GREAT BEND — Christina D. Klusener, 98, died Nov. 21, 2016, at Cherry Village Nursing Home, Great Bend. Born March 9, 1918, at rural Dubuque, she was the daughter of Edward Emel and Mary Regina (Feltes) Klusener. She married Henry Charles Klusener July 27, 1939, at Lyons.  He died August 29, 1984. A Great Bend resident since 1944 coming from Dubuque and Dorrance, she was a homemaker.

Mrs. Klusener was a member of Prince of Peace Parish at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church and the Altar Society.

Survivors include two sons, Larry E. Klusener and his wife Pat of Great Bend, and Jerry A. Klusener of Laquey, Mo.; five grandchildren, Gregory S. Klusener, Julie A. Staab, Jerry Klusener, Jr., Lorri Mort and Kim Robbins; and seven great-grandchildren, Emily Klusener, Jakob Byrne, Macie Klusener, Skylar Klusener, Savannah Klusener, Zoey Mort and Gabriel Mort. She was preceded in death by four brothers, August Klusener, Richard Klusener, Leonard Klusener and Marion Klusener; and three sisters, Bernadine Homolka, Mildred Prideaux and Deloris McDowell-Steuri.

Vigil Service with Altar Society Rosary will be at 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 24, 2016, at Bryant Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, Nov. 25, 2016, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Great Bend with Father Don Bedore celebrating. Burial will be in Great Bend Cemetery. Friends may call from 3 to 9 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 24, 2016, at Bryant Funeral Home. Memorials have been established with Prince of Peace Parish or St. Rose Health Center Endowment for Golden Belt Home Health and 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

GREAT BEND — Earlene Marie (Kiger) Nairn, 84, died Nov. 20, 2016, at Leisure Homestead, St. John. She was born June 8, 1932, at Great Bend, the daughter of Rossie Earl and Marjorie Adell (Moore) Kiger. She married Nolen Gene Nairn Oct. 8, 1950 at First Church of the Nazarene, Great Bend.  He died November 17, 2015. A lifetime resident of Great Bend, she was a vice president of Security State Bank and UMB Bank.

Mrs. Nairn was a member of First Christian Church and was a long-time treasurer for Golden Belt Community Concert Association.

Survivors include two sons, Douglas Nairn and his wife Sheree of Lawrence, and Clay Nairn and his wife Lisa of Shawnee; one daughter, Cathi Conaway and her husband Chuck of Great Bend; one sister, Virginia Langrehr and her husband Harold of Wichita; seven grandchildren, Melissa, Shawn, Ryan, Dallas, Bailey, Jake and Dakota; and four great-grandchildren, Cami, Elena, Abigail and Ava Lee.

A private family celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorials have been established with Leisure Homestead, 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: Tribune, KS

Dennis William White, 74, died November 21, 2016, at Greeley County Hospital, Tribune, Kansas. He was born April 25, 1942, at Hays, Kansas, the son of Kenneth William and Helen Lathene (Graham) White.
Dennis served as a seaman in the United States Navy from 1959 to 1963.
On April 29, 1962, he married Donna Monene Rankin in South San Gabriel, California. She preceded him in death on April 15, 2014.
Dennis retired from the Union Pacific Railroad, where he worked as a signal maintainer while in Hoisington and later wiring cabinets at the relay shops in Sedalia, Missouri.
He was a member of the former First Christian Church and the V.F. W., both of Hoisington.
He is survived by three children, Kenneth White and wife Lori of Sanger, Texas, Kimberly Garcia and husband Gilbert of Denver, Colorado, and Kevin White and wife Lori A. of Tribune, Kansas; a sister, Judith A. Turner of Independence, Missouri; a step-brother, Gary Ummel of Kansas City, Kansas; five grandchildren, Dennis White of Sanger, Texas, Marcus Garcia and wife Elizabeth Bennett of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Danyelle Sanchez of Maui, Hawaii, Desirae Garcia Lujan and husband Inaiah of Pueblo, Colorado, Chelsey Cavenee and husband Stacy of Tribune, Kansas; and four great grandchildren, Berkeley Hahn, Isabelle Garcia, and Tylee and Brantley Cavenee.
He was preceded in death by his wife, parents, and a grandmother, Ann Woodburn.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m., Wednesday, November 23, 2016, at Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home Chapel, with the Reverend Don Fisher presiding. Burial will follow in Hoisington Cemetery. Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS, 67544.

