For more information, see the Nov. 10, 2010, 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.
Vernon W. Wertz
OSWEGO––Vernon W. Wertz, 71, of Oswego, Kan. died at 1:40 a.m., Tuesday, Nov.16, 2010 at Oswego Home Place in Oswego.
He was born Nov. 12, 1939 at Edna, Kan., to Forrest and Mary Emma (Williams) Wertz.
Vernon was very civic minded and loved helping people. He was a member of the Oswego Assembly of God Church, even serving as deacon for a number of years while his health allowed, a member of Oswego Rotary Club and Grange Club. He loved gardening, bowling, and fishing for catfish and the occasional bullfrog.
On Aug. 29, 1959, he married M. JoAnn Dunnic at Hutchinson, Kan. He served in the United States Army as a Section Chief and was stationed in Germany. He received the Good Conduct Medal and Expert M-14 Rifleman. He and his wife owned the Oswego Western Auto Store from 1975-1984. He retired from Labette County Highway Department in February of 2010 after 19 years of service.
Vernon was preceded in death by his parents and his wife Jo on Aug. 15, 2005.
Survivors include one daughter, Cathy Triplett and husband Doug of rural Thayer, Kan.; one son, Gregory Wertz and wife B.J. of Oswego; eight grandchildren, Erika, Ashton, Briley Triplett and Kaylene, Justice, Lili, and Annie Wertz, and Chase Nash; one great-grandson, Easton Gormley; three brothers, Don Wertz and wife Billie of Erie, Jerry Wertz and wife Thelma of Parsons, and Marvin Wertz and wife Patty of Oswego; four sisters, Evelyn Perry and husband Charles of Oswego, Ellen Ehrlich of Hutchinson, Barbara Shetley and husband Rick of Oswego, and Marlene Walker and husband Eldon of Oswego.
The family will receive friends at Murdock Funeral Home in Oswego from 6 to 8 p.m., on Wednesday, Nov. 17.
Funeral service will be at 10 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 18, at the Oswego Assembly of God Church, with Pastor Steve McBrien officiating. Burial will follow in Pleasant Valley Cemetery south of Oswego. The family suggests memorials to Assembly of God Church or Harry Hynes Hospice.
Arrangements are under the direction of Murdock Funeral Home in Oswego.
Wilma Irene Moore
CHETOPA––Wilma Irene Moore, 88, of Chetopa, died at 11:45 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010, at Chetopa Manor Nursing Home. She had been in failing health.
She was born August 17, 1922, in Lowell, Kansas, to Earnest and Katy (Crome) Furnas.
In earlier years, she did custom wallpapering. She then worked as a nurse’s aide at Chetopa Manor for many years and cared for the elderly.
She was a member of the First Church of God in Chetopa. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and watching sporting events.
She married Clarence Turner Moore, Sr. They later divorced.
Survivors include: Three Sons – Clarence T. Moore, Jr., rural Chetopa; Robert Moore, Chetopa; Earnest Moore, Chetopa; two daughters––Wilma Exum, Hutchinson, Minn.;
Katherine Bayer, Laurens, Iowa; seventeen grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; two brothers––Pete Furnas, Oswego; Wayne Furnas, rural Miami, Okla.; three sisters––Violet Bates, Chetopa; Deloris Wiens, rural Oswego; Ouida Polson, Ft. Worth, Texas; a half brother, James Willis Furnas, Stockton, Calif.
She was preceded in death by two brothers.
Graveside services were held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2010, at Fairview Cemetery, near Chetopa. Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa was in charge of the service.
Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.
James Bart Sevart
WICHITA——John Bart Sevart, 78, of Wichita, Kan., died Friday, November 12, 2010.
Rosary service was held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 16, and Funeral Mass 10 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 17, both at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church.
Sevart was born June 28, 1932 and grew up in Oswego, Kan. He graduated from Oswego High School. He attended Coffeyville Junior College, Wichita University, and Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.
