For more information, see the April 1, 2009, issue of the Labette Avenue. To locate previously posted death notices, enter the decedent’s last name in the archive search box on Labette Avenue’s home page. Labette Avenue publishes death notices free of charge. Paid obituaries ($20) are printed in their entirety in the Labette Avenue and online at www.taylornews.org/lba.

Ralph Carrol Trollope

LABETTE CITY—Ralph Carrol Trollope, 82, of Labette City, Kan., died Wednesday afternoon, March 25, 2009, at his home. Death was unexpected.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, March 31, at 2 p.m. at the Labette City Cemetery, with Reverend Tom Heflin officiating. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m., Monday, at the Carson-Wall Funeral Home, Parsons.

Memorials are suggested to the Labette Baptist Church. They may be left at or mailed to the Carson-Wall Funeral Home, P. O. Box 942, Parsons, KS 67357.

Ralph was born Feb. 3, 1927, at Montana, Kan., to Lloyd G. and Flo (Bell) Trollope. He graduated from Altamont High School and served in the United States Army from 1945 to 1947.

He was an electrician and followed construction work for many years. He also farmed for many years. He was a member of the Labette Baptist Church and was a 55-year member of the International Brotherhood of Elecctrical Workers.

On Dec. 10, 1945, he and Naomi Babcock were married at Oswego. She preceded him in death on Jan. 25, 2002.

Survivors included two sons, Tony Trollope and Tom Trollope, both of Parsons; one daughter, Diana Foster, Bartlesville, Okla.; his companion, Mae Lewis, Labette City; three grandchildren, David Trollope, Robin Roesky and T. J. Trollope; and six great-grandchildren.

Preceding him in death was his wife; a sister, Lorene Fish; and a grandson, Thomas J. “Scooter” Trollope.Wanda B. Fry

COLUMBUS—Wanda B. Fry, 90, of Columbus, Kan., passed away Monday, March 23, 2009, at Quaker Manor in Baxter Springs.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m., Saturday, at Keelville Church with Steve Johnson and Clifford Smith officiating. Interment will follow in Greenlawn Cemetery. Visitation will be 7-8 p.m. on Friday at Murdock Funeral Home in Columbus. Condolences may be left at murdockfuneralhomes.com.

Isaac “Duke” Robinson

EDNA—Isaac “Duke” Robinson, age 70, of Edna, Kan., passed away at his home Wednesday, March 25, 2009.

Services will be Wednesday, April 1, at 1 p.m., at the Greater Union Missionary Baptist Church located at 900 Delaware Street in Coffeyville. Reverend Gary Lane will officiate and burial will follow in the North Edna Cemetery.

Friends may call on Tuesday, March 31, between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. at the David W. Barnes Funeral Home in Coffeyville. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the funeral home.

The family suggests memorial to the Duke Robinson Memorial Fund. Contributions may be left with the funeral home or mailed c/o David W. Barnes Funeral Home, 306 N. Cline Rd., Coffeyville, KS 67337.

Orrie Mae Meyer

STATESBORO, Ga.—Orrie Mae Williams Meyer, 78, of Statesboro, Ga., formerly of Oswego, Kan., died Sunday March 29, 2009, in the Ogeechee Area Hospice Inpatient Facility after a long illness. She is survived by her husband, Richard, and other family members.

The visitation will be held on Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m., at Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home, Statesboro.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, in the chapel of Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home with Rev. Wayne Swanson and Mr. Johnny Bradley officiating. Burial will be in Eastside Cemetery.

The family requests that memorial contributions be made to Ogeechee Area Hospice, P.O. Box 531, Statesboro, GA 30459.

Clara Faye Lester

CHETOPA–Clara Faye Lester, 82, formerly of Welch, Okla., died Sunday, March 29, 2009, at Chetopa Manor in Chetopa, Kan.

Graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Oakhill Cemetery at Chetopa. Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Thomas Funeral Home in Welch.

