Leo Newell Johnson, 77, Council Grove, died Dec. 17, 2009, at the Morris County Hospital.

He was born Nov. 11, 1932, to Leo Turk and Florence Newell Johnson in Matfield Green. He graduated from Matfield Green High School.

He tied for the pole vault state championship in 1950.

He married Essie Marie Harsh Nov. 18, 1950. They divorced.

Mr. Johnson graduated from Wichita State University in 1958 and Washburn University Law School in 1962.

He practiced law and was the County Attorney in Council Grove for several years.

He was preceded in death by two sisters, Loney Tisor and Phyllis Dolloff.

He is survived by two sons, Rick Johnson, Valley Falls, and Dave Johnson, Council Grove; three daughters, Nancy Carr, rural Dwight, and Becky Evans and Joany Fox, both of Council Grove; 13 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held Dec. 20 at the Community Christian Church in Council Grove.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Matfield Green Community Church or the Matfield Green Cemetery.

Ethel Harden

Ethel “Lorena” Harden, 94, Topeka, died Dec. 16, 2009, at Lexington Park in Topeka.

She was born Sept. 3, 1915, in Valley Falls, the daughter of Walter and Edna Arnold Miller.

She was a 1933 graduate of Valley Falls High School.

She married E. Wade Harden Oct. 2, 1937, in Valley Falls. He preceded her in death Aug. 15, 1976.

She retired in 1980 after 19 years of service with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas. She was a member of Oakland United Methodist Church.

Survivors include daughters, Karen Stephens, Parkville, Mo., and Gail Leonard, Lenexa; and three grandchildren; and a great grandson.

She was also preceded in death by an infant sister, Jennie Miller; and a brother, Arnold C. Miller. Funeral services were Dec. 18 at Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel. Burial was at Valley Falls Cemetery. Memorial contributions are suggested to Heart of America Hospice, 3715 SW 29th, Topeka, 66614 or Oakland United Methodist Church, 801 NE Chester, Topeka, 66616.

Ryan Turpin

U.S. veteran Ryan Edward Turpin, 31, Topeka, died Dec. 16, 2009.

He was born Jan. 12, 1978, at Topeka, the son of Bruce Edward and Suzanna Lea Foster Turpin.

He was a 1997 graduate of Seaman High School and earned a degree in graphic arts and printing from Kaw Area Vo-Tech School in Topeka.

He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1997 to 2003.

He worked at Hallmark Cards in Topeka for eight years and currently was working at Alma Cheese Company.

He is survived by his parents, of Topeka; a sister, Kelly Sue Turpin, Topeka; paternal grandmother, Betty Ann Turpin, of the Newman community; maternal grandmother, Marvel Foster, and maternal stepgrandmother, Millie Sanborn, both of Meriden.

Memorial services were Dec. 21 at Barnett-Chapel Oaks Meriden Chapel. A private family inurnment will be at a later date.

Memorials can be made to the Ryan E. Turpin Memorial Fund and sent in care of the funeral home, P.O. Box 331, Meriden, 66512.

Edward T. Koons

Edward T. Koons, 80, Valley Falls, passed away Monday, December 21, 2009, at Deer Park North Care Center at Meriden.

He was born February 27, 1929, at Valley Falls, the son of George and Mary Fulton Koons.

Mr. Koons attended Valley Falls Schools and at an early age worked for McLeod Feeders and later for Legler Lumber Co. in Valley Falls.

He entered the U.S. Army in 1951 serving in the 14th Infantry and 11th Armored Calvary stationed at Ft. Carson, CO. He was transferred to Korea where he served in the 300th Armored Field Artillery until 1953.

Upon returning home he entered into the field of carpentry, building houses in Valley Falls and Topeka and also working in commercial building. He was a 50-year member of Local No. 1445 United Brotherhood of Carpenters. He was a life member of Grahem-Herbers VFW Post No. 3084 and the Valley Falls United Methodist Church where he served on the Board of Trustees.

He had been a member of the City Zoning Board in Valley Falls.

Mr. Koons was married September 2, 1977 to Virginia Heineken Dunn in the new home that he had built in Valley Falls. He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Ralph Koons, Eldon Koons and Glen Koons.

