Alta Rosalie. Rice, 92, of Topeka, passed away Sunday, October 18, 2009 at Aldersgate Village.Mrs. Rice was born December 6, 1916 on a farm in Marshall County, near Irving, KS, the daughter of Dwight and Rosy L. (Skalla) Smerchek. She was reared and educated in the area schools, graduated from Blue Rapids High School in 1934.She married Alvin Reed. They...

Thelma J. Kinder, 89, of Topeka, passed away Friday, October 16, 2009 at Midland Hospice House.Thelma was born October 19, 1919 in Gainesville, MO, the daughter of Vernon S. and Beulah E. (Evans) Simmons. She graduated from Washburn Rural High School, Topeka.She owned and operated the The Lovely Lady and Seacrest Beauty Salons in Topeka. She was a member of...

Ruby M. Creighton, 90, of Topeka, passed away Thurs., Oct. 15, 2009, at St. Francis Hospital. Born March 11, 1919, the daughter of Robert and Emma (Wischmeier) Creighton in rural Holton, KS.Ruby attended Strickler's Business College; followed by working for the State Corporation Commission. She taught in a one room schoolhouse in Jackson County for 4 years prior to graduating...

Darrell Dean VanHoutan was born in Grant City,Mo on November 10, 1927 and passed away on October 12, 2009 in Tulsa ,Oklahoma. Dean was a long time resident of Hoyt, Kansas and retired from the Goodyear Plant where he was an Oiler. He was a proud member of USWA Local 307, where he served as a Steward and Executive Board...

Noelle Todd Drechsel, 100, of Topeka, passed away on Friday, October 9, 2009, at Brewster Place in Topeka. She was born on August 3, 1909, in Leavenworth, KS, the daughter of Lee and Mary Denton Todd. Noelle received her Masters Degree from Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. Noelle taught elementary school in Leavenworth for many years and was also a girls...

Becky S. Lay Johnson, 51, of Topeka, passed away on Friday, October 9, 2009 at a Topeka hospital after a lengthy illness. She was born on March 3, 1958 in Bunswick, GA, the daughter of James C. and Barbara A. Bennett Lay, Sr. She had been employed at Stormont-Vail Hospital for seven years and a EMTI in Jackson County. She...

Mary Alice Stallsmith, 82 of Topeka, passed away Friday, October 2, 2009 at Hays Medical Center in Hays, KS. She was born December 1, 1926 in Parsons, KS to Harold and Mildred (Jones) Heth.Mary graduated from Parsons High School and attended Parsons School of Cosmetology. She was a beautician at Doris Beauty Shop and later Shirley's Beauty Shop in Holton....

Hortense Horton Beck, 89, of Topeka, passed away Thursday, October 1, 2009 at Brewster Health Center.She was born February 17, 1920 in Atwood, KS, the daughter of William and Margaret Horton. She was a graduate of UCLA. Hortense married Dr. Joseph D. Beck on Christmas Day, 1943. They shared over 64 years together before his passing on May 6, 2008....

Betty Jane Ellison, 83, of Topeka, passed away October 1, 2009, at Brewster Place. She was born July 2, 1926, in Topeka, KS, the daughter of Earl and Jennie Liggett Gudd. On January 25, 1946, she married Richard Ellison in Topeka, KS. He survives.Betty had lived in the Topeka area all her life and was a 1944 graduate of Topeka...

Clarence Wade, Jr. was born Oct. 6, 1935, and passed on Sept. 29, 2009. He was born to Clarence and Blanche Wade in Garrison, KS. He graduated HPHS in 1954, and served in the U.S. Army. Clarence worked as a Meat-cutter for 44 years. He wed Marcia L. Dicke on Sept. 7, 1958. They had 2 children, Mark and Shawn...

Diane Louise Caudle, 55 of Topeka, passed away Sunday, September 27, 2009 at Stormont-Vail Hospital. She was born August 24, 1954 in Topeka, KS to William Stanley and Claudette G. (Marsh) Conklin. On June 30, 1973, Diane married Jim Caudle at First Christian Church in Topeka, KS. In junior high, she began teaching accordion lessons at her grandfather's music studio,...

Delores "Dee" Jean Spencer, 76, of Topeka, passed away Monday, September 28, 2009 peacefully with her family at her side.She was born December 3, 1932 in Topeka, the daughter of Dwight S. and Emily R. (Welter) Martin. She was a graduate of Topeka High School. She was employed as a dental assistant for Topeka dental offices of Cook and Cassidy,Dale...

Maj. Albert V. Salzer, Ret. 92, of Topeka, passed away on Friday, September 25, 2009 at his home. He was born on February 14, 1917 in Topeka, one of eight children born to Stephen and Mary Gollar Salzer. All five sons served in the military and at one point, all were serving our country during the same time period. He...

Ernest R. (Ernie) Marcy, 90, lifelong Topeka resident and World War II veteran, passed away Sept. 24 after a short bout with cancer. Ernie was born in Allen, Ks., Jan. 14, 1919, son of Burton and Christine Marcy. He was a 1937 graduate of Topeka High School. Ernie attended the University of Kansas and Washburn University. Ernie joined the United...

Joanne Stephens Vail Hempel, 91, of Topeka, passed away Wed. Sept. 23, 2009, at Topeka Presbyterian Manor. She was born Nov. 30, 1917, in Topeka, KS, the daughter of Frank T. Stephens and Hazel Willbourn Stephens.She was a 1936 graduate of Topeka High School.Joanne married James C. Vail, Capt. U.S. Marines (WWII) on Dec. 25, 1941. He preceded her in...

Claude W. McCune, 92, of Topeka, passed away on Wednesday, September 23, 2009. He was born on October 19, 1916 in Alva, OK, to Isaac and Martha McCune. Claude was employed by Goodyear for 29 years before retiring in 1979. He then volunteered at Stormont-Vail Hospital for 22 years. He attended the Community Church. Claude loved to bowl and coached...

Glenn A. Carlson, 85, of Topeka, passed away Wed. Sept. 23, 2009, at Midland Hospice House. He was born on May 12, 1924, to Ernest and Golda (Eisenberger) Carlson at Topeka, KS.He was a U.S. Navy veteran (1943-1945) of WWII and was assigned to the USS Stringham (APD-6) in the South Pacific.Glenn retired from the Santa Fe Railway Shops where...

Wilson G. McQuilkin passed away Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at a local hospital. Mr. McQuilkin was born on September 29, 1915 in Topeka, the son of Otis J. and Jessie (Wilson) McQuilkin.On May 11, 1939, Wilson married Margaret (Gribble) at the First Christian Church.Mr. McQuilkin is survived by his loving wife of seventy years, Margaret; a daughter, Patricia Olmsted, Topeka;...

Hazel Faye McLinn, 81, of Topeka, passed away Sunday, September 20, 2009.She was born February 13, 1928 in Willow, Oklahoma, the daughter of E. Carrol and M. Edna (Bond) Jackson. She was a member of Most Pure Heart of Mary Church, Topeka. Hazel married Delmar L. McLinn, Sr. on May 7, 1948 in Texas. He survives. Other survivors include children,...

Lorraine G. Cummings, 78, of Topeka, passed away Sun., Sept. 20, 2009. She was born March 9, 1931, the daughter of Harry and Levita (Otto) Lee.She was a graduate of Seaman High School and attended Washburn University.Lorraine married Cornelius D. Cummings. He preceded her in death.She was a registered dietician for Rossville Valley Manor, retiring after 17 years of service.Survivors...