For more information, see the April 8, 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.

Frances Loveda Pritchett

OSWEGO—Frances Loveda Pritchett, 98, of Oswego, passed away Thursday, April 2, 2009, in the Medicalodge of Columbus, Kan.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, April 14, in the Murdock Funeral Home, Oswego, with Chaplain John Potter officiating.

Charity donations through Murdock may be designated for Salvation Army, the Oswego Senior Center or St. John’s Hospice.

Loveda was born Oct. 11, 1910, in Omaha, Ill., the daughter of Lawrence and Lula (Vaughn) Blackard.
She was a member of the Methodist Church. She worked many years in the Omaha Illinois Glass Factory, located in Gas City, Ind. She enjoyed crocheting, knitting, fishing, playing bingo and cards, and gardening. She was also creative in bead work and plastic canvas. During her lifetime, she lived in Illinois, Texas, Indiana, Florida and Kansas.

In 1990, Loveda moved to Oswego to live near her sister, Mary Shugart. She survives.

Other survivors are one nephew, David Blackard, Westminster, Colo.; and six nieces, Rebecca Potter, Jean Welle, and Rachel Dawn Russell, all of Oswego; Lois Knight, Spencer, Iowa; Faith Mitchell, Centennial, Colo.; and Hope Just, Clearwater, Kan.; plus many great-nieces and nephews, and great-great-nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Otis Wayne Blackard, Sr., and two nephews, Otis Wayne Blackard, Jr., and Lawrence Blackard.

Her first husband was Ed Winters. Her second husband was Clarence Pritchett. Both are deceased.

Lillie P. “Lil” Smith

CHETOPA—Lillie P. “Lil” Smith, 94, of Chetopa, Kan., died at 7:25 p.m., Friday, April 3, 2009, at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin, Mo.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, April 10, at the Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends at 10:30 a.m. until service time, on Friday, at the funeral home. Friends may call after 10 a.m., Thursday, at the funeral home.

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

Lil was born Aug. 27, 1914, in Beloit, Kan., to William and Nancy (Thompson) Karrle. In 1915, the family moved to a farm southeast of Chetopa. Lillie attended grade school at Piety Hill, south of Chetopa, and was a 1933 graduate of Chetopa High School.

She and Ray F. Smith were married June 16, 1939, in Chetopa. Through the years, the couple lived in various locations while he was working in construction, and returned to Chetopa in 1971. He preceded her in death Sept. 25, 1975. She attended the Assembly of God in Chetopa and was a lifetime member of the Order of Eastern Star Chapter 110. She enjoyed flower gardening, bowling, traveling, painting and loved watching golf and ice skating on television.

Survivors include numerous nieces and nephews whom she dearly loved, including her caregivers, Shirley English-Brown and Linda Young.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by three brothers, John, Bill and Jess Karrle; and three sisters, Marie Harlin, Rose Karrle, and Nel Elizabeth Waller.

Roberta Janett Marietta

PITTSBURG —Roberta Janett (Walker) Marietta, 58, of Pittsburg, Kan., died Wednesday, April 1, 2009, at her home after a 14 month battle with pancreatic cancer. She is the daughter of Nadine and Jack Wilson, Oswego.

Services were held at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Pittsburg.  Burial was at Highland Park Cemetery.

Bath-Naylor Funeral Home of Pittsburg was in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Earlene Stokesberry

COFFEYVILLE—Mrs. Earlene (Garrett) Stokesberry, 74, of Coffeyville, Kan., died Wednesday, April 1, 2009, at St. John’s Medical Center in Joplin, Missouri. She had been in failing health.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, at the Chetopa United Methodist Church with the Reverend Susan Brown, pastor, officiating. Interment will be at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Chetopa under the direction of the Penwell-Gabel Ford Wulf Bruns Chapel of Coffeyville. Friends may call at the funeral home from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Monday. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.

The family has suggested memorial remembrances to the Chetopa United Methodist Church and remembrances will be received at the funeral home.

