Obituaries from October 2021

Olys William “Bill” Lawrence, age 92, a resident of Fort Scott, Kan., passed away Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at the Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kan. He was born Feb. 11, 1929, in Picher, Okla., the son of Eulys Lawrence and Annie May Simmons Lawrence. ...

Helen Faye Mielke, age 63, a resident of Fort Scott, Kan., passed away Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at the Mercy Hospital in Joplin, Mo. She was born June 2, 1958, in Rocky Mountain, N.C., the daughter of Chester Eugene Crim and Judy Bass Crim. Faye married Michael E. ...

Jean Ellen Hanley, age 75, resident of Fort Scott, Kan., died Monday, Sept. 27, 2021, at the Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, Colo. She was born Nov. 6, 1945, in Walnut, Kan., the daughter of Anna Hanley. Jean loved people and let them know it. ...

Charles Leon Holmes, age 85, was born Aug. 8, 1936 on his parents’ farm near Prescott, Kan., the son of Harold S. and Marguerite Coon Holmes. Leon lived his entire life in the Prescott Community attending grade school at Shiloh and Prescott and graduated from Prescott High School in the Class of 1954. ...

Leonard Eugene Braun, age 83, resident of Joplin, Mo., died Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, at Freeman West Hospital, Joplin. Pastor Ted Furry will conduct services at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the U.S. National Cemetery, Fort Scott. ...

Wayne Jackson Houston, age 93, resident of Richards, Mo., died Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, at Medicalodge of Fort Scott, Kan. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow in the U.S. National Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 until 7 Monday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel. ...

William Ray Mason, age 36, a former resident of Fort Scott, Kan., and more recently of Joplin, Mo., passed away Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, in Joplin. Rev. Roger Harris will conduct funeral services at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12 at the Cheney Witt Chapel. ...

Gwendolyne “Gwen” Jewel Lancaster, 65 of Fort Scott, Kan., passed away Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021 at Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar, Mo. Gwen was born July 5, 1956 in Fort Scott, Kan., to Bob and Winnie (Leek) Daly. She graduated Fort Scott High School class of 1974. ...

Velma Jean (VJ) Stevens, 97, formerly of Prescott and most recently of Anamosa, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Oct. 7, 2021, in Anamosa. She was born on April 2, 1924, in Stotesbury, Mo. She lived in Prescott for much of her life but later moved to Rogers, Ark., Olathe, and Arlington, Texas. ...

Patricia Maley Belkham, 77, a resident of Valrico, Fla., died Sept. 29, 2021. She was born on Jan. 23, 1944, in Sandusky, Ohio to Eileen Murphy. Pat is survived by her husband of 31 years, Ernie Belkham, three children, Michael Maley (Diane) El Cajon, Calif., Marty Maley Spanaway, Wash., Kevin Maley (Krista) Pittsboro, N.C., and six grandchildren...

Kenneth Wayne Gorman, 72, Topeka, Kan., passed away Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021. Ken was born April 2, 1949, in Fort Scott, Kan., the son of Thomas and AnnaBelle Hall Gorman. He graduated from St. Benedict’s College (Benedictine College) in 1971. Kenneth dedicated nearly 30 years to the Topeka Police Department, retiring in 1999. ...

Richard “Rick” Eugene Courtois, age 74, Pleasanton, Kan., passed away Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021. He was born in Pleasanton, Kan., on Feb. 24, 1947 the son of Charles and Freda Johnson Courtois. He graduated from Pleasanton High School. Rick was united in marriage to Margie Jean Orton on Dec. ...

Michael Allen Bishop, 74, Grove, Okla., formerly Blue Mound died Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Oct. 19 at the first First Baptist Church Parker. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 18 at Schneider Funeral Home in Mound City. ...

OraBelle Guilfoyle, age 89, Fort Scott, Kan., and formerly of Greeley, Kan., passed Oct. 13, 2021. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Greeley, Kan. Burial will be in St. John Cemetery. ...

Donna M. Davidson, 77, of Uniontown, Kan., passed away Sunday evening, Oct. 17, 2021, at her home. Arrangements will be announced by the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

Mary Evelyn Ramsey, age 77, resident of Fort Scott, Kan., died Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, at Hillside Guest Home, Fort Scott. There was cremation. No services are scheduled. Arrangements are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main St...

Lois LaVerne Swope, age 92, a former resident of Frontenac, Kan., and more recently of Fort Scott, Kan., passed away early Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021, at the home of her daughter in Fort Scott. She was born May 26, 1929, in Detroit, Mich., the daughter of Cledies Dray and Ellen Cummings Dray. ...

