Name of Deceased: George Bergen, Jr.                                              Age: 81

Date of Death: March 19, 2014

Place of Death: Research Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri

Date of Birth: May 6, 1932 at Washita, Oklahoma

Parents Name: Gerhart & Bertha (Sawatsky) Bergen

 

OBITUARY INFORMATION

Married “Dilly” Emma Faye Salem November 7, 1964 at Hudson, Kansas.  She died December 30, 2004.

He was a baker for Karolee Donut Shop, was a roughneck and mud engineer, worked for Great Bend Packing, and was co-owner of Dilly’s Restaurant from 1987 to 2004.

George was a Great Bend, Kansas resident since 1964 coming from Liberal, Kansas.

He was a member of First Southern Baptist Church, Great Bend.

 

SURVIVORS

one son: Stanton Bergen of St. John, KS

three daughters: Deborah Coppedge and her husband Brad of Claremore, OK; Rhonda Hughes of Great Bend, KS; and Shelly Bottcher and her husband David of Grandview, MO,

three sisters: Verna Tinsley of Lexington, SC, Evelyn Burke of Shawnee, OK, and Delores Behl of Forest Hill, CA

six grandchildren: Stephanie Keenan and her husband Matt, Dalton Hughes, Emmaly Bottcher, Evan Bottcher, Michele Shell and her husband Chris, Brian Coppedge and Rebekah

five great-grandchildren:  Ashlyn Shell, Autumn Shell, Katelyn Bergen, Hunter Casto, and J. J. Davis and expecting Baby Keenan.

 

He was preceded in death by one son, Steven Bergen; three brothers, Herbert Bergen, LeRoy Bergen, and Donnie Bergen, three sisters, Beatrice Edwards, Bernice Haddock, and Louise Kirby, former son-in-law, Marlin Hughes; one grandson, Jarod Bergen; and one great granddaughter, Summer Kay Shell.

 

SERVICE INFORMATION

Funeral Service: Sunday, March 23, 2014

Time of Service: 2:00 p.m.

Place of Service: First Southern Baptist Church in Great Bend

Officiant: The Reverend Dr. Doyle Smith

Interment: 10:00 a.m., Monday, March 24, 2014 at Great Bend Cemetery, Great Bend, Kansas

Visitation:  1:00 to 9:00 p.m., with the family receiving friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Saturday, March 22, 2014 at Bryant Funeral Home

Memorial Fund: First Southern Baptist Church or George Bergen 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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name of Deceased:
Florine Koochel Meister                                                     Age: 93

Date of Death: March 20, 2014

Place of Death: Woodhaven Care Center, Ellinwood, Kansas

Date of Birth: January 2, 1921 at Loretto, Kansas

Parents Name: Jacob Joseph & Katie I. (Suppes) Urban

 

OBITUARY INFORMATION

 

She married Elwyn Koochel November 13, 1940 at Loretto, Kansas.  He died March 26, 1978. She then married John P. Meister August 10, 1985 at Timken, Kansas. He died June 25, 2006.

A homemaker, Mrs. Meister was a Great Bend, Kansas resident since 1985 coming from the farm at Albert.

She was a member of Prince of Peace Parish at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Altar Society, Daughters of Isabella, Garfield Merry Matrons EHU, and Albert Senior Citizens.  She enjoyed bingo and playing in her pitch card clubs.

 

SURVIVORS

 

four sons: Michael Koochel and his wife Lois of Great Bend, KS; Mark Koochel and his wife Charlene of Albert, KS; Kevin Koochel of Salina, KS; and Patrick Koochel and his wife Jillane of Great Bend, KS

three daughters: Karen Axman and her husband Tony of Great Bend, KS; Jane Brady and her husband Lee of Albert, KS; and Judi Webster and her husband Alan of Hutchinson, KS

one sister: Esther Wanzel of Davenport, IA

twenty grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and six step-great-grandchildren

one step-son: Jeffrey Meister and his wife Lynette of Reston, VA

two step-daughters: Rosemary Luthi and her husband Bob of Great Bend, KS; and Barbara Schul and husband Mike of Holton, KS

She was preceded in death by three brothers, Alvin Urban, Hubert Urban, and infant Raymond Urban; three sisters, Frances Owens, Mary Depperschmidt, and Sister Marietta Urban, O. P.; and one great-grandson, Jared Axman.

