Nancy Jo Whiffen
Sep 13, 2020
NancyJo Whiffen, 83, Topeka, passed away Sunday, September 13, 2020 at home.She was born February 2, 1937, in Topeka, Kansas, the daughter of Bryan and Lucille (Jenkins) Henley. She graduated from Topeka High School and Clark's Business College.Nancy was employed by the Reviser of Statues Office at the state, retiring after 25 years.She was a member of the League of...
Judith "Judy" Covey Waner
Sep 12, 2020
Judith "Judy" Covey Waner, 80, of Topeka, passed away Saturday, September 12, 2020 at Stormont Vail Health Center.She was born July 4, 1940, in Topeka, Kansas, the daughter of Carl Covey and Loris Pierce Barnes King. Judy graduated from Marion High School. After graduating she received a degree in nursing and furthered her career becoming a Registered Nurse. She worked...
Mildred Yarger Chatham
Sep 11, 2020
Mildred Yarger Chatham, 92, of Topeka, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, September 11, 2020.She was born January 17, 1928, in Centralia, Kansas, the daughter of Clyde and Laura (McCaig) Yarger. She graduated in 1946 from Centralia High School as Valedictorian. She worked for Santa Fe Railroad in the office as a clerk, for a...
Phyllis J. Keil
Sep 9, 2020
Phyllis J. Keil, 87, was born in Winfield, Kansas to Marian Dudley and Ruth Fulton. Various moves brought the family to Topeka where Phyllis graduated from Highland Park high school in 1951. She worked at Nightingale's Dress Shop during and after graduation. Phyllis then worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone.Phyllis married John W. Keil on June 28, 1952. John left for...
Janet L. (Henderson) Jones-Gast
Sep 6, 2020
Janet Lynn (Henderson) Jones-Gast passed away Sunday, September 6, 2020 following a one-year battle with cancer. She was born June 27, 1953 to Tracy M. and Esther M. (Heston) Henderson. She attended Topeka Public Schools - Lafayette Elementary (1965), Holiday Junior High (1968) and graduated from Topeka High School in 1971. Janet managed a Burger King and Showbiz Pizza Palace...
Peggy J. (Bruce) Hoag
Sep 5, 2020
Peggy J. (Bruce) Hoag, 61, of Topeka, passed away Saturday, September 5, 2020.She was born September 27, 1958, in Anthony, KS, the daughter of Verlyn DeWayne Bruce and Martha Jane (Platner) McKay. Peggy worked as a florist. She owned and operated Garden Gate Florist in Topeka. Peggy married Roy Eugene Hoag on July 2, 1994 in Topeka. Survivors include her...
Dorothy Richard
Sep 3, 2020
Dorothy "Dottie" Sova Richard, 91, of Topeka, passed away Thursday, September 3, 2020.She was born June 23, 1929, in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of Theodore and Genieve (Weber) Foster. She was raised by her grandparents from the age of three. She graduated from St. Ritas Catholic High School in Detroit, MI.Dottie was co-owner of the first two Denny's Restaurant franchises...
Mary "Theresa" Myers
Sep 2, 2020
Mary "Theresa" Myers, 65, of Topeka, passed away Wednesday, September 2, 2020.She was born February 26, 1955, in Chanute, Kansas, the daughter of Park and Lorene (Switzer) Myers. She graduated from Chanute Senior High School in 1973. Theresa was employed by the Topeka Inventory Service for over 40 years prior to retirement. Theresa is survived by her children, Aaron and...
Karen Elaine (Alumbaugh) Simpson
Sep 2, 2020
Karen Elaine (Alumbaugh) Simpson, 73, of Topeka, Kansas, beloved mother, sister, grandmother, and friend passed away on September 2, 2020. Karen was born on January 24, 1947 in Topeka, Kansas to Clarence ("Red") and Geraldine ("Gerry") Alumbaugh. Karen graduated from Topeka High School in 1965 and from Washburn University with a degree in English in 1969. While attending Washburn, Karen...
Patricia J. Persley
Sep 1, 2020
Patricia J. "Pat" Persley, 79, Topeka, passed away Tuesday, September 1, 2020 at a local hospital.Pat was born May 22, 1941 in Topeka, the daughter of Ed and L. Gray. She graduated from Washburn Rural High School.She was employed as a Corrections Officer for the State of Kansas, Department of Corrections for 20 years.Pat married John Persley in 1984. He...
