All Obituaries

Victoria Elaine Dill, age 36, passed away on Jan. 13, 2020 at her home in St. John.  A life-long resident of St. John and a graduate of St. John High School, she worked for Sunflower Diversified Services, Great Bend, KS.  Victoria was baptized a Christian in St. John, KS.  She is survived by her parents, Brenda Elaine Johnson and David Andrew Dill; parent, Gail L.  Dill; brothers, Shawn Shadley, Brandon Morrow, Joseph Loven and Steven Johnson; two sisters, Heather...

Crystal Lee Easley, age 45, passed away on Jan. 8, 2020 at her home in St. John, KS.  She was born on Feb. 23, 1974 at St. John, KS, the daughter of Terry and Linda (McBeth) Welch.  Crystal was a retired Postmaster at Pratt, KS. She previously worked in the Great Bend and St. John post offices.  On Mar. 18, 1995 she married Timothy Easley, Jr. at Manhattan, KS.  Survivors include both parents, Terry and Linda Welch, St. John, KS; her husband Timothy Easley, Jr., St....

Maurine Louise Stimatze, age 85, life-long area resident, passed away on Jan. 7, 2020 at Harry Hynes Hospice, Wichita, KS.  She was born on Mar. 3, 1934 at Larned, Kansas, the daughter of Leonard and Margaret (Beiser) Post. She was a homemaker and farmer and had membership at the Macksville Christian Church.  On Dec. 6, 1952 she married Gary Richard Stimatze at St. John, KS, he preceded her in death on Sept. 27, 2017.  Survivors include 3 sons, Rick Stimatze (Toni), Pawnee...

Anna J. (Morelan) Hately, age 68, passed away on Jan. 4, 2020 at the Kansas Heart Hospital, Wichita, KS.  She was born on June 19, 1951 at Stafford, KS, the daughter of Arvy Utah and Ruth Caroline (Schmidt) Morelan.  She was a former Bank Teller and Secretary at Pratt Community College.  Survivors include a companion, Roy Blankenship, Jacksonville, FL; a son, Tyson House, Isabel, KS; a brother, Norman Morelan (Donna Leslie), Plevna, KS; a grandchild, Keryson Sheppard and a...

Judith (Judy) Crawford Barber. Always a morning person, Judy, at the age of 83 years, remained true to form by relinquishing her life on earth at 12:25 AM on November 30, 2019 to take up residence at her new address in heaven.  Judy understood the love and gift of salvation and she extended that same unconditional love to the people around her.  Her oft quoted Bible verse, Romans 12:12, exemplified how she lived and died: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction,...

Galyn Douglas DeVore, age 83 passed away Dec. 5, 2019 at his home.  He was born on Aug. 29, 1936 at Macksville, KS, the son of Omer and Lacie (Overbey) DeVore.  Galyn received a Bachelor’s Degree from Fort Hays State College and on July 22, 1956 he married Janet (Rader) at Ellis, KS.  He was a farmer, custom harvester, auctioneer, teacher and coached athletics for over 50 years at the following schools; Garfield, Minneola, Jetmore, Larned, Greensburg, Bucklin, Lewis,...

St. John, Kansas Dateline: Mom, Mary Leona Catherine (Lashbrook) Peschka was born July 4, 1935 in Great Bend, KS.  Her parents were Donald and Leona (Marmie) Lashbrook. They’ve both been dead a long time.  Mom was also preceded in death by her step-dad, Bernard (Buzzy) Murray and her husband, our dad, Lawrence (Sonny) Peschka.  Mom’s brother, Uncle Jimmy Lashbrook, lives in Houston and her sister, Aunt Donna Lashbrook, lives in Tulsa.  There are five of us...

Loren Thompson, 91, passed away Nov. 13, 2019 in Macksville, KS.  Loren was born in 1928 in rural Edwards County, Kansas, the son of Fred Thompson, and Leila (Reese).  Loren attended school and helped work the family farm in Trousdale, Kansas, where he met and married, Peggy Johnson, in 1948.  The couple relocated to Syracuse, Kansas in 1950, where they farmed and raised their family.  Loren farmed north of Syracuse for many years, and he also worked as a heavy equipment...

Harold Gene Riner, age 84, beloved son, husband, father, grandad, uncle, mentor, artist, coach, defender, homemaker, musician, color commentator, poet, shootist, counselor and “Doc”, passed away on Oct. 9, 2019 at Hilltop Manor, Cunningham, KS.  He was born on May 19, 1935 at Sterling, KS, the son of Harold H. and Ruby M. (Savage) Riner.  He was a retired measurement supervisor and truck driver working with Skelly, Getty, Texaco, Jayhawk Pipeline and Wynne Transport...

St. John, Kansas Dateline: Loyd Ray Gross, age 85, passed away Friday, Oct. 18, 2019 at Leisure Homestead, Stafford, KS.  He was born on Jan. 5, 1934 at Minneola, KS, the son of Vern and Alzina (Giyer) Gross.  Loyd spent over 50 years in the ministry in various Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas communities.  Loyd received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology from the Heartland Baptist Bible College in Oklahoma City, OK.  He retired in 2002, taking on a more pastoral...