All Obituaries

Ellen Louise (Collins) Smith, 70 of Altoona, Kansas passed away at Wilson Medical Center in Neodesha on Friday, December 2nd, 2022. On April 26, 1952, Loren and Peggy (Dickens) Collins welcomed their daughter, Ellen Louise Smith into this world in Neodesha, Kansas. Ellen attended the Altoona Rural High School. On June 25, 1976, Ellen married the love of her life, James Smith in Argonia, Kansas. Ellen retired from Cobalt Boats in 2017 after spending 31 and half years as the purchasing agent....

Russell (Toad) Allen Sumner went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, October 25, 2022. Russell passed away at his home in Neodesha. Russel was born on August 28, 1970, In Coffeyville, Kansas to Bobby and Sharon Sumner. He received his GED in 1988. He went on to work at Pizza Hut and New Beginnings before his disabilities prevented him from continuing. Russ was a friendly outgoing person who never met a stranger. He loved music, old movies and being a snack connoisseur. He never met a...

Kerry Lee Elkins, 76, of Springfield, MO, passed away on October 7, 2022. He was born in Neodesha , KS on December 20, 1945. Kerry graduated from Neodesha High School in 1963.    Kerry served in the US Navy from 1969 to 1972 as a sonarman aboard the USS Brownson (DD-868). He resumed his studies after leaving the Navy and completed his MA in Botany at Pittsburg State University. He was married to Joyce on January 4, 1975.  Kerry worked in various industries across the Great...

Mark Foster Shiverdecker passed away on October 7, 2022 after a brief illness.  He was born on March 3, 1952 to Joe and Dixie Shiverdecker in Fulton, Missouri.  His family moved to Pittsburg, Kansas in 1963.  He attended College High there and served in the United States Air Force before graduating from Pitt State.  He married Connie Otto on December 7, 1979 in Parkville, Missouri.  Over the last 43 years they have lived in St. Louis and Belton Missouri, before...

Max Douglas (Doug) Loflin, 72, surrendered his battle with cancer, passing away at his home in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, on October 4, 2022. Family gathered at the home to say goodbye and tell him how loved he will always be. Doug was born November 27, 1949, in Neodesha, Kansas, to Max Dudley Loflin and Wilma Jean (Smalley) Loflin. He grew up there and graduated from Neodesha High School in 1967. He later obtained his Associate’s degree from Independence Community College. He was a...

Former longtime Kansas resident Winfred Leon Stout, 81, passed away peacefully on 20 September at his assisted living facility in Richardson, TX. Winfred, affectionately known as Leon was born 14 July 1941, in Parker KS, to Claude and Mildred Stout. Leon attended and graduated high school with the Erie KS class of 1959. Leon spent a lifelong career in the management of soft goods / clothing manufacturing industry. He spent many years in the Southeast Kansas area with companies such as...

Thelma Jean Taylor Gillespie, 95 years young and former resident of Neodesha, Kansas, and Texas City, Texas, passed away on September 4, 2022, in Lake Jackson, Texas.   Thelma Jean was born the only child of Arthur Taylor & Lola (Dragoo) Taylor on July 8, 1927, in Neodesha, Kansas, and attended Neodesha schools. They moved to their family farm in Altoona when she was a young teen.  She always spoke of wonderful memories on the farm with her parents and...

Sara Kay Bicknell Rutledge, daughter of Roscoe and Anna (Redington) Jackson, was born February 8, 1938, in Monett, MO and passed away at Morningstar Care Home in Fredonia, KS September 1, 2022, at the age of 84. Kay grew up on the family farm where she preferred farm chores to housework and enjoyed playing the piano at New Liberty Methodist Church. She graduated from Monett High School in 1956. She later moved to Tulsa, OK where she met Linn Douglas “Doug” Bicknell. They...

Christy A. Berry 45 of Neodesha, Kansas passed away Saturday, August 27th, 2022, at Labette Health Care in Independence, Kansas. Cremation has taken place through Loran Fawcett Chapel in Neodesha, Kansas. Christy was born November 22nd, 1977, to Mark Clark and Patricia Harshman in Independence, Kansas. Christy was a very outgoing person. She was able to meet just about any stranger and if she wasn’t friends with them by the end of the encounter then she at least sparked up a good...

Larry Charles Sandbothe, age 77, of Neodesha, KS, died at St. Joseph Hospital in Wichita, KS on Thursday, August 18, 2022. Graveside service will be held at Farmington Cemetery north of Fredonia on Friday August 26th at 1:00 p.m. Larry was born November 14, 1944 in Fall River, Kansas. The son of Luie Sandbothe and Hazel Lorene (Foudray) Sandbothe. Larry attended school in rural Neodesha and graduated from Neodesha High School in 1962. Larry was united in marriage to MaryAnn Bryan on...