Joyce Elaine Hines, 62, of Arcadia, Kan., died at 6:55 p.m. Oct. 20, 2021 at Stormont Vail Hospital at Topeka, Kan. Joyce was born Feb. 15, 1959 at Pittsburg, Kan., the daughter of Orval and Louella Totman Hines. She was a registered nurse for Women’s Services at Via Christi Hospital at Pittsburg for 34 years. ...

Sammy Lee Meyer, affectionately known as "Snuffy", age 67, Mound City, Kan., passed away Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. Graveside funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021 at the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Mound City, Kan. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. ...

Judith Arlene Stuart, age 78, a resident of Overland Park, Kan., passed away Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, at the Overland Park Regional Medical Center. She was born Jan. 15, 1943, in Blue Mound, Kan., the daughter of Colyer Elton Cox and Arlene Mae Farris Cox. ...

Patsy Ann Vaughn, age 84, a resident of Nevada, Mo., passed away Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, at her home in Nevada. She was born Sept. 5, 1937, in Fort Scott, Kan., the daughter of Harold Sipe and Thelma Fitzgerald Sipe. Patsy spent her childhood on the farm on the banks of Mill Creek near Devon, Kan. ...

Donna M. Davidson, 77, of Uniontown, Kan., passed away Sunday evening Oct. 17, 2021, at her home. She was born March 7, 1944, in Fort Scott, Kansas, the daughter of Lee Charles and Allie Ethyl (Peterson) Middleton. She married Clarence Williams November 21, 1998, in Mapleton, Kansas, and he preceded her in death...

Jackie Jo Broyles, age 65, Blue Mound, Kan., passed away on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. She was born in Belleville, Ill., the daughter of Jack Loyd and JoAnn Freer Collins. She graduated from Fort Scott High School. Jackie was united in marriage to the love of her life, Terry Broyles, on March 29, 1975. ...

William Clark “Gable” McKay of Harrisonville, Mo., formerly of Plattsburg, Mo., passed away Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. He was born on July 26, 1939 and was raised by John and Nola Williams at Mound City, Kan. He was a graduate of Mound City High School class of 1957. ...

Rebecca Mae Franklin, age 64, a resident of Fort Scott, Kan., died Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, at the Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kan. She was born June 5, 1957, in Grandview, Mo., the daughter of William and Anne Holt. She graduated from Grandview High School. Rebecca married Howard Franklin in March of 1982, in Kansas City, Mo. She was self-employed, and worked many small jobs to help take care of her family. Rebecca enjoyed knitting and spending time with her family, mainly the grandkids...

Vicki Sue Thornhill, age 66, a resident of rural Mapleton, Kan., died unexpectedly Friday, Oct. 22, 2021, at her home. She was born Feb. 19, 1955, in Garnett, Kan., the daughter of Kenneth Adams and Violet McQuay Adams. Vicki had worked at the high school and also served as a bus drive for the Ballard, Mo., school district. ...

Donna Ilene Tyler Fisher went to her heavenly home to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and her beloved son, Tommy Dean, on Oct. 27, 2021. She was born to Paul Daniel Tyler and Deloris Roy Tyler-Bolden on Dec. 17, 1941, in Mantey, Kan., on the homestead built by her grandfather and in the same room where her mother was birthed. She lived most of her life in the Fort Scott area...

Kent Lavoe "Poke" Holt, age 89, resident of Uniontown, Kan., died Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021, in Fort Scott, Kan. Rev. Marty DeWitt will conduct services at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 1, at the First Missionary Baptist Church in Uniontown. Cremation will follow with private family burial in Uniontown Cemetery later. ...

John Paul Haggard, age 77, of Forsythe, Mont., left this world for his place in Heaven on Oct. 28, 2021. There was cremation. Private family interment will take place at a future date in the U.S. National Cemetery, Fort Scott, Kan. Memorials are suggested to the John Haggard Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, P.O. Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com...

Earl D. Ward, 88, of Pittsburg, Kan., passed away at 3:20 a.m., Friday, Oct. 29, 2021, at Oakview Estates. He was born July 11, 1933, at Uniontown, Kan., the son of Floyd E. and Opal K. (Hancock) Ward. He would go onto graduate from Uniontown High School in 1951 and Kansas State Teachers College in 1969...

Angelo Eugene Dell’Antonia, age 82, a resident of Fort Scott, Kan., passed away Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021, at the Freeman West Hospital in Joplin, Mo. He was born Oct. 25, 1939, in Arma, Kan., the son of William and Viola Dell’Antonia. He graduated from the...