Archived Marriage Records
ALPHA ELIZABETH “BETTY” KENNEDY
ALPHA ELIZABETH “BETTY” KENNEDY, 93, FORMERLY OF LAWRENCE, DIED FEBRUARY 5, 2012 AT THE KANSAS CITY HOSPICE HOUSE, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.
BETTY WAS BORN MAY 3, 1918 IN CHANUTE, KANSAS TO CLIFFORD S. BLACKBURN AND ALPHA M. BLACKBURN. SHE WAS A 1936 GRADUATE OF MADISON, KANSAS HIGH SCHOOL AND A 1940 GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS SCHOOL OF PHARMACY.
ON APRIL 7, 1940, SHE MARRIED CECIL E. KENNEDY, A 1940 GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS. FOLLOWING HIS GRADUATION, HE SERVED 3 YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS IN THE PACIFIC RIM. UPON HONORABLE DISCHARGE FROM THE MARINES, BETTY AND CECIL LIVED IN MANY LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES AND IN ARUBA WHERE CECIL WAS A CONSTRUCTION STEEL WORKER.
IN 1947, THEY BOUGHT THE REXALL DRUG STORE IN PLAINVILLE KANSAS WHERE THEY LIVED UNTIL 1965 WHEN THEY MOVED TO LAWRENCE. DURING THAT PERIOD, THEY ALSO OWNED AND OPERATED THE GRAIN ELEVATOR IN STOCKTON, KS.
UPON MOVING TO LAWRENCE, BETTY WAS AN AVID FAN OF KANSAS UNIVERSITY SPORTS ESPECIALLY BASKETBALL HAVING HELD SEASON TICKETS FOR 40 CONSECUTIVE YEARS. SHE WAS ALSO A GOLFER AT LAWRENCE COUNTRY CLUB AND PARTICIPATED IN NUMEROUS BOWLING LEAGUES. SHE FREQUENTLY TRAVELED TO NATIONAL BOWLING TOURNAMENTS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. BETTY WAS ALSO AN AVID BRIDGE PLAYER.
SURVIVORS INCLUDE A DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW, KATHY AND RON BAKER, OWNERS OF WILLOWRIDGE LANDSCAPE COMPANY IN LAWRENCE, TWO GRANDSONS, CASEY W BAKER AND JAY M. BAKER, BOTH OF LAWRENCE, TWO GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, A SON AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, JOHN AND BARBARA KENNEDY OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI. ALSO SURVIVING IS ONE SISTER, LOIS WILSON OF WICHITA AND SEVERAL NEICES AND NEPHEWS.
SERVICES FOR BETTY WILL BE 2:00 P.M. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012 AT THE RUMSEY-YOST FUNERAL HOME, 601 INDINA, LAWRENCE, KS 66044.
Chester "Chet" F. Thomas
Friends are invited to visit with the family of Chet Thomas, 89, Lawrence, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at the Rumsey Yost Funeral Home. A private graveside inurnment will be held later for the family.
Mr. Thomas passed away on February 16, 2012 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. He was 89.
Chet was one of four children born to John and Evelyn Thomas. He was born in Danvers, Massachusetts on July 7, 1922 and grew up in Newton, MA. He attended Northeastern University and served his country in the Army Signal Corp during WWII. He married
June Miller on July 24, 1948 and they had 3 children.
Chet moved his family to Lawrence, KS in 1968 to open the B. F. Goodrich distribution center. He was active in the Lawrence community, belonged to the Chamber of Commerce, the American Legion Post 14, the Elks Lodge, and the Cosmopolitan Club. He was a founding member of the social organization, Big Blue. He was an avid golfer throughout his life and received a number of golf trophies and medals including recognition for 8 “holes in one”. He competed in the Senior Olympics in golf and volunteered for the Sunflower Games, Junior Division. He enjoyed dancing at the American Legion, playing cards, gardening, and watching all sports, especially professional golf and KU basketball.
