Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008

Obituaries Archive

Arlene Ruth Nescher

Arlene Ruth (Murray) Nescher, 95, Overland Park, KS, formerly of Valley Falls, KS, passed away Friday, September 12, 2008, at the Rose Estates care facility surrounded by family.

Arlene was born on July 11, 1913, at Junction City, KS, to William and Rose Oswald Murray, the youngest of five children. She graduated from Junction City High School.

Arlene married George A. Nescher on November 28, 1934 in Junction City. In 1936, they moved to Valley Falls where they operated the Rio Theater. Arlene was a member of the Valley Falls United Methodist Church. She joined the PEO Sisterhood in November, 1943, and served as president for Chapter DK from 1952-1954.

She was a 67-year member of the Order of the Eastern Star Chapter No. 399 at Meriden. Arlene enjoyed playing cards and reading. She was a member of several bridge clubs and the Literary Ramblers Study Club. She also enjoyed traveling with her husband and later her sister to visit family and friends. In their later years Arlene and her sister Eve, became constant companions and lived together at Valley Falls. They moved to the Rose Estates assisted living facility in Overland Park, to be closer to family.

Arlene was preceded in death by her husband, George, on April 30, 1971. She was also preceded in death by her two brothers, Bill Murray and John Murray, and her sister Gertrude Cross. She is survived by her beloved sister, Eve Carlson, of Prairie Village. She is also fondly remembered by three generations of nieces and nephews who cherished and loved her and will miss her stories and sense of humor.

The funeral service was at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, September 16, 2008, at the Valley Falls United Methodist Church. Burial was at 3:00 p.m., at Highland Cemetery at Junction City. Memorial contributions may be made to the Valley Falls Historical Society, and sent in care of Mercer Funeral Home, 810 Broadway, Valley Falls, KS 66088. Online condolences are at mercerfuneralhomes.com 3-1tc

Jesse Michael Southard

Jesse Michael Southard, 91, Topeka, formerly of Hoyt, died Sept. 13, 2008, at the Topeka Homestead.

He was born Oct. 30, 1916, in Comisky, the son of Robert Charles and Elsie Dennis Southard. Jesse worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone as a PBX repairman and owned a cattle ranch northeast of Hoyt where he and his wife, Mary, lived for 40 years. He was a member of Masonic Lodge No. 327 in Hoyt and belonged to the Scottish rite and the Arab Shrine in Topeka. Jesse was a lifetime member of the Kansas Hereford Association.

He married Mary Catherine Chanoux Sept. 13, 1941, in Chicago. She died Sept. 12, 2004. He is survived by his daughters, Marilyn Rowland, Topeka, and Janet Gartner, Spring, Texas; his brother, Albert Southard, Overland Park; seven grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Services were Sept. 17 at the Mercer Funeral Home in Holton. Interment was in Comisky Cemetery east of Council Grove in Morris County. Memorials can be given to the Shriner Children’s Hospital and sent in care of the funeral home, Box 270, Holton, 66436.

Martha Spence

Martha Spence, 90, died Sept. 12, 2008, at Good Samaritan Center at Dodge City.

She was born Nov. 2, 1917, at Valley Falls, the daughter of Alexander and Clara Hefty Reichart. She attended grade school at Half Mound and graduated from the Valley Falls High School with the class of 1936.

She took the State Teacher’s Examinations and taught in the rural schools of Jefferson and Atchison counties for six years. She worked for a time during World War II in the test room of the Meyer Milk Company.

From the time she graduated from high school until a number of surgeries 40 years later forced her to limit her activities, she always taught and worked with children in public schools, Sunday schools, vacation Bible school,Parent-Teacher Association, and Junior American Legion Auxilary.

She married John Spence Dec. 31, 1945, at Valley Falls. He preceded her in death April 14, 1974. They made their home in Valley Falls until 1955, when they moved to Horton. They moved to Dodge City in August 1967. She was a member of First Christian Church of Dodge City.

