Obituaries

Jon Roger Wamhoff, 79, of Longmont, Colo. passed away Jan. 7, 2019, at Longmont United Hospital.
He was born Dec. 1, 1939 in Ellsworth, Kan. to Chris and Lillian (Horejsi) Wamhoff.
Jon served in the United States Navy as a radio and fire control technician from 1957 to 1960. He was honorably discharged as a Petty Officer Second Class.
He began his working career at a radio station in Salina, Kan. where he was a technician, engineer and even part time D.J. Jon moved to Boulder, Colo. in 1970 and worked as an engineer at Ball Aerospace, Bio Feedback Systems and Valley Lab. He moved to Longmont in 1991.
Jon had a wide range of interests and enjoyments including boating and sailing; flying RC (radio control) airplanes, Ham Radio, general electronics, motorcycle riding, fishing, camping and trips to Lake McConaughey.
Jon is survived by several cousins and many friends.
At his request, a private family graveside service was held in Ellsworth, Kan.

Leon M. Janzen, 91, passed away Friday, Feb. 8, 2019 in Ellsworth. He was born Nov. 10, 1927 in Ellsworth County to Wilbert and Edna (Schmidt) Janzen.
Leon was a lifetime resident of Ellsworth County where he was a farmer and stockman. He raised registered Polled Hereford cattle and had a passion for music and history. He played in traveling polka bands and documented many petroglyphs in the Ellsworth County area. He was a member of the Ellsworth County Historical Society and was a strong advocate for the preservation of history. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Lorraine.
Leon married Mildred Anna Schindler on May 2, 1953 in Lorraine. She survives him.

Ronald J. Greenwood, husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, died on Feb. 2, 2019, at the age of 78 after a nine-year battle with multiple myeloma.  
Ron joined the Navy in 1961 to be a naval aviator, achieving his various pilot licenses and becoming aircraft carrier landing qualified. When describing what it was like, he would throw a paperclip on the floor and say, “Finding the boat on the ocean was like finding this paperclip on the floor. And, to an aviator, it wasn’t a ship, it was a boat!”  
His biggest regret was leaving the Navy in 1963, and his biggest joy was establishing Greenwood Bison ranch in 1996.  
For 20 years, Ron was a bison rancher near Wilson who won 17 awards for the quality of his stock at the Kansas Buffalo Association annual sales during the years of 2004-2012. It was a sad day for him and his family to have to sell the herd in 2016, due to his deteriorating health.  

Ben V. Jenik entered into rest Jan. 18, 2019, peacefully at his home in Visalia, Calif., at 100 years of age. He was born on the family farm in Menlo, Kan. on May 6, 1918 to Ben and Rosa (Volok) Jenik. He was the sixth of eight children. His brothers were Frank (Phyllis), Fred (Margaret), Beldon (Betty), and Allan (Betty). His sisters were Mabel (Fred Gaede), Alice (Vernon Richmond), and Hester (Eddie Ryan).
All of his siblings, their spouses and his parents preceded him in death.
Ben married Viola Wassemiller Aug. 8, 1947 in Monument, Kan. She preceded him in death on March 11, 2015. They were married 67 years.
To this union are five surviving children: Juanita, Patty, Barbara (John), Les (Donna), and Laurie. He also leaves seven surviving grandchildren: Jopha, Cynthia, Joshua, Kleet, Coltan, Benjamin and Brandon, six great-grandchildren and numerous extended family cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

Richard F. Janda, 88, passed away Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019 in Ellsworth. He was born Jan. 18, 1931 in rural Ellsworth County to Fred E. and Matilda (Svoboda) Janda.
Richard was a lifetime resident of Ellsworth County where he married Mary Frances Hokr on May 1, 1956. Richard served his country in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and was a member of the Ellsworth VFW Post 6485 and American Legion Post 174. He worked for the local power company as an electrician and was also a member of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. He served many years as a volunteer firefighter on the Ellsworth Volunteer Fire Department.
Richard is survived by his wife, Mary Frances of Ellsworth; son, Mark (Carolyn) Janda of Irvine, Calif. and their daughters, Paige and Claire; son, Steven (Diana) Janda of Peoria, Ill. and their sons, Nolan and Liam; sister, Ida Zvolanek of Ellsworth; and sister-in-law, Gerry Janda of Ellsworth.

Harvey D. Harts, 91, passed away at The Piper Assisted Living and Memory Care in Kansas City, Kan. on Jan. 26, 2019, surrounded by loving family, joining his loving wife Nancy.
Harvey was born in Ellsworth, Kan. on April 10, 1927, the son of Oscar and Mabel (White) Harts. He grew up on the Rocky Springs ranch with his many siblings “down the old Oxide Road”, where he learned many skills that helped him in his career and in life.
After graduating from Ellsworth High School in 1946, he left the farm and worked for a contracting company in the construction of the Kanopolis Dam. A few years later he joined the Northern Natural Gas Company. After two years in the Army serving in the Korean War, he returned to his home of Ellsworth, and continued working at Northern Natural Gas Company, finishing out a 38-year career. While at Northern, he started working as an oiler, was promoted many times and finished as a master mechanic.

Mary Eileen Townsend
(1929-2019)

Doris Marie (Cermak) Ptacek, 95, formerly of Wilson, passed away Jan. 12, 2019 at the Shawnee Heartland Assisted Living Cneter in Shawnee, Kan. She was born May 11, 1923 to James and Amelia (Bouska) Cermak in Bee, Neb.
She married John Ptacek in 1947 in Wilson, Kan. He preceded her in death.
Doris is survived by son, Darell Ptacek and wife Linda, of Lenexa, Kan.; brother-in law, Frank Sisel of Raytown, Mo.; three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; two infant sons who died at birth; and sister, Rosalyn Sisel.
Visitation is 2-8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, at Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home in Wilson. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m.
A Rosary/Vigil is set for 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
A Mass of Christian Burial is at 10:30 a.m., Monday, Jan. 21 at the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Wilson. Interment will be in the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Cemetery.

Arnette K. Peterman, 72, passed away Jan. 8, 2019 in Ellsworth, Kan. She was born in Wichita, Kan. on April 5, 1946 to Clifford and Edith Thomas. She married Gerald Peterman at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Ellsworth, in 1964. Arnette was an avid reader, gaining much of her knowledge from books. She also loved gardening and raising flowers.
Arnette is survived by her husband, Gerald Peterman of Ellsworth; sister, Toni Howell of Hutchinson; brother, Ron Thomas of Wichita; brother, Don Thomas of El Dorado; and brother, Jim Thomas of Hutchinson.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and brother, Gene Thomas.
Cremation has taken place and no services are planned at this time.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Salina Animal Shelter, in care of Parsons Funeral Home, Box 45, Ellsworth, Kan. 67439
Condolences may be left at parsonsfh.com

Arvin Arnold Meier, 85, passed away Jan. 5, 2019, in Osborne. He was born March 28, 1933 on the family farm on Elkhorn Creek in southeast Lincoln County to Johann Frederick August Meier and Valeria Ernestine Wacker.
Arvin was a lifetime member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church where he attended school through the eighth grade. Upon graduation, he worked at various jobs including building elevators in Salina and fixing tires at Atwood’s in Lincoln.
He married Leana Pearl Bird, April 5, 1953, at St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Lincoln. After their marriage, Arvin was accepted into the Army and stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., until his honorable discharge in May 1955.
He is survived by his sister, Arlene Choitz (Emil) of Ellsworth; son, Randy Meier (Mary) of Lincoln; daughters, Sherry Novak (Dave) of Medoc, and Marci Rogers (Doug) of Concordia; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.