Preceding him in death was his wife, June Thomas, his parents, John and Evelyn Thomas, his older brother, John Thomas, and his younger sister Rose Ferdenzi.
Survivors include his 3 daughters and their husbands, Christine Ross-Baze, (Jim Baze) Ozawkie, KS, Caren Gaultney, (Joseph Gaultney) McLouth, KS and Cindy Kruger (Greg Kruger), Baldwin City, KS, his younger sister and her husband Evelyn Hines (Bill Hines) of Needham, MA, 5 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren, 6 nephews, a niece and his dear friend Rusty Moore, Lawrence, KS.
The family would like to suggest donations made in Chet’s name be sent to the American Legion Post 14 Lawrence, KS in care of Rumsey Yost Funeral Home.
Gerhart (Gary) Walter Hoffman
Celebration of life service for Gerhart (Gary) Walter Hoffman of Lawrence Ks. will be held at 2p.m. February 16th at First United Methodist Church. Inurnment will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Gary passed away on February 10th at Brandon Woods with his wife and five children present.
Gary was born April 15th, 1927 in Mitchell, South Dakota to German immigrant parents Paul August Hoffman and Elsie Bachman Hoffman.
Gary graduated from Mitchell High School in 1945. He went on to play college football at both South Dakota State and Dakota Wesleyan University. He also attended the former Stout Institute of Industrial Arts in Menomonie, Wisconsin.
Gary married
Joyce Turner on June 20, 1948 at First Methodist Church in Mitchell, South Dakota. To this union five children were born.
Gary was an active member of the Mitchell First United Methodist Church, Y’s Men’s club which was a service organization of the YMCA, Order of Elks, Master Mason, and El Raid Shrine.
Gary moved his family to Lawrence Ks. in 1963 to be affiliated with Norris Brothers Plumbing and Heating as a Commercial Mechanical Estimator. He later worked for Huxstable Inc. in the same capacity. In 1969 he formed Mechanical Estimating Service Inc. which provided Mechanical data to commercial contractors throughout the Midwest. He retired in 1995.
Gary was an active member of the Lawrence First United Methodist Church, Breakfast Optimists, and the Building and Trade Commission of the city of Lawrence.
Throughout his life Gary enjoyed the outdoors. He loved to camp in the mountains, travel, garden, and especially pheasant hunting with his sons in South Dakota. Gary was also an avid KU sports fan. Gary was a wonderful husband and father who will be missed but never forgotten.
Survivors include his wife Joyce, daughter Becki Barnhart and friend Mark Eggold of Ottawa, Ks., sons Jeff Hoffman and wife Sarah, David Scot Hoffman and wife Donna, Craig Hoffman, and daughter Kim Krannawitter and husband Kevin along with fourteen grandchildren, and eleven great grandchildren.
The family will greet friends at 7pm February 15th at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home.
Memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church in care of the funeral home. 601 Indiana, Lawrence, KS 66044.
The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude to Brandon Woods employees for their excellent and loving care of our loved one.
Arnold Shearon
1911-2004
Services for Arnold Shearon, 92, De Soto, were Tuesday, Jan. 27, at Cedar Crest Memorial Chapel, De Soto. Burial was in De Soto Cemetery.
Mr. Shearon died Saturday, Jan. 24, 2004, at Hillside Village in De Soto.
He was born May 20, 1911, in Macon, Mo.
He married
Margaret Louise Timmons. She died earlier. A son, Richard A. Shearon, also died earlier.
Survivors include a son, Charles Shearon, De Soto; two daughters, Jean Hess and Connie Otto, both of De Soto; a sister, Esther Yoder, Lenexa; a brother, Paul, Macon, Mo.; seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
The family suggests memorials to the Westbrooke Church Scholarship Fund, 9898 W. 95th St., Overland Park 66214.
James W. Davis
1954-2004
Memorial services for James W. Davis, 49, Lawrence, were Friday, Feb. 27, at Clinton Parkway Assembly of God Church in Lawrence.
