Obituaries

Jan 19, 2025

Carol L. Rodebaugh, 84, of Hutchinson, died January 19, 2025, surrounded by her family after a long health battle. She was born June 1, 1940, in Quenemo, KS, to Otis and Helen (Matthias) Whitcher.

Carol graduated from Ellsworth High School with the class of 1958.

On December 31, 1964, she married her sweetheart, Kent Rodebaugh,...

Jan 17, 2025

James I. "Jim" Morrison, 94, died Friday, January 17, 2025, at Prairie Sunset Home, Pretty Prairie. He was born August 4, 1930, in Portland, KS, to Robert A. and Metta B. (Blankenship) Morrison.

Jim graduated from Milton High School in 1950 and attended Friends University. He worked for the railroad for 10 years and then as an...

Jan 16, 2025

Carol F. Shannon, 86, of Hutchinson, died January 16, 2025, surrounded by her loved ones at Prairie Sunset Home, Pretty Prairie. She was born September 18, 1938, in Ellsworth, KS, to Ralph and Mildred (Vodraska) Vopat.

Carol graduated from Ellsworth High School with the class of 1956. She earned her bachelors of Arts degree in 1960 from...

Jan 16, 2025

Carl Ray Base, 80, died January 16, 2025, at Hospice House, Hutchinson.  He was born November 23, 1944, in Hutchinson, to John and Ada (Van Deast) Base.

Carl graduated from Nickerson High School in 1963, and attended college for one year before he was drafted into the United States Army.  He spent two years in France, Germany,...

Jan 15, 2025

Lynne E. McIver, known as "Mrs. Mac" to the thousands of students to whom she taught high school English, died peacefully at home on January 15, 2025. She was born July 11, 1945, to Elizabeth and Bill Hinshaw, of Plevna; the youngest of their three children.

After graduating from Fairfield High School in 1963, Lynne earned her...

Jan 15, 2025

Donna Marie (Schrag) Wedel, 87, of South Hutchinson, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on January 15, 2025, at Hospice House, Hutchinson.  She was born October 21, 1937, in Hutchinson, to Herman H. and Viola (Graber) Schrag.

Donna was raised in Pretty Prairie and graduated from Pretty Prairie High School in 1955. Following a...

Jan 15, 2025

Alice Pauline Miller, 84, died peacefully at Wesley Towers, on January 15, 2025. She was born May 11, 1940, in Rice County, to Robert I. and Mildred A. (Schowalter) DeWitt.

Alice graduated from Alden High School in 1958 and attended Emporia State University. She was a secretary for Crook Furniture, Dillons and Koch Industries. She enjoyed watching...

Jan 13, 2025

Cleta Faye "Sis" Ellington, 85, died January 13, 2025, at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, Hutchinson. She was born December 14, 1939 in Hutchinson, to Cletis B. and Gladys M. (Lee) Hunt.

Cleta was a 1958 graduate of Hutchinson High School. She worked as a truck driver for Coca-Cola, and for Collins Bus Corporation, she retired from the...

Jan 13, 2025

Jeri L. Wells, 78, died January 13, 2025, at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, Hutchinson. She was born October 8, 1946, in Hutchinson, to Everett H. and Margaret (Crouch) Wells.

Jeri was a graduate from Hutchinson High School. She worked as a receptionist for Disability Supports of the Great Plains. Jeri loved to attend church and listen to...

Jan 12, 2025

Jerry Leon Brawner, 74, of Hutchinson, died Jan. 12, 2025, at Thorne Care Center-Wesley Towers. He was born Dec. 20, 1950, to Arlie and Mildred (Whitaker) Brawner in Hutchinson.

Jerry attended Hutchinson High School and served in the Army National Guard.  He worked in the car sales business at Conklin Cars and Midway Motors for 26 years...

Jan 11, 2025

Helen Marie (Geist) Cobb, 93, died January 11, 2025, at Sterling Village, Sterling. She was born March 14, 1931, in rural Plevna, to Cecil Ray and Esther Leona (Rankin) Johnson.

In 1949 Helen graduated from Plevna High School. She was a dedicated mother and farm wife.  Helen found joy in playing the piano and organ, knitting and...

Jan 10, 2025

Fern M. Bontrager, 101, of South Hutchinson, passed away peacefully on January 10, 2025, at Mennonite Friendship Communities with her daughter, Nancy, at her side. She was born in Hesston to Annie and Harry Kaufman on October 22, 1923. Fern was their fourth child with her older siblings being Llyod, Erma, Alta, and her younger brother, Glenn.

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Jan 10, 2025

William E. "Billy" Wille, 58, of Andale, died January 10, 2025, at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis, Wichita. He was born May 8, 1966, in Kansas City, MO, to Philip M. and Carol J. (Fraser) Wille, Sr.

Billy attended Nickerson High School. He worked as a welder for AGCO, Hesston, for over 15 years and the Excel...

Jan 9, 2025

Christi Sue Hutchinson, 51, died January 9, 2025, in Goodland.  She was born September 29, 1973, in Nampa, ID, to Eugene and Marjorie Nevil (Marshall) Hutchinson.  After her father's death, Christi's mother married Christopher Zink, who helped raise Christi.

Christi graduated from Sterling High School in 1992, earned her bachelor's degree, and was one class shy from...

Jan 8, 2025

Sandra Mayree "Sandy" Wedman, 77, died January 8, 2025, at Hospice House, Hutchinson.  She was born July 12, 1947, in Hutchinson, to Keith Fredrick and Barbara Lou (Skellenger) Hobbick.

Sandy graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1965.  She worked for many years at Wells Aircraft as their parts manager. Sandy later worked for the Dillons Corporate Office...

Jan 8, 2025

Gary Ronald Mezger, age 78, of Wichita, passed away January 8, 2025, at St. Francis Hospital, Wichita. He was born August 4, 1946, to Lawrence Walter and Esther Agnes (Malone) Mezger.

Gary grew up in Raymond and Macksville, Kansas. They then relocated to Oklahoma where he graduated from Nowata High School. He earned a BS and MS...

Jan 6, 2025

Pamela L. Carey, 72, passed away at Hospice House, Hutchinson, on January 6, 2025. Born on January 19, 1952, in Hutchinson, she was the daughter of John M. and Patricia J. (Bosse) Carey.

A longtime resident of Austin, TX from 1966 to 1998, Pamela also lived in Hutchinson and Ellinwood. She lived at TECH in Hutchinson from...

Jan 6, 2025

Ismael Cordero, 79, of Hutchinson, died January 6, 2025, at Hospice House, Hutchinson. He was born April 15, 1945, in Pozo De Gamboa, Zacatecas, Mexico to Francisco and Angela De Los Angeles Cardona Olivo Cordero.

Ismael came to the United States at the age of 18 and earned his citizenship in 1992 at the age of 47....

Jan 4, 2025

Jacob Francis Aich, 36, of Hutchinson, died January 4, 2025. He was born January 20, 1988, in Hutchinson, to Donald Aich and Jeanne Davis.

Jake graduated from Kingman High School in 2006 and received his BSN from Hesston College in 2020. He worked as an OR nurse at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for 4 years. Prior to...

Jan 3, 2025

Helen M. Pickerill, 98, died January 3, 2025, at Homestead Assisted Living, Olathe. She was born March 27, 1926, in Salina, to Jim and Esther (Howard) Southworth.

Helen graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1944. She and her husband, Dean, owned and operated F.J. and Sons Block Company, South Hutchinson, for many years. Helen later became a...