For more information, see the June 3, 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.

Lawrence Melvin Riggs

WYANDOTTE, Okla.—Lawrence Melvin Riggs, 84, of Wyandotte, Okla., formerly of Chetopa, Kan., died at 6:51 a.m., Wednesday, May 27, 2009, at his home.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Monday, June 1, at the Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa. Burial will be in Lake Creek Cemetery, rural Bartlett. Friends may call at their convenience from 1 to 5 p.m., Sunday, at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to the American Lung Association.  These may be left at or mailed to Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 346, Chetopa, KS 67336.

Melvin was born Dec. 24, 1924, in Webb City, Okla., to Charles G. and Grace (McKnight) Riggs. As a young boy, he moved with his family to Grove, Okla., and Coffeyville, Kan.

At the age of 17, he began working at Jensen Manufacturing Company in Coffeyville.  While there, he was drafted into the U.S. Navy and served two years in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, as a 3rd Class Petty Officer-Welder. Following his discharge, he returned to Jensen Manufacturing where he worked a total of 18 years.

In the 1950s, he owned and operated a radiator and body shop in Chetopa. In 1963, he moved to Kansas City, Kan., where he worked as a first class welder at Owens Corning Fiberglass Company, retiring from there in 1987. Upon his retirement, he returned to Chetopa.

He and Eva Mae Dewey were married in December 1945. There were two children born to this union, Carol Tex and Melvina Diane. In 1953, his wife was killed in a car-train accident.

On Aug. 7, 1954, he married Genevieve (Rexwinkle) Wilson in Bentonville, Ark. She preceded him in death Feb. 19, 2005.  Following her death, he moved to Wyandotte, Okla., to be near family, and had lived there since.

He enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Survivors include one daughter, Diane Basich, Sacramento, Calif.; one stepson, Rodger Wilson, rural Chetopa, Kan.; three stepdaughters, Shirley Bell, rural Chetopa; Sharon Thomas, Welch, Okla.; and Rita Grossman, Independence, Kan.; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; one sister, Victory Jenkins, Wyandotte.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Carol Tex Riggs; and two sisters, Ester Kubley and Nelda Ruth Hardy.

Virginia L. Wheelen

COLUMBUS—Virginia L. Wheelen, 75 of Columbus, Kan., passed away Saturday, May 30, 2009, at Medicalodge of Columbus.

Funeral services will be 1 p.m., Tuesday, June 2, at the Murdock Funeral Home with Dennis Johnson officiating. Interment will follow in the Park Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Medicalodge Activity Fund with the Murdock Funeral Home, 132 E Pine, Columbus, KS 66725, serving as custodian. Condolences may be left at www.murdockfuneralhomes.com.

Virginia was born April 16, 1934 in Columbus, the daughter of Luther and Laura (Payne) Gray. She attended the Columbus schools and married Curtis O. Wheelen, Jr., on March 22, 1952, in Huntsville, Ark. She worked for several garment factories and was the office manager for her husband’s business,Wheelen Red Wrench. She enjoyed camping and fishing with family, playing dominoes and spending time with her grandchildren.

Survivors include a daughter, Carla R. Marshall and husband Larry of McCune, Kan.; a son, Ronald C. Wheelen and wife Cathy of Columbus; five grandchildren, Roy L. Marshall of McCune; Joey R. Marshall of Chanute; Laura M. Bradfield of Atchison, Kan.; Jason C. Wheelen; and Jonathan Wheelen of Columbus; 10 great-grandchildren, Austin, Ethan, Jaylen, Nathan, Nicholas, Katie, Maverick, Beth, Sarah and Lucy; a sister, Martha Allen and husband Oren of Oswatamie, Kan.

She was preceded in death by her husband; a daughter, Teresa R. Willard;  five sisters, Opal Gray, Helen Gray, Reba Riker, Vivian Wells and Inez Zook; and two brothers, Dale Gray and Harry Gray.

Clifford Cunningham

OSWEGO—Clifford Cunningham, 87, of Oswego, Kan., died Friday, May 29, 2009, at St. John’s Regional Medical Center, Joplin, Mo.

Memorial services will be 10 a.m., Tuesday, June 2, at the Bible Holiness Church in Oswego with Harold Knight officiating. Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m., Monday, at the Bible Holiness Church in Oswego. Memorials may be made to the Bible Holiness Church with the church serving as custodian.

Cremation is under the direction of Murdock Funeral Home of Oswego. Condolennces may be left at www.murdockfuneralhomes.com.

Kevin Eugene McCoy

BOLEY, Okla.—Kevin Eugene McCoy, 34, of Boley, Okla., formerly of Labette County, Kan., died at 8:38 p.m., Saturday, May 30, 2009, in the emergency room of the Creek Nation Hospital at Okemah, Okla.

Kevin was born Feb. 22, 1975, at Baxter Springs, Kan., to Darrell G. and Mary (Bryant) McCoy. He grew up in Oswego and graduated from Labette County High School at Altamont in 1993. He attended Kansas State University at Manhattan for one year, leaving because of health problems.

Those surviving are his mother, Mary L. McCoy, Parsons; sister and brother-in-law, Kathryn E. and John Shackelford, and niece, Rebecca, Frontenac; several aunts, uncles and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his father, Darrell G. McCoy, in January of 2007.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Thursday, at the Memorial Lawn Cemetery Patio in Parsons. Burial will follow in the cemetery. Friends may call at the Carson-Wall Funeral Home Wednesday until 8 p.m., and Thursday morning.

Sharon L. Spriggs

COLUMBUS—Sharon L. Spriggs, 53, of Columbus, Kan., died Saturday, May 30, 2009, at Freeman West in Joplin, Mo., after a short illness.

Fun eral services will be 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 3, in the Murdock Chapel with Rev. Dennis Johnson officiating. Interment will follow in the Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 7 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Friends may call at the funeral home after 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society with the Murdock Funeral Home,132 E. Pine, Columbus, KS 66725. Condolences may be left at www.murdockfuneralhomes.com.

Terry Lee Williams

WELCH, Okla.—Terry Lee Williams, 53, of Welch, Okla., died Monday, May 25, 2009.

Services will be at 2 p.m., Monday, at Maybelle Baptist Church, Welch. Burial will be in Williams Timberhill Cemetery, Welch. Arrangements are under the direction of Paul Thomas Funeral Home, Miami, Okla.

Ronald J. “R. J.” Wilson

PARSONS—Ronald J. “R.J.” Wilson, the 2-year-old son of Amanda J. and Ronald M. Wilson, of Parsons, Kan., died Friday evening, May 29, 2009, from smoke inhalation in a fire at his family home in Parsons.

Funeral services will be at 4 p.m,. Thursday, at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home. Burial will be in Springhill Cemetery.

Frank Ryan

PARSONS—Frank Ryan, 58, of Parsons, Kan., died Saturday, May 30, 2009, at the family home of Debbie Ryan in Parsons following a brief illness.

The body has been cremated. Memorials are suggested to the Boy Scouts of America or the American Lung Association and may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, 67357.

Robert L. Black

MOUND VALLEY—Robert L. Black, 81, of rural Mound Valley, Kan., died Monday, June 1, 2009, at his home.

Funeral services will be at 2:30 p.m., Thursday, at Pleasant Hill Church and burial will follow in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Carson-Wall Funeral Home.