Dateline: Hoisington, Kansas
Donald J. “Don” Reif, 67, died February 10, 2015, at Via Christi Hospital St. Francis, Wichita, Kansas. He was born June 15, 1947, in Great Bend, Kansas, the son of James and Laura (Debes) Reif. Don graduated from Hoisington High School in 1965 and then attended Pittsburg State University. He served in the Army Reserves.

He married Debbie Boxberger in January of 1968. He later married Eudora Lamkins Demel on March 2, 1996, in Great Bend, Kansas.

Don was a farmer and a stockman. He was the owner and operator of Reif Oil Companies, and had formerly worked for Northern Natural Gas in Bushton. Don was also an auctioneer working for Schremmer Auction and Realty.

A lifetime resident of Barton County, he was a member of the American Legion Post #268 in Hoisington. Don was also a member of the Knights of Columbus Council #1521 and was a Shriner with the Midian and Isis Shrine.

He is survived by his wife, Eudora; children, Keith Reif and wife London and Terry Reif and wife Anita, all of Hoisington, Greg Demel and wife Pattie of Wichita, and Darren Demel of Goddard; sisters, Marilyn Hitz of Hudson, Anita Ellison of Great Bend; grandchildren, Bradley, Brooke, Brady, and Brennley Reif, Mallory and Gabrielle Reif, and Molly and Emily Demel; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, first wife, Debbie Reif, and a granddaughter, Claire Demel.
Rosary will be at 7 p.m., Thursday, February, 12, 2015, at Nicholson-Ricke Chapel led by the Knights of Columbus. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, February 13, 2015, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, celebrated by Father Anselm Eke. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery, Beaver, Kansas. Friends may call 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children or the St. Joseph Cemetery Fund in care of the Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington KS 67544.

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

Dateline: Hoisington, Kansas

Name of Deceased: Joseph Alanson “Joe” Clarke Age: 86
Date of Death: February 8, 2015
Place of Death: Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center, Great Bend, Kansas
Date of Birth: August 23, 1928 at Norton, Kansas
Parents Name: Laurence Benjamin and Pearl Irene (Pierce) Clarke

OBITUARY INFORMATION
Joe married Carol Humphrey July 22, 1950 at Jetmore, KS.
He was a Hoisington, Kansas resident since 1951 coming from Jetmore, KS.
Joe was a driller, mechanic, and truck pusher, working for various oil companies, including Peel Bros. and Allen Drilling, retiring in 1991.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Hoisington, and of the American Motorcycle Association. He enjoyed gardening and was a motorcycle enthusiast, taking a special interest in riding, racing, and repair work. In later years he enjoyed his grandkids’ activities.

SURVIVORS
Wife: Carol Clarke, of the home
Two daughters: Alice Clarke and husband George Rhoads of Barnwell, S.C.
Mary Brewer of Hoisington, KS
One brother: Laurence H. Clarke of Hutchinson, KS
Four Grandkids: Trey Wagnon of Barnwell, S.C., Ben Brewer of Hoisington, KS, Wyatt Brewer of Muncie, IN, and Megan Brown of Yukon, OK
Nine Great Grandchildren

He was preceded in death by a son, Joseph A. Clarke, Jr., daughter, Iris Clarke, brother, Velven Clarke, and an infant sister.

SERVICE INFORMATION
Funeral Service: Thursday, February 12, 2015
Time of Service: 10:30 am
Place of Service: Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home
Officiant: Rev. Kris Brinlee
Interment: Hoisington Cemetery, Hoisington, Kansas
Visitation: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 pm , Wednesday, February 11, 2015 at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, with the family receiving friends from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Memorial Fund: Kans for Kids or Clara Barton Foundation in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544

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

Dateline: Great Bend, Kansas
Name of Deceased: Gary Wayne Fletcher Age: 61
Date of Death: February 6, 2015 Place of Death: Wesley Medical Center, Wichita, Kansas
Date of Birth: December 28, 1953 at Great Bend, Kansas
Parents Name: Bernie E. and Dorothy (McKnight) Fletcher

OBITUARY INFORMATION
Mr. Fletcher was a longtime Great Bend resident, living in Newton, Kansas, for the past two years.
He was a carpenter and roughneck.
Gary was a member of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles, Great Bend. He enjoyed traveling, and playing pool. He also enjoyed singing and playing his guitar, sharing his gift of music with his family and friends.

