Gary Shane Linck
1956 – 2019

TROY, KANSAS – Gary Shane Linck, 62, of Troy, Kansas passed away Monday morning, February 25, 2019 at a St. Joseph, Missouri hospital.

Gary was born on July 7, 1956 at Oak Harbor, Washington to Leo & Shirley (Blasi) Linck. He grew up in California and graduated from Soquel High School and earned an associates degree from Cabrilla College. He was very active in 4-H and was awarded 4-H All Star Leader. He worked at the County Bank. He also farmed and raised registered Polled Herefords with his dad over in Brown County. He was very artistically talented and shared that talent with many. He was also a great photographer. Gary had worked for Walmart for over 25 years, currently at the South Belt location in St. Joseph, Missouri.

He was a member of the St. Charles Catholic Church in Troy, Kansas.

Gary married Jacqueline “Jackie” Dawe on August 6, 1988 in Troy, Kansas. She survives of the home. He was preceded in death by his father, and by his sister Sandra.

Additional survivors include: mother, Shirley Linck of Los Gatos, California; sister, Valerie Straub of Sebastian, Florida; brother, Wayne Linck of Los Gatos, California; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins & friends.

MASS: 11:00 A.M. Saturday, March 2, 2019.

At: St. Charles Catholic Church in Troy, Kansas.

Rosary: 6 P.M. Friday evening at the Harman-Rohde Funeral Home, Troy, Ks., with visitation to follow until 8:00 P.M. Friends may call after 9:00 A.M., Friday.

Burial: Mount Olive Cemetery, Troy, Kansas.

Memorials: St. Charles Catholic Church or the Library District #1, both of Troy, Kansas.

 

Carl Lay
1939 – 2019

Carl Lay, 79, Savannah, Missouri, passed away Wednesday, February 27, 2018. He was born August 31, 1939 in Versailles, Kentucky.

Carl enjoyed fishing, camping, road-trips and fixing things.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Morris and Elizabeth (Cook) Lay. Survivors include daughters, Summer Flanagan (David) and April Jack; grandchildren, Fawn, Nora-Blu, and Courtland Jack, Avery Waddle, Dixie Swomley, Cooper and Eliana Flanagan; great-grandson, Damien Jack; brother, Daniel Lay; nephew, Corey Couch.

Natural Farewell under the direction of Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations to the National Alzheimer’s Association. Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com.

 

Olive “Joy” Schiesl
1922 – 2019

Olive “Joy” Schiesl, former resident of St. Joseph, Missouri and Chillicothe, Streator, and Joliet, Illinois, died peacefully Sunday evening, February 24, in Arlington Heights, Illinois surrounded by family.

Joy was one of three siblings born to Ruth and Fred Clagg of Erie and Chanute Kansas. She was married to Robert (Bob) Schiesl, LaVerne (Vern) Gasser, and Jack Burnham, all of whom preceeded her in death; along with stepdaughter, Chris Gasser, and her precious “Lolly”.

Mrs. Schiesl spent a lifetime in retail as a jewelry buyer and fashion merchandiser. Many customers welcomed her advice at Einbender’s, The Paris, Al Baskin, Mark Shale, Streator Dry Good and Dunlap Jewelry. She was always known for her fashionable sense of style. Joy also enjoyed a gratifying career with the Mead Corporation, in the St. Joseph factory, and took pleasure in helping others and being the voice for employees on their Dayton HR Board of Directors.

Joy will be forever missed by Son, Billy James (Jane) Burnham of Iowa City, Iowa; Daughter, Judy Burnham Pedersen of Hoffman Estates, Illinois; Grandchildren, Brooke Joy Burnham Haines and Ashley Joy Pedersen (Paul) Miller; Great Grandchildren, Jack and Andrew Haines, and Christian Robert Miller. She also leaves behind Sister in Law, Janet Schiesl and her children Tim, Matthew, Sue and Michael, Nephews: Michael (Ronda) Meierhoffer and Mark Meierhoffer; Niece, Lora Meierhoffer Christian and all of their loving children and grandchildren.

She was also blessed to have had a large group of amazing friends that served as extended family; Bertha Parker, John and Donna Wilson, Vicki Hinde, Ronda Meierhoffer, Shirley Bunse, Larry Culliver, Carol Meyers, Gail Norman, Susie and Jay Waugh, the Thedinger Families, and many others. Without the support and love from such caring individuals, her life wouldn’t have been as full.