Ted Watts has been invited as the adjudicator for the 56th Annual Verdigris Valley Art Exhibit. The event will open with a critique Friday, April 24 at 7 p.m. at the Independence Museum. The public is cordially invited to attend. All entries will be on display beginning Saturday, April 25 through Saturday, May 2.
From Oswego, Ks, Watts is the sole proprietor of his own independent free-lance art studio since May 2, 1972. He has received many awards, honors and recognitions during his forty year professional career. The small town artist with the big city talent has almost anonymously become one of the most popular and prolific portrait painters and illustrators in American history.
He is the only artist alive to have painted art gallery portraits of every one of the Hiesman Trophy winners and cover illustrations for three NCCA Basketball Championships ‘Final Four’ event program covers.
Watts received his AA degree from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami where he studied under famed Oklahoma muralist and lithographer, Charles Banks Wilson. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1966 from Pittsburg (KS) State University. He has gained experience in a variety of art related fields that included: product illustration, architectural rendering, commercial art, graphic design, photography, copywriting, feature writing, printing, newspaper illustration and cartooning.
Today, Watts is among the last of a dying breed of classically trained traditional media artists whose Old Masters art style, techniques and art materials applications separate themselves from the computer-slick illustrations of twenty-first century digital artists and the multitude of photo shop craftsmen who populate the art marketplace these days.
Sports Illustrated senior writer, Douglas S. Looney, paid tribute to the versatile Kansan by stating “On college campuses, Ted Watts is easily the best known sports artist in the land…”
The works of Ted Watts hang in five Halls of Fame and fifteen colleges and universities around the United States. There are 172 portrait series that are on display at Allen Field House in Lawrence, Ks.
Those wishing to enter their work can do so from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, April 17 and on Saturday, April 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are divisions open to both adults and students. Questions and entrance forms may be acquired by calling the Independence Museum at 620-331-3515.
Ted and his wife Faye live in Oswego.

Labette County implemented participation in the continuation of a Neighborhood Revitalization Program with the City of Parsons, at Monday’s commission meeting.
Parsons City Manager Fred Gress and Parsons City Attorney Ross Albertini discussed the continuation of a NRP in the City of Parsons. Those interested will apply in Parsons, have pre-inspections and file it with the city, but it will be certified with the county with up to 90 percent rate rebate. The commissioners approved the county portion that states all real and personal property taxes has to be paid and up-to-date for the county to participate from the county level.
“This is a vast improvement than in the past,” County Counselor Fred Johnson said. “We really do like the program for the betterment of everybody,” Commissioner Brian Kinzie said. “We are proud to be a part of it,” Commissioner Lonie Addis said.
IN OTHER ACTION on Monday:
• Johnia Franklin and Lume Poe gave an update on GIS classes they took. The classes had eight to nine students in all different fields. We learned more hands on training. It was down to our level, they said. We already using some of the our training in making maps, 911 addressing on grids, etc. We got to keep the books and we can use them for reference, Poe said. “It help with two of us going,” Poe said. Now the noxious weed department is implementing some of it into their computer work. “This (class) did exactly want we asked for,” Commissioner Addis said.
• Approved Cummins Central Power of Joplin for engine repair work on the A16 dump truck at a cost of $10,919 that includes a year warranty or 100,000 miles.
• Approved O’Brien Ready Mix contract for cement at a variety of cost from $98.50 for PSU 3000; $100.30 PSU 3500 and $102.50 PSU 4000. The county will receive a $10 cu. yd. discount. The contract is through Dec. 31, 2009.
• Midwest Mineral received the rock contract through March 31, 2010 for AB3, KOT D50 4”, Chips and Rip Rap.
• Signed a resolution for Great Southern Bank as one of the county depository. They recently purchased TeamBank of Parsons. No changes will be made.
• Document Destruction of Erie will be shredding old records. The Sheriff’s Dept. will have six boxes; Health Dept.,  43 boxes; County Attorney 30 boxes, Treasurer’s office 20 boxes and Counselor office will have several.
•  Approved a cereal malt beverage application for “The Dam Bait Shop” at 435 19,000 Road in Cherryvale.
Next meeting will be Tuesday, March 31.

Lori Cossou of Lori’s Creative Cakes & Cookies is shown on the following website: www.oeta.onenet.net/gallery/galleryshows/index.html.
Cossou participated in the Tulsa State Fair Sweet Rewards. The video clip shows this year’s Grand National Wedding Cake Competition and the sugar artists who exhibit their sweet creations.
This will also be aired on television Thursday, March 26 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 29 at 11 a.m. on the Food Network.