Sarah Jane Brown Woellhof
Aug 31, 2020
Sarah Jane Brown Woellhof died August 31, 2020, at Aldersgate Village, Topeka, Kansas. She was born in Sturgis, Michigan, on January 18, 1936, the daughter of Jacob S. and Lucille McKibben Brown. Her mother died when she was two days old and she lived with her grandparents, Fred and Mary Catherine Brown for the first two and half years of...
Lorianne Mitts-Muller
Aug 29, 2020
LoriAnne Mitts-Muller, 60, of Maple Hill passed away Saturday, August 29, 2020.She was born March 31, 1960 to Donald and Brenda (Johnson) Mitts in Lawrence Kansas. Lori graduated from Pratt High School in 1978. She continued her education at Pratt Juco and then at Kansas State. She went back to school at Washburn University and completed her education obtaining a...
Joan Veatch Hankammer
Aug 28, 2020
Joan 'Jody' Veatch Hankammer, 95, died Friday, August 28, 2020, in Topeka, Kansas. She was born to Harry John and Marjorie Braidwood Veatch in Pittsburg, Kansas on May 10, 1925.Jody attended schools in Pittsburg and graduated from Pittsburg High School. She attended Ward-Belmont College in Nashville, TN for one year and then transferred to the University of Kansas. Jody graduated...
Frederick William Benke, Iv
Aug 28, 2020
Frederick "Erick" William Benke IV, 34, of Topeka, Kansas, passed away Friday, August 28, 2020.Erick was born on February 6, 1986 in Topeka, son of Frederick "Rick" W. Benke III and Darla Benke.He graduated from Topeka High School in 2004, where he played football, track, and wrestled. Erick was also part of the marching and jazz band. After high school,...
Vera L. Mcfaddin
Aug 25, 2020
Vera L. (Oehlert) McFaddin, 91, of Topeka, passed away Tuesday, August 25, 2020.She was born December 15, 1928, in Cheney, Kansas, the daughter of Robert and Emma (Lungwitz) Oehlert. She graduated from Yates Center High School. After graduating, she went to Arkansas City Beauty School and obtained her cosmetology license. Vera went on to work for the Kansas Department of...
Collin J. Carter
Aug 22, 2020
Collin J. Carter, 22, of Lee's Summit, MO passed away Saturday, August 22, 2020.He was born September 10, 1997, in Kansas City, MO the son of Brian and Jolene (Sutton) Carter. Collin graduated from Lee's Summit West High School in 2016 and was furthering his education at Metropolitan Community College –Longview Campus in Lee's Summit, MO. He participated in several...
Laird G. Noller
Aug 22, 2020
Laird G. Noller passed away at his home in La Jolla, California on August 22, 2020 after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson's disease.Born January 8, 1937 in Topeka, Kan. to O. Willard Noller and Martha Jean Laughead, he graduated from Washburn Rural High School in Topeka, and attended the University of Kansas as a member of Phi Gamma...
Mary Elizabeth Stratton
Aug 21, 2020
Mary Elizabeth Stratton, known to her family, friends and colleagues as Liz, died peacefully on August 21, 2020. Liz was a pillar of Topeka's community for many years — a vital supporter of Helping Hands Humane Society, Topeka Civic Theatre, Topeka Jazz Workshop, and the Topeka Zoo. Her affection for people, animals, and music — especially jazz — reverberated throughout...
Ernest Jones
Aug 18, 2020
Ernest Jones passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 18, 2020 at the age of 84. Born in Oswego, KS on January 2, 1936 to Ernest and Ruby Jones. He was preceded in death by his 2 wives, Virginia Carlson Jones and Geraldine Risser Jones. He is survived by his children: Ernest L. "Casey" Jones (Lisa) and Shelley Sonnenberg (Jeff); his...
Thomas E. Forbes
Aug 12, 2020
Thomas E. Forbes of Topeka, KS, passed away from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at his home on Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at the age of 73. Tom was born in Burlington, KS on June 19, 1947. He graduated from Burlington High School in 1965, received a B.A. in Political Science from Washburn University in 1969, and a B.S....
