Donald Perkins

(From Brenner Mortuary)

Donald D. Perkins, 75, of Pittsburg, passed away at 11:26 a.m., Monday, July 30, 2018 at his home.

He was born March 24, 1943 at Hugoton, Kansas, the son of Ralph and Flossie (Leighton) Perkins.

Mr. Perkins served in the United States Army during the Korean War, before being honorably discharged.

On June 18, 1976, he was united in marriage to Wanda Prettyman at Pittsburg. She survives at the family home.

Mr. Perkins worked for Masonite Manufacturing.

In his spare time, he liked to collect license plates and enjoyed working on and selling lawn mowers.

In addition to his wife, Wanda of the home, he is survived by two daughters, Juanita Hodgson and her husband, Tim of Columbus, Kansas and Rebecca Streeter and her husband, Jim of Gardner; a brother, Larry Perkins of Iowa City, Iowa; a sister, Gail Williams and her husband, Dave of Rexford, Kansas; and seven grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday (Aug. 2) at the Brenner Mortuary with Chaplain Melissa George officiating. Burial will follow in the Highland Park Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, where friends may call after 10:00 a.m. Wednesday at the Brenner Mortuary to sign the register book. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be given to the SEK Humane Society. These may be left at or mailed to Brenner Mortuary, 114 E. 4th St., Pittsburg, KS 66762. Online condolences may also be left at www.brennermortuary.com. Arrangements are under the direction of the Brenner Mortuary, Pittsburg, KS.

Charles Gouvion

(From Carson-Wall Funeral Services)

Charles E. Gouvion, 76, of rural St. Paul, unexpectedly passed away at his home on his birthday, early Sunday morning, July 29, 2018.

He was born on July 29, 1942 at Parsons to Ray and Agnes (McKinney) Gouvion He grew up on the family farm near St. Paul and attended Mentor country school until 6th grade and St. Paul School. He graduated from St. Paul High School in 1960.

Charles served in the United States Army Reserves serving as Company Commander of the 1010th Company of Parsons. He was honorably discharged in 1969 as 1st Lieutenant.

Charles worked at the First State Bank in Pittsburg, and then worked at the Girard National Bank from 1964 until his retirement in 2006. Charles served as a Loan Officer and Vice President. He currently served on the Bank Board of Directors at the Girard National Bank. He also was a stock-man and farmer and currently owned and operated the Girard insurance Agency.

He enjoyed square dancing with the Gents and Janes Square Dancing Club of Pittsburg, playing cards, traveling, clerking auctions, gardening, and he especially enjoyed his children and grandchildren. He was a faithful member of St. Francis Catholic Church of St. Paul where he served as Lector, Eucharistic Minister, and Usher.

Charles and Mary Jane Carter were united in marriage on February 20, 1965 at St. Francis Catholic Church at St. Paul. She survives of the home.

In addition to his wife, Charles is survived by his son, Daniel Gouvion of Tulsa, OK; his daughters, Diane Coomes of St. Paul and Denise Elsbernd, and her husband, Wayne of Kansas City, MO; his grandchildren, Jason Coomes, and his wife, Lesli of Merriam, KS, Tyler Coomes of St. Paul, Katie Coomes of St. Paul, Allison Elsbernd of North Lake, TX, Michaela Elsbernd of Kansas City, MO, and Lauren Elsbernd of Kansas City, MO; his brother, Ralph Gouvion, and his wife, Viola of St. Paul; his sister-in-law, Carolyn Gouvion of Parsons; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Donald Gouvion; and a son-in-law, Scott Coomes.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, August 1, 2018 at the St. Francis Catholic Church at St. Paul with Father Sam Pinkerton and Father Floyd McKinney co-celebrating. Burial will follow in the St. Francis Cemetery with military honors conducted by the George L. Hendricks Post No. 102 American Legion of Erie. The Parish Rosary will be recited at 7 p.m., Tuesday at the St. Francis Catholic Church in St. Paul with visitation following the rosary. Memorials are suggested to the Prairie Mission Retirement Village Activity Fund and these may be left in care of the Carson-Wall Funeral Home 403 Main St. St. Paul, KS 66771. Online condolences may be left at www.wallfuneralservices.com.

William Stapleton

(From Carson-Wall Funeral Services)

William Walter Stapleton, 56, of Hepler, died at 9:40 a.m., Saturday, July 28, 2018 at his son’s residence in Girard.

William was born October 19, 1961 in West Plains, Missouri, a son of William H. and Mary A. (Winterbower) Stapleton. William grew up in the Hepler and Girard, Kansas areas and graduated from Girard High School in 1980.

He married Melinda Sue Enabnit on June 2, 1984 in the Christian Church in Hepler. She survives of the home.

William worked at KKOW Radio Station at Pittsburg, Peerless in Fort Scott, and for over 30 years at the Crawford County Highway Department.

William enjoyed his family, working on mowers, gardening, listening to Elvis Presley, Cub Cadet Mowers, playing the guitar and singing in the church choir.