Survivors include daughters, Laura Paulsen, Garden City, Barbara Brown, Ford, Jo Ada Council, Alexandria, Ky., and Sue Ann Winkler, Dodge City; a son, Keith Spence, Eudora; a brother, Milton Reichart, Valley Falls; 10 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by infant twins, a son, three sisters, and a brother.

A funeral service was held Sept. 17 at Swaim Funeral Home, Dodge City. A visitation will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, at Mercer Funeral Home in Valley Falls. A graveside service and burial will follow at 2 p.m. at Valley Falls Cemetery. Memorials can be made to First Christian Church, Dodge City, and sent in care of the Swaim Funeral Home.

J. Lester Hooper Jr.

J. Lester Hooper Jr. 47, died Aug. 23, 2008, at home in Valley Falls.

He was born July 14, 1961, at Fort Belvoir, Va., to his surviving parents, J. Lester Hooper Sr. and Olive Shoup Hooper of Manhattan. A Manhattan High School graduate, he graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in computer science with minors in business and psychology.

He married Marcia Wiese July 9, 1983, in Meriden. Beginning in January 1986, he worked for Shawnee Federal Savings for one year. He worked for Fleming Companies from 1987 to 1991. In 1991 he started working for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas and was currently a senior systems analyst for the company. He was a member of Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church.

He is survived by his wife, Marcia Hooper, son, Joseph, and daughter, Marisa, all of the home; sisters, Joy Barnett, Scott City, Sherri Hooper, and Wendy Skrdlant, all of Manhattan; and a brother, Terry Hooper, Manhattan.

Mass of the Resurrection was celebrated Aug. 27 at Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church. Burial was at St. Aloysius Cemetery in Meriden. Memorial contributions can be made to J. Lester Hooper Jr. Children’s Education Fund and Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church Building Fund and sent in care of Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home, 2801 SW Urish Rd, Topeka, 66614.

Vicky Ware

Vicky Jean Buck Ware, 56, rural Valley Falls, formerly of Kansas City, died Sept. 9, 2008, at the Jefferson County Geriatric Center in Winchester.

She was born Jan. 28, 1952, at Kansas City, the daughter of Ralph Eugene and Betty Marie Cook Owens. She had lived in the Boyle community of rural Valley Falls since 2006 moving from Kansas City.

Mrs. Ware worked several years as a bartender at various establishments in Kansas City. She was a 1970 graduate of Kansas City-Washington High School.

She married Edward “Ed” James Ware Sept. 14, 2001, at Oskaloosa. He survives at the home. Other survivors include her father and stepmother, Ralph Eugene and Clara Owens, Oskaloosa; one daughter, Randi Lynn Hufford, Clearwater, Fla.; two stepsons, Edward James Ware III, Valley Falls, and Adam Justin Ware, Kansas City, Mo.; one sister, Sandra A. Rickey, Tonganoxie; and five grandchildren.

Services were Sept. 12, at the Leavenworth V.A. National Cemetery. Memorials can be made to Jefferson County Hospice and sent in care of Barnett-Chapel Oaks Funeral Home, P.O. Box 416, Oskaloosa, 66066.

Beatrice Sharp

Beatrice M. (Bea) Sharp, 92, Eldon, Mo., formerly of Oskaloosa, died Sept. 13, 2008, in Lake Ozark, Mo. She was born Jan. 7, 1916, in Liberal, the daughter of Charles and Opal Gillespie Maxwell.

She had worked for Midland Industries, Kansas City.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Wilbur, in 1990; daughter, Inez Slaven, in 2008; and great-grandson, Craig Sharp, in 1987. Survivors include two sons, James W. Sharp, Eldon, Mo., and Donald H. Sharp, Leavenworth; two daughters, Betty Thompson, Blue Springs, Mo., and June Fleming, Lathrop, Mo.; 21 grandchildren; 51 great-grandchildren; and 47 great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be 2:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, at Quisenberry Funeral Home, Tonganoxie. Burial will be in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Kansas City. Visitation will be one hour before the service.