Obituaries

Betty Jane Gwinner, 100, passed away Monday, June 20, 2022, at the Good Samaritan Society in Ellsworth. She was born Nov. 8, 1921, in Ellsworth to Charles and Mary (Fisher) Grubb. Betty was a lifetime resident of Ellsworth, where she married Robert Charles Gwinner on May 26, 1946.

Margaret Lee Pierson, 74, of Kanopolis, passed away Saturday, June 18, 2022, in Ellsworth. She was born Oct. 20, 1947, in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisc., to Richard and Ruth (Geschke) Bates. Margaret married Larry Houk on March 9, 1963. After Larry’s passing June 12, she later married Jerry Pierson on Aug.

Joyce Irene Webb, 74, passed away Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at her home in Ellsworth.She was born Dec. 19, 1947 in Ellsworth to Russell and Rosaline (Schultz) Lyne.

Shirley F. Kempke, 86, passed away Monday, May 30, 2022, in Ellsworth.She was born Aug. 13, 1935, in Carneiro to Lowell and Mary (Sneath) Headley.Shirley was a lifetime resident of Ellsworth County where she graduated from Ellsworth High School. She married Floyd W. Kempke Nov.

LaDonna Mae Griffis, 90, of Lyons, Kan., passed away Dec. 1, 2021, at Sterling Village, Sterling, Kan.A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 4, 2022 at the First United Methodist Church, Lyons, with Pastor Kim Shank officiating.

Willis Steven ‘Steve’ Nelson, 73, passed away Monday, May 30, 2022, in Goddard, Kan.He was born March 12, 1949, in Salina, Kan. to Willis Lex Nelson and Yvonne Faithe (Swisher) Nelson.Steve was a longtime resident of Southern Lincoln County where he was a stockman and farmer.

Jeannie Marie Mater, 78, beloved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, died at her home in Hoisington, surrounded by family May 27, 2022.She was born Aug. 25, 1944, in Ellsworth, Kan., the daughter of Walter ‘Earl’ and Myrtle Nora (Maynard) Thornton.

Ronald Keith Rathbun, 93, passed away Wednesday, May 25, 2022, in Ellsworth, Kan. He was born Feb. 5, 1929 in Carneiro, Kan. to Cleo and Jessie (Johnson) Rathbun.Ronald was a longtime resident of Ellsworth County where he was a farmer and stockman.

Alvin Dean ‘Al’ Miles, 82, of Minneapolis, Kan. was born March 18, 1940, the fifth child of Earl Lee and Susan Edna (Burger) Miles at their farmstead between Halstead and Newton, Kan.

John Dlabal passed peacefully at home Thursday morning, May 19, 2022 surrounded by family.The first of eight children, John Jr. was born to his parents Philomena and John Sr. on a remote farm situated a few miles north of Wilson, Kan.