Obituaries

James. F. “Jim” Vanek, Jr., 73, Hays, died Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020 at UCHealth Hospital in Aurora, Colo. He was born April 16, 1946 in Ellsworth, Kan., the son of James and Anna (Bachura) Vanek.

Arnold P. Kratky, 68, passed away Jan. 25. 2020, at Clearwater, Kan. He was born May 29, 1951 in Topeka, Kan. to Paul and Emma (Adamek) Kratky. He is survived by a daughter, Afton (Jed) Jones, Clearwater; and grandchildren, Kolton and Brantley Jones.

JoEllen Freeman, 62, passed away Jan. 19, 2020 in Ellsworth. She was born Dec. 26, 1957 in Scottsbluff, Neb. to Forrest and Jeanette (Jacobi) Salyers. She married Jeffrey Freeman in Ellsworth Dec. 3, 1977 and worked as a sales assistant at Cashco, Inc. in Ellsworth.

Robert C. ‘Bob’ Malir, 87, of Wilson passed away Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020.  He was born April 16, 1932 to RC and Emma Posusta Malir on the family farm south of Wilson.  He attended the one room stone school “Ziska” in Noble Township.

Eric Roger Geier, 41, died Jan. 16, 2020 at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kan. after a short battle with cancer. Eric was born Jan. 26, 1978 in Garden City, the son of Richard Geier and Laura Jane ‘Janie’ Rogers Wimmer. Eric graduated from Garden City High School, Class of 1996.

James C. Vance, 84, passed away Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. He was born March 30, 1935 in Ashland, the son of Coy and Nona (Jordan) Vance. James was a Claflin resident.

Richard DeWayne ‘Dick’ Mitchell, 91, passed away Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020, at his home in Ellsworth. He was born March 23, 1928 in Fairbury, Neb. to Harold and Alma (Ellington) Mitchell. Dick was a longtime resident of Ellsworth and telegraph operator for the Union Pacific Railroad.

Alvin Jay ‘Squeak’ Svoboda, 89, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020 in Hutchinson. He was born March 5, 1930 in Stapleton, Neb. to Alfred and Josephine (Brosius) Svoboda. Alvin was a longtime resident of Ellsworth where he worked for Kansas Gas Service for 43 years.

Kenneth G. ‘Kenny’ Woodbury Sr., 72, passed away Jan. 12, 2020 in Salina. He was born April 15, 1947 in Denver, Colo. to George and Vera (Terrell) Woodbury. Kenny was a longtime resident of Kanopolis where he was a manager for American Colloid and a truck driver for Acme Brick.

Matthew W. Lutz of Garden City, Kan. passed away Jan. 6, 2020 in Providence, R.I. in a hospice house surrounded by family.  A burial of remains and memorial service will be held at a later date in Ellsworth, Kan.   Matthew was born Nov. 19, 1977 in Ellsworth, Kan.