William attended the United Methodist Church in Farlington and he was a member and Past Master of the Girard Masonic Lodge No. 93, AF & AM.

Survivors, in addition to his wife, Melinda Sue, of the home, include a son, William Walter Stapleton II, of Girard; a daughter, Virjillia Suzanne Stapleton, of the home; his brothers, Roger C. Cowan and Jerry Cowan, both of Springfield, Missouri and a sister, Rebecca Comer of Springfield. 

Masonic Services will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday followed by the Memorial services at the United Methodist Church in Farlington with Pastor Dallas Peterson officiating. Burial will be at a later date in the Hepler Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 10:30 a.m.until service time.

Memorials are suggested to the family and these may be left at the church or mailed to their residence, 207 N Western Ave. Girard, Kansas 66743.

Condolences may be sent to www.wallfuneralservices.com

Lori Vinson

(From Bath-Naylor Funeral Home)

Lori E. Vinson, 52, of Pittsburg, died at 12:04pm, Wednesday, July 25, 2018 at the Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas of an illness.

She was born October 25, 1965 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin the daughter of Dennis and Delores Hayes Ricther. She had lived in Pittsburg for the past 20 years, moving from Iola, Kansas. She earned her BS degree from Pittsburg State University.

She married Doran Craig Vinson on July 5, 1999 in Pittsburg and he survives at the home in Pittsburg, Kansas.

Mrs. Vinson was a process associate at Eagle Picher in Pittsburg for the past three years.
Her interests included fishing and gardening.

Survivors in addition to her husband Doran include, two daughters Amelia R. Ihrer and Erin M. Fondren and one son Michael J. Ihrer all of Pittsburg, her mother Delores Bradshaw of Melrose, Wisconsin, one sister Stephanie Galicia of Ripon, Wisconsin, three grandchildren.

Arrangements are by the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home & Crematory, 522 S. Broadway in Pittsburg, KS. Condolences may be left at our web site www.bathnaylor.com.

Betty Dehon

(From Ferry Funeral Home)

Betty June (Jewell) Dehon passed away peacefully at her home at Morningside of Nevada on Wednesday morning, July 25, 2018.

Betty was born on February 20, 1926 in Arcadia, Kansas to Franklin Albert and Maude (Taylor) Jewell. Betty’s early childhood was spent in Arcadia where she attended elementary school and graduated from Crawford County Community High School of Arcadia in 1943.

Teaching was the prominent profession of both sides of her family so, consequently, her parents encouraged her to follow in that field. When she graduated from high school, World War II was in progress, and there was a shortage of teachers. Betty attended the 1943 summer college session at Kansas State Teachers College of Pittsburg, receiving an emergency certificate to teach school in 1943-1944 in the one-room country school located in the northwest part of Arcadia, Corinth District. She extremely enjoyed her eight-month teaching tenure. Her teaching salary was $80/month. During her eight months of teaching, Betty was encouraged by her Aunt Jessie and her good friend, Port Corparan, to join the cadet nurse corps at Mt. Carmel Hospital located in Pittsburg, KS.

In May 1944 Betty enrolled in the cadet nursing corps at Mt. Carmel and graduated in May 1947 with a Diploma in Nursing. She subsequently passed her Kansas State Nursing Board and became a board-certified registered nurse. Upon graduation, Betty first worked in the operating room of Mt. Carmel, both as an assistant and later as Operating Room Director, under the supervision of Dear Sister Mary Herbert.

On July 21, 1950, Betty married Des Dehon, Jr. at the Arma, KS Methodist Parsonage. Their marriage was performed by Rev. William Alexander. Betty and Des then moved to Pittsburg, KS where they resided for four years.

In August of 1954, they moved to Humboldt, KS, as Des had accepted a teaching position in the Humboldt School District. From August 1954-August 1956, Betty worked part-time as a Registered Nurse in Iola, KS. In August 1956, Betty and Des moved to Nevada, MO where Des taught at Nevada High School until his retirement in 1985. In 1958, Betty started her career as the Registered Nurse Night Supervisor in Nevada State Hospital #3. Betty retired from nursing in 1987.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Maude Jewell, husband, Des, brothers Howard Jewell, Franklin Jewell, Eugene Jewell, Charles Jewell, Paul Jewell, and Frederic Allen Jewell, and sister, Donna Cooley. Survivors include her daughter Debra Stacy and her husband James of Nevada, Two sons, Jeff Dehon and his wife Lisa, and Lee Dehon and his wife Beth both of Olathe, KS, grandchildren Brant Lael Stacy, Olathe, Diedra Stacy Lathrop and her husband Kyle, Olathe, Desiree Stacy Overton and her husband Josh Overton, Moundville, MO, Max Dehon, Olathe, KS, Jewell Dehon and Jaycee Dehon, Olathe. Betty is also survived by her great-grandchildren, Liam Lathrop, Leah Lathrop, Jaxon Overton, and step-great-grandchildren, Malakai Overton, Zoe Overton, and Xaerik Overton, and one brother-in-law, Carrol Fleury, Arma , KS.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 1, 2018 at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada with Rev Kay Zimmer officiating. Interment will follow in Newton Burial Park. Friends may call from 8:00 am on Monday, July 30th, until the hour of service on Wednesday. The family will receive friends from 10:00–11:00 a.m. prior to the service on Wednesday.