Farewell Services 3:00 P.M. Saturday, May 4, 2019, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. The family suggests memorial contributions in Joy’s name to Noyes Home for Children. Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com.

 

Daniel E. Arnold
1954 – 2019

Daniel E. Arnold, 64, died Friday, March 1, 2019 at the Onaga Health and Rehabilitation Center.

He was born June 14, 1954 at Coffeyville, the son of Lloyd Allen and Mary Marie Arnold.

Dan was disabled and was preceded in death by a sister.

Cremation with no services is planned.

 

Joan Crockett
1933 – 2019

Roberta Joan Crockett 85, of DeKalb, Missouri, passed away Thursday, February 28, 2019 at her home. She was born June 4, 1933 in St. Joseph, MO.

She married James “Gene” Crockett on December 23, 1950 in Hiawatha, KS. Joan was a Homemaker. She enjoyed coaching youth softball, camping, fishing, ceramics, and mushroom hunting, but most of all she loved spending time with her grandkids.

She was a member of DeKalb Homecoming Association, Ladies Service Group and the DeKalb Christian Church.

Joan was preceded in death by father, Miles Easter, mother, Marie Easter, step mother Opal Easter, sisters, Joyce Dragoo, Beverly Ardrey, and Patty Keith, step brothers; Vic Kiger, and James Kiger, step sister, Leona Strong. Survivors include, husband, James “Gene” Eugene Crockett of the home, daughters, Pamela M. (James) Farrell and Debbie (Lanny) Krumme, both of Saint Joseph, MO, sons: Richard E. (Sue) Crockett, Aurora, CO, Davy Crockett of the home, grandchildren, Chad Brown, Brandon Crockett, Wesley Crockett, Levi Krumme, Cassie Parker, Samantha Jo Fournier, Lee Ann Farrell-Locklin, James Farrell, Laurie Farrell, Daniel Farrell,, Thomas Farrell, and Kimberly Farrell, great granchildren: Tyler Crockett, Sabestian Crockett, Sabrina Crockett, Maia Krumme, Caden Buntin, Wyatt Parker, Kinley Parker, Paige Gastineau, Sean Shannon, and Amber, great great grandchildren, Michael, Kaleb, Konnor and Lily, and her step brother, Dean (Irene) Kiger.

Funeral services: 10:00 am, Monday, March 4, 2019 at DeKalb Christian Church, Rev. Bob Day 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 Westlawn Cemetery DeKalb, Missouri. Memorials are requested to the DeKalb Christian Church. Online condolence and obituary at www.ruppfuneral.com.

 

Cloud L. “Bud” Cray, Jr.
1922 – 2019

Cloud L. “Bud” Cray Jr. passed away peacefully with his daughters and caretakers by his side at his home in Atchison, Kansas, the morning of February 27, 2019.

Memorial services will be held at 10:00 am on Friday, March 8th, 2019 at the First Presbyterian Church, 302 N. 5th St., Atchison KS, with the Rev. Dr. Rachel Dannar officiating. The family will receive friends on Thursday, March 7th, from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm at the Becker-Dyer-Stanton Funeral Home, 800 Kansas Ave, Atchison, KS. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Mission Creek Camp, founded by Ken & Cathy Scroggs, or the First Presbyterian Church, or the Cray Diabetes Medical Research Foundation, or the Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation and they all may be sent in care of the funeral home. Condolences to the family may be left online at www.beckerdyer.com.

Bud was born on November 7, 1922 to Cloud L. Cray Sr. and Edna Mae in Detroit, Michigan. He shared a birthday with his father.
He spent his youth in Michigan, leaving for Shattuck Military Academy in Minnesota for his senior year in high school.
Bud met the love of his life, Sarah Jane (Sally) Hunter while attending Case School of Applied Science, Cleveland, Ohio, where he graduated with honors in 1943, with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He was active with several groups including Alpha Chi Sigma, Tau Kappa Alpha, Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society, AIChE, Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and was very proud of his participation with the Debate Club, Speakers Bureau, and Photography Club.
He and Sally were married in 1944, the same year he was drafted into the U.S Army. He served in Livorno, Italy, as a Staff Sergeant during World War II and was honorably discharged in 1946.

