ALL OBITUARIES ARE LISTED ALPHABETICALLY AND WILL REMAIN POSTED FOR SEVEN DAYS.
Lawrence Andersen Posted 3/2/15
Lawrence J. Andersen, age 85 of Randolph, passed away Friday, February 27, 2015 at the Good
Shepherd Hospice House in Manhattan.
He was born on November 21, 1929 the son of Wiggo and Frances (Lyons) Andersen.
Lawrence grew up in Kansas, but worked for Caterpillar in Peoria, Illinois for 45 years. He served in the
U.S Army and Navy. He was a member of the Olsburg Lutheran Church. He enjoyed being with his
grandchildren, fishing, gardening and mushroom hunting.
On July 30, 1950 in Arkansas, he was married to Ruby Pauline Carter. She survives at their home in Randolph.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by four children, James D. Andersen of Peoria, Illinois, Lawrence
Andersen and Marjorie of Pekin, Illinois, Patricia Pratt and Dan of Dorr, Michigan and Brian Andersen
and Renay of Randolph; two brothers, Glen Andersen and Lois of Waterville, Frank Andersen and
Evelyn of Ozawkie and Nora Mae Eschelman of Salina and 21 grandchildren and great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one son, Timothy I. Andersen; one sister Dorothy Andersen and one
grandson, Daniel J. Andersen.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at the Olsburg Lutheran Church.
The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. until service time on Tuesday morning at the church.
Respect calls may be made Monday at the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home. Burial will be in the
Olsburg Cemetery.
A memorial has been established for the American Heart Association. Contributions may be left in care
of the Anderes-Pfeifley Funeral Home in Riley.
Condolences may be left for the family at www.pfeifleyfuneralhome.com.
Lois Dickson Posted 2/26/15
Lois Ann Blenn Dickson, 82, of Westmoreland, Kansas, died Wednesday, February 25, 2015, at the Good Shepherd Hospice House in Manhattan. She was a life-long resident of the area.
Lois was born May 6, 1932, in rural Louisville, Kansas, the daughter of Charles and Alice Tucker Miller. She attended local schools, Westmoreland High School, and graduated in 1950 from Wamego High School.
She married Louis E. Blenn at her parents home in Wamego, Kansas, on April 4, 1952. He preceded her in death on February 15, 1993. Lois then married Charles V. Dickson, Jr., on June 22, 1996, in Westmoreland. He also preceded her in death on March 8, 2005.
Lois was a homemaker and farm wife. She also owned and operated a kennel and bred a variety of dog breeds. She also raised some more exotic animals including Pigmy Hedgehogs, Potbelly pigs, and numerous types of birds. She sold her animals to pet stores and local individuals. She loved all kinds of animals. Her passion was her plants, garden and flowers, not only did she raise them but she was very knowledgeable of all types and kinds of plants. If she noticed a shrub somewhere she did not recognize, she would gather some of its seeds to plant. Lois also raised and sold 5000 starter tomato plants each spring. In her greenhouse turned sunroom she raised over 120 orchid plants. She enjoyed going to poultry swap meets and auctions. She loved to travel, fish, and visiting family and friends. She was proud of her accomplishment of learning to drive for the first time at the age of 60.
She is survived by her children; Steve Blenn, Wamego; Ruby Zabel (Doug), Westmoreland, Jesse Blenn (Mati), Las Tumbas, Costa Rica, Donald Blenn and Mike Blenn (Jackie), both of Westmoreland; 11 grandchildren, Marshal Zabel (Kelsey), Jarod Zabel (Sheila), Audra Pendleton (Kenny), Jeremy Blenn (Lauren), Kesia Milner (Steve), Andrew Blenn, Joe Blenn (Sarah), James Blenn, Jacob Blenn, Mandi Blenn, and Travis Blenn; eight great-grandchildren; brothers, John Miller, Wamego and Gerald Miller (Carol), Lyndon. She was preceded in death by her parents, a grandson, Tyler Zabel; great-granddaughter, Jamie Blenn; sister, Charlene Lahman; and brothers, Kenneth Miller and Edward Miller.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, March 2, 2015, at Campanella-Evans Mortuary in Wamego. Reverend Jim Kiker will be officiating. Burial will follow in Westmoreland City Cemetery. Mrs. Dickson will lie-in-state beginning at 3:00 p.m., on Sunday, and the family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. They suggest memorial contributions to the Good Shepherd Hospice House, and those may be sent in care of the mortuary. Online condolences may be made at www.campanellafuneral.com.
Martha Hackney Posted 2/26/15
Martha M. “Emme” Hackney, of rural Flush, Kanas, was born in Cincinnati Ohio on November 6th 1958 to Patricia Riess and John H. Ashcraft. Her stepfathers’ military career caused her family to move frequently during her childhood finally settling in Wakefield KS and later living in Manhattan where she graduated from Manhattan High and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Kansas State University. She then moved to Auburn where she earned her Masters in Education and rehabilitation counseling and married Val Shepperd. They lived overseas for most of a decade where she enjoyed working for US AID teaching English at Riau University in Pekanbaru Indonesia and Yonsei University South Korea. At the end of their marriage she returned to Manhattan Kansas where she worked as an injury rehabilitation counselor until the births of her three children, at which time she left her career to devote her time to raising and homeschooling her children.