Mr. Davis died Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2004, in Lawrence.
He was born Sept. 29, 1954, in Medford, Ore., the son of Warren G. and Mary Jo Davis. He graduated from Lawrence High School and attended Kansas University.
Mr. Davis had worked for the Douglas County Appraiser's Office and at the KU athletic department before that. He was a published fiction writer and artist.
Survivors include two sons, Jeffrey P. Davis and Matthew B. Davis, both of Baldwin City; his father, Lawrence; his mother, Spokane, Wash.; three brothers, Tim Davis and Kelly Davis, both of Lawrence, and Mike Davis, Eudora; and a sister, Debbie Davis, Spokane.
Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
JOHN F. BICHELMEYER
John Floyd Bichelmeyer, 88, of Shawnee, passed away Tuesday morning December 21 peacefully in his home. He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, businessman, community leader and friend to many.
Born July 18, 1916, on a farm in Eudora, Kansas, he was the fourth of 10 children of George M. and Antonia (Madl) Bichelmeyer. He graduated from Belleview School in 1930, and immediately began work in the meat industry, holding numerous jobs in markets and packing houses of Eastern Kansas.
John married
Mary Helen Matson in 1937 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Kansas City, Kansas. They lived on Strawberry Hill until 1950, when they moved to Shawnee, where their family joined St. Joseph's Catholic Church.
John founded Bichelmeyer Meat Company in Armourdale, Kansas in 1946, which grew and flourished, despite being wiped out in the 1951 flood, because of his legendary approach to customer service and the high quality of his products. When he retired in 1975, John sold the meat business to his sons, and the business continues to flourish. After retirement, John continued to pursue business interests in the meat industry and the acquisition of real estate in Wyandotte, Johnson and Douglas counties. John was influential in helping many people in eastern Kansas to purchase homes and land and to open businesses in the meat and agricultural industries. Bichelmeyer Meats was honored as the Armourdale Business of the Decade in 2000.
John and his wife were instrumental in the early development of St. Joseph Catholic Parish and the Shawnee community. They received numerous awards in recognition of their participation in church and community activities, including the Excellence in Education Award from St. Joseph School in 1986, and being named Grand Marshalls of the 15th Annual Shawnee St. Patrick's Day parade in 1996. Bichelmeyer/Pflumm Park was named in part to honor the contributions of John and Mary to the community. John and his family were also featured in an article about the modern American family in the November 1999 issue of Life Magazine.
John was briefly survived by his oldest daughter, Joan Bichelmeyer Grimm, who passed away just fourteen hours after her father. John is also survived by eight children, Judith K. Sumpter and her husband Richard of Lenexa, James N. Bichelmeyer of Shawnee, Joseph M. Bichelmeyer and his wife Martha of Shawnee, Jerome L. Bichelmeyer and his wife Cindy of Shawnee, Jean M. Jenkins and her husband Russ of Emporia, Jane C. Wetzel and her husband Louis of Westwood, Mary B. Lucas and her husband Scott of Mission Hills, and Barbara A. Bichelmeyer of Bloomington, Indiana; 31 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters, Frances Smith of Slater, Missouri and Rose McKemy of Los Angeles, California.
John was preceded in death by his wife, Mary H. (Matson) Bichelmeyer, his son, John G. Bichelmeyer and son-in-law C. Louis Grimm; his grandsons Ricky Sumpter and Justin Bichelmeyer, his parents and his siblings, Barbara Bichelmeyer of Slater, Missouri; Matt Bichelmeyer, of Eudora, Kansas; Anne Lewis of Los Angeles, California; Mary Parish of Petaluma, California; George Bichelmeyer of Bonner Springs, Kansas; Agnes Cram of Los Angeles, California; and Leo Bichelmeyer of DeSoto, Kansas.
A double funeral mass will be held for John and his daughter Joan at 10 a.m. Monday, December 27, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Shawnee. Burial will follow the funeral mass at St. Joseph's Cemetery.
