Gail Marie Miller passed away Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, at the age of 67, at Oschner Medical Center surrounded by the loving support of her family. She was born Dec. 15, 1949, at Great Bend, Kan., the daughter of Myron Mayse “Pete” and Nyla Jeanne (Shauers) Miller, and graduated from Great Bend High School in 1967. She lived in Great Bend and Medicine Lodge, Kan., where she was very involved in Girl Scouts, the Kayettes, and the Presbyterian Church. She married Robert L. Watson Oct. 20, 1979, at New Orleans.

Of all of her involvement, Gail was most proud of graduating in the top of her high school class and serving as the Youth Representative signer for the creation of the Great Bend Presbyterian Church’s sanctuary. Gail received her Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Kansas in 1971 and was a proud physical therapist who maintained her license and engagement in the health care community long after retiring from practice. Her professional highlights included being part of the creation of New Orleans’ Charity Hospital renowned burn unit and bringing her home health patients throughout New Orleans area a smile while they became stronger. Gail was a proud KU Jayhawk and a lifetime member of the KU Alumni Association. She is also registered member of the Cherokee Nation.

Gail enjoyed being an active member of the New Orleans community, never missing a Mardi Gras and participating in the parents organizations for St. George’s Episcopal School and Jesuit High School. Gail loved bringing a smile or a laugh to her friends and family and entertaining everyone with her culinary talents. She was known as someone who would happily volunteer for any job or task and a person who would sit next to you and spend time just talking.

Survivors include her husband, Robert L. Watson of the home; one son, Lance A. Watson and his wife Jessica L. of Lawrence, Kan.; and one brother, Ronald J. Miller of Hutchinson, Kan. She was preceded in death by her parents; and her grandparents, Frederick J. and Marion Shauers and Andrew and Ida Miller.

The family would like to thank the staff, nurses, and doctors of the Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center and Oschner Hospital for the care and compassion they offered her and her family.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017, at First Presbyterian Church in Great Bend, Kan., with the Rev. Dr. Scott V. Solether officiating. Burial will be in Great Bend Cemetery. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the family receiving friends from 6-8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, at Bryant Funeral Home. Memorials in Mrs. Miller’s name have been established with Second Harvest Food Bank, New Orleans in care of Bryant Funeral Home or to https://no-hunger.org/memorials-tributes/.

Sister Irene Hartman, 95, died Aug. 17, 2017, in the Dominican Sisters’ Convent Infirmary, Great Bend. Born Dec. 17, 1921, in Clonmel, as Germaine Hartman, Sister Irene was the daughter of the late Emil and Eva (Bull) Hartman. She was one of fourteen children. She entered the Dominican Sisters’ Community in Great Bend Sept. 9, 1935, and pronounced her first vows Aug. 17, 1939. She celebrated 75 years of religious profession in 2014.

Sister Irene gave over 35 years of her ministerial life to teaching in elementary parochial schools of Kansas and Nebraska. She was both teacher and principal in six of the 13 schools in which she taught grades three to eight. For the leadership team she was councilor, historian and secretary of the congregation and also worked in the congregational archives. Later in Larned, she ministered in pastoral care in the CD unit of St. Joseph Hospital and in parish ministry at Sacred Heart Church. She continued to serve Sacred Heart Parish as a minister to the elderly.

Sister Irene was preceded in death by thirteen brothers and sisters. She is survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Sister Irene’s body will be brought to the hospitality area of the Dominican Chapel of the Plains, 3600 Broadway, Great Bend at 4 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 20, where it will lie in state until the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017 with Rev. Warren Stecklein celebrating. The wake service will be at 7 p.m., Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, at the convent. Burial will be in the Sisters Resurrection Cemetery following the funeral Mass. Friends may call at the convent on Monday from: 9 a.m. until the time of the Wake, and Tuesday, from 9 a.m. to service time. Memorials in honor of Sister Irene Hartman may be sent to Dominican Sisters of Peace, 2320 Airport Dr, Columbus OH  43219-2098 or given securely on line at www.oppeace.org.

Bryant Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Donald James Komarek         1931 – 2017     

Donald James Komarek, 86, died Aug. 15, 2017, at Great Bend, following a brief illness. He was born June 3, 1931, at Ellinwood, the son of Frank and Emilie (Peschka) Komarek. He graduated from Ellinwood High School in 1949 and received his Bachelor of Science degree in History and Government (American/Russian) from Kansas State University in 1954.  Donald and Beverly Phillips were united in marriage on Aug. 22, 1954, at the First Congregational Church in Great Bend.

After participating in ROTC at Kansas State, Col. Komarek received his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force in 1954. For the next 20 years, he served his country in the United States, Japan, Vietnam and Turkey. His areas of expertise included imagery interpretation and intelligence.  He received special commendation for his leadership as the Chief of the Photo Interpretation Section during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  As Protocol Officer with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), he established and managed photographic and information management related to the Turkish and Greek air reconnaissance programs.

At the end of his military career, Col. Komarek received the Meritorious Service Medal for his contributions as Chief of the Technical Support Division, Directorate of Intelligence Support and Resources, and Deputy Chief of Staff – Intelligence at Langley Air Force Base, Va.

Col. and Mrs. Komarek returned to Great Bend in 1975, where he took on the role of Managing Director and President of Phillips Sporting Goods, LLC.

Donald was a member of the American Legion Argonne Post 180, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #3111, Barton County Historical Society, Great Bend Zoological Society, and many other civic groups. He managed his family farms, gardened, enjoyed birdwatching, and was an avid outdoorsman. He served many years as a certified observer for the National Weather Service.

