Obituaries

Dec 8, 2012

Opal Mae Bretz, 90, Wallace, a lifelong resident of Logan County, died Saturday, December 08, 2012 at Citizens Medical Center in Colby, KS after a lengthy illness. She was born September 15, 1922, south of Oakley in a sod house, the daughter of Minnie Elizabeth “Beth” (Wise) and William “Bill” Oliver Martin. She attended Monument Schools. On June 16, 1948,...

Dec 5, 2012

Bill Keck, 88, of Colby died December 5, 2012 in Hays, KS. He was born February 23, 1924 to Teed and Iva (Elbidge) Keck in Enid, OK. Bill served in the United States Navy during WWII and the Korean Conflict. He married Billie Jean Railing on November 28, 1948 in Dodge City, KS. Bill was a long time businessman in...

Dec 2, 2012

Arlo R. Sporer Longtime Oakley area resident Arlo R. Sporer died Sunday, December 2nd , 2012 in Colby, KS. Arlo was born August 30th, 1934 in Seneca, South Dakota, and was best known locally as the founder of Sporer Land Development Co. in 1961, retiring from active management in 2001. His love of family complemented his enjoyment of hunting and...

Dec 2, 2012

Mildred Bernadine (Huelsmann) Thummel, 94, died Sunday morning at her home in Grinnell, Kansas. She was born March 22, 1918, in rural Angelus, Kansas to Henry & Mary Louise (Baalmann) Huelsmann. She worked outside the home before marrying Lawrence Anthony Thummel on Aug 16, 1939 at St Paul Catholic Church, Angelus, KS. They made their home on a farm south...

Nov 27, 2012

Gertrude A. Shelton, 87, of Russell Springs, died Tuesday, November 27, 2012 in Colby. She was born Dec. 5, 1924 to Carl and Alta (McKinstry) Bush in Wichita County, KS. Gertrude lived in Russell Spring with her husband Gerald for 24 years. They were residents of Colorado Springs for 33 years where she and her husband raised 5 children. She...

Oct 31, 2012

Charles F. Gravener Jr., 87, of Colby, died Wednesday, October 31, 2012, at Citizens Medical Center, Colby. He was born Jan 22, 1925 to Charles and Zoe Elsie (Dewey) Gravener in Hoxie, KS. He married Madeleine Jacobs on Oct 30, 1943. He was a veteran of the United States Army and served in WW II. He worked as a switching...

Sep 13, 2012

Robert “Bob” Potter, 81, of Colby, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather left this world on Thursday, September 13 at his home surrounded by his family. A lifelong resident of northwest Kansas, Bob was born September 27, 1930 in Monument, KS to John and Nellie (Cunningham) Potter. He married Barbara Medford on May 11, 1957. Bob was a railroad...

Sep 12, 2012

Karen Kay Baalman, 67, of Oakley, died Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at Logan County Manor, Oakley. She was born March 27, 1945, in Telford, Tennessee, to Fred and Opal (Testerman) Hayes. She married Jack Baalman on June 2, 1984. She was a homemaker. Preceded in death by her parents; a son Jeffery Lee Woodman; two sisters, Charlene Davison and Cleva...

Sep 9, 2012

Niel “Dean” Larsen, 79, of Colby, died Sunday, September 9, 2012 at Prairie Senior Living Complex, Colby, one day before his 80th birthday. He was born September 10, 1932 to James J. and Pearle (White) Larsen in Rawlins County on the farm by the Middle Sappa Creek. Dean worked after high school for the Colby Experiment Station. He served two...

Aug 30, 2012

Emma June Lock, of Oakley, was born silently at 12:34 p.m. on August 30, 2012 at Citizens Medical Center, Colby. She “danced” peacefully on to meet Jesus. Emma is the daughter of Derek and Melissa Lock of Oakley. “How silently she tiptoed into our world, but what an imprint her tiny footsteps have left on our hearts.” Emma weighed 6...

Aug 7, 2012

Maurice Deaun “Red” Campbell, 77, of Colby, died Tuesday, August 7, 2012, at Kaye Pogue Hospice of Salina, Kansas. He was born April 8, 1935 to Roy and Velma (Goebel) Campbell in Womer, KS. He received his elementary education in various one room country schools and was a 1953 graduate of Lebanon High School. He was awarded the State Farm...

Aug 4, 2012

Charlie J. Hullet, 89, of Oakley, died Saturday, August 04, 2012 at Logan County Manor. He was born on March 6, 1923 to Fred and Mabel (Stevenson) Hullet in Orion. He was a life time farmer of the area. In 1984 he inherited a quarter of ground and was able to fulfill a dream he had by making it into...

Jul 24, 2012

Leo M. Ludwig, 86, of Oakley, died Tuesday, July 24, 2012 at Logan County Hospital. He was born March 19, 1926 to Math and Ethel (Adams) Ludwig in Cheyenne Wells, CO. He attended the Catholic School and graduated from Cheyenne Wells High School in 1943. He worked in the family grocery store until he enlisted in the United States Navy...

Jul 17, 2012

Jul 16, 2012

Gerard “Gerry” Dickman, 61, of Colby, died July 16, 2012, in Denver, Colorado. He was born October 18, 1950 to Edmund and Theresa (Morin) Dickman in Hays, Kansas. He married Rebecca Margheim on November 26, 1970, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church of Angelus, Kansas. He was a construction worker, certified mechanic and field agent for Knights of Columbus. He was...

Jul 16, 2012

Mary Ruth Cech, 60, of Colby, died July 16, 2012, in Hays, KS. She was born January 19, 1952 to Charles and Eileen Tauscher Cech in Oakley, Kansas. She started working for Thomas County in 1978 and in 1984 started as the Thomas County Appraisers serving 28 years. She was active with Kansas State Real Estate Appraisal Board, Kansas County...

Jul 15, 2012

Gerald F. Shelton, 90, of Russell Springs, died Sunday, July 15, 2012 in Colby. He was born Nov. 15, 1921 to Irl and Florence (Sparks) Shelton in Russell Springs. Gerald lived in Russell Spring with his wife Gertrude for 24 years. They were residents of Colorado Springs for 33 years where he worked as a mechanic and raised 5 children....

Jul 15, 2012

Claude W. Herren, 81, of Colby, died July 15, 2012, in Colby, Kansas. He was born February 3, 1931 to Onnie D. and Minnie (Love) Herren in Colby, Kansas. He married Cleta Vacura on August 26, 1956. He was a farmer. He was drafted into Army in 1954 and served until 1956. He was active member of the American Legion,...

Jun 28, 2012

Larry F. Robben, 65, of Oakley, died Thursday, June 28, 2012 at Logan County Hospital. He was born Oct 16, 1946 to Francis and Laverna (Lintel) Robben in Colby. He graduated from Oakley High School in 1964. He married wife Alice Engel on March 30, 1985. He was a member of the Oakley Knights of Columbus and an owner/operator or...

Jun 13, 2012

James Bernard Merica passed away June 13, 2012 at the age of 91 in Colby, Kansas. He was born on February 5, 1921 to Homer and Pansy (Watts) Merica in Quinter, KS. He married Loraine D. Cook on August 22, 1942 and they celebrated 60 years of marriage together, before Loraine’s passing in 2003. He served in the Army and...