Those who wish may contribute to the Des and Betty Dehon Memorial Scholarship Fund or to Avalon Hospice c/o Ferry Funeral Home, 301 S. Washington, Nevada, MO 64772.

Jimmie Ann Madden

(From Paul Thomas Funeral Home)


Jimmie Ann Madden of Miami, OK passed from this life Thursday, July 26, 2018 at Quaker Hill Skilled Nursing in Baxter Springs, KS. She was 87.

Jimmie was born December 3, 1930 in Grenola, KS to George Newton and Blanche (Harvey) Thompson. She had lived in Miami most of her life. She attended Oklahoma State University and Emporia State University. Jimmie worked for Dr. Ron Gilbert, DDS in Miami for many years as a dental assistant and in the office. She was a proofreader for American Horseman Magazine in the 1950’s and was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Fairland and the Audubon Society. She was a volunteer at Mount Olive Lutheran School in Miami and a volunteer for the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and Integris Miami Hospital.

Jimmie married Roy Franklin Lewis and later married Preston Madden, both preceded her in death. She also preceded by a son Samuel Booth Lewis and an infant son Charles Thompson Lewis, her parents and 2 sisters.

Survivors include 3 sons Mark Lewis and wife Kaye of Galena, KS, Charles David Lewis of Laramie, WY and John Robert Lewis and wife Lalita of Arlington, TX, her sister Helen Wirth of Grenola, KS, 9 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

Celebration of Life Services will be Thursday, August 2, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at the Paul Thomas Funeral Home Chapel in Miami, OK. Pastor Leo Schroeder will officiate. The family will receive friends after the service. Services have been placed in care of the Paul Thomas Funeral Home and Cremation Service of Miami, OK. Online condolences may be at ww.paulthomasfuneralhomes.com

Rose Kritzer

(From Bath-Naylor Funeral Home)

Rose Kritzer, 91, of Frontenac, Kansas died on Thursday, July 19, 2018 at Comfort Care Homes in Pittsburg, Kansas.

Rosez was born June 12, 1927 in Frontenac to Earl and MaryAnn (Monahan) Morey, Sr. she attended Sacred Heart Catholic School and graduated from Frontenac High School in 1945.

She married James William Kritzer of Frontenac in August 1945, and was a loving wife and partner until his death in March 1982.

Rosez started her professional laboratory career at Mount Carmel Hospital in Pittsburg prior to moving to Derby, Kansas where she worked at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, also spent 26 years in Laboratory Services at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Wichita retiring in September 1988.

Upon returning to her hometown of Frontenac she entered into a retirement job at the Crawford County Health Department where she finally retired in April 2007 at the age of 80.

Prior to later years she was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Derby, Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Frontenac, and Gamma Phi Beta Mothers Club at Wichita State University.

She is survived by her daughter Kimberly (Kritzer), and son in law Hal O’Donnell and grandson Gavin James O’Donnell of Geneva, Illinois. In Addition, she is survived by her sister Virginia Payne of Pittsburg along with nieces Jolene Moriconi (Roy), Mary Gilmore (Mike), Christine Crain (Scott), Babbie Mathews (Dave), Karen Doue, LeeAnne Yartz (Ron), Sandra Shifferdecker, Roseann Chance (Roger), Sharon, Pam, Nancy, Jennifer, Kathy Morey and families along with nephews Mike Payne (Kay), and Jody Merando, George and Jimmy Ray Morey in addition to numerous great nieces and nephews that she loved dearly.

Rosez was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Kriss Yanko, Clara Mae Merando, Elizabeth “Babs” Morey, and Mary Catherine Morey and brothers Jim, Pete, Bill, and Earl Jr. “Bull” Morey, along with nephew Steve Merando.

Visitation and Rosary will be held on Wednesday, July 25th at 6:00 p.m. at Bath Naylor 522 N. Broadway in Pittsburg.

Mass of Christian Burial on Thursday, July 26th at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church 109 E. 9th Street in Pittsburg. Interment will follow in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Pittsburg.

Expressions of sympathy may be in the form of Memorials to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church Pittsburg, Sacred Heart Catholic Church Frontenac, or the Alzheimer’s Association. Condolences may be left at www.bathnaylor.com.

Thank you to friends and family that have visited and checked on our sweet mother, sister, auntie, and friend over the years. Heartfelt thanks and appreciation go to the care staff at Comfort Care Homes of Pittsburg and Harry Hines Hospice – your professionalism, care, and kindness will never be forgotten. Services and arrangements are under the direction of the Bath-Naylor Funeral Home of Pittsburg.