Survivors include his wife, Beverly Komarek, of the home; daughter Dr. Dana Townsend and her husband Harvard of Wheaton, Ill.; son, Stefan Komarek and his wife Catherine Besley of Grandview, Mo.; and daughter Tracy Aris and her husband Stephen of St. Charles, Ill.; five grandchildren, Sarah Townsend and her husband Eric Ramseier, Michael Townsend and his wife Christina, Dr. Daniel Townsend and his wife Claire, Kyle Komarek and his wife Jackie, and Corinne Horsch and her husband Eric; and six great grandchildren, Nolan Townsend, Max Townsend, Jonah Townsend, Esme Townsend, Hayley Komarek and Avery Horsch. He was proceeded in death by two brothers, Norman and Franklin Komarek of Ellinwood; and one sister, Verline Petz of Haviland.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017. Details are pending. Inurnment will be in Great Bend Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the Barton County Historical Society, in care of Bryant Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net.

Dateline: Hoisington, Kansas

Donna Jean (Boyd) Evans, 88, went to be with the Lord and her husband, Richard Lee Evans, on August 12, 2017, at Cherry Village Assisted Living, Great Bend, Kansas.

She was born May 23, 1929, in Wahansa, Kansas, the only daughter of Oliver W. & Elsie Pearl (Reed) Boyd.

Donna Jean Estalene graduated from Kingman High School, Kingman, Kansas.

On October 29, 1950, she married Richard Lee Evans in Kingman, Kansas.  He preceded her in death on December 3, 2013.

A Hoisington resident since 1961, coming from Blackwell, Oklahoma. She worked in the lab at Central Kansas Medical Center and also serving the public at Walmart as a night time stocker.

A beautiful mother to three daughters; Jeanine Evans of Hoisington, Judith Evans and husband Kent Rich of Great Bend, and Kristine Depiesse of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; 7 grandchildren; and 5 great grandchildren; and adoptive family, Gary Ummel and Candy Elsasser, and all the staff at Cherry Village.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Oliver W. and Elsie Pearl (Reed) Boyd.

Per her wishes, there will be no services or public visitation as cremation has taken place.

Memorials may be made to Donna Jean Evans Memorial Fund in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544.

GREAT BEND — Patricia Ann Schumacher, 88, died Aug. 13, 2017, at Cherry Village Nursing Home, Great Bend. She was born Oct. 25, 1928, at Kansas City, Mo., the daughter of Charles R. and Edie (Peck) Luger. She married Duke Burt in September 1950. They later divorced. She then married Clifford L. Schumacher in March 1975, at Kansas City, Mo.  He died Feb. 15, 2017. Mrs. Schumacher was a homemaker.

She was a member of PEO Chapter DU, Panhellenic, Progress Club, and many bridge clubs. She served as a lay minister for the Episcopal Church in the Western Kansas Diocese. Mrs. Schumacher was an avid golfer, with five holes-in-one to her credit.

Survivors include three sons, Clifford Burt and his wife Kathy, Douglas Burt and Charles Burt and his wife Susie, all of Great Bend; three daughters, Cathy Catt and her husband Ed of Wichita, and Lisa Bruns and her husband Darryl, and Karla Schumacher, both of Bemidji, Minn.; one brother, Charles Luger and his wife Martha of Bartlesville, Okla.; one sister-in-law, Sue Luger of Kansas City; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by brother, George Luger.

Memorial service will be at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017, at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Great Bend, with the Rev. Basil Price officiating. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. to service time at the church. Memorials are requested to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, 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

GREAT BEND — Philip C. Mossberg, 78, died Aug. 14, 2017, at Cherry Village Nursing Home, Great Bend. He was born May 10, 1939, at Willmar, Minn., the son of John and Cora (Mattson) Mossberg. He married Coleen Olsen Nov. 29, 1982, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Great Bend. A Great Bend resident since 1980, coming from Sioux City, Iowa, Mr. Mossberg owned Mossberg Sanitation, Inc., for 27 years.

He was a member of Prince of Peace Parish at St. Patrick Catholic Church. He was a stranger to no one. He was unforgettable. He loved spending time with family and friends, was an avid hunter and fisherman and loved Harleys.

Survivors include his wife, Coleen Mossberg of the home; two sons, Shawn Mossberg of Great Bend, and Shane Mossberg of Goddard; four daughters, Shannon Kuehler and her husband Shelby of Lawrence, Christine Shearhart and her husband Edmond of Goddard, Candace Mossberg of Wichita, and Tana Sharp and her husband Randy of Normal, Ill.; two brothers, Jack Mossberg and his wife Jackie of McKinney, Texas, and James Mossberg and his wife Nancy of Arlington, Texas; one sister, Janet Weber of Rapid City, S.D.; two brothers-in-law, Dan Olsen of Des Moines, Iowa, and Mark Olsen of Atlanta, Ga.; one sister-in-law, Diane Olsen of Great Bend; one nephew, Trevor Olsen and his wife Tonya; 21 grandchildren, and several great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by one daughter, Robbin Nelson; and brother, Mark Mossberg.

Vigil Service will be at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017, at Bryant Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 17, 2017, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Great Bend, with Father Ted Stoecklein celebrating. Burial will be in Great Bend Cemetery. Friends may call from 1- 9 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017, at Bryant Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Hydrocephalus Association or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 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