SCRANTON, Kan. – Laura Elaine Badger, 76, formerly of Scranton, Kan., departed this life on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, at the Healthcare Resort, Topeka, Kan. She was born March 11, 1944, in Topeka, the daughter of Walter and Eleanor (Phelon) Smith.

Elaine, as she was known to all, had worked as a registered nurse in hospitals across Kansas. She was a member of the Stormont-Vail Retired Nurses Association, Sunflower Lions Club, Stull United Methodist Church, and a volunteer and on the board of directors of the Schuyler Museum, Burlingame, Kan.

OSAGE CITY, Kan. – Mary Jean Kitt, 67, departed this life on Monday, Oct. 19, 2020, at the Osage Nursing Center, Osage City, Kan. She was born Sept. 24, 1953, in Ottawa, Kan., the daughter of James Matthew and Mary Jane (Toumberlin) LeValley.

She graduated from Ottawa High School in 1971.

Mary was a homemaker for most of her life, raising her two children.

OSAGE CITY, Kan. – Anna LaVerne Kellison, 97, Osage City, passed away Oct. 21, 2020. Mom was born June 30, 1923, in the downstairs bedroom in the family home on Ellinwood Street, in Osage City, Kan. Her parents were George and Leah Regenold.

She had two siblings, Louis (Uncle Buzz) and a sister Louellen (“Auntie”), who were wonderful aunt and uncle to all of us. Mom was the last child in the family and years younger than her siblings. Many times she served as a chaperone for her sister.

OSAGE CITY, Kan. – Joseph P. (Jody) Getsinger Jr., 77, passed away Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020, at Stormont Vail Hospital, Topeka, Kan. Jody Getsinger was born July 28, 1943, in Ashville, N.C., the son of Joseph P. and Lola Mae (Brazil) Getsinger Sr.

He graduated from Osage City High School in 1961.

He was joined in marriage to Linda K. O’Brien on April 20, 1963, in Osage City, Kan.

TONGANOXIE, Kan. – Donald L. Marriott, 77, died Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020, at Legend Healthcare, Tonganoxie, Kan. Donnie was born Aug. 19, 1943, in Osage City, Kan., the son of Russell E. and Vivian K. (Martin) Marriott.

He graduated from Osage City High School in 1961. He attended Washburn University, where he played basketball and was a member of the track team.

QUENEMO, Kan. – Rodney Bill Hull, 75, of Quenemo, Kan., departed this life Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, at the VA Medical Center, Kansas City, Mo. He was born July 1, 1945, in Ottawa, Kan., the son of Walter Orvis and Eula Mae (Blankenbaker) Hull.

Rod graduated from Quenemo High School in 1964. Shortly after high school, Rodney enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving from 1965 to 1971 during the Vietnam War.

QUENEMO, Kan. – Joanne (Hileman) Gaul, 85, of Quenemo, Kan., went to be with Jesus on Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. Joanne was born to John and Janet Hileman, April 29, 1935, in Rural Valley, Penn.

She was a good, old-fashioned country girl.

Joanne married the love of her life, Donnel Gaul, in April 1958. She and Don enjoyed archery competitions, and in the 1960s they were both Pennsylvania state champions. Together they came to know the Lord, and in 1967 they left home and family to go serve as missionaries to the Native Americans, first in South Dakota, and then in Alberton, Mont.

OSAGE CITY, Kan. – David L. McConnell, 69, passed away on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020, at the Brookside Retirement Community in Overbrook, Kan. He was born on June 24, 1951, in Lincoln, Neb., the son of Lloyd and Gladys Horstman McConnell.

David grew up in Nebraska and graduated from Syracuse High School in 1971. He had been in the Osage City community for many years.

MELVERN, Kan. – Jules Reece Malain, 71, of Melvern, Kan., passed away from COVID-19 complications Oct. 13, 2020. Jules was born Jan. 15, 1949, in Vancouver, Wash., to Arthur Leo Malain and Fanny Isobel Bloom.

Jules co-owned and operated Kathy’s Kitchen with his wife, Kathy Young, in Melvern. Jules was a brilliant mechanic, plumber, electrician, chef, musician, and inventor.

MELVERN, Kan. – Dale Lee Wallace, 42, departed this life on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020, at his home in Melvern, Kan. He was born May 15, 1978, in Ottawa, Kan., the son of Raymond Lee and Lisa (Siege) Wallace . He graduated from Marais des Cygnes Valley High School in 1996.

Dale had lived most of his life in Melvern, but had lived for 10 years in Newton, Kan.

OSAGE CITY, Kan. – Florence Ila Ferdinand, 98, passed away Monday, Oct. 12, 2020, at Vintage Park, Osage City, Kan. Florence Ila McCreight was born Sept. 8, 1922, on the family farm southwest of Lyndon, Kan., the daughter of Clarence Edgar and Florence Augsta (Umdenstock) McCreight.

