Sister Mary Owen Leutloff, OSB, 100, a Benedictine sister of Mount St. Scholastica, Atchison, Kans., died Thursday, June 6, 2019, at the monastery. The vigil service will be Tuesday, June 11 at 7 p.m. in the monastery chapel, and the Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated there Wednesday, June 12 at 10:30 a.m.

Sister Mary Owen was born in St. Anne, Ill., the only child of Mary and James Leutloff. After graduating from St. Patrick High School in Kankakee, Ill., she worked as a parish secretary and sacristan in Kankakee, Ill., and then as a bookkeeper in Hanover, Kan. She entered the Benedictine community of Mount St. Scholastica in January of 1946. She earned a master’s degree in elementary administration from Northwest Missouri State University and taught at parish schools in Defiance, Ia.; Atkinson, Neb.; and in Kansas at Westphalia, Valley Falls, Horton, Topeka, Wamego, Seneca, Marysville and Kansas City for over 40 years. With her love of gardening and science, she worked in the monastery maintenance department after retiring from teaching, and also assisted in the monastery library. Her other interests included reading and various needlecrafts. She was able to enjoy a celebration of her one hundredth birthday, April 28th of this year.

Sister Mary Owen was preceded in death by her parents and is survived by cousins and her monastic family. Becker-Dyer-Stanton Funeral Home (www.beckerdyer.com) is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be sent to Mount St. Scholastica or made online at the Mount’s web site (www.mountosb.org).

Priscilla J. Fleek, 90, Shawnee, Kansas, formerly of St. Joseph, Missouri passed away Friday, May 31, 2019.
She was born July 16, 1928 in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Priscilla was a member of the American Legion Post 327, Elks Club and Eagles Lodge. Priscilla owned and operated Sunflower Answering Service in Leavenworth, Kansas for over 25 years with her close friends, Debbie Netherton Carman and Sheila Renensland Jackson as her main employees. She later volunteered in the maternity ward at Shawnee Mission Medical Center until 2017.

Priscilla enjoyed traveling, bowling, gardening, and loved to socialize. She was an admired and well respected woman who loved everyone with whom she came in contact.
She was preceded in death by her son, Dennis Zawodny; grandson, Michael Zawodny; former husband’s, Gene V. Fleek and the love of her life, Floyd Smith, with whom she spent her final years; parents, John Boy (Marie)and Georgia (Pearson) Bailey (Kenneth).

Survivors include beloved granddaughter, Scarlett (Zawodny) Housworth; great-grandchildren, Kayla Barden, Donald “Bean” Barden, Jr. (Destiny), Kali Barden, Kami Housworth, and a son of Michael’s; great-great grandchildren, Brooklynn, Marley, Ollie and Brody Barden, whom was born shortly after Priscilla’s passing, and 3 of Michael’s grandchildren; daughter-in-law, Alberta Zawodny.

Natural Farewell under the direction of Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. Memorial Service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the National Network to End Domestic Violence. Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com.

Donnie E. Meyer, 88, St. Joseph, Missouri, passed away Thursday, June 6, 2019.

He was born March 2, 1931 in St. Joseph, Missouri to Mertain and Johanna (Benitz) Meyer.
Donnie married Patricia A. Taylor November 20,1955 at St. Peter Lutheran Church in St. Joseph, Missouri. She survives of the home.

He was a member of St. Peter Lutheran Church. Donnie retired from Borden, Inc. (Guy’s Potato Chips) and Super 8 Motel.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Frederick Meyer, Bismarck, ND and Kenneth Meyer, St. Joseph, Missouri.

Additional survivors include son, Steven E. Meyer (Judith), St. Joseph, Missouri; daughter, Taylor A. Ludlam (Mike), Oak Grove, Missouri; six grandchildren, Megan Meyer, Maureen Ueligger (Johnathan), Jeffrey Meyer (Lauren), Mitchell, Colton and Nicholas Askew (Jessica); one great-grandchild, Benjamin P. Ueligger; numerous nieces and nephews.

Farewell Services 10:00 A.M. Saturday, St. Peter Lutheran Church. Interment Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will gather with friends 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Friday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to St. Peter Lutheran Church. Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com.

Maxine Flora-Reed 88, of Saint Joseph, Missouri, passed away Wednesday, June 5, 2019 in a Saint Joseph, MO health care center.

She was born September 23, 1930 in St. Joseph, MO, daughter of the late Hester and James Cline Sr. She graduated from Faucett High School, and worked at Whitaker Cable until it closed, then the Missouri Methodist Medical Center. She enjoyed, cooking, hosting family dinners and crocheting. She was a member of and Hillcrest Bible Church.

Maxine was preceded in death by: 1st husband, Willie Flora, 2nd husband, Sanford Roy Reed, Jr., her parents, 3 sisters and 3 brothers.

Survivors include: sons, Richard (Lynn) Flora, Faucett, MO, Bill (Teresa) Smith, Faucett, MO, and Robert (Ronda) Everett, Jr., Stewartsville, MO, daughter, Rhodine (Neil) Arnold, Juneau, AK, daughter, Jenny Lou (Tom) Donaldson, Rushville, MO, and Sherry (Dan) Jones, Rushville, MO, step sons, Emmett (Diane) Flora, Kenneth (Marcia) Flora, and James Flora, 16 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren, 4 great-great grandchildren, two brothers; James (Jackie) Cline Jr., and David (Linda) Cline.