He served in the United States Air Force during the Korean Conflict. Sevart was a retired WSU Mechanical Engineering professor and President of Advance Technology, Inc. He was a nationally recognized consulting engineer designing machines and safety equipment. He was also instrumental in the creation of several ANSI Safety Standards.
Sevart was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and numerous technical societies.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Vernon and Alma (Carland) Sevart, brothers Alan and Dan; sister, Kathleen Metzer; and grandson, Matt Hyder.
Survivors: wife, Gwen (Adams) of 58 years; children, Elizabeth Hyder of Wichita, Carol (David) Grisamore of Wichita, Mark (Chris) Sevart of Wichita, E. Michelle Reed of Wichita, Linda (Martin) Smoll of Wichita, Marilyn (Tim) Berry of Mulvane, Kevin Sevart of Wichita, and Jennifer (Jeff) Long of Wichita; 32 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; brother, Frank (Joleen) Sevart of Wichita; sister, Lily (Joe) Corso of Riverton, NJ; brother-in-law, Jim Metzer of Squim, Wa., and sisters-in-law, Nina Rutherford of Coffeyville and Shoko Sevart of Wichita.
Memorials can be sent to: St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, 1215 N. Stratford, Wichita, Kansas 67206 or Catholic Charities, 532 N. Broadway, Wichita, Kansas 67214. Downing and Lahey Mortuary East. Tributes may be sent to the family via www.dlwichita.com.
Alfred C. Modesitt
PARSONS––Alfred C. Modesitt, 91, of Parsons, died at 6:50 p.m., Sunday, November 14, 2010 at his home. He had been in failing health.
He was born April 28, 1919, on a farm east of Parsons in what is now a part of the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant. His parents were Cicero J. and Minnie (Manners) Modesitt. He graduated from Labette County Community High School in Altamont.
During World War II he served in the United States Army in the Pacific area. He worked first as a mechanic and later as an electrician. He was employed several years at the Katy Railroad, then worked on construction and finally was employed at the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant, from where he retired.
After his retirement he worked 15 years building churches, Teen Challenge Centers and Bible Colleges for the Assemblies of God Churches. He was a member of the First Assembly of God Church in Parsons and of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Worker’s.
On Feb. 3, 1946 he married Lila A. Cole, at Independence. She preceded him in death on February 24, 1987.
Survivors include:one son Larry Modesitt and his wife Katherine, Parsons; daughter-in-law JoAnn Modesitt, Lawton, Okla.; two grandsons Shannon Modesitt and Peter Modesitt; four great-grandchildren; one sister Elsie Dyke, Parsons
Preceding him in death was his wife, a son, David L. Modesitt and a brother, Laverne Modesitt.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m., Thursday, at the Carson-Wall Funeral Home. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, with military honors given by the Brown-Bishop Post # 704, Veterans of Foreign Wars.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 7 to 8 p.m., Wednesday. Memorials are suggested to either the Assembly of God Church or Labette Assistance. They may be left at or sent to the funeral home at Box 942, Parsons, KS 67357.
Online condolences may be left at www.wallfuneral services.com
Carol Ann Maxton
GALENA, Mo.––Carol Ann (Bryant) Maxton, 70, of Galena, Missouri died at 3:15 a.m., Monday, November 15, 2010 at her home.
She was born Dec. 20, 1939, on a farm near Oswego, to Woodrow W. and Elizabeth (Smith) Bryant. She grew up on the family farm and graduated from Labette County Community High School at Altamont. Later, in her adult life, she attended classes at Johnson County Community College. Carol loved to travel, visit with her family and grow flowers and do yard work at her home.
On Aug. 31, 1963, she married James F. Maxton, at Chetopa. After their marriage they lived in Siloam Springs, Arkansas three years, Chanute 12 years and Olathe 21 years. In January of 2002 they retired to the Table Rock area.In her early adult years she was employed at the Parsons Sun. Later she was manager of the catalog department at the J. C. Penney Distribution Center in Lenexa.
