Obituaries

Ronald Merl Bennett, 77, of Woodland Park, Colo., passed away on Sept. 1, 2025.Born on Nov. 19, 1947, in Emporia, Kan., Ronald was the son of Elmer and Opal Bennett and was raised in Ellsworth, Kan.

Billie Jean Wright Kueser, 82, passed away on Aug. 1, 2025, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Mo. She was born Jan. 30, 1943, in Ellsworth, Kan., the only child of William and Mabel (Walker) Wright.

Alene Kaye Grubb, 81 passed away Aug. 4, 2025, at her home in Woodstock, Ga.She was born Aug. 11, 1943, in Russell, Kan., to Albert and Alvina (Schultz) Motzner. She had fond memories of starting life on the farm near Wilson, Kan.

Emil J. Choitz, Jr., 87, passed away Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, surrounded by family at his home in Ellsworth, Kan. He was born Nov. 1, 1937, in Ellsworth County to Emil and Dorothea Choitz. He married Arlene Meier Choitz in Ellsworth on Aug. 20, 1965.

Arthur Jon “Art” Panzer, 77, passed away July 29, 2025, at his home in Ellsworth, Kan. He was born Jan. 2, 1948, in Ellsworth to Arthur Louis Panzer and Selma F. (Hildebrandt) Panzer. Art served in the United States Marine Corps during Vietnam and was a member of the Ellsworth VFW Post 6485.

Jack Bishop Holloway, 83, of Wilson, Kan., peacefully passed away on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at his home.

Ida Mae Dlabal, 104, passed on to her eternal resting place, Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, in Ellsworth, Kan. She was born on Dec. 29, 1920, to Edward and Josephine (Svoboda) Vlcek in Ellsworth, Kan. She graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1938.

Judith “Judy” Ann Brown Gebhardt, 81, of Kanopolis, Kan., passed away July 27, 2025, in Salina, Kan. She was born Sept. 21, 1943, in Wichita, Kan., to James K. Brown and Clara A. (Rogers) Brown.

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Dwight A. Fruechting, 89, of Clarksville, Tenn., at his home, surrounded by family on July 19, 2025, following a long battle with vascular dementia.

Beverly Jean Stroede of Kanopolis, Kan., passed away peacefully July 3, 2025, in Overland Park, Kan., at the age of 71. Beverly was born on March 27, 1954, in Ellsworth, Kan., to Virginia (Forrest) and Jack D. Avis.Beverly graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1972.