Friends may call from 1 to 4:00 p.m. Sunday, December 26, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church.
In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the John F. and Mary H. Bichelmeyer Foundation, care of Amos Family Funeral Home, 10901 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, Kansas, 66203.
Michael R. Arneson
1947-2004
Funeral services for Michael Ray Arneson, 56, De Soto, will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the Olathe Christian Church, 1115 S. Ridgeview Road in Olathe. Burial will be in the De Soto Cemetery.
Mr. Arneson died Sunday, March 28, 2004, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital from injuries received in an automobile accident.
He was born Dec. 9, 1947, in Monticello, Iowa, the son of DeWitt "Gus" Ray and Jean (O'Boyle) Arneson.
Mr. Arneson was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam era.
He was part owner of Kaw Valley Framing Components.
Survivors include his wife, Claudia (Caenen) Arneson; two daughters, Stephanie Davis, Fayetteville, N.C., and Jennifer Arneson, Kansas City, Mo.; his mother and father, Jean and Gerald Lynch, Rock Island, Ill.; two sisters, Cheryl Ortiz, Coal Valley, Ill., and Nancy Simms, Leesburg, Fla.; a brother, Gerald "Jay" Lynch Jr., Davenport, Iowa; and a grandson.
Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Amos Family Chapel, 10901 Johnson Drive in Shawnee.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Michael Arneson Memorial Fund for the education of his grandchildren, c/o Waddell and Reed, P.O. Box 561, De Soto 66018.
Ila M. Motzkus
1922-2004
Funeral services for Ila M. Motzkus, 81, De Soto, were Monday, March 30, at De Soto United Methodist Church. Burial was in De Soto Cemetery.
Mrs. Motzkus died Thursday, March 25, 2004, at Sharon Lane Nursing Home in Shawnee.
She was born May 28, 1922, in Stanberry, Mo., the daughter of John Francis and Lulu Ethel (Jennings) Boatwright. She moved to Sunflower Village with her family in 1951 and then to De Soto. She graduated from Stanberry High School.
Mrs. Motzkus worked for Bendix Corp. (now Allied Signal in Kansas City) for more than 23 years as a telephone operator. She also worked at Sunflower Ordnance Plant and retired in 1983.
She was an active member of De Soto United Methodist Church. She was also a member of the FCE Club and YW Club, both in De Soto.
She married
Gilbert Martin Motzkus Aug. 5, 1939, in Savannah, Mo. He died in 1993.
Survivors include a son, Larry Martin Motzkus, Shawnee; two daughters, Shirley Darlene Gardner, Katy, Texas, and Ruth Ellen Motzkus, Shawnee; three brothers, Leland B. Boatwright, Carthage, Mo., John A. Boatwright of Arizona, and Jerry L. Boatwright, Stanberry, Mo.; two sisters, Verna E. Simmons, North Kansas City, Mo., and Ruby A. Gregory, Stanberry, Mo.; nine grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
A brother, Marvin W. Boatwright, and a granddaughter, preceded her in death.
Memorial contributions can be made to the De Soto Fire Department.
Bruce Funeral Home in De Soto was in charge of the arrangements.
David E. Schaulis
1953-2004
No services are planned for David Eugene Schaulis, 50, Lawrence.
Mr. Schaulis died Wednesday, March 24, 2004, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
He was born Aug. 17, 1953, in Clay Center, the son of Lyle M. Schaulis and Donna M. (Welch) Stoldt.
Mr. Schaulis was a self-employed landlord with Schaulis Rentals. He was a past member of Landlords of Lawrence. He worked maintenance at the Sunflower Ordnance Plant until it closed.
Survivors include his father, Phoenix; his mother, Topeka; a daughter, Heather Baker, Lawrence; and a sister, Kathy Schaulis, Lawrence.
The family suggests memorials to the David E. Schaulis Memorial Fund, sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary.