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

Dateline: Great Bend, Kansas

Name of Deceased: Lloyd A. “PeeWee” Stroud Age: 74
Date of Death: November 18, 2016
Place of Death: Great Bend Regional Hospital, Great Bend, Kansas
Date of Birth: April 6, 1942 at Fairplay, Missouri
Parents Name: Samuel and Nell (Tolbert) Stroud

OBITUARY INFORMATION
Lloyd married Virginia R. “Sue” Schmitt June 11, 1962 at Ellinwood, KS.
A long-time resident of Great Bend, Lloyd was a truck driver for Rainbow Trucking, retiring in 2013, and was a member of Prince of Peace Parish at St. Rose, Great Bend. In his youth, Lloyd played semi-pro baseball, playing slow pitch until the age of 46.

SURVIVORS
Wife: Sue Stroud, of the home
One son: Eugene “Huie” Stroud and wife Darla of Great Bend, KS
One daughter: Debbra Stroud of Great Bend, KS
Three Grandchildren: Jamie Stroud and companion Scott Johnson, Jessika Stroud, and Kyle Stroud

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Diana Stroud; three brothers, Charles Stroud, William Stroud, Donald Stroud; and by two sisters, Vernastine Beaty, and Maxine Hoggatt.

SERVICE INFORMATION
Mass of Christian Burial: 1:30 pm Monday, November 21, 2016, at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Great Bend
Vigil Service: 7:00 pm Sunday, November 20, 2016, at Bryant Funeral Home
Officiant: Father Don Bedore
Interment: Great Bend Cemetery, Great Bend, Kansas
Visitation: 1:00 to 9:00 p.m., Sunday, November 20, and 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 pm, Monday, November 21, all at Bryant Funeral Home
Memorial Fund: American Heart Association, 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 — Juanita May “Nita” Ratzlaff, 73, died Sept. 27, 2016, at her home in Great Bend. She was born May 1, 1943, at Beldenville, Wisc., the daughter of John and Mildred (Klein) Gilbertson. She was a waitress and manager of Hong Kong Restaurant and also had a painting business. She raised and showed Persian cats, and enjoyed cooking, gardening and yardwork.

Survivors include former husbands, Bob Cruse and John Ratzlaff; two sons, Bill Ratzlaff of Tawas, Mich., and Tim Cruse and wife Tammy of Wichita; five daughters: Sheila Crank and husband Adam of Hutchinson, Tammy Fry and husband Brian of Great Bend, Shelly Rhodes and husband Dustin of Kansas City, KS, Brenda Grabast and husband Ken of Hudson, and Kara Grover and husband James of Larned; one sister, April Sarnstrom and two brothers, Bruce Gilbertson and Mike Gilbertson, all of Wisconsin; grandchildren, Travis, Toby, Tierra, Heather, Kyle, Renee, Cody, Ciara, Kristan, Savana, David, Aubri, Rocky, Britani, Derek, Croix, Nicholas and Joeb; and five great-grandchildren, Axel, Brayden, Bryson, Kayden and Estin. She was preceded in death by her parents.

A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m., Nov. 25, 2016 at First Church of the Nazarene, Great Bend. Inurnment will be at a later date in Wisconsin. Memorials are requested to Golden Belt Humane 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

Radium – Beulah F. (Susie) Vratil, 99, passed away November 17, 2016 at Cherry Village Nursing Home, Great Bend.

Susie was born on October 17, 1917 in Stafford County, the daughter of Earl, Sr. and Jessie Carr. She grew up on a farm near Radium and graduated from Radium High School in 1935. In 1937 she married Eddy Vratil, and they celebrated 64 years of marriage before Eddy’s death in 2002.

Susie and Eddy farmed near Radium for many years before moving to Larned in retirement years. She and Eddy enjoyed cooking, card playing and traveling.

Susie is survived by one son and daughter-in-law, Ron and Patty Vratil, Great Bend, as well as two grandchildren Kathy (Troy) Brockway of Salina and Jay (Jennifer) Vratil of Great Bend. She has seven great grandchildren, Jessica, Lara and Aidan Brockway; and Taylor, Brooke, Braden and Kade Vratil. She is survived by a sister-in-law Jean Vratil.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and siblings, Clair Carr, Parker Carr, Earl Carr, Jr., Alvena Carpenter and Maxine Heueisen.

Funeral will be 10:00 a.m. Monday at Beckwith Mortuary Chapel with Chuck Carpenter presiding. Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Saturday and 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sunday, at the mortuary. Burial will be in the Larned Cemetery.

Memorials may be given to the Radium Senior Center or Larned Fire Department, both in care of Beckwith Mortuary, P.O. Box 477, Larned, KS 67550. Personal condolences may be left at www.beckwithmortuary.com.

