Obituaries

Peter B. “Pete” Dlabal, 100, passed away Sunday afternoon, May 1, 2016 at his home. He was born June 28, 1915 in Wilson, Kan. to Mary (Wanasek) and John Dlabal.
Pete was a lifetime resident of Ellsworth County, where he was the general manager of the Ellsworth County Farmers Co-op Union for 24 years. He graduated from Wilson High School and Wichita Business College. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Army during World War II achieving rank of Staff Sergeant. He served overseas in the SW Pacific Area for 2 ½ years.  He was a member of the St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, American Legion Post 174, Ellsworth VFW Post 6485 and Knights of Columbus. He was elected to the Kansas Farmers Service Board for 27 years and the County Commissioner Board for 12 years. He also served on many other local and state boards.

 Felecia Anne Bosquez, 77, passed away April 7, 2016, at her home in Kanopolis, Kan.
She was born June 24, 1938 in Kanopolis to Felix and Mabel (Boyer) Perez. She married Raymond A. Bosquez July 21, 1955, in Pontiac, Mich.
  Felecia was the owner of Main Street Deli in Ellsworth and Kanopolis Lunch Box. She was a member of the Sunflower Civic Club and the St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Kanopolis.
Felecia is survived by her son, Raymond Bosquez (Cindy) of Michigan; son, Thomas Bosquez (Debra) of Kanopolis; daughter, Rebecca Bowie (Jim) of Kanopolis; son, Kenneth Bosquez (Danita) of Salina; daughter, Monica Pernicano (Mark) of Michigan; daughter, Alanna Bosquez of Kanopolis; son, Christopher Bosquez (Amanda) of Kanopolis; brother, Louis Perez; brother, Dave Perez of Michigan; sister, Linda Muise of Canada; and 15 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Elaine F. Shaw, 82, passed away April 20, 2016 in Salina. She was born Sept. 19, 1933 in Lincoln County to Victor and Theresa (Farney) Peterka.

She married Roy ‘Malcom’ Shaw Feb. 8, 1956, in Wilson.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Survivors include husband, Malcolm Shaw, Wilson; sons, Mark (Doris) Shaw and Jan Shaw, both of Wilson, and Lee (Janelle) of Abilene; daughter, ViAnn (Ken) Schweitzer of Lenexa; brothers, Eugene Peterka and Donald (Alice) Peterka, both of Wilson; sisters, JoAnn Steinle and Loyola (Daniel) Anschutz, both of Wilson and Kathleen (Dr. Earl) Merkel of Russell; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Visitation is from 1-7 p.m., Thursday, April 28 at Foster Mortuary, Wilson, with family present from 6-7 p.m. Vigil service with rosary is at 7 p.m.

A Memorial Mass is 10 a.m., Friday, April 29 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Wilson. The inurnment will be private.

Rita Gail Decker, 68, of West Burlington, Iowa, died at 6:03 a.m. Friday, April 22, 2016, at the Burlington Care Center.

Born April 24, 1947, in Colgate, Okla., she was the daughter of J.W. McMillen and Violet Verita Beaty. She married James Clifford Musgove in 1954; they were married 17 years and later divorced. Following her divorce, she was married to Kenny Garrison until his death.

She enjoyed spending her time outdoors in her yard and tending to her garden; she also enjoyed bird watching, particularly hummingbirds. She enjoyed garage sales, was an excellent artist and had a great sense of humor.

She loved the holidays, especially Christmas; but most of all she loved spending time with her family and friends.

Kenneth R. Bender, 89, Ballwin, Mo., passed away Sunday, April 17, 2016. He was born and raised in Ellsworth, Kan. He served in the U.S. Navy during W.W. II, training as an aviation cadet when the war ended. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from his beloved Kansas State University.

Ken married the love of his life, Evlyn Imogene Rindt, in 1950. Life was never the same after her passing in 1997 from ovarian cancer. Ken credited Evlyn for being the stabilizer for the family’s many moves and turning new houses into loving, Christian homes. His children give them both that credit.

Viola Katherine Besthorn, 94, Holyrood, died Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at the Golden Living Center in Wilson, Kan. She was born June 3, 1921 to Joseph Henry Ross and Clara Mae (Ruby), who had eight other children (Edith Irene Weeks, Ethel Marie Bechtel, Florence I. Meharg, Clara Mae McCabe, the twins, Lee and Leo, Kelly and Joseph Jr.) all deceased.

Viola was a member of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ and the Women’s Guild, American Legion Auxiliary and the Holyrood Eastern Star.

After Arthur’s death, she enjoyed being with friends, drinking coffee at C & V’s, dining at the Senior Center, driving her car and traveling with her sister, Clara Mae.

Mary Morrison Sebesta, 93, originally of Ellsworth, died March 23, 2016 in Wilmore Ky., where she had lived for several years.

Mary was born Sept. 27, 1922, to Dr. A.D. and Eva Malaby Morrison. She married Arthur J. Sebesta of Wilson at the United States Military Academy, West Point N.Y. in 1943 and followed him many places throughout his Army career. Their marriage lasted more than 60 years and resulted in three children: Susan Clