 2, 1944, in Great Bend, Kansas, to Catherine Wendel ...

Ellinwood, KS Patricia (Pat) Ann Rager, 84, passed away at Ellinwood Country Living on the 6th of March 2026.  Born in Columbus GA on November 21st, 1941, she was the daughter of Jesse Blanford Holiman and Lillian Gaynell Roberts Holiman, Yelverton. After high school Pat attended Milledgeville Business College, an all-girls college in Milledgeville Georgia.  Pat married Robert G Rager on November 8th, 1979, in Columbus GA.  Pat’s ...

Ann Marie Kimmel, 94, passed away at Country Living in Lyons, KS on February 28, 2026. Born in Kingman, KS on March 6th, 1931 she was the daughter of Francis and Maude (Anderson) McEvoy. She married Elster Erwin Kimmel in Kingman, KS on Nov. 23, 1949 he passed away May 9, 2017. Ann worked as a tailor for JC Pennies in Great Bend, KS for nearly 15 years. She enjoyed many hobbies including working with stained glass. Survivors include Daughters, Diana (Dan) Soeken, Ellinwood, KS and Colleen ...

Yvonne Marie Brenn, 101, of Ellinwood, KS. Yvonne Marie McCollough was born on August 23, 1924, to Herbert and Genevieve McCollough in Minneapolis, KS. As a young girl, her parents moved to Ellinwood, KS, so her father could assume the position of Chief Engineer at the Ellinwood Electric Plant. She graduated from Ellinwood High School in May 1942. She attended secretarial school at Hutchinson Technical School, Hutchinson, KS, where she met James Stevenson, a naval officer stationed there. ...

Ellinwood, KS  Raymond Gene Kinsey, 83, passed away at Ellinwood District Hospital on Jan. 2, 2026. Born May 5, 1942 in Quincy, KS the son of Marion James and Lotta Mae (Acord) Kinsey. Raymond graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1961 and later served in the US Army National Guard for 6 years. He married Helen R. (Sexton) Kinsey Dec. 15, 1962 and during 34 years of marriage welcomed 5 children.  After they divorced they remained quite close. He began working at age 14 for ...

Ellinwood, KS Marian J. Witcraft, 101, passed away at Ellinwood District Hospital in Ellinwood, KS on Jan. 13, 2026. Born in Staunton, IL on Sept. 10, 1924 she was the daughter of Walter Paul and Edna Bley (Williams) McAfee. Marian graduated from high school in Fairfax, OK before moving to Kansas where she lived in Russell and Great Bend before making her home in Ellinwood where she stayed for over 70 years. Throughout the years Marian worked at Marlette Mobile Homes and the Sears store in ...

Ellinwood, KS Elaine Frances Wendel, 65, passed away at Ellinwood District Hospital on Dec. 23, 2025. She was born in Great Bend, KS on Nov. 4, 1960 to parents Frank A. Jr. and Margaret Cecelia (Bahr) Wendel. A graduate of Ellinwood High School in 1979, Barton Co. Community College in 1981, and last Kansas State University in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Admin. After college she worked as a Medical Tech at Hutchinson Hospital. Later she worked as an accountant for H & B ...

Ellinwood, KS Lucky Malone Baker, 26, passed away on Dec. 13, 2025 in Ellinwood, KS. Born in Great Bend, KS on Apr. 15, 1999 he was the son of Greggory and Susan Baker. A lifetime Ellinwood resident Lucky attended Ellinwood HS graduating in 2017 where he went on to work as a mechanic. Survivors include parents, Greggory and Susan (Ramsey) Baker; siblings, Bob Baker, Michael Baker, Chance Baker, Destin Baker, Heratio Baker, and Layla Baker. Additional survivors include 6 nieces and 3 ...

Ellinwood, KS  Sherry Ann Littrel, passed away surrounded by loved ones on Dec. 5th, 2025. Born on May 23, 1940 in Marshall, MO she was the daughter of Frances (Summers) and George VanSteenburg. She worked as a Dispatcher for Transport Express in Dodge City, KS and former member of Nazarene Church in Dodge City, KS. Sherry married Billy Littrel at St. John Lutheran Church in Ellinwood on Sept. 13, 1957. They were married for over 60 years before he passed away Aug. 8th, 2018. She was ...