GREAT BEND — Darrell I. Rexwinkle, 80, died Dec. 4, 2016, at Cherry Village Nursing Home, Great Bend. Born June 3, 1936, at Edna, he was the son of Clifford L. and Opaline O. (Goodwin) Rexwinkle. He married Dixie Colleen Childress March 12, 1955, at Valeda. A Great Bend resident since 1969 coming from rural northeast Oklahoma, Mr. Rexwinkle was a ranch hand, a cattle buyer for Thies Packing, a diesel mechanic for R & S Transportation, and maintenance man for Barton County Historical Society.

Survivors include his wife, Dixie “Colleen” Rexwinkle, of the home; one son: Daryl “Kent” Rexwinkle of Great Bend; six daughters: Angela Skaggs and husband Rick of Stilwell, Rhonda Penka and husband Kenny of Great Bend, Kim Stanley of Overland Park, Sherrie Schnoebelen and husband Mica of Lewis, Shelly Coverdale and husband Jay of Topeka, and Dixie Divis and husband Steve of Great Bend; two brothers, Gordon Rexwinkle and wife Eva of Edna, and Gene Rexwinkle and wife Janet of Parsons; two sisters, Arlene Miller of Medicine Lodge, and Mary Reed and husband Jerald of Parsons; 16 grandchildren;  two step-grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren with one expected in May and five step-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one brother, Milburn “John” Rexwinkle, one sister, Margie Humphrey, one great-grandson, Connor Rexwinkle, and one step-grandson, Chris Divis.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016 at Bryant Funeral Home with the Reverend Reuben Lang’at officiating. Burial will be in Hillcrest Memorial Park, Great Bend. Friends may call from 1 to 9 p.m., with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, at Bryant Funeral Home. Memorials have been established with Barton County Historical Society or Kindred Hospice, 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

Eleanor M. Reif, 93, died December 4, 2016, at Country Place Senior Living, Hoisington. She was born April 22, 1923, in Rural Redwing, Kansas, the daughter of Adolph and Caroline (Linsner) Demel. Eleanor graduated from Odin High School and then married her sweetheart, Anton J. “Tony” Reif on October 20, 1942, in Odin, Kansas. He preceded her in death on May 19, 2011.

Eleanor was a homemaker. Her loves in her life were cooking, sewing, quilting, knitting, and gardening. She was always planting flowers wherever she could find room for them. She also loved raising chickens and selling eggs, which she did for many years.

She loved going to baseball games with her beloved husband Tony and also square dancing, and we cannot forget the horse races. She would never turn down a friendly game of cards. Her dearest love was her husband Tony and her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.

Eleanor was also dedicated to her catholic faith. She was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Claflin, where she was regularly involved in church activities and church organizations and did countless deeds of volunteer work.

She was also a member of the EHU, former member of the Daughters of Isabella, and the Altar Society.
She will truly be missed by all who knew her.

She is survived by; daughter, Sharon Dreiling and the late Gary Dreiling of Hoisington; son, Greg Reif of Odin; siblings, Cecilia Schneweis of Hoisington, Bernadine Moeder of Great Bend, Bill Demel of Arvada, Colo., James Demel of Sun City, Ariz., and Jerry Demel of Westminster, Colo.; grandchildren, Shelli Dreiling and Ron VanNess of Hoisington, Rebecca Johnson and husband Tim of Salina, Tracie Rubio of Hoisington, Kimberlie Demel of Claflin, Anthony Reif and wife Lisa of Omaha, Nebr., Trent Reif of Kansas City, Missouri, and Blake Reif of Great Bend; great grandchildren, Kyler Dreiling and Kinley VanNess of Hoisington, Colby VanNess of Abilene, Zoie, Zylie, Zurie, and Zade Johnson of Salina, Alexis, Zachary, Nicolas and Alaina Rubio of Hoisington, Kole Dove, Gage Demel of Claflin, and Liam Reif of Omaha, Nebr.; and great great grandchildren Cillian and Casidee VanNess.

She was preceded in death by; her husband Anton “Tony” Reif; son-in-law, Gary Dreiling; granddaughter, Victoria Woods; and a sister, Evelyn Juno.

Vigil with Altar Society Rosary will be 7 p.m., Tuesday, December 6, 2016, at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home Chapel. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, celebrated by Father Terrance Klein. Burial will follow in Holy Family Cemetery, Odin, Kansas. Friends may call 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Holy Family Cemetery Fund or Kans for Kids in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544.

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

GREAT BEND — Howard Nathan “Nate” Davis, 78, died Nov. 30, 2016, at Great Bend Regional Hospital, Great Bend. Born Oct. 15, 1938 at Lawton, Okla., he was the son of Howard W. and Mary Doris (Ketchum) Davis. He married Natalyn C. Gould Dec. 25, 1959 at Duncan, Okla. A long time Great Bend resident, coming from Gunnison, Colo., Mr. Davis worked in maintenance and security for Central Kansas Medical Center and Turner Farms for many years.

He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, Great Bend. He was a farmer and full-time jokester. He enjoyed reading westerns, collecting pocket knives and trains, as well as enjoyed hunting and fishing.

