Betty Mae Schwant
1946-2017
SENECA – Betty Mae Schwant, 71, of Seneca, died Saturday, July 8, 2017 at her home.
She was born April 5, 1946 at the Onaga Hospital to Ward and Genevieve Wege Schwartz. She attended Onaga Grade School and High School, graduating in 1964.
Betty attended Crum’s Beauty School in June of 1964 and graduated in March of 1965. She worked alongside her twin sister Pat in Council Grove for one year before moving to Topeka and working in the J.C. Penney Styling Salon.
She was a member of the First Lutheran Church in Sabetha.
Betty married Eldon Schwant on October 9, 1966 at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Wheaton. He survives, of the home. Betty and Eldon lived in Manhattan until Eldon finished college. They then lived in Clay Center, Osborne and Yates Center before moving to Seneca for his final job placement in 1976. There Betty owned and operated the Hair Affair beauty salon in her home. She also worked various jobs around town.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ward Schwartz and Genevieve Myers, and her step-father Charles Myers.
Other survivors include a son, Scott Schwant (Kristina), Holts Summit, MO; two daughters, Lori Jones, Dearborn, MO and Amy Isaacs (Matthew), Tonganoxie; nine grandchildren, Nathan, Noah, Sara, Hanna, Gavin, Peyton, Tucker, Adam and Sage; one brother, Lee Schwartz (Marilyn), Onaga; two sisters, her twin, Pat Becker (Leon), Centralia and Carol McCormick (Jim), Blaine; a brother and sister-in-law, Dan and Janice Harris, Junction City; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Betty was known for her friendly smile and loving, giving heart. Her family was her life. In her younger days she enjoyed cooking and camping with family and friends.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 14th at the First Congregational Church, UCC in Onaga. Burial will follow in the Onaga Cemetery. Betty will lie in state Thursday at the Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Onaga where a Prayer Service will be held at 6:30 p.m., followed by visitation until 8:00 p.m. Memorials are suggested to the Betty Schwant Memorial Fund, to be designated later, and may be sent in care of Chapel Oaks Funeral Home, P.O. Box 312, Onaga, 66521.
Gelena G. Pulliam
1916-2017
Gelena G. Pulliam, 100, Cedar Rapids, IA, passed away Thursday June
29, 2017. She is survived by her daughter, Pamela Cleveland;
granddaughter, Kristen Channel (Daniel); three great-grandchildren,
James, Shelby, Anna; and one nephew, Sherrill Dashner (Criss).
Graveside Farewell Services & Inurnment 11:00 A.M. Wednesday,
Memorial Park Cemetery. The procession will leave from Meierhoffer
Funeral Home & Crematory.
E. E. Neel, Jr.
1944-2017
E. E. Neel, Jr., 73, St. Joseph, Missouri passed away Friday, July 7, 2017 at his home.
He was born in Whitt, Texas to Eutus and Dorothy (Gilmore) Neel. He married Gail Privette on April 18, 1964, she survives of the home.
He retired from Ideker Inc. as a Party Chief of a surveying team after 20 years of service.
He enjoyed fishing and music.
He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Beverly Coburn and sister, Dorothy Neel.
Survivors also include son, Jack Neel (Jannette); daughters, Kim Neel (Rob Bryant) and Kelly Neel; seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Mr. Neel’s body was donated to science and there will be a Celebration of Life 4:00 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. Tuesday, Castle Bridge Event Center.
Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com.
Sheryl Ann (Nicholson) Stamp
1948-2017
Sheryl Ann (Nicholson) Stamp, 68, St. Joseph, Missouri passed away after a year and half long battle with cancer, on Thursday, July 6, 2017 at a health care facility.
She was born October 16, 1948 to Kenneth and Pauline (Ungles) Nicholson.
Sheryl was a graduate of Lafayette High School and worked for the Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 45 for over 20 years, retiring in 2010.
She loved to be active, walk her dog, Savannah, and spending time traveling; especially to the beach.
Sheryl was preceded in death by her parents.
Survivors include son, Scott Stamp (Susan); brother, Richard Nicholson (Jeanne); grandson, Evan Stamp; nephew, Brad Nicholson; and pet dog, Savannah.
Private Farewell Services under the direction of Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. The family requests memorials made to Three Rivers Hospice. Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com.
William “Bill” Walker
1935 – 2017
William “Bill” Walker, 81, St. Joseph, Missouri passed away Monday
July 3, 2017.
