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GOMER W. "WALLY" HARRINGTON
Gomer Wallace "Wally" Harrington, 75, Independence, died Sunday, Jan. 25, 1998, at Columbia Independence Regional Health Center.
Mr. Harrington was born Jan. 31, 1922, in Independence and was a lifelong Independence resident. He was a milkman for Myer Dairy for 30 years until 1981. He then was a route driver for The Examiner from 1981 to 1995. He was a member of the Walnut Park RLDS Church and an Army veteran of World War II.
His survivors include his wife, Georgia "Lea" Harrington of the home; one son, Russ Harrington, Garden City, Mo.; four daughters, Linda Jane Nuckles, Patty Smith and Pam Johnson, all of Independence, and Sharon Evans, Sibley; 17 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
Services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Speaks Suburban Chapel. Burial will be in Mound Grove cemetery. Friends may call from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the chapel.
NORMA J. JOHANSEN
Norma Jean Johansen, 64, Independence, died Saturday, Jan. 24, 1998, at the Columbia Independence Regional Health Center.
Mrs. Johansen was born May 6, 1933, in Jemison, Ala., and had lived in Independence since 1959. She was preceded in death by a grandson, Jeffery Lee Billuris. Her survivors include her husband, Gerald F. Johansen, and one son, Michael L. Johansen, both of the home; three daughters, Marsha Billuris, Debra L. Rich and Carla J. Zackula, and two brothers, Larry Glass and Darrell Glass, all of Independence; one sister, LaMerle Penniman, Bryantville, Mass.; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
Services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Speaks Suburban Chapel. Burial will be in Buckner Hill cemetery. Friends may call from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the chapel. The family suggests contributions to the RP Foundation.
HIRAM I. SIMMONS
Hiram Irving Simmons, 94, Independence, died Saturday, Jan. 24, 1998, at Rosewood Health Care Center.
Mr. Simmons was born June 15, 1903, in Newport, R.I., moved to Independence in 1942, then to Denver in 1957. He returned to Independence in 1971. He was a librarian for the Denver Public Library, retiring in 1971. He was an elder at the RLDS Stone Church and had been a chaplain at the Independence Sanitarium and Hospital for 12 years. His wife, Florence Whipple Simmons, died in 1988.
His survivors include one daughter, Joyce Kuhn, Independence; and one granddaughter, Felicia Roth, Blue Springs.
Cremation. Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at the South Crysler RLDS Church. Burial will be in Mound Grove cemetery. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at his daughter`s home, 3822 S. Trailridge Ave..
ETHEL I. SMEATON
Ethel I. Smeaton, 92, Independence, died Saturday, Jan. 24, 1998, at Columbia Independence Regional Health Center.
Mrs. Smeaton was born July 16, 1905, in Farnam, Neb., and had lived in Independence most of her life. She was a homemaker and also worked in the Laurel Club at the RLDS Auditorium. She was a member of the RLDS Second Church congregation. Her husband, James J. Smeaton Sr., died in 1977.
Her survivors include one daughter, Grace Louise Wanbaugh, Independence; one son, James J. Smeaton Jr., Nixa, Mo.; two brothers, Blaine Stoner, Independence, and Harley Stoner, Arlington, Texas; one sister, Rosie Breshears, Adrian, Mo.; five grandchildren, Charlene L. Bergman, Marla Kay Parks, Mark Smeaton, David Smeaton and John Smeaton; and five great-grandchildren.
Services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday at the George C. Carson & Sons Independence Chapel. Burial will be in Mound Grove cemetery. Friends may call from 6:30 to 8 tonight at the chapel.
NORMA J. THOMAS
Norma Jean Thomas, 69, Lee`s Summit, died Saturday, Jan. 24, 1998.
Mrs. Thomas was born Nov. 14, 1928, in Atchison, Kan., and had lived in this area most of her life. She was a 1946 graduate of Central High School. She was a secretary for AT&T; Technologies Inc. (formerly Western Electric) for 18 years before she retired. She was a member of Timothy Lutheran Church, Blue Springs.
Her survivors include three daughters, Katherine Ann Thomas, Lee`s Summit, Constance Susan Thomas, Ettingen, Switzerland, and Karen Diane Brown, Lee`s Summit; two brothers, Hank Geritz, Lee`s Summit, and Charles R. Geritz, Arizona; five grandchildren, Thomas Magers, Katrina Brown, Kyle Magers, Karlina Brown and Ryan Magers; oneniece; and one nephew.
Memorial services will be 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the church. Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Forest Hill cemetery, Kansas City. Friends may call from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the church. The family suggests contributions to the church library. Arrangements are under the direction of D.W. Newcomer`s Sons Blue Springs Chapel.
