Dateline: Wichita, Kansas

Name of Deceased: Irwin Frank Alefs                                                Age: 90

Date of Death: July 21, 2015

Place of Death: Wesley Medical Center, Wichita, Kansas

Date of Birth: January 11, 1925 at Great Bend, Kansas

Parents Name: Daniel and Minnie Rose (Lippoldt) Alefs

OBITUARY INFORMATION

He married Dorothy Marie Boatright October 28, 1945 at Great Bend, Kansas.  She died July 12, 2012.

He owned and operated Alefs and Sons Equipment, the John Deere dealership, with his father and brother. He later operated the business Irwin Alefs Equipment Co. During the 1970s, he had a custom hay cutting business at Moscow, Kan., and later operated a general repair business there. They moved back to Great Bend in 1989 where he was a public relations representative for Farmers Mutual Insurance. He served on the Farmers Mutual Insurance board of directors for more than fifty years.

He was a member of First Christian Church, Great Bend.

SURVIVORS

one son: John D. Alefs and his wife Sally of Wichita, KS

two daughters: Karen Capell  and her husband Bill of Casa Grande, AZ, and Betty Livingston and her husband Gary of Wichita, KS

four grandchildren: Heather West and her husband Mike, Robb Collins and his wife Corinne, Spencer Alefs and his wife Emily and Maggie Alefs

three great-grandchildren: Anna West, Brandon West, and Charly Collins

He was preceded in death by one brother, Daniel J. Alefs, Jr., and two sisters, Ruth Evers and June Shafer.

SERVICE INFORMATION

Funeral Service: Monday, July 27, 2015

Time of Service: 10:30 a.m.

Place of Service: First Christian Church in Great Bend

Officiant: The Reverend Joshua Leu

Interment: Great Bend Cemetery, Great Bend, Kansas

Visitation:  1:00 to 9:00 p.m., Sunday, July 26, 2015 at Bryant Funeral Home

Memorial Fund: First Christian Church, in care of Bryant Funeral Home

Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net

                      Arrangements by    Bryant Funeral Home
1425 Patton Road       Great Bend, Kansas                      67530

Dateline: Great Bend, Kansas

Name of Deceased: Sheryl Dean Gray                                               Age: 68

Date of Death: July 21, 2015

Place of Death: At her home surrounded by loved ones in Great Bend, Kansas

Date of Birth: June 24, 1947 at Great Bend, Kansas

Parents Name: Jean E. and Bonnie V. (Jones) Gray

OBITUARY INFORMATION

She was a scale house operator for Venture Corporation.

She was a member of First United Methodist Church, Great Bend. She enjoyed genealogy, making jewelry, and gardening.

SURVIVORS

two daughters: Shelly Mallow of Great Bend, KS, and Denice Seely of Maize, KS

four grandchildren: Ashley Mallow, Garret Mallow, Faith Seely and Briley Seely

two sisters: Marta Taylor of Inman, KS and her sons Jon and Grayson, and LaVerne Gray of Hutchinson, KS and her children T.J., Cheri Ann, Robert, Michael, and James

SERVICE INFORMATION

Memorial Service: Saturday, July 25, 2015

Time of Service: 10:30 a.m.

Place of Service: First United Methodist Church in Great Bend

Officiant: The Reverend Lennie Maxwell

Inurnment: Resurrection Cemetery, Wichita, Kansas at a later date

Visitation:  None as cremation has taken place

Memorial Fund: Sheryl Gray Funeral Expense Fund, in care of Bryant Funeral Home

Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net

                      Arrangements by    Bryant Funeral Home
1425 Patton Road       Great Bend, Kansas                      67530

Dateline: Claflin

Christopher Alan Oeser, 48, loving husband, son, father, and papa, died July 19, 2015, at his home in Claflin.
He was born May 23, 1967, in Overland Park, Kansas, the son of Alan K. and Sheila M. (Heinz) Oeser. Chris graduated from Claflin High School in 1985. He was a lifetime resident of Claflin and a farmer and rancher.
Chris was a member of the Claflin United Methodist Church.
On April 25, 1992, he married Debbie J. Folk in Claflin. She survives.
Other survivors include; three daughters, Kristi Nixon of Claflin, Kari VanPelt and husband Dae of Holcomb, Kylie Crawford and husband Rick of Hoisington; parents, Alan K. and Sheila M. Oeser of Claflin; two brothers, Phillip Oeser and wife Raylette of Hoisington, Jon Oeser and wife Jane of Claflin; sister, Allison “Alli” Layne of Kiefer, OK; 18 nieces and nephews; and his beloved 11 grandchildren, Kylie Crawford, Kaleb Nixon, Kassidy Nixon, Daegan VanPelt, Ellie Mae Crawford, Kobe Crawford, Camryn VanPelt, Ian VanPelt, Rilynn Crawford and Kambree Nixon.
He was preceded in death by; his grandparents, Kasper & Margaret Heinz and D.A. Oeser , and Edith (Oeser) Stratmann; and two brothers-in-law, Bob Layne and Mark Folk.
Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 23, 2015, at the United Methodist Church in Claflin, with Rev. Gene Langhofer presiding. Burial will follow in Claflin Cemetery. Friends may call 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., with family to greet friends 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Kans for Kids or United Methodist Church of Claflin, in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, P.O. Box 146, Hoisington KS 67544.

Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net

Dateline: Great Bend, Kansas

Name of Deceased: James W. “Jim” Oliver                                     Age: 90 

               James W. “Jim” Oliver, 90, loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away July 17, 2015 at Brookdale Senior Living, Great Bend. He was born July 29, 1924 at Madison, Kan., the youngest of three children to Willis and Amy (Holland) Oliver. He married Madalene Delma Mosier January 14, 1951 at Great Bend.  She passed away July 20, 2007. A Great Bend resident since 1949, coming from Madison, he was an electrical engineer for Western Power and Electric and Sunflower Electric. He was a United States Navy veteran.

Mr. Oliver was a member of First Christian Church, B. P. O. Elks Lodge #1127, a former board member of the Great Bend Public Library, and was instrumental in starting Barton Community College. He was devoted to his church until illness prevented his attendance. He was proud of his children and grandchildren and their accomplishments. Mr. Oliver was a quiet gentleman who loved to read. He was lovingly care for by the nurses and staff at Brookdale Senior Living for the past five years.

Survivors include three daughters: Jan Stegelman and her husband Stan of Topeka; Nancy Crane and her husband Mark of Wichita; and Linda Chisholm and her husband Scott of Great Bend; eight grandchildren, Jeff, Heather, Derek, Brad, Angela, Austin, Ashley, and Brent; and ten great-grandchildren.

A private family graveside service will be held in Great Bend Cemetery. Friends may sign the register from

9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 22, 2015 at Bryant Funeral Home. The casket will remain closed. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to First Christian Church or Central Kansas CASA, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net

                      Arrangements by    Bryant Funeral Home        

1425 Patton Road       Great Bend, Kansas                      67530

Dateline: Great Bend, Kansas

Name of Deceased: Betty Lou Rand                                                    Age: 85

Date of Death: July 15, 2015

Place of Death: OU Medical Center Presbyterian Hospital, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Date of Birth: January 8, 1930 at Lamar, Colorado

Parents Name: Hiram Franklin & Nola Esther (Gideon) Rutter

OBITUARY INFORMATION

She married Doyle Rand April 17, 1949 at Coats, Kansas.

She and her husband Doyle owned and operated of Rands Properties.

She enjoyed reading and working in her yard and business endeavors.

SURVIVORS

Husband: Doyle Rand, of the home

one son: John Rand and his wife Terri Jo of Oklahoma City, OK

one daughter: Elaine Rand of Great Bend, KS

three grandchildren: Tyler Rand, Eric Rand and Dylan Rand

one great-grandchild: Brayden Powell-Rand

SERVICE INFORMATION

Memorial Service: Monday, July 20, 2015

Time of Service: 2:00 p.m.

Place of Service: Bryant Funeral Home

Officiant: Pastor Don Paden

Visitation:  There will be no visitation as cremation has taken place.

Memorial Fund: American Cancer Society, in care of Bryant Funeral Home

Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net

                      Arrangements by    Bryant Funeral Home
1425 Patton Road       Great Bend, Kansas                      67530

Dateline: Odin, Kansas

Bonita M. Demel, 54, died July 15, 2015, at Ellinwood District Hospital. She was born December 8, 1960, the daughter of Stephen F. and Dolores A. (Jenisch) Demel.

Bonita graduated from Claflin High School in 1979.

Originally from rural Odin she moved to Farmington, Missouri, in 1998, and worked as a Claims Representative for the Social Security office in the nearby town of Park Hills. She recently returned to Kansas this spring.

She was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church of Odin.

Survivors include; her mother, Dolores Demel of Odin; four brothers, Roy Demel and wife Gracie, Daniel Demel and wife Darlene, Darryl Demel and wife Brandi, all of Claflin, and Randy Demel of Odin; 11 nieces and nephews; and 4 great nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her father, Stephen F. Demel.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m., Monday, July 20, 2015, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Odin, celebrated by Fathers Ted Stoecklein, Terry Klein, and Pascal Klein. Burial will follow in Holy Family Cemetery. A Vigil with Altar Society Rosary will be 6 p.m., Sunday, July 19, 2015, at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Hoisington. Memorials may be made to Wings of Hope, Holy Family Statue Restoration Fund, or Ellinwood District Hospital & Clinic.

Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net

Dateline: Claflin, Kansas

Evelyn Simmons, 95, died July 14, 2015, at Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center. She was born May 18, 1920, in Hoisington, Kansas, the daughter of Frank and Minnie (Ahrens) Hofmeister.

On June 16, 1957, Evelyn married Lawrence L. Simmons in Hoisington. He died December 10, 2008.
A longtime resident of the Claflin area, she was a homemaker.

Evelyn was a member of the Claflin United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women. As quilting and sewing were among her many interests, she was a member of Twisted Stitchers Quilt Guild of Claflin, and Central Kansas Thread Benders of Great Bend. She served on Lions Club of Claflin and she was very active in the 4-H community and was a former 4-H leader.

Survivors include a son, Frank Simmons of Claflin; two daughters, Ruby Simmons of Kansas City, MO and AnneBelle Komarek and husband Jason of Kearney, MO; five grandchildren, Kelly, Zack, Alex, Aidan, Adalyn; and a great grandson, Jeramiah.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and a brother, Elmer Hofmeister.

Funeral service will be 2 p.m., Saturday, July 18, 2015, at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Gene Langhofer presiding. Burial will follow at Hoisington Cemetery. Friends may call 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, with family to receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m.. Memorials may be made to the Claflin Ambulance Service or the United Methodist Church in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, P.O. Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544.

Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net