Mary Evelyn Green

COLUMBUS—Mary Evelyn Green, 99, of Columbus, Kan., died Monday, April 6, 2009, at Medicalodge of Columbus.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m., Thursday, April 9, at the Murdock Funeral Home, Columbus, with Rev. Susan Daniel-Brey officiating. Interment will be in the Park Cemetery, Columbus.

Memorials may be made to the First United  Methodist Church of  Columbus with the funeral home serving as custodian. Condolences may be left at murdockfuneralhomes.com.

James D. “Perch” Ackley

PARSONS—James D. “Perch” Ackley, 57, of Parsons, Kan., died Saturday, April 4, 2009, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin, Mo., following a brief illness.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 8, at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to PAWS (Parsons Animal Welfare Society). These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS 67357.

Gertrude Peterson

SAN JUAN, Texas—Gertrude (Sheets) Peterson, 99, of San Juan, Texas, formerly of Rosemead, Calif., died Wednesday, April 1, 2009, at the San Juan Nursing Home.

Graveside services will be at 11 a.m., Tuesday, June 2, at Oswego Cemetery under the direction of Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa.

Charles L. “Charley” Kimrey

EDNA—Charles L. “Charley” Kimrey, 77, of Edna, Kan., died at 12:50 p.m., Friday, May 9, 2008, at the Oswego Medical Center in Oswego, Kan.

Funeral services were held at Tuesday, May 13, at the Bartlett Christian Church. Burial was in the Elm Grove Cemetery in Edna.

Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Altamont was in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to the Edna Recreation Association. These may be left at or mailed to Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 325, Altamont, KS 67330.

Marvin Dean Holmes

ALTAMONT—Marvin Dean Holmes, 85, of Altamont, Kan., died at 6:36 p.m., Saturday, May 10, 2008, at Labette Health.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, May 13, at the First Baptist Church in Altamont.Burial was in Mt.Pleasant Cemetery in Altamont.

Memorials are suggested to the First Baptist Church Renovation Fund. These may be left at or mailed to the Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. 325, Altamont, Kansas 67330.

Edith Vaughn

EDNA—Edith “Sis” Vaughn, 94, of rural Edna, Kan., died at her home late Sunday evening. She had been in failing health.

A graveside committal service was held Tuesday morning at the Elm Grove Cemetery at Edna immediately following the funeral service of her son, Charles Kimrey, who died Friday. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Edna Grade School. These may be left at or mailed to

Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 325, Altamont, KS 67330.

Donald Allen Blackledge

CHETOPA—Donald Allen Blackledge, 71, of Chetopa, Kan., died at 8:50 p.m. Monday, May 12, 2008, at Labette Health in Parsons, Kan.

Services were held Thursday, May 15, at the Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa and burial was in Oak Hill Cemetery in Chetopa.

Memorials are suggested to the Chetopa Fire Department or Labette Health Foundation and these may be left at the funeral home.

Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, Chetopa, was in charge of arrangements.

William H. “Bud” Rogers, Jr.

COFFEYVILLE—William H. “Bud” Rogers, Jr., 87, of rural Coffeyville, Kan., passed away Wednesday, May 7, 2008, at his sister’s home in Tulsa, Okla.

Services were held Monday, May 12, in the First Baptist Church in Coffeyville with Dr. Wayne Norton and Rev. Bill Jones officiating. Burial was in Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.

The family suggests memorials to the American Heart Association. Contributions may be left with the funeral home or mailed to David W. Barnes Funeral Home, 306 N. Kline Rd., Coffeyville, KS 67337.

David W. Barnes Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Virginia Peterson

TULSA, Okla.—Virginia Arlene (Cunningham) Peterson, 74, of Tulsa, Okla., died Wednesday, May 8, 2008, in Tulsa, Okla.

Graveside service was held Monday, May 12, at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Altamont, Kan., under the direction of Moore’s Southlawn Chapel, Tulsa.

Mary P. Bressee

OSWEGO—Mary P. Bressee, 76, of Oswego, Kan., passed away Tuesday morning, May 13, 2008, at the Landmark Hospital in Joplin, Mo.

Services are pending and will be announced by the Simpson Funeral Home, Columbus.