Florence graduated from Lyndon High School in 1941.

Florence was joined in marriage to Harold L. “Jack” Ferdinand, Feb. 5, 1950, in Topeka, Kan. She was a farm wife and homemaker on their dairy farm.

LYNDON, Kan. – Dale LaRue (Biggin) Doles Jr., 42, of Lyndon, Kan., passed away Friday, Oct. 9, 2020, at KU Medical Center. Dale was born Nov. 28, 1977. He is the son of Dale LaRue Doles Sr. and Angelina Marie Goucher.

Dale grew up in the Gardner and Edgerton, Kan., area, and was expected to graduate in 1996, but his rebel ways took him on a different path.

He married the love of his life, Kelly Bell, in 1996. Dale’s pride and joy was his family.

LYNDON, Kan. – Bruce Tevis, 62, passed away on Monday, Oct. 5, 2020, at his home in Lyndon, Kan. He was born March 11, 1958, in El Paso, Texas, the son of Lee and Ira Taylor Tevis.

Bruce had lived most of his life in the Lyndon community. He graduated from Lyndon High School in 1976. Bruce worked most of his life in construction and was a crane operator for many years.

LYNDON, Kan. – James “Jim” Ralph Hendrix, 79, of Lyndon, Kan., departed this life on Oct. 3, 2020, at the Kansas Rehabilitation Hospital, Topeka, Kan. He was born April 25, 1941, in Grantville, Kan.

Jim graduated from Topeka High School in 1959. After high school, on July 6, 1959, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He was an artillery weapons repairman and was honorably discharged July 5, 1963, earning the rank of corporal.

NEW STRAWN, Kan. – Arlo “Leon” Payne, age 76, of New Strawn, Kan., passed away Wednesday morning, Sept. 30, 2020, at St. Francis Hospital, Topeka, Kan. Leon was born in Larned, Kan., on Dec. 30, 1943, to Amy (Newell) Payne and John Howard Payne.

He graduated from Wichita High School South in 1963. He married his high school sweetheart, Lola Kathleen “Kathy” Lemon, on Feb. 14, 1964. They had three sons.

OSAGE CITY, Kan. – Linda Jo Wright, 64, of Osage City, Kan., passed away July 25, 2020. She was born Oct. 9, 1955, in Topeka, Kan., the daughter of Marjorie and Eldon Wright.

Linda grew up in Topeka.

HARTFORD, Kan. – Cynthia Jane Roller, 73, passed away Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, at Stormont-Vail Hospital, Topeka, Kan. She was born Aug. 8, 1947, in Topeka, the daughter of David C. and Kathryn Smith Chesler.

Cynthia’s father served in the military, which caused her family to move throughout Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri during her childhood. Cynthia attended Bible college in Missouri, and would eventually become an ordained minister in the Christian Church.

She was joined in marriage to Robert G. Roller, July 18, 2001, in Osage City, Kan.

READING, Kan. – Norma Jean Failing, 86, formerly of Reading, Kan., passed away Monday, Sept. 28, 2020, at the Holiday Resort Care Center, Emporia, Kan. She was born Oct. 16, 1933, in Osage County east of Reading, the daughter of Dan and Elva Jackson Griffith.

Norma attended a one-room school (Ireland No. 76) through the third grade. She attended Reading Grade School and later Reading High School, where she graduated with the class of 1951.

POMONA, Kan. – Robert G. Langley, 75, passed away on Monday, Sept. 28, 2020, at Midland Hospice House, Topeka, Kan. He was born Jan. 22, 1945, in Pomona, Kan., the son of Lawrence and Dortha Todd Langley.

Bob graduated from Pomona High School in 1963. He grew up most of his life in Pomona, and had been a camp host at lakes in Texas and Kansas in the last 12 years.

LEBO, Kan. – Kathleen May “Blondie” Botkin, 71, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 at Stormont-Vail Hospital, Topeka, Kan. She was born Aug. 18, 1949, in Osage City, Kan., the daughter of Fred and Lillian Wyrick Criqui.

She spent the first years of childhood in Melvern, Kan., before her family moved to Lebo, Kan., during her early teen years.

Kathleen was joined in marriage to David Ray Botkin Sr., Dec. 17, 1966, at Lebo Baptist Church, where she and her husband were lifelong members.

TOPEKA, Kan. – Robert Kenneth Hitt, 72, formerly of Topeka, Kan., passed away Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, at Liberty Hospital, Liberty, Mo. He was born Oct. 10, 1947, in Providence, R.I., the son of Reagan and Marie Jeanette (Smith) Hitt.

He lived his early years in Dallas, Texas. He attended Bryan Adams High School, and was active in the ROTC all four years.