Farewell Services 1:00 P.M. Friday, July 14, 2017, Wyatt Park
Christian Church, Dr. Scott Killgore officiating. Inurnment Memorial Park
Cemetery with Military Honors. The family will gather with friends 12:00
Noon to 1:00 P.M. Friday, at the church. The family requests memorials
to YWCA or Wyatt Park Christian Church.
Brabara Elaine Braswell
1949-2017
Barbara Elaine Braswell 68, of Saint Joseph, Missouri passed away Sunday, July 2, 2017 in a Saint Joseph, MO health care center. She was born January 30, 1949 in Miami, FL, daughter of the late Helen and Dewey Bryant. She was a Homemaker. She loved to sit around the table and sing with her family. She loved playing games like yahtzee and bingo, and she loved to dance with her husband and her friends. She loved unconditionally, and she was the center of her family. To know her was to love her. She was a Christian. Barbara was preceded in death by husband, Colby Braswell, her parents, and 2 brothers, Robert and Roy Bryant. Survivors include; three daughters, Leslie Lane, Stacy Braswell (Michael Verbick) Braswell both of St. Joseph, MO, and Tracy (Eric) Bevers, Flower Mound, TX, 7 grandchildren, Jordan, Jacob, Jesse, Cameron, Miranda, Noah, and Leah, and brother, David (Frances) Bryant of Comanche, TX.
A Memorial Service will be held at a later date. The Inurnment will be at the National Cemetery, Dallas – Fort Worth, TX.
Pamelia Kay Ashler
1950-2017
Pamelia Kay Ashler 67, of St. Joseph, Missouri passed away Thursday, July 6, 2017 at KU Medical Center. She was born June 20, 1950 in Plattsburg, Missouri daughter of the late Hazel & Thomas Belcher. She worked at Meril In Home Care, as a caregiver. Pamelia was preceded in death by her husband, John Louin Ashler Jr, her parents, sisters, Delores Baggio and Ruth Limley, and two grandchildren: Lyndy and Taylor Ashler. Survivors include: daughters, Michelle (Ralph) Pyles, Larine (Richard) Palmer, Tina (Randy) Hatton all of St. Joseph, MO, Annette Keithley, Lee’s Summit, MO, and Laura McDowell of CO, son, Christopher (Kandy) Asher, St. Joseph, MO, grandchildren: Amy, Ashley, Cody, Jonathan, Colton, Jason, Jazmine, Triston, Frank, Olivia, Mandi, Jessica, Chad, and Kristi, brothers, Thomas and Lewis Belcher, sisters, Frances (Addis) Laughlin and Karen Melsness. The family will receive friends from 6-7 PM Tuesday with a Celebration of Life to be conducted at 7:00 PM Tuesday at the Rupp Funeral Home.
Patricia “Joann” (McClain) Rollett
1952-2017
Patricia “Joann” (McClain) Rollett 65, of Saint Joseph, Missouri, passed away Thursday, July 6, 2017 at her home. She was born March 29, 1952 in Blair, KS, daughter of the late Frances and Dock McClain. She married James Rollett on September 23, 2008 and he survives of the home. She worked as a Nurses Aid and at the Salvation Army. She enjoyed bingo, the casino, camping and computer games, and was a Christian. Joann was preceded in death by parents, and a sister, Virginia McClain. Survivors include, husband, James of the home, sons, Pete McClain, Brian McClain, and James McClain all of St. Joseph, MO, daughters, Teresa (Howdy) Griggs, and Misty (Joshua) Pritchett, brothers, Dock, Bobby, and Johnny McClain, sister, Tammy (Willie) Bascue all of St. Joseph, MO, 19 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 pm, on Monday, July 10, 2017 at Rupp Funeral Home, with Rev. James Kerns officiating, The family will receive friends from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Sunday at the Rupp Funeral Home. The Interment will be at the Mount Olivet Cemetery. Memorials are requested to the Joann Rollett Memorial Fund in care of Rupp Funeral Home.
Paul E. Dittemore
1928-2017
Paul died peacefully in his sleep in Highland, Kansas on July 3, 2017, just shy of his 89th birthday. He was born July 5, 1928 at the family home near Severance, Kansas, the son of Closky James Dittemore and Etta Elizabeth Lewis. He had just started his first year of school in Severance in 1934 when the family lost their farm in the Depression and moved to a three-room filling station in Troy with no heat or plumbing. He graduated from Troy High School in 1946 as President of his class and President of the Troy chapter of the National Honor Society. He received an Associate in Science Certificate in 1949 from St. Joseph Missouri Junior College, after having to drop out twice to work. With financial assistance from his brother Calvin, he was able to enroll in Kansas State University and graduated in 1952 with a BS in Architectural Engineering.
