PRETTY PRAIRIE - Jack E. Holtby, 58, died April 24, 2006, at Via Christi Regional Medical Center, St. Francis Campus, Wichita.

He was born Sept. 5, 1947, in Lyons, the son of Donald L. Holtby and Joyce E. Fail. A Pretty Prairie resident since 1970, he graduated from Lyons High School, Hutchinson Community College, and attended Pittsburg State University. He was a welder, owning Central Prairie Welding, Pretty Prairie. He was also a welding instructor for K.S.I.R.

He belonged to Pretty Prairie United Methodist Church and was a member of Pretty Prairie Booster Club.

On Jan. 25, 1965, he married Pamella A. Smyth in South Hutchinson. She survives.

Other survivors include: a son-in-law, Corey Bishop (Kay), Pretty Prairie; his mother, Joyce Fail, Lyons; two brothers, Joe Holtby, S.C., and Jimmie Holtby, Atchinson, Ks.; two sisters, Joanna Cassidy, Wichita, and Janice Clayton, Lyons; four grandchildren, Kyle and Kelsie Bishop, Marriah Olin, and Timothy Vela; and special nephews, Tom Smyth and Ed Smyth.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Amy Catherine Bishop; his father, Don Holtby; grandparents, Clarence and Ellen Bradford; father-in-law, Scat Smyth; and stepfather, C. James Fail.

Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Pretty Prairie United Methodist Church, with the Rev. David Ragland presiding. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, all at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson. Burial will be in St. Agnes Cemetery, Castleton.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Jack E. Holtby Memorial Fund, in care of Citizens State Bank, Pretty Prairie.