OSWEGO — To conclude activities during Kansas Severe Weather Awareness Week, Labette County has launched Labette Alerts, a new public service that will send emergency alerts to residents via text messaging, pagers or e-mail. Once signed up, residents can automatically receive NOAA alerts when Labette County is under a significant weather warning or watch.
Although this service is provided free from Labette County, individuals will be responsible for any standard text messaging charges that may apply, so check your individual plan to avoid charges before signing up.
Labette Alerts is part of the Wireless Emergency Notification System (WENS). It enables county officials to instantly communicate directly with mobile devices who have subscribed to the service. The new service will be used to send critical safety information from Labette County in the event of a real emergency.
In emergency situations, it can be difficult to get information out to a large number of people in a short amount of time. This system will be a great asset to the residents of Labette County. Because of its design, WENS can notify up to 30,000 individuals per minute and therefore making it the fastest method of communication when severe weather is approaching.
Notable catastrophes in the recent past have shown that this method is one of the most reliable forms of communication when phone networks become overloaded and the ability to make or receive voice calls is not available.
In addition to the public, the county is offering Labette Alerts to local school districts, Labette Health and EMS, government officials, fire, and law enforcement agencies throughout the county.
Other uses for the countywide program in addition to weather alerts includes, Amber Alerts, notification of siren testing, and other important notices.
Signing up for Labette Alerts is easy, and you will be added almost instantly. Visit www.labettecounty.com and click on “Emergency Alert Sign up” and enter your mobile number and/or e-mail address. You will receive a text message confirming that you have opted into the alert system to receive emergency notifications. Your registration information is private and will not be shared. For those who do not have internet access, call the Labette County Sheriff’s Department at (620) 795-2994 to sign-up.
Find out more on the web at www.labettecounty.com. If you have other questions, call (620) 795-2994.

Scott and Regina Riley will be opening a 4,000 square foot Oswego Fitness Center at 1025 Commercial (next door north of the Dollar General Store). The new facility will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will have car key entry. Classes will be offered.
Oswego Fitness Center will have a weight lifting machine, free weights, cardio eliptical treadmills, stair steppers, and Recumbent bikes (comfy ones).
The Center will be open on April 4. The Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Grand Opening on that date. A trainer, David Olson, will be present to assist with a workout program and train in the use of the equipment.
The public is invited to come without obligation to the Grand Opening just to see what’s available. Membership information will be available at the Grand Opening.
Regina Riley says, “I’m excited about having a fitness center in Oswego. Now, residents will not have to drive to another town to have fitness equipment available.”
The Rileys also want to thank the Assembly of God Youth for their help in painting the building. It was an awesome job they did in one day.
Area residents are encouraged to support this new business in Oswego.

For more information, see the March 25 issue of the Labette Avenue. To locate previously posted death notices, enter the decedent’s last name in the archive search box on Labette Avenue’s home page. Labette Avenue publishes death notices free of charge. Paid obituaries ($20) are printed in their entirety in the Labette Avenue and online at www.taylornews.org/lba.

William Hall

CHETOPA—William Hall, 85, of Chetopa, Kan., died at 4:23 a.m., Wednesday, March 18, 2009, at Labette Health in Parsons.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, March 20, 2009, at the Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa. Burial will be in Lake Creek Cemetery, rural Bartlett. Friends may call from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday, at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to the First Christian Church in Chetopa.  These may be left at or mailed to Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 346, Chetopa, KS 67336.

William was born Dec. 20, 1923, in Durant, Okla., to William and Ollie Mae (Whitting) Hall. He attended Clearfield School in Oklahoma, and later served 12 years in the U.S. Army Infantry during World War II and the Korean Conflict.

From 1953-1973, he worked as a mechanic at the former Parsons Ford Motor Company.  He then worked as a millwright for 12 years in Oklahoma and Texas before returning to southeast Kansas.

He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Chetopa, the Oswego Masonic Lodge, and the Order of the Eastern Star.

In August 1950, he and Thelma Kepner were married in Chetopa. She survives of the home.

Additional survivors include four sons, William C. Hall and wife Robin, Parsons, Kan.; Dale Hall and wife Elizabeth, Parsons; James M. Hall, Dallas, Texas; and Terry D. Hall, Claremore, Okla.; one daughter, Sharon Robinson and husband Peter, Collinsville, Okla.; 11 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Porter Harris

OSWEGO—Porter Harris, 89, of Oswego, Kan., passed away Saturday, March 21, 2009, in Oswego.