 

SERVICE INFORMATION

 

Altar Society Rosary will be at 4:00 p.m. and Vigil service and Daughters of Isabella Rosary will be at 7:00 p.m., Sunday, March 23, 2014 at Bryant Funeral Home.  Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 a.m., Monday, March 24, 2014 at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Great Bend, with Father Don Bedore and Father Reginald A. Urban concelebrating. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, Timken, Kansas.  Friends may call from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m., Sunday, March 23, 2014 at Bryant Funeral Home.  Memorials are requested to Woodhaven Care Center or Prince of Peace Parish, 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

Name of Deceased: Marie Lillian Thomas Age: 78
Date of Death: March 17, 2014
Place of Death: Presbyterian Manor, Salina, Kansas
Date of Birth: January 6, 1936 at Brooklyn, New York
Parents Name: John and Dorothy (Brown) Rigat

OBITUARY INFORMATION
She attended grade school and graduated high school in 1953 in Brooklyn, NY. She worked as a secretary at a corporate law firm in New York until she met and married William P. “Bill” Thomas who was a sergeant in the U.S. Army. They were married August 8, 1954 at Our Lady of Miracles Roman Catholic Church, Brooklyn, N.Y. They left New York on Friday, August 13, 1954, to travel to Kansas where Bill was from and settled on a farm south of Claflin, where they farmed and raised cattle. She worked for the Great Bend Tribune for ten years as a teletype operator and proof reader, ten years for Ruskin Manufacturing, and twenty years as a special education bus driver. She was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Altar Society, in which she served two terms as president, and Daughters of Isabella, all of Claflin.

SURVIVORS
Husband: Bill Thomas, of the home
Two sons: Steve Thomas of Pratt, KS
Tony Thomas of Claflin, KS
One daughter: Susan Blackshere and her husband Tom, Salina, KS
Two sisters: Dottie Savino of Orlando, FL
Laura Marra of Orlando, FL
Two Grandchildren: Brett and Brock Thomas
She was preceded in death by two brothers, John Rigat and Richard Rigat, one infant brother, Victor Rigat, and by one sister, Marilyn Rigat.

SERVICE INFORMATION
Funeral Service: Friday, March 21, 2014
Time of Service: 10:30 am
Place of Service: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Claflin
Vigil followed by an Altar Society Rosary: Thursday, March 20, 2014
Time of Vigil Service: 7:00 pm
Place of Vigil Service: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Claflin
Officiant: Father Pascal Klein
Interment: Claflin Cemetery, Claflin, Kansas
Visitation: 9:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m., Thursday, March 20, 2014 at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home
Memorial Fund: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church or Golden Belt Humane Society in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544

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

Travis Lee Davis, age 38, died Sunday, March 16, 2014 at his home in Hoisington. He was born July 5, 1975 at Great Bend, Kansas the son of Mike and Debbie (Littrell) Davis.

Travis, a lifelong Hoisington resident graduated from Hoisington High School in 1993. He worked at Kansas Gas Service for thirteen years. Travis was a member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, served on the Hoisington Volunteer Fire Department, and was an IBEW Union Steward. He enjoyed woodworking, camping, fishing, and visiting the railroad tracks with his children.

On June 26, 1999 he married Danah Stos at Hoisington.

Survivors include his wife, Danah Davis of the home in Hoisington; his parents, Mike and Debbie Davis of Great Bend; one daughter, Alyssa Davis of Hoisington; two sons, Aydan Davis, and Anakyn Davis both of Hoisington, and one sister, Heather Smith and husband David of Great Bend.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Bob and Betty Littrell, and fraternal grandparents, Don and Margie Davis.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 20, 2014 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Hoisington with Father Anselm Eke as celebrant. Burial will follow at St. John Catholic Cemetery in Hoisington. Friends may sign the register on Wednesday, March 19, 2014 from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a vigil service and Knights of Columbus Rosary beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home in Hoisington. Memorials are suggested to the children’s education fund in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, Kansas 67544.
Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.nicholsonrickefh.net