SURVIVORS
Wife: Gina (McElroy) Fletcher, of the home
Mother: Dorothy Fletcher, Great Bend, KS
two sons: Clinton Shea Fletcher and wife Jennifer of Ellsworth, KS
Dakota Wayne Fletcher of Great Bend, KS
one daughter: Jadin Jo Fletcher of the home
step daughter: Christina Marie Bybee and her husband Darrell L. of Walton, KS
four brothers: Richard Fletcher and his wife Martha of Great Bend, KS
Danny Fletcher and his wife Glenda of Great Bend, KS
Joe Fletcher of Great Bend, KS
Steven Fletcher and his wife Alexis of Wichita, KS
five sisters: Sharon Mitchell and her husband Norman of Tucumcari, NM
Lois Kimberlin of Great Bend, KS
Betty Ward and her husband Ronnie of Great Bend, KS
Candy Robison and her husband Rick of Great Bend, KS
Two grandchildren: Cameron and Jimmie Urbanek
One step grandson: Jared Bybee
He was preceded in death by his father and by an infant daughter, Clancy Jo Fletcher.

SERVICE INFORMATION
Funeral Service: Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Time of Service: 1:00 pm Place of Service: Bryant Funeral Home, with cremation to follow services
Officiant: Pastor Don Paden
Visitation: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with the family receiving friends from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Tuesday, February 10, 2015, and 9:00 a.m. until service time Wednesday, all at Bryant Funeral Home.
Memorial Fund: Gary Wayne Fletcher 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: Great Bend, Kansas 

Phil Miller, 67, went to his forever home to be with his Lord on February 5, 2015. He was born August 16, 1947, in Great Bend, the son of Carlos M. and Mary E. (Downey) Miller. He graduated in 1965 from Great Bend High School and attended Fort Hays State University. Phil served in the U.S. Army Reserves and then headed west to southern California where he settled in the beach area. He met and married Karon Converse and they later divorced. He worked as a realtor, but when the real estate market started failing, he moved to the Palm Springs area. There he made a career of selling insurance, co-owning an insurance agency, and owning and managing rental properties. He met and married Maribeth Vandervort in 1988.

In 1995, they moved to Great Bend where he became co-owner and operator of Miller Printers with his father. Phil was a member of Grace Community Church where he served on the finance committee, a member of the Great Bend Kiwanis serving on its board, and a member of American Legion Argonne Post 180. After returning to Great Bend, he became reacquainted with his fellow classmates from the class of 1965 and served on the reunion committee. He was a man who could figure out most anything mechanical or technical, always preferring to fix it himself if he could. Phil and Maribeth loved to travel, having visited many American states, with a highlight of his life being a trip to Israel. His favorite pastime was riding his bicycle along the beaches of California.

Phil is survived by his wife, his father Carlos Miller, two daughters, Angie England of Holt, Mich. and Alicia Courtright and husband Steve of Leslie, Mich., three sisters, Jill Pletcher and husband Tom of Wichita, Lisa Edgett and husband Ken of Great Bend, and Lorrie Kromka and husband Shane of Denver, Colo., three grandchildren, Cody, Sara and Samantha, extended family and in-laws. He was preceded in death by his mother and his brother Douglas Miller.

Memorial service will be at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 10, 2015 at Grace Community Church, Great Bend, with Pastor Jay Beuoy officiating. Cremation has taken place. Friends may sign the register book from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with the family receiving friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Monday, February 9, 2015 at Bryant Funeral Home. Memorials are requested to Grace Community Church Missions or Golden Belt Humane Society, in care of Bryant Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net

LARNED — Sandra L. Gray, 67, died on February 4, 2015, at Hays Medical Center after a long illness. She was born to Roberta (Wills) and Roger Allen in Olympia, Washington, on March 21, 1947. Throughout most of her adult life, she was a social worker, employed by Kansas SRS, Larned State Hospital, and similar facilities in Washington State. She graduated from Olympia High School in 1965 and then attended Hutchinson Junior College and Fort Hays Kansas State College, earning her Bachelor’s Degree in History in 1969. In 1980, she graduated from the University of Kansas in Lawrence with a Master’s Degree in Social Work. She retired from the Larned State Hospital staff in 2013. Since September of 2014, she had been a resident of DiversaCare in Larned.