Survivors include his wife Natalyn Davis, of the home; three sons, Michael G. Davis and his wife Suzette of Dodge City, Aaron N. Davis and his wife Elizabeth of Wetmore, Colo., and Heath A. Davis and his wife Terra of LaCrosse; one daughter, Patricia C. Stone and her husband Desmond of Jacksonville, Fla.; 15 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two daughters, Rachelle K. Warren and Muriel Minette Davis; one brother, Freddy Ray Davis; and one sister, Jane Slaughter.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m., Monday, Dec. 5, 2016, at Bryant Funeral Home, with the Reverend Rueben Lang’at officiating. Burial will be in Great Bend Cemetery. Friends may call from 1 to 9 p.m., with the family receiving friends from 2 to 4 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016, at Bryant Funeral Home. Memorials have been established with the 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

GREAT BEND — Robert L. “Bob” Allford, Jr., 84, died Nov. 28, 2016, at Almost Home, Inc., Great Bend. Born Nov. 20, 1932, at Wellington, Texas, he was the son of Robert Lacy and Thelma Susie (Elliott) Allford. Mr. Allford earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in voice and English from Wayland Baptist College, then furthered his education in Psychology and English, earning his Master of Arts degree in Education. He married Jenny Lynn Rucker June 3, 1955 at Kermit, Texas. A Great Bend resident since 1969, Mr. Allford was an English teacher at Roosevelt Junior High and Great Bend High School, retiring in 1994.

Mr. Allford was a member of First Christian Church, Great Bend. He was a former member of the Great Bend Community Theatre, Golden Belt Community Concert Association and Kansas Association of Teachers of English boards of directors. He was a former member of GBNEA, KNEA and Great Bend Kiwanis, and also was the American Legion Baseball public address announcer for many years and was Barton County Spelling Bee pronouncer for 19 years. He was active in Barton Community College musicals and Great Bend Community Theatre productions and received the Secondary Master Teacher Award in 1991.

Survivors include his wife, Jenny Allford, of the home; two sons, Allan Allford and his wife Debbie of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Evan Allford and his wife Karla of Edmond, Okla.; and three grandchildren, Ben Allford, Josh Allford and his wife Lauren, and Abby Holley and husband Rob. He was preceded in death by one brother, John W. Allford.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016, at First Christian Church with the Reverend Joshua Leu 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 6:30 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, at Bryant Funeral Home. Memorials are requested to First Christian Church or Golden Belt Community Concert Association Endowment, 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

MARY KATHRYN MATER 

Mary K. Mater, age 87 years, of Great Bend, Kansas, passed away on Saturday morning, November 26, 2016 at Cherry Village Residential Care in Great Bend.   Mary was born on July 9, 1929 at Hoisington, Kansas to Frank and Mary T. (Schreiber) Pelz.   She graduated from Hoisington High School in 1946 and then attended Washburn University at Topeka, Kansas.   She was united in marriage to Sgt. Donald Mater in 1956 at Hoisington, Kansas.   Mary worked for Marlette Mobile Homes, Esveld Engineering, and Holiday Inn of Great Bend, Kansas prior to her retirement.   A strong-willed woman, Mary enjoyed gardening and loved her three cats.   She was a longtime member of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Great Bend.

Mary is survived by one son, Paul J. Mater of Hoisington, Kansas; several nieces and nephews.   She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Sgt. Donald Mater in 1966, and three sisters:   Eleanor Riedl, Shirley Pelz, and Rosie F. Peschka.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at Charter Funerals in Great Bend, Kansas.   Private family inurnment will be held at a later date.   Visitation will be from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Monday, November 28, 2016 at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made in care of the family for later designation.   Online condolences may be left and a complete obituary may be viewed at https://www.charterfunerals.com/locations/great-bend.php.

 

Arrangements Entrusted To

Charter Funerals

2115 Washington St.

Great Bend, KS   67530

(620) 793-6161

Rozel – Alfred A. Ludlum, 78, passed away November 25, 2016 at Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, Larned.

He was born January 23, 1938 in Moran, Kansas; the son of Arthur E. and Margaret Laver Ludlum. A longtime area resident, he was a retired Mill Manager for Pawnee Valley Feeders.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church, Rozel. He loved his grandchildren, old time western shows and served in the United States Army.

On January 4, 1964 he married Carol Goff in Stark, Kansas. She survives.

Other survivors include: two sons, Kevin (Edie), Ellsworth and Ken (Berniece), Dighton; a daughter, Deanna Carr, Rozel; two brothers, Howard Ludlum, Lone Elm, Gary Ludlum, Moran; a sister, Delores Goyette, Americus; seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by; a sister, Shirley Schultz and a brother, Edward Ludlum.

Funeral will be 2:00 p.m. Wednesday at the United Methodist Church, Rozel with Pastor Brad McCoy presiding. Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Beckwith Mortuary, Larned. Burial will be in the Rozel Cemetery, Rozel, Kansas with military graveside rites.

Memorials may be given to the United Methodist Church, Rozel or the Burdett EMS, both in care of Beckwith Mortuary, P.O. Box 477, Larned, KS 67550. Personal condolences may be left at www.beckwithmortuary.com