Survivors include his wife, Virginia, two stepchildren, Philip (Donna) Dunn, Valley Falls and Gail (Dale) Jepson, Meriden; four stepgrandchildren, Mark (Nina) Jepson, Valley Falls, Melissa (Brian) Welborn, Peyton, CO, Erin (Jason) Miller, Garnett, and Kevin (Erin) Dunn, Mission; seven stepgreat-grandchildren, Macee, Mallory and Cooper Jepson, Kendall and Addison Welborn and Josie and Jordan Miller; four sisters, Marguerite Tarulli, Bourbonnaise, Il, Geneva Lonard, Valley Falls, Estel Edmonds, McLouth and Elva Ferrell, Midwest City, OK.

The funeral service will be at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, December 24, 2009, at the Valley Falls United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at the Valley Falls Cemetery with military honors conducted by Grahem-Herbers Post 3084, Veterans of Foreign Wars. Visitation will be at the church from 9:00 a.m., until service time.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Valley Falls United Methodist Church and sent in care of Mercer Funeral Home, 810 Broadway, Valley Falls, KS 66088.

Online condolences are at mercerfuneralhomes.com

Paid obituary

Ruth D. Sedlak

Ruth D. Sedlak, 91, Winchester, died Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009, at a Gardner Hospital.

She was born Feb. 12, 1918, at Winchester, the daughter of Dr. David M. and Jessie A. Mitchell Dill.

She graduated from Winchester Rural High School in 1935. She attended Kansas State Agricultural College for one year and later graduated from Lamson Business College in Phoenix, AZ.

Ruth was the founder of the Sedlak Insurance and Real Estate Agency in Winchester. She was a Licensed Insurance Agent for all lines of insurance in Kansas and Missouri, was a Graduate of Realtors Institute and was a Licensed Broker in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.

She was a member of the Independent Insurance Agents of Kansas, Professional Insurance Agents, National and Kansas Associations of Realtors, Farm and Land Institute of National Association of Realtors.

She had served as Clerk of the District 107 School Board and also secretary of the Jefferson County Memorial Hospital Benefit Horse Show.

Ruth had attended both the Winchester Reformed Presbyterian Church and the Winchester Christian Church.

She married James J. Sedlak on Dec. 31, 1938, in New Mexico. He died in May 2004. She was also preceded in death by a son, John F. Sedlak, on Jan. 7, 1980, and a brother, Ret. Col. Robert M. Dill.

Survivors include her son, Dan Sedlak, and his wife, Jo Ann, Winchester, two grandchildren, Sarah Anna Carney, and her husband, Mark, Olathe, and Mark Timothy Sedlak, Winchester, and two great-grandchildren, Hannah Faith Carney and Jett B. Pedersen.

The funeral service was at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009, at the Winchester Reformed Presbyterian Church. Burial followed at the Reformed Presbyterian Cemetery at Winchester. Visitation was at the church from 10:00 a.m., until service time.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Winchester Reformed Presbyterian Church and sent in care of Mercer Funeral Home, 810 Broadway, Valley Falls, KS 66088. Online condolences are at mercerfuneralhomes.com

Paid obituary

Rosalee Kessler

Rosalee Kessler, 79, McLouth, died Dec. 19, 2009, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

She was born Sept. 29, 1930, at Lawrence, the daughter of Earl and Rosetta Lee Jellison. She was a 1948 graduate of Lawrence High School.

She had worked many years at Kansas Color Press and the Allen Press Company both in Lawrence. She was a childcare worker at a Child’s World Daycare in Oskaloosa until her retirement.

She married James “Ray”Kessler Aug. 13, 1949, at Lawrence. He preceded her in death June 16, 1993.

She is survived by three sons, Edward Kessler and Greg Kessler, both McLouth, and John Kessler, Blue Rapids; two sisters, Ruth Hargett, Lawrence, and Cindy Scoharer, of Texas; seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a daughter, Kathleen Burns, and a granddaughter, Amber Kessler.

Funeral services were Dec. 22 at the McLouth First Baptist Church. Burial was at McLouth Cemetery.

Memorials can be made to Douglas County Hospice or to the McLouth First Baptist Church and sent in care of Barnett-Chapel Oaks Funeral Home, P.O. Box 416, Oskaloosa, 66066.