In 1970, she married Mike Westerman in Hays. They were separated in 1989 and divorced in 1993. In Washington, she married Dr. Carroll Gray in 1993; he died in 2000. She was preceded in death by her parents; she is survived by her daughter Stephanie (Westerman) Helms (and fiancé Chris Cooley of Larned); two grandchildren: Cassie Williams (and fiancé Tony Chesney) of Larned and Michael Tiede of Manhattan; and one great-granddaughter, Annabelle Chesney. Other survivors include sisters Linda Ogden of Tumwater, Washington, Donna (and husband Kurt) Salvatori of Burren, Washington, and Barbara (and husband Billy) Pruett of Olympia (WA).

Sandra is remembered for her love of reading, English comedies on PBS, jewelry, and her two dogs, Mack and Katie.

Memorial Service will be 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Beckwith Mortuary Chapel with Rev. Bethann Black presiding. Friends may sign the register 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Saturday and 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sunday with family present from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Sunday at the Mortuary. Cremation has taken place.

Memorials are suggested to the Pawnee County Humane Society in care of the Beckwith Mortuary, P.O. Box 477, Larned, KS 67550. Personal condolences may be left at www.beckwithmortuary.com.

Dateline: Great Bend, Kansas

Name of Deceased: Judy Evelyn Pulec                                               Age: 73

Date of Death: February 3, 2015

Place of Death: Via Christi St. Francis Regional Medical Center, Wichita, Kansas

Date of Birth: March 8, 1941 at Stockton, Kansas

Parents Name: Theodore and Elsie Johnson and Glen and Evelyn (Johnson) Tegarden

OBITUARY INFORMATION

She worked at Fuller Brush in the plastics department and later was a kitchen manager at the Barton County Sheriff’s Department. She enjoyed crocheting, doing puzzles and listening to Elvis Presley music.

SURVIVORS

Survivors include one daughter, Leesa Maupin of Great Bend, Kan.; two brothers, Gary Johnson and his wife Sarah of North Highlands Ranch, Calif.; and Howard Johnson and his wife Cathy of Great Bend; two sisters, Glenda (Love) Zimmerman and her husband Rick and Carol Elliott and her husband John both of Great Bend; five grandchildren, Cassandra Maupin, Ryan Maupin and his wife Ty, Joey Barlow, Dalton Barlow, and Lucas Gerhardt; six great-grandchildren, Cassandra Epp, Dustin Epp, Lanea Maupin, Joseph Maupin, Ryan Maupin, Jr., and Desire Maupin, seven nephews and eight nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Duane Pulec, and one sister, Lila Irene Strunk.

SERVICE INFORMATION

Memorial service will be at 3:30 p.m., Friday, February 6, 2015 at First Church of the Nazarene, Great Bend, with the Reverend Josh Foster officiating. There will be no visitation as cremation has taken place. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to First Church of the Nazarene, 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: Richard Grant Elson Age: 87
Date of Death: February 2, 2015
Place of Death: Ellinwood District Hospital, Ellinwood, Kansas
Date of Birth: January 11, 1928 at Traer, Kansas
Parents Name: Alford Preston and Mary Maude (Brown) Elson

OBITUARY INFORMATION
Richard married Hurmely Yvonne Peters August 31, 1957 at Oberlin, KS.
A farmer, Mr. Elson was a 33 year Great Bend, Kansas resident, coming from Jetmore, KS.
Richard enjoyed working in the garden, cooking, watching soap operas, doing crossword puzzles, and playing bingo. He also enjoyed wood working, making looms, wishing wells, and windmills.

SURVIVORS
Wife: Hurmely Yvonne Elson, of the home
One son: Richard Eugene Elson and wife Nina of Great Bend, KS
Three daughters: Mary Elizabeth Anderson and husband Ron of Northglenn, CO
Nancy Jo Pennington and husband Carlos of Garden City, KS
Bobbie Jo Elson of Great Bend, KS
10 Grandchildren
15 Great Grandchildren
1 Great-Great Grandchild

He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Betty Lou Barnett; two sisters, and one brother.

SERVICE INFORMATION
Memorial Service: Thursday, February 5, 2015, with military honors conducted by Ft. Riley Honor Guard.
Time of Service: 10:00 am
Place of Service: Bryant Funeral Home
Officiant: Pastor David LeRoy
There will be no visitation, as cremation has taken place.
Memorial Fund: Richard Grant Elson 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