Funeral services will be held 1 p.m., Wednesday, March 25, at Murdock Funeral Home, Oswego, with Art Furguson officiating. Interment will follow in the Oswego Cemetery with Pastor Fred Schmidt officiating. Military rites will be provided at the graveside by Parsons VFW POST #704. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday evening at the funeral home.

Condolences may be left online at murdockfuneralhomes.com. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society with the funeral home, 203 Illinois, Oswego, KS 67356, serving as custodian.

Porter was born on May 9, 1919, to Orin Lee and Mary (Houts) Harris in Oswego. He attended school in Oswego.

He joined C.C.C. Camp in 1939, serving till 1942, and was drafted into the Army Air Force in 1942. He was gunner on a B-29 bomber, serving on the South Pacific Islands of Siapan, Tinain and Guam. Porter was a stand by for an atomic bomb drop in Japan from Tinain Island in 1945. He later served on Mainland China, India Burma Country, helped in the Berlin Airlift in Germany as a flight engineer on a C-54 cargo aircraft, served in the Korean War, served in Germany, Japan and North Africa, retiring from the Air force as a Tech Sergeant E6 in 1965.

After retirement, he settled in Oswego on a small farm. He was the third person to join  Masonic Lodge #899 F & AM.

He is survived by his wife, Betty, of the home; two daughters, Portia Wahl of Furgus Falls, Minn.; and Donna McQueen of Cullman, Ala.; one stepdaughter, Delores Sharp of Pomona, Kan.; 16 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and numerous great-great-grandchildren, which he loved very much.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary; son, James; three step daughters, Donna Riblett, Velma Kiser and Rosalea Whitcher; and one brother, Fred Harris.

Mary D. Ashcraft

PARSONS—Mary D. Ashcraft, 79, of Parsons, Kan., died at 5:45 p.m., Tuesday, March 17, 2009, at Labette Health.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Friday, March 20, 2009, at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m., Thursday, at the funeral home.

Kerwin J. Brown

PARSONS—Kerwin J. Brown, 58, a longtime Parsons, Kan., resident, died Monday, March 16, 2009, at the Oswego Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. He had been in failing health.

His body will be cremated, and there will be no service.

Herman Joe Turner, Sr.

PARSONS—Herman Joe Turner Sr., 82, of Parsons, Kan., died at 2:34 p.m., Wednesday, March 18, 2009, in Freeman Hospital, Joplin, Mo. He had been in failing health for the past several years.

Funeral services will be held at Carson-Wall Funeral Home on Thursday, March 26, at 2 p.m., with burial in the Mt. Hope Cemetery at Humboldt, Kan. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, March 24, at the funeral home.

Agnes A. Hurley

PARSONS—Agnes A. Hurley, 75, of Parsons, Kan., died  Thursday, March 19, 2009. Her husband, Leo Hurley, died on March 15, 2009, and was buried Thursday morning on the day of her death.

Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m., Monday, at Oakwood Cemetery in Parsons.

Memorials are suggested to either the American Cancer Society or the Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice and may be left at or sent to the funeral home at Box 942, Parsons, 67357.

 Jack W. Ford

PARSONS—Jack W. Ford, 55, of Parsons, Kan., was pronounced dead at his home Saturday evening, March 21, 2009. His death was unexpected.

No services are scheduled. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Carson-Wall Funeral Home of Parsons.

Lonnie D. Hodge, Sr.

COLUMBUS—Lonnie D. Hodge, Sr., 67, of Columbus, Kan., DIED Sunday March 22, 2009, at the Medicalodge of Columbus after a short illness.

Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Thursday March 26,at the Simpson Funeral Home in Columbus with Bob Simon officiating. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, March 25. Burial will be in the City Cemetery in Columbus. Family asked that memorials be to the local American Heart Association in lieu of flowers. Friends may come by after 4 p.m., Wednesday.