Dateline: Great Bend, KansasDateline: Great Bend, Kansas

Gary Eugene Buskirk passed away Nov. 17, 2016. He was born in Columbus Ohio Jan. 29, 1949 to Edith (O’Dell) and Guy Edward Buskirk .He met the love of his life, Sheila Moore, in Mount Sterling, Ohio. They married May 12, 1969.  He was in the plastic manufacturing industry for over 40 years, most recently Fuller Industries and RD Tools (Lees summit, MO). Gary & Sheila (His Jo) were a true joining of lives. They were inseparable, some may say “joined at the hip” Truly, two halves of a whole.  A beloved husband, father, son, and brother, Gary’s many talents included house remodeling projects with his wife in his spare time. Since he was a young man, he also enjoyed muscle cars.His life will be forever cherished by his loving, devoted wife of 47 years and two children, Angela (Chad) Murphy of Sterling Ks, Lance (Allie) Buskirk of Olathe Ks. Papadad to his four “kiddos”, Jessica Curtis of Springfield Mo, Abbigale Curtis of Great Bend Ks, Joshua Curtis of Sterling Ks, Cayden Buskirk of Olathe Ks. Sisters, Debbie Manbevers of Neodesha Ks, Darcy (Nick) Jacobs of Great Bend Ks. Mother in law, Lena Pack of Great Bend, Ks. Brothers in law, Lonnie (Patti) Pack, Mike Pack, Paul (Tia) Pack, Bart (Chris) Moore, Bret (Rinda) Moore. Sisters in law, Becky Armentrout, Marcia (Steve) Crawford, Donna Moore and Jennifer Pack. A host of loving nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved brother Guy Edward Buskirk, and his Brother in law Harold (Bud) Manbevers.With coffee cup in hand, contagious smile and a small chuckle, He would always greet you with a, “Hey, Guy!”  We will miss that, deeply…until we are joined together again above he still lives in our hearts. Hey Guy, see ya later…A Celebration of Gary’s Life will take place at 635 S US Hwy 281 in Great Bend on November 20, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.Prayers, condolences and memories are gladly accepted at www.bryantfh.net or cards may be sent to PO Box 1757. Great Bend, Ks 67530

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: Leonard J. Miller Age: 86
Date of Death: November 16, 2016 Place of Death: Via Christi St. Francis Regional Medical Center, Wichita
Date of Birth: September 12, 1930 at Wilson, Kansas
Parents Name: Martin and Amalia “Mollie” (Manweiler) Miller

OBITUARY INFORMATION
Leonard attended school at Gorham, KS, later receiving his G.E.D. from Barton County Community College in November, 1975. Leonard had been married to Edna Kathman and later married Betty L. (Douthitt) Burke September 21, 1968, at Great Bend.
Leonard worked at Feltes Floor Crafters in Great Bend for 21 years and then worked at ESSEX Corporation, Hoisington, retiring in 1992. He retired from the Kansas National Guard as First Sergeant, after serving for 34 years. Leonard was a lifetime member of the Enlisted Association National Guard of the United States and was inducted into the Kansas National Guard Hall of Fame in Topeka, November, 1998. Leonard was a member of the American Legion Argonne Post 180 and Central Baptist Church, both of Great Bend.

SURVIVORS
Three sons: Kenny Miller and wife Harlene, James Miller, and Curtis Miller and wife Linda
Three daughters: Judy Blanchard and husband Larry, Mary Ramsey and husband Mike, Sharon Miller and husband Jeff
Two step sons: Lester Burke and wife Sharon, and Gary Burke and wife Anna
Three step daughters: Dana Abrams, Belinda Peters, and Karla Alsup and husband Jeff
One sister: Delores Sehl and husband Jerry of OR
Sister-in-law: Gisela McConnell of CO
20 Grandchildren
Many Great Grandchildren and Great Great Grandchildren

He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty, parents, and foster parents; three sisters, Sophie Lynch, Violet June, and Frances Bethel; two brothers, Edward L. McConnell and Henry “Hank” Miller; one son, Leonard E. Miller, Jr., and by one daughter, Annette Pellett.

SERVICE INFORMATION
Funeral Service: Monday, November 21, 2016 Time of Service: 10:00 am
Place of Service: Central Baptist Church in Great Bend
Officiants: Pastor John Grummon and Rev. Dave Walters
Interment: Great Bend Cemetery, Great Bend, Kansas
Visitation: 1:00 to 9:00 p.m., Sunday, November 20, 2016 at Bryant Funeral Home, with the family receiving friends from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Memorial Fund: Museum of the Kansas National Guard or American Legion Argonne Post 180 Quilts of Valor, 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