Bud briefly worked with Dow Chemical Corp. before joining Midwest Solvents Company, now known as MGP Ingredients, Inc., in Atchison as a full time executive in 1947 and became a member of the company’s Board of Directors in 1957. In 1962, he succeeded his father as president of the company. In 1980, one year after his father’s death, Bud became chief executive officer and began his first term as chairman of the Board of Directors, where he served for several years. In 2014 at the age of 90, he once more took on the role of Board Chairman and retired in August, 2015, as Chairman Emeritus.
His community and civic contributions are too numerous to mention, but include a variety of medical, educational, business, and philanthropic endeavors.
Bud was known as “Dr. Cray,” as he tirelessly took care of Sally and her diabetes. They founded the Cray Diabetes Medical Research Foundation at the University of Kansas Medical Center in 1981, now directed by Dr. David Robbins. Bud also cared deeply about Dr. Charles Porter and Mid-America Cardiology at KU Medical Center. The Atchison Hospital Association was another love of his, and he served on the Board of Trustees for nearly 30 years.

Educational ventures included his service as a school board member with the U.S.D. 409 school district. He was very proud to be a charter member of the Human Relations Commission of Atchison in the late 1960’s. He continued to support Atchison Juneteenth until his death. Bud also developed the Atchison Community Education Foundation in partnership with Benedictine College to give a full-ride 4-year scholarship to one at-risk Atchison youth each year; and he and his brother, Dick Cray, founded the Cray Center for Entrepreneurship at Benedictine. He rewarded his and Sally’s alma mater by establishing the Cloud L. Cray and Sally Hunter Cray Center for Innovation in Entrepreneurship in the Think Box at Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Several business and professional organizations benefited from Bud’s philanthropy and service. He was a director for the former City National Bank of Atchison, Commerce Bank of Kansas City, and Security Benefit Life Insurance Company, to name a few.
The United Way was very dear to Bud’s heart. In 1977, he conducted the first successful United Way campaign in Atchison in 17 years. He was also active in projects benefiting the Atchison Family YMCA as a lifelong member. Other leadership efforts in the Atchison community included work on the historic Santa Fe Depot, and the Evah C. Cray Historical Home Museum. The Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce honored Bud with induction into its Hall of Fame. He later was awarded the Cray Vision of Excellence Award created by the Santa Fe Depot Trustees to honor his service to the community.
Bud was a life-long member of the First Presbyterian Church in Atchison, and served for several years as a church elder. Bud and his father, Cloud, created the Presbyterian Community Center endowment which continues to support the Theatre Atchison building to this day. Bud loved teaching adult Sunday School classes for over 50 years. He also worked with the Pony Express Council of the Boy Scouts of America on the executive board and finance steering committee.

Bud enjoyed his time with civic organizations such as Kiwanis, the Elks, and the Masons. He was the longest living member of the Atchison Elks with 70 plus years of membership.

He was proud of his membership with the Young President’s Organization in Kansas City, the Kansas City President’s Organization and World Business Council, which led to many wonderful trips that included his family.

Ringing the Bell at NASDAQ Headquarters in New York City in 2016 at the age of 94 with MGP staff and board members was one of the highlights of his illustrious career.

Family members remember “Farmer Cray” with his love of gardening, driving his tractor and spraying his fruit trees. Whether it was nurturing his strawberries, raspberries and asparagus—or baling hay on the tractor, Bud was a “happy farmer.” He so enjoyed his time at the Lake of the Ozarks surrounded by Sally and his family and sailing in his little Sailfish. In the early years, Bud and Sally liked playing bridge and going to the Frog Hop in St. Joseph to dance with friends. His mornings swimming, evenings by the player piano, and boisterous “Bravos” at all family and theatre performances will always resonate with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Bud forever will be remembered as the eternal optimist who loved his family, MGP and Atchison and thought every experience in life was “the Best!’

Survivors include three daughters, Susan H. (Stephen) Robbins, Red Lodge, MT, Karen L. Seaberg, Atchison, KS, and Cathy L. (Kenneth) Scroggs, Manhattan, KS., a sister Patricia L. Cray (George) Page, Gilbert, SC, six grandchildren, three step grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. His parents, wife Sally, two sons, Kenneth Allen Cray, and an infant baby, a son-in-law, Laidacker (Ladd) Seaberg, brother Richard B. “Dick” Cray, and sister, Barbara A. Jeffries, preceded him in death.