City, school and community college elections are set for Tuesday, April 7, in Labette County. No primary election was required for this year’s local elections.
Chetopa City: Three city council positions will be decided with Matthew R. Kirkwood and Shawn A. Shoemaker running in Ward 1 and George W. Huber running in Ward 2. Debra R. Crumrine is the only candidate in Ward 3. Each is a four-year term.
On the Oswego City Council, Glenn Fischer, Ty Lewis and Jane D. Rea are running for the three at-large positions. Each is a four-year term.
Altamont voters will elect their mayor and two city council members. Running for mayor are Chris Allen and Herbert Bath. Competing for the two council seats are Glen Bruce, Dru Parlett and Mary Shields.
In Bartlett, Bob Pursley is the only candidate for mayor and voters will elect five members of the council. There were none filing for council.
Edna voters will elect three council members and there were two filing: Daniel W. Baker and Kaci Mellen.
In Labette City, a mayor and five council members will be elected. There were no filings for these seats.
In Mound Valley, Joe M. Ybarra is the lone candidate to file for mayor. Two council seats will be determined by voters with the following candidates filing: Ken McNickle, Steve Spencer and Allen Winters.
For school board positions in southern Labette County, the following races will be on the April 7 ballots:
USD 504 - Oswego: Three positions will be chosen with the following candidates on the ballot: Mark A. Brannin, Kim Kitterman, Steven L. Lewis, Charlotte Merwarth, Lewis “Skip” Riley and Roger Vance.
In USD 505 - Chetopa: Three positions will be chosen by voters with the following candidates on the ballot: Member 4 - Kandi Midgett, Chetopa; Member 5 - Cindy Johnson, Chetopa; Sandy Krider, Chetopa; Member 6 - Patricia Houser, St. Paul; Member 6 - Mark E. Smith, St. Paul.
In USD 506 - three positions will be determined in the election with the following candidates: Pos. 4 - Kelly Schulze, Parsons; Pos. 5 - Doyle Dodsworth and Ronda Good, both of Altamont, and Kyle Hess, Mound Valley; Pos. 6 - Leon E. Allen, Oswego, and Jennifer Mathes, Bartlett.
For the Labette Community College Board of Trustees, three positions will be decided with the following candidates: Robert E. Brandenburg, Mike Howerter, Wanda L. Ladage, David L. Miller and Sophia C. Zetmeir, all of Parsons.
A countywide sales tax question will be on the ballot: “Shall a countywide one-percent retailer’s sales tax be extended (retained) for a period of five years from July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2016, all pursuant to the provisions of KSA 12-187 et seq? for the purpose of property tax reductions?”
Polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. on April 7.

Day & Zimmermann, Inc., is currently putting together two proposals for continued ammunition-making projects at the Great Plains Industrial Park located between Parsons and Oswego.
The company is bidding on a large contract but officials says it will be some time before the successful bidder is chosen by the Department of Defense.
There are also other contracts open for competitive bidding and D&Z needs to adapt its material production with known demands in munitions.
The U.S. Army left some equipment behind when it decommissioned the KAAP, because D&Z had expressed interested in using some of it.
Although production for D&Z is currently at a standstill, the company is still operating under a contract to provide caretaker services for the Army through the remainder of the transfer process of the plant to the Great Plains Development Authority.
GPDA deputy director Ann Charles is working on the process of assuring the industrial park with rail service.
She said at last week’s public meeting that she had received verbal assurance that the Union Pacific Railroad would work with the industrial park to provide rail lines. She emphasized the importance of such lines in locating new industries.
Scott Road, which is the main tributary road to the entrance of the industrial park, will be overlaid soon with asphalt after final bids and specifications are approved.
Charles said the plan is for GPDA to mill and overlay one eighth of a mile of Southern Street, providing an attractive entry to that end, in addition to a third sign being installed announcing entrance to the Great Plains Industrial Park.
Brian Kinzie, ex-officio member and Labette County Commissioner, said the county has applied for Southern to be overlaid to Pratt Road with funds possibly coming from the $4 million stimulus which the Kansas Department of Transportation is providing to a 17-county area. Kinzie said the cost of the project in Labette County would be $432,000 with the county providing a $100,000 local match.
Also last week the GPDA, executive director Dan Goddard gave a report on acquiring land in the former KAAP site, pending approval by the Environmental Protection Agency and other appropriate agencies.
Significant cleanup of properties has already taken place, and majority of the land has no environmental problems, but there still are buildings, land and equipment that will need cleared before they can be transferred to the GPDA.
Over the next two months, contractors will be removing contaminated dirt from an old pistol range. Goddard said there is a 50/50 chance that private contractors from this region might be utilized rather than those requiring certification by the U.S. Army.
The cost of the land conveyance has yet to be determined.