Chester Arthur "Chet" Toms, 90, died Wednesday, December 26, 2012, at Mennonite Manor, South Hutchinson. He was born in Baca County, Colorado, April 19, 1922, the son of Ray and Eva King Toms.

He was a graduate of Salt City Business College, Hutchinson, a member of the VFW, a 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason and had been a ham operator instructor. Chester was a World War II Army veteran serving in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. He had been a postal carrier, a rancher and a business entrepreneur.

On April 19, 1942, he married Pearl Alice Barnes in Arlington. She died March 13, 2006. He is survived by: two daughters and their husbands, Charlotte and Charles Lovejoy, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Beverly and Dave Vidmar, Woodland Park, Colorado; a brother, Ted and Joyce Toms, Lake Havasu City, Arizona; and four grandchildren, Wes Lovejoy, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Kelly Westphal and Eric Gunderson, Brownsdale, Minnesota, Jody Grimmer, Jessica and Brian Belger, all of Woodland Park, Colorado.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Raylene Hickman, two brothers, Charles and Claude Toms, a son-in-law, Travis Grimmer, and a great- granddaughter, Sara Christine Hernandez.

Funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 5, 2013, at Arlington United Methodist Church, with Pastor Ken Keeling officiating. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday at Elliott Mortuary, 1219 North Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501. Burial with Army honors will be conducted by Ft. Riley Honor Guard in Arlington Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the church or Hospice of Reno County, in care of the mortuary.