She held an immense passion for all things creative and worked to a high level of expertise in Dress making, Doll making, Quilting, Historical clothing reproduction, Textiles, and Embroidery among many other artistic pursuits. She also loved caring for her many flower beds and gardens. She loved to travel and enjoyed immersing herself in foreign cultures. She was always generous and willing to listen to, encourage and assist anyone who crossed her path.
In 2001 she was diagnosed with Relapsing Polychondritus, a terminal, debilitating auto-immune disease, from which she suffered until February 19th, 2015, when she passed away peacefully in the comfort of her home. She is survived by her three children Jameson Miles Hackney, Winston Nathaniel Ry Hackney, and Madeline Marie Hackney.
Private family services will be held. The family suggests memorial contributions to The Crisis Center, and those may be sent in care of Campanella-Evans Mortuary in Wamego. Online condolences may be made at www.campanellafuneral.com.
John Smithhisler Posted 2/28/15
John Wendelin Smithhisler, 87, of Manhattan since 2011, passed away Friday, February 27th, at the Good Shepherd Hospice House. He was a retired District Conservationist and a Resource and Soil Conservationist for the US Dept. of Agriculture until his retirement in 1986.
John was born in Anthony, Kansas on July 14, 1927, the son of the late Mary Lidwina (Kastens) and John Edward Smithhisler. He was united in marriage to Rita Jean Downey on June 7, 1954 at the Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Manhattan, and she precedes him in death. After their marriage they moved to Ness City, KS until 1957 when they had the opportunity to move to Hawaii for 16 years and then to Illinois until his retirement in 1986. He graduated from Anthony HS in 1944, and KSU in 1953 with a Bachelors Degree in Agriculture, was a member of St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, NARFE (National Association of Retired Federal Employees) and the VFW. John served in the U.S. Air Force as a weather observer during WWII.
John is survived by his son John W. Smithhisler, Jr, husband of Marsha of Dodge City; son Matthew L. Smithhisler husband of Patricia, of Manhattan; a daughter, Mary A. Salsbury and husband Sean of Bowlingbrook, IL; daughter Judith L. Smithhisler, of Lake Villa, IL; and a son Peter D. Smithhisler, husband of Christina , of Zionsville, IN; a sister, Teresa A. Brooks wife of Jack of Halstead, a brother, Lonnie Smithhisler, of Macomb, IL; eleven grandchildren (John Patrick Smithhisler, Zachary Smithhisler, Leslee Smithhisler, Kaitlin Salsbury, Rebecca Salsbury, Maureen Salsbury, Erin Smithhisler, Jill Davis, Olivia Smithhisler, Hadley Smithhisler). He is preceded in death by his parents, wife (Jean), two brothers ( Herman Smithhisler & Leland Smithhisler); one sister (Barbara Smithhisler) and one step-granddaughter (Amy Rolak)
Friends are invited to call on Sunday, March 1 from1:00 to 8:00pm, with a parish rosary/vigil service at 7:00pm at the Irvin-Parkview Funeral Home & Cremation. On Monday, March 2nd, at 10:30am a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, burial will follow at Sunrise Cemetery, Manhattan.
The family request donations to the Good Shepherd Hospice House, 3801 Vanesta Dr or Manhattan Catholic Schools and sent in care of the funeral home.
Mary Ann Wagner Posted 2/27/15
Mary Ann was born February 9, 1926, in Paxico, Kansas, the daughter of August and Catherine Meinhardt Stork. She attended local schools and graduated in 1944 from Paxico High School. In her younger years, during the war, she was with the USO. Mary Ann worked many years for Jostens Company in Topeka as a proof-reader. She also had a cake decorating business.
She married Gerald “Jerry” Wagner on February 7, 1947, in Topeka. He preceded her in death on March 5, 1994.
Mary Ann was a consummate mother and homemaker. Whatever tasks were necessary for her to provide for her family, she did willingly. Her passion was her family and church. She also loved gardening and yard work. She said that her time in her garden made her feel “close to God”. Mary Ann was an active member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the Altar Sodality.
She is survived by her children; Gerald Wagner (Christine), Hays, Michael Wagner, who was her primary care giver for many years, Paxico, Patricia Albrecht (Timothy), Racine, Wisconsin, Daniel Wagner, Paxico, Timothy Wagner, Topeka, Christopher Wagner (Norma), Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Steven Wagner (Carol), Manhattan; sisters, Magdalene Sipple, Waterloo, Wisconsin, Joan Sterbenz (Bob), Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas; sister-in-law, Delores Mayer, Spokane, Washington; twenty-one grandchildren and thirty-four great-grandchildren. Mary Ann was also preceded in death by her parents, a son, Richard Wagner; grandson, Jesse Wagner; and brothers, Frank Stork, Gus Stork and Melvin Stork.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 3, 2015, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church north of Paxico, Kansas. Father Mike Peterson will be the Celebrant. Burial will follow at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery. The family will greet friends on Monday, at the church, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and a rosary prayer service will be held at 7:00 p.m. They suggest memorial contributions to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and those may be sent in care of Campanella-Gentry Funeral Home in Alma. Online condolences may be made at www.campanellafuneral.com.