Survivors include: husband – Jim Maxton, of the home; two sons and daughters-in-law Brad and Renee Maxton, Winona, Minn., Todd and Deana Maxton, Olathe; one brother Richard Bryant (Linda) rural Columbus; three sisters, Colleen Moore (Roger, deceased), Parsons, Mary McCoy, Pittsburg, Judy Wayland (Morgan), Welch, Okla.
Her parents preceded her in death.
The funeral service will be at 2 p.m., Thursday, at the Carson-Wall Funeral Home. Burial will be in Memorial Lawn Cemetery in Parsons. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to Community Hospices of America Foundation, Inc. They may be left at or sent to the funeral home at Box 942, Parsons, KS 67357.Online condolences may be left at www.wallfuneralservices.com
Death Notices
The Taylor Newspapers publishes death notices as a free service. The death notice contains only the name of the deceased, and time and location of a funeral and burial service. Further biographical information can be contained in a paid obituary. (Obituaries are printed in their entirety for a $20 fee.)
John L. “J. L.” Cramer
MOUND VALLEY—John L. “J. L.” Cramer, 84, of rural Mound Valley, Kan., died at 9:20 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010, at Via Christi Regional Medical Center – St. Francis Campus in Wichita.
He was born May 18, 1926, in Garber, Oklahoma, to Leonard “Len” and Eva “Maye” (Matteson) Cramer. He grew up and attended schools in Garber and was a graduate of Garber High School.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 13, at the Mound Valley Christian Church. Burial was in Mound Valley Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Mound Valley Christian Church or the American Heart Association. These may be left at or mailed to Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 325, Altamont, KS 67330.
Thomas Stanley “Stan” Ellis
VIRGINIA––Thomas Stanley “Stan” Ellis, 61, of Alexandria, Va., died of a heart attack in Alexandria on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2010.He was born Dec. 26, 1948, to Myron and Helen (McCall) Ellis at the home of his McCall grandparents in St. Paul.A memorial service was Nov. 3, 2010, at the Jefferson Funeral Home in Alexandria, Va. A funeral Mass was held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Parsons, followed by burial with military honors at Mount Olivet Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association, Brown-Bishop Post 704 Veterans of Foreign Wars, or St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. These may be left at or mailed to the funeral home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, 67357. Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.
Patricia S. Hunt
PARSONS——Patricia S. Hunt, 63, of Parsons, Kan., died at 9:07 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin, Mo.
She was born May 3, 1947, in Parsons, Kan., to John Oliver and Maybelle (Journot) Walker. She grew up and attended schools in Parsons.
Among survivors include a brother James Walker and wife, Teresa, Oswego.
Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 18, at the Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. Private committal services will be held by the family at a future date.
Memorials are suggested to PALS (Proud Animal Lovers Shelter) or the American Heart Association. These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS 67357.
Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.
Kelli Jean Vining
PARSONS––Kelli Jean Vining, 44, of Parsons, died at 5:15 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010, at her home. She had been in failing health.
She was born Oct. 7, 1966, in Long Beach, California, to Donald R. and Patricia E. (Roney) Vining.
Funeral services was held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010, at the Faith United Methodist Church in Parsons. Burial was in Harrison Cemetery, near Thayer. Memorials are suggested to the Kelli Vining Memorial Fund. These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS 67357.
Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.
Ernest E. “Ernie” Greenlee
ALTAMONT––Ernest E. “Ernie” Greenlee, 69, of rural Altamont, died at 5:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 15, 2010, at Labette Health.
He was born May 5, 1941, in Picher, Okla., to Fred and Beulah (Ellis) Greenlee. Through the years he worked in the mining industry and was an avid outdoorsman.
Survivors include: One Son Ernest Greenlee, Jr.; One Sister Bonnie Fish and husband, Cecil, Baldwin City, KAN.
He was preceded in death by his parents and three siblings.
Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, Nov.19, at Mound Valley Cemetery under the direction of Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons.
Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.
DeRhonda Newby of 621 Kansas Street in Oswego submitted the winning photo of a colorful tree in the autumn. DeRhonda can stop by the Labette Avenue office in Oswego to receive her prize.
