Obituaries

Dec 4, 2025

Ronald C. “Ron” Wohler, 83 of Clay Center, died on Thursday, December 4, 2025 at the Good Shepherd Hospice House in Manhattan, Kansas. He was born on April 28, 1942 in Clay Center, Kansas, the son of Myron Edward, Sr. and Wobina K. (Leipersberger) Wohler. Ron grew up in Clay County and graduated from CCHS in 1960.

Ron attended Kansas State...

Dec 4, 2025

Dale Case, 93 died December 4, 2025, in Wakefield, KS. He was born on May 6, 1932, in Wakefield, the son of Leroy "Bud" and Ruby (Eckel) Case. Dale was raised in the Wakefield community. He was a graduate of the Class of 1950 from Clay Center High School. Following high school, Dale served in the US Air Force during...

Dec 1, 2025

Conrad L. “Connie” Girard, 81 of Miltonvale, Kansas, died on Monday, December 1, 2025 at the University of Kansas Health System – St. Francis campus in Topeka, Kansas. He was born on March 31, 1944 in Cloud County, Kansas, the son of Emery and Anne (Smith) Girard.

Connie grew up in the Miltonvale area and graduated from Miltonvale High School in...

Nov 25, 2025

Edwin C. Benfer, 78 of Miltonvale, Kansas died on Wednesday, November 25, 2025 at the Select Specialty Hospital in Wichita, Kansas.

Edwin was born July 14, 1947 in Clay Center, Kansas, the son of John D. and Letha (Plock) Benfer. He grew up in Longford, Kansas and graduated from Longford High School. After high school, he served in the U.S. Navy...

Nov 10, 2025

Sarah Catherine Oliver of Clay Center, Kansas, went to her Heavenly home on Monday, November 10, 2025.

Sarah was born in Brandenburg, Kentucky, the daughter of Henry and Ida (Dempster) Bailey. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Bonnie Carol Webb; her parents; seven brothers — Tony, Mobley, Robert, Joe, and Henry McMillen, and Eze and Paul Bailey — and...

Nov 9, 2025

Mitsuko Vann, 83 died November 9, 2025 in Wakefield, KS. She was born on May 27, 1942 in Motobu-Cho, Okinawa, the daughter of Kichizo and Nakato (Kinjo) Kitashiro. Mitsuko married Donald Vann on May 28, 1969. They made their home in Wakefield. Mitsuko worked on sewing projects for the State of Kansas and worked at Wakefield Rehabilitation Center. Later, Don...

Nov 8, 2025

Frederick M Jensen, 88 died November 8, 2025, in Leonardville, KS. He was born on July 14, 1937, in Clay Center, the son of Romeo and Ruth (Lakin) Jensen. Fred was raised in Clay Center and was a graduate of Clay Center High School Class of 1957. Following high school, he served in the US Air Force. Fred married Sally...

Nov 4, 2025

Riley Carr Rankin, 80, passed away peacefully on November 4, 2025, in Santa Rosa, California, surrounded by family. Riley was born on July 8, 1945, in Clinton, Oklahoma, to Elmo C. and Anna Mae (Carr) Rankin. He and his older brother, Kelly, grew up in the small town of Custer City, Oklahoma, until Riley’s third-grade year, when the family moved...

Oct 29, 2025

Rolland L. Reed, 87 died October 29, 2025, in Clay Center, KS. He was born on August 26, 1938, in Clay Center, the son of Clifford and Winona (Hjelm) Reed. Rolland married Sandra D. Herman on January 22, 1961, in Sterling, CO. She preceded him in death on August 25, 2010. He was also preceded in death by his parents...

Oct 28, 2025

Jean Bergstrom passed away peacefully Tuesday October 28, 2025 in North Augusta, SC. Jean was born in Clay Center Kansas May 10, 1939 to Emil and Mabel Spilker the third of four children.

She grew up in the Clay County area and spent part of her younger years in Lee Summit, MO. The family moved to Clay Center where she graduated...

Oct 27, 2025

On October 27, 2025, Nancy Johnson joined her beloved husband in heaven to continue their adventures together. One of the first things on their list would have been to dance — not just any dance, but a waltz. Oh, how they loved to waltz. Watching them waltz was inspiring as they were the perfect couple and were so smooth on...

Oct 12, 2025

Samantha Burris, 58 died October 12, 2025, in Manhattan, KS. She was born on October 26, 1966 in Springdale, Arkansas. The daughter of William and Dorothy (Butler) Jordan. Samantha was raised in Tontitown, AR and was a graduate of the Springdale, AR high school. Following high school, she attended Marcel Royale Beauty Academy and worked in cosmetology for many years....

Sep 29, 2025

Carolyn Kay Winters died September 29, 2025, in Manhattan, KS. She was born in Concordia, KS to Charles Debocus and Beulah Estelle (LaGasse) Robertson on July 29, 1940. Carolyn was raised in the Aurora, KS area and was a graduate of Miltonvale High School. After high school, Carolyn married Carmen Cyr. To this union 3 children were born. They divorced...

Sep 26, 2025

Dixie June Braden, 94, of Manhattan, Kansas, died on Friday, September 26, 2025 at Meadowlark Hills in Manhattan. She was born on June 1, 1931 in Cleburne, Kansas, the daughter of Carl and Verla (Hansen) Chapman. She grew up in Riley and Clay Counties, graduating from CCCHS in 1949.

Dixie married Gailen Braden on December 24, 1949 and the couple farmed...

Sep 18, 2025

Mark E. Carson, age 70, died on September 18, 2025, at his home in Clay Center, KS. He was born in Clay Center, KS to Leonard and Margaret (Steadman) Carson, on September 22, 1954. Mark grew up in the Miltonvale area and graduated from Miltonvale High School in 1972. Mark worked the night shift after high school at Hutchinson Mayrath....

Sep 15, 2025

Edward "Ed" (Edsyl) Sylvester Rife, 93 died September 15, 2025, in Leonardville, KS.  He was born on January 5, 1932, in Osage Mills, Arkansas, the son of Claude and Bertha (Piercy) Rife. Ed was raised in Northwest Arkansas and graduated from Rogers High School in 1949.   He enlisted in the US Navy on July 2, 1950.  Ed served during...

Sep 15, 2025

Lorene Faye Fengel, 93, passed away Monday, September 15th, at Village Manor in Abilene, Kansas. She was born November 6th, 1931 in Oak Hill, the daughter of Larry and Marguerite (Rickely) Lash. Growing up in the Oakhill area, Lorene attended school at Union School and Oak Hill through her grade school years. Her high school days were spent in...

Sep 6, 2025

James “Jim” Lloyd Coupal., 78, was born in 1947 in Wichita, KS and went to his eternal home on September 6, 2025, at St Francis Hospital in Wichita from complications related to injuries sustained in an accident.

Jim, as he was affectionately known, was a shining light and rock in the lives of all who had the...

Aug 31, 2025

Ruth Marie Drown, died on August 31, 2025, at the Minneapolis Health and Rehabilitation in Minneapolis, KS. She was born in Randolph, KS to Carl and Naomia (Gassert) Bulk on February 17, 1937. Ruth grew up in Riley County. She attended Belgrade, Sweet Creek, Cleburne and Bala Schools. Ruth graduated from Riley Rural High School. She married Duane Drown...

Aug 17, 2025

Clifford C. Williams, Jr., 79, was born in 1946 in Portersville, CA and was sent to his eternal home on August 17, 2025, in Manhattan, KS due to Parkinson’s disease caused by agent orange exposure during his service in Vietnam.

Cliff, as he was affectionately known, was a shining light in the lives of all who had...