FRANK N. WELSH
Frank N. Welsh, 87, Stover, Mo., died Friday, Jan. 23, 1998, at the Good Shepherd Nursing Home, Versailles, Mo.
Mr. Welsh was born July 30, 1910, in Dallas, lived in Los Angeles for 30 years, moving to Stover eight years ago. He was an Army veteran of World War II.
His survivors include his wife, Ruth Welsh of the home; four stepdaughters, Ruth Soldner and Carole Michaels, both of Independence, Shirley Young, Stover, and Phyllis Rippy, Kansas City; one stepson, John Lightfoot, Independence; a half brother, Annando Kramer, Independence; 13 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.
Services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at the George C. Carson & Sons Independence Chapel. Burial will be in Mound Grove cemetery. Friends may call from 7 to 8:30 tonight at the chapel.
LaVERN A. BEHRENDS
LaVern Arthur Behrends, 77, Lake Lafayette, Mo., died Friday, Jan. 16, 1998, at his home.
Mr. Behrends was born in Algona, Iowa, and had lived in Nevada, Mo., Kansas City, Buckner and Odessa. He was employed by the Union Wire & Rope, Kansas City, from 1953 to 1975. He also farmed in Iowa and in the Nevada, Mo., area. He was a member of United Steel Workers Local 2916, Kansas City. He was a member of the First Assembly of God Church, Odessa. He was preceded in death by a son, Kenneth Behrends.
His survivors include his wife, Margaret Behrends of the home; two sons, Clarence D. Behrends, Marshall, and Greg L. Behrends, Buckner; a daughter, Donna Stacy, Lake Lafayette;a daughter-in-law, Goldie, Odessa; nine grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Services will be 1 p.m. Monday at the Ralph O. Jones Chapel, Odessa. Burial will be in Mount Tabor cemetery, Odessa. Friends may call from 7 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. The family suggests contributions to the First Assembly of God Church, Odessa.
LOTTIE M. BLYTHE
Lottie May Blythe, 93, Alma, Kan., died Friday, Jan. 9, 1998, at her home.
Mrs. Blythe was born April 3, 1904, in Union town, Kan., and had lived in Dwight, Kan., before moving to the Liberal, Mo., area in 1950 and then to Alma in 1968. She attended school and graduated at Union town. She had been employed by Big Smith Overall Factory in Lamar until her retirement. She was a member of Peace United Church of Christ in Alma. Her husband, Cephus Carey Blythe, died in 1950. She was also preceded in death by a child, Cephus Bail.
Her survivors include three daughters, Elaine Blanton, Alma, Sara Kerstetter, Leon, Kan., and Audra Wehling, Longmont, Colo.; five sons, Andrew Blythe, Council Grove, Kan., Bill Blythe, Chanute, Kan., Robert Blythe, Grove, Okla., Donald Blythe, Independence, and Cecil Blythe, Thornton, Colo.; a sister, Martha Swink, Albuquerque, N.M.; 28 grandchildren; 48 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.
Services were Jan. 13 at the Peace United Church of Christ, Alma. Interment was in the Liberal City cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Mrs. Blythe to the Wabaunsee County Museum, to the American Heart Association or to the Alma Library in care of the Gentry Funeral Home, Alma, Kan. 66401.
KAREN J. BURCHAM
Karen Jeanne (McKenzie) Burcham, 53, Independence, died Thursday, Jan. 15, 1998, at the Medical Center of Independence.
Mrs. Burcham was born Oct. 24, 1944, in Independence. She worked at the Wal-Mart in Independence for nine years as cash office manager. She was an accredited records technician. She was active in the PTA and was a Skylark leader and a member of the National Honor Society. She was a member of the RLDS Church.
Her survivors include her husband, Charles Burcham, of the home; two sons, Scott and Tom, both of Independence; one daughter, Laura, Olathe, Kan.; her mother, Jeannette McKenzie, Independence, her brother, David McKenzie, Independence; her sister, Kathy Stites, Leawood;and seven grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m., Tuesday, at Speaks Suburban Chapel in Independence. Burial will be in Mount Washington cemetery. Friends may call from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Monday, at the chapel.
DAMON L. FAIR, JR.
Damon Lee Fair, Jr., infant son of Damon Lee and Anita Jo Fair, Independence, died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 1998, at St. Luke`s Hospital.
His survivors include his parents; his maternal grandmother, Vickie Beemer, Independence; and several uncles and aunts.
Graveside services will be at noon, Monday, at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens. Friends may call from 11 a.m. to noon, Monday, at Newcomer`s Sons Floral Hills Chapel.
