Obituaries

     Patricia Ann (Hafeman) Henry died Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2016 in Tuscon, Ariz.
     Patricia, generally known as Pat, was born Jan. 22, 1934 at St. Rose Hospital, Great Bend, Kan., and was welcomed home at the Hafeman farm, five miles Northwest of Beaver, Kan., by her three Sisters and two Brothers.
     Pat attended local grade schools and graduated from Sacred Heart, a private Girls High School in Wichita, Kan. Pat attended St. Mary of The Plains College, Dodge City, Kan. for one year before enrolling in nurse’s training at St. Joseph’s, Wichita, Kan.
     Pat accepted employment as a registered nurse at Phelps-Dodge Copper Company following her graduation from a three year course in nurse’s training. While employed at Phelps-Dodge, she met her husband-to-be, Peter Henry. Their marriage later failed.
     Following her Phelps-Dodge employment, Pat was employed by the Veterans Administration in Tuscon, Ariz., where she remained until her retirement

     Raymond J. Mattas, 83, Wilson, passed away Monday, Sept. 5, 2016.
     Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, at Foster’s Mortuary in Wilson, with a prayer vigil/wake service at 7 p.m.
     A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Wilson. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.  
     The full obituary will be printed in the Sept. 15 edition of the Independent-Reporter.
 

     Edna Burkhead, 88, Minneapolis, formerly of Wilson, passed away Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016.
     Visitation will be from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7, at Foster Mortuary, Wilson.
     Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, at the mortuary. Burial will follow in the Wilson Cemetery.
     The full obituary will be printed in the Sept. 15 edition of the Independent-Reporter.
 

     Larry Wayne Borman,78, of Winfield, Kan., passed away Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016 at his home with his family by his side.
     Larry was born Feb. 5, 1938 in Ellsworth, Kan., to Dell and Genevieve (Weinhold). He graduated high school 1956 and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He married Eunice Schoen Sept. 17, 1960 in Ellsworth. Larry served on the Kansas Highway Patrol from 1969-96.
     Preceding him are his parents and brother, Delbert.
     Survivors include his wife, Eunice; daughters, Michelle Setzkorn and Shawnelle Miller; 10 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and a brother, Duane.                                                                                                                                                                                                                A memorial service will be conducted at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, at Trinity Lutheran Church, Winfield.

Ben L. Thompson, 88, McCracken, died Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016 at Rush County Memorial Hospital, LaCrosse, Kan.  
He was born April 23, 1928 in McCracken to Floyd Audice and Ruby Eleanor Yawger Thompson.
He was a 1946 graduate of McCracken High School and a 1951 graduate of Kansas State College in the field of physics. He was a U.S. Army Veteran, drafted in 1954 and served until 1956 at Fort Ord, Calif.  He was released early to attend college in Mexico City, Mexico.
He worked at the Naval Ordinance Test Station at China Lake and at Pasadena, Calif. and at the White Sands Proving Grounds in New Mexico.
He continued his work at the California Institute of Technology. He traveled all over the United States to find the best research facility in the country settling on the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. where he was a researcher in physics. He worked there for 35 years.

Howard F. Frees, 88, passed away Aug. 21, 2016, at Wesley Towers, Hutchinson.
He was born March 1, 1928, to Albert and Tena (Breford) Frees, at the family farm house in rural Barton County. Howard graduated from Holyrood High School in 1946. He served in the United States Army from 1952 to 1954, during the Korean War, as a military police in Berlin, Germany. Howard was a farmer and stockman in Barton and Ellsworth counties. He was a member of the Our Redeemer Lutheran Church.
On Aug. 20, 1950, he married Lawanda Durr at the St. Peter Lutheran Church in  Holyrood. They shared 66 years of marriage. She survives.
Other survivors include:  sons, Lyle Frees and wife, Joyce, of Ellsworth, Loren Frees and wife, Tina, of Hutchinson; eight grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by: his parents; son, Larry; and brother, Lynn.
Cremation has taken place.  

Dee Graf passed away on Aug. 18, 2016 at Mercy Hospice in Des Moines, Iowa.
She was born March 1, 1947 to John and Lagatha  Blank, Lorraine, Kan.  She was retired from Barr-Nunn Trucking in Granger, Iowa.
Survivors include her two sons, Dr. Lance Lowe and family, Bluffton, S.C., Kevin Lowe and family Glendale, Ariz.; six  grandchilden, Tristan, Greyson, Isabelle, Willow, Gage and Veronica; sister Billie Jean Pedigo of Inman, Kan.; two nephews Travis and J.D. Katzenmeier; three nieces,  Brenda Druecker, Bobbi Huseman, and Carla Huseman; and her special family/friends that took care of her with love this past year, Don, Tandra, Alyssa, Tori, and Kenzi,and many, many friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Sheryl Katzenmeier.  Dee’s wishes were to be cremated with no service, but a celebration held later in her honor with date to be determined.

Bobby E. Long, 77, passed away Aug. 18, 2016 at his home in Ellsworth.
He was born Dec. 2, 1938 to Bob Taylor Long and Mary Sue (Chapman) in Scott County, Va.
Bobby worked for Union Pacific railroad for more than 10 years. It was during this time that he met his future wife, Myra Jane Foran. They were married Oct. 14, 1961 in Russell, Kan. After settling in Ellsworth in 1963, Bobby worked as an American Family Insurance agent for over 40 years. After his retirement, he and Myra Jane remained in Ellsworth as an active part of the community. He was a member of the St. Bernard’s Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.

Sammy Q. Little, 81, of Beverly, went to join the Lord on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016 in Salina.
He was born on June 28, 1935, to Arch Little and Aneita (Keller) in Ellsworth County. He married Kathryn Schroeder on Feb. 20, 1957.
Sammy was a farmer/stockman. He worked at various welding jobs. He also worked at Farmer’s Grain in Westfall and then with Lincoln County until he retired in 2000. Sammy continued working part-time after retirement. He was also an avid hunter. Sammy loved the Lord and was a member of the Faith Word Fellowship in Salina.

Mildred Mae (Kueser) Stefek, 88, was called Home on Aug. 17, 2016.
She was born June 4, 1928 to John and Katharine (Hermreck) Kueser in Ellsworth County. She worked for a number of years at Bircher’s Dairy and many years as head cook at the Ellsworth High School. She was a member of the St. Bernard’s Catholic Church and its Altar Society and also the VFW Auxiliary, all at Ellsworth.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Robert Stefek , on Nov. 3, 1995. Also preceding her were five sisters, Marie Hawkins, Eleanor Ulrich, Ramona Wallert, Katharine Kratzer and Helen Mullen; two brothers, Bill Kueser and John (Bud) Kueser.