Obituaries

Jan 4, 2024

John E. Simmons, Jr., 78, of Russell, Kansas, passed away on Thursday, January 04, 2024, at the Russell Regional Hospital.

John “Truck” Simmons was born on August 01, 1945, in Russell, Kansas, the son of John E., Sr. and Helen S. (Simacek) Simmons.  He grew up in Russell and graduated from Russell High School where he excelled...

Jan 2, 2024

Betty Joy (Zweifel) Pruter, 87, of Natoma, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, January 2, 2024 at her home.

Betty was born June 26, 1936 on the family farm near Waldo, Kansas.  She was one of four children born to Robert and Bernice (Clow) Zweifel.  She grew up in the Waldo area and graduated from Waldo High School.  She...

Jan 1, 2024

Wanda Jeannine Brown, 80, of Russell, Kansas, died on Monday, January 01, 2024, at her home in Russell.

Wanda was born on October 09, 1943, in Russell, Kansas, the daughter of Herman and Mary K. (Ginther) Deines.  She grew up and spent her entire life in Russell and graduated from Russell High School in the class of...

Dec 30, 2023

Viron Joseph Earl, 75, of WaKeeney, Kansas, and former Russell, Kansas, resident, died on Saturday, December 30, 2023, at the Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kansas.

Viron was born on June 05, 1948, in Grafton, Nebraska, the son of Lester Monroe and MeDora Elizabeth (Viney) Earl.  He grew up in Grafton and attended local schools.  He was...

Dec 24, 2023

Thomas R. Werner, 83, of Russell, Kansas, passed away Sunday, December 24, 2023 at the Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kansas.

Tom was born on June 13, 1940 on the family farm near Sabetha, Kansas.  He was one of eight children born to Martin Joseph and Mary K. (Grewing) Werner.  In approximately 1943 the family moved to...

Dec 24, 2023

Skyler Logan Warren, 23, of Great Bend, Kansas, passed away from injuries from an automotive accident on Sunday, December 24, 2023 near Sterling, Kansas.

Skyler was born March 29, 2000 in Hays, Kansas.  He was the son of Brandon M. Warren and Jennifer Rosenberg..  He grew up mainly in the Goodland, Kansas, and Ellis, Kansas, area.  He...

Dec 23, 2023

Nancy L. (Williams) Hurlbut, 76, of Russell, Kansas and formerly of Sylvan Grove, Kansas, passed away Saturday, December 23, 2023, at Main Street Manor of Russell.

Nancy was born June 2, 1947 in Goodland, Kansas.  She was the daughter of John and Violet (Hill) Williams.  Her dad was a custom cutter in Kansas and so growing up...

Dec 23, 2023

Ronald Eugene Blau, 68, of Russell, Kansas, died on Saturday, December 23, 2023, at his home in Russell.

Ronald was born on June 01, 1955, in Scott City, Kansas, the son of John L. and Joyce E. (Bennett) Blau.  He grew up in Scott City, Kansas, and graduated from Scott City High School.  After high school he...

Dec 20, 2023

David Leroy Griffin, 88, of Natoma, KS died at Hays Medical Center on December 20, 2023. He was married to Barbara (Koehler) for 68 years.

Born on June 4, 1935 at the Laton Family Farm in Rooks County, Kansas to Melvin and Berniece (Manley) Griffin, he was one of six children. Among the titles of Son and...

Dec 17, 2023

Rosemary L. Steinle, 78, of Russell, Kansas, died on Sunday, December 17, 2023, at the Russell Regional Hospital.

Rosemary was born on January 28, 1945, in New Orleans, Louisiana, the daughter of Jerome and Rose Marie (Marino) Liuzza.  She grew up in New Orleans and graduated from Warren Eston High School in New Orleans in 1963.  She...

Dec 15, 2023

Elizabeth Ann (Pickering) Simmons, 79, of Russell, Kansas, passed away Friday, December 15, 2023 at the Russell Regional Hospital in Russell.

Liz was born October 30, 1944 in Bolivar, Missouri.  She was one of 13 children born to Gene and Wanda (Bean) Pickering.  She grew up in Missouri before her family moved to Bakersfield, California.

...

Dec 14, 2023

Merlin Wayne Siroky was born May 21st 1956. His passion for sharing bible teachings and building others up was his lifelong achievement.

His occupation as a mechanic was catalyst to his hobby of building many metal works of art and revolutionary welded creations as he always aspired to devise a new steel or iron innovation to move,...

Dec 13, 2023

Lucille Joyce “Lucy” Shearer, 77, of Paradise, Kansas, died on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, at her home in Paradise.

Lucy was born on August 18, 1946, in Paradise, Kansas, the daughter of Lawrence and Della (Burger) Houser.  She grew up in Paradise and graduated from Paradise High School in 1964.  After high school, she graduated from Ft....

Dec 5, 2023

Michael David Wolfe, the son of Donald E. and Ruth (Ochs) Wolfe, was born June 20, 1942.  He graduated from Russell High School in the Class of 1960 and then attended the University of Kansas.  Upon his completion of studies at the University of Kansas, he resided and worked in Colorado Springs, initially as a math teacher and then...

Dec 3, 2023

Gail Samone Williams, 83, of Russell, Kansas, died on Sunday, December 03, 2023, at the Russell Regional Hospital in Russell, Kansas.

Gail was born on September 17, 1940, in Hutchinson, Kansas, the daughter of Leroy C. and Florence E. (Owens) Sack.  She grew up in Bunker Hill, Kansas, and graduated from Bunker Hill High School in 1958. ...

Nov 22, 2023

JoAnn J. (Dietz) Kilian, 75, of Russell, Kansas, passed away Wednesday, November 22, 2023, at the Russell Regional Hospital.

JoAnn was born February 27, 1948 in Russell.  She was the daughter of Jacob and Freda (Batt) Dietz.  She lived her whole life in Russell.  She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at Bender Hill Lutheran...

Nov 22, 2023

Birdie Mae Oden, 93, of Russell, Kansas, died on Wednesday, November 22, 2023, at the Russell Regional Hospital.

Birdie was born on October 11, 1930 in Marienthal, Kansas, the daughter of Walter Edward and Ivry Lea (Harkness) Hall.  She grew up in Sterling, Sylvia and permanently moved to Stafford, Kansas.  The family moved to Stafford due to...

Nov 12, 2023

Ruth Mae (Waudby) Moyer was born October 14 1924; she had just turned 99, when she passed away at Wheatland Nursing Center on November 12.  Ruth graduated from Russell High School in 1943, and from business school at Brown Mackie Business School in Salina.  She was married to Ernie Reissig, and they have a daughter, Mervis Reissig, who lives...

Nov 6, 2023

Candi Mae (Bernard) Wagner, 46, of Russell, Kansas, entered into her eternal rest Monday, November 6, 2023, with her loving family by her side after a courageous battle against cancer.

Candi was born December 17, 1976 in Beloit, Kansas. She was the daughter of Dan E. and Deborah M. (Brummer) Bernard. Candi grew up in Beloit until...

Nov 4, 2023

Jeffrey Wayne Hare, 46, of Russell, Kansas, died on Saturday, November 04, 2023, at the Russell Regional Hospital

Jeffrey was born on September 11, 1977, in LaMesa, California the son of Cindy L. Ford. He grew up in LaMesa until he was 10 years old and moved to Kansas in 1987. He attended school in Haviland Schools...