After graduation, Paul returned to Troy and in 1955 started a construction business in rented space. In 1960 he bought the building where he was renting (now the home of the Doniphan County Library). He specialized in light commercial and residential remodeling, and for many years did most of the work on the Doniphan County Courthouse and the buildings of USD#429 school district. He also served as state inspector on the construction of the National Guard Armory at Troy. He mostly retired from his business around 2005. He claimed he was “fortunately or unfortunately” a much better craftsman than businessman.
From the start, Paul was very involved in the civic life of Troy and Doniphan County. In the late 1950s he and a group of Doniphan County business people created a development plan and zoning ordinance for Doniphan County. This grew into the Doniphan County Planning and Zoning Commission of which he was a member and later Chairman. As a member of that Commission he was a founding member of MO-KAN Regional Council, a council of governments comprised of four counties in Missouri and two in Kansas for the purpose of economic development. He served on the MO-KAN Council for 35 years, as the longest-serving founding member. In the late 1960s, Paul served on the Missouri River Recreation Area Central Committee which explored the potential recreational possibilities in the Kansas Counties bordering the Missouri River. In the 1970s he served on the Northeast Kansas Transportation Advisory Council, and was also a member of the Doniphan County Bicentennial Committee. He served several years on the Doniphan County Economic Development Commission. The Doniphan County Chamber of Commerce honored him one year with their “Quiet Hero” award.
For 25 years he was involved in Troy city government as Councilman, Council President and Mayor. He stayed active in Troy’s civic and social life as a member of the Troy Kiwanis Club, a deacon and member of the board of the Troy Christian Church, a troop Committeeman and member of the Executive Board of the Pony Express Council of the Boy Scouts, and a long-time member and Secretary-Treasurer of the Mt. Olive Cemetery Association. He taught Engineering Graphics I and II at Highland Community College for 25 years. After installing bowling lanes for a customer in the late 1950s he became a bowling enthusiast, sponsoring a team and serving as secretary-treasurer of the Merchants League for many years.
Paul was a real history buff and became an expert on the history of Doniphan County. He was a Life Member of the Kansas State Historical Society and a member and past chairman of the Doniphan County Heritage Commission, which develops historical districts and recommends properties for state and national historical registry. As a member of the Doniphan County Historical Society, he provided technical assistance, labor, tools and materials for the restoration of the Nelson Rogers home, the oldest surviving building in Troy, and the related museum. He was a member and preservation officer of the Gateway Chapter of the Oregon California Trails Association.
Paul enlisted and served nine years in the Service Battery, 154th Field Artillery Battalion, 35th Division of the Kansas National Guard, eight of them as Company Clerk.
He will be remembered as a good friend and valued member of his family and community. He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Calvin Dittemore and his sister Dorothy Dowden. He is survived by his brother James C. Dittemore of Olathe KS, nephews Roger Dowden of Loveland CO and David Dowden of Malone NY, and nieces Pamela Griffin of Omaha, NE, Janna McGee of Leander TX, Mori Watson of Sherman TX, Brenda Lawrenson of Volin SD, and Robin Meyen of Wichita KS.
Graveside services and burial, 10:30 A.M., Tuesday, July 11 at the Mount Olive Cemetery in Troy. There is no scheduled visitation. A memorial service will be scheduled and announced by late summer. Donations in lieu of flowers are requested, to the Doniphan County Historical Society, the Mt. Olive Cemetery Association or the Troy Christian Church.
Sheryl Ann (Nicholson) Stamp
1948-2017
Sheryl Ann (Nicholson) Stamp, 68, St. Joseph, Missouri passed away after a year and half long battle with cancer, on Thursday, July 6, 2017 at a health care facility.
She was born October 16, 1948 to Kenneth and Pauline (Ungles) Nicholson.
Sheryl was a graduate of Lafayette High School and worked for the Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 45 for over 20 years, retiring in 2010.
She loved to be active, walk her dog, Savannah, and spending time traveling; especially to the beach.
Sheryl was preceded in death by her parents.
Survivors include son, Scott Stamp (Susan); brother, Richard Nicholson (Jeanne); grandson, Evan Stamp; nephew, Brad Nicholson; and pet dog, Savannah.
Private Farewell Services under the direction of Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. The family requests memorials made to Three Rivers Hospice. Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com.