Funeral services: 2:00 pm Saturday, June 8, 2019 at Rupp Funeral Home, Rev. Thomas Frisby officiating. The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Friday at the Rupp Funeral Home. The Interment will be at the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Weston, Missouri. Memorials are requested to the Hillcrest Bible Church or Charity of Donor’s Choice.

Wanda J. Hernandez Stewart, 80, St. Joseph, Missouri, passed away Monday, June 3, 2019.
She was born August 7, 1938 in Sparks, Kansas.

Wanda married David (Richard) Hernandez February 15, 1958. He preceded her in death April 7, 1989. She later married Clarence D. Stewart December 3, 1993. He preceded her in death May 30, 2011.

She was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church and Pony Express Chapter of A.B.W.A.

She enjoyed playing cards, quilting, gardening, watching the game show network, Price is Right, and cooking channel. Wanda was an avid Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs Fan but most of all she enjoyed spending time with the family.

She was also preceded in death by her parents, James and Opal (Harness) Frasher; brothers, Dean and James A. Frasher; son-in-law, Aaron Reil; several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

Survivors include children, Debbie Giannattasio (Larry), Rick Hernandez (Julie), Tricia L. Reil; step-children, David Stewart (Wanda), Cheryl Eisenhauer, Steven Stewart; sister, Sharon Jones; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Farewell Services 1:00 P.M. Friday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. Interment Mount Olivet Cemetery.

Parish Rosary 6:00 P.M. Thursday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. The family will gather with friends 6:30 to 8:00 P.M. Thursday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to Mosaic Hospice, the American Cancer Society or the American Heart Association. Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com.

Dona Richardson Kemmer, 87, St. Joseph, Missouri, passed away Sunday, June 2, 2019.

She was born on August 7, 1931 in St. Joseph, Missouri to the late Lloyd E. and Nadine Christian Richardson.
Dona married John D. Kemmer and celebrated 63 years of marriage before he preceded her in death.

She was a graduate of the Convent of the Sacred Heart, and also attended Mt. St. Scholastica in Atchison, Kansas, and Quincy University in Quincy, Illinois. Dona was a lifelong member of the St. Joseph Cathedral Church, was a past president of St. Anne’s Altar Society, and sang in the adult choir she joined in 1944 after graduating from grade school. She also sang in the choir at St. Cecelia’s Catholic Church in Clearwater, Florida, where her and John would spend their winters. Dona was also a Cantor for over 30 years.

Dona and her late husband John enjoyed traveling across the United States and Canada in their RV. They also traveled extensively through Europe, where they visited first cousins, and John’s parents in Germany. Dona and John would share pictures of their trips with the St. Joseph Camera Club, including photos of trip to Russia and other “iron curtain” countries, as well as a trip to China before “modern changes.”

For over 40 years, Dona enjoyed painting on porcelain. She was the founding president of two porcelain painting clubs, was a member of the St. Petersburg Porcelain Painters in Florida, and Hamilton, Missouri Club. A number of her paintings were exhibited in The World Museum of Porcelain Painting in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as well as published works in porcelain trade magazines.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and sister Erma Richardson Parisoff.

Survivors include children; John Christian Kemmer, Kathy Schwamberger (Thomas), grandchildren; Aaron Michael Kemmer, John Robert Kemmer, and Christian Schwamberger, great-grandchildren; Ashlynn, Maverick, and Thomas Schwamberger, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Farewell Services 10:00 A.M. Thursday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. Interment St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery, Easton, Missouri. The family will gather with friends 5:30 to 7:30 P.M. Wednesday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com.

Gayle Ann (Hart) Hamlin, 78, of St. Joseph, died unexpectedly June 3, 2019.  Gayle was born July 6, 1940 in St. Joseph, to Guy V. and Frances (Ragland) Hart.

She was a graduate of Central High School.  She worked for KARE radio and Valley Hope in Atchison; was job coordinator for Alpha Staffing, and had last worked for Esthers Fabric’s.

Gayle married Jack Hamlin on May 31, 1968, in Miami, OK,  and he preceded her in death on April 7, 2019.  Also preceding her in death were her parents, a daughter Dana Brandt, grandson Dallas Hamlin II, and a brother Robert Hart.

Survivors include her children, Mitchell Hamlin, Dallas Hamlin, Ginger Hunninghake (Dick), Rene Hatcher (Jerry), Christopher Hamlin, Jackie Rivera (Pat); 16 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, 6 great-great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews; her beloved dog Dickens; other relatives and friends.

She was of the Lutheran faith.  Gayle loved her family unconditionally.  She loved all the holidays that celebrated others, and loved to decorate for each one.  She was very creative, crafty, and loved to sew.

Memorial contributions to the Wounded Warrior Project would be appreciated.

Services will be Saturday, June 8, 2019, at 11:00 am at Heaton-Bowman-Smith & Sidenfaden Chapel.  Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery.  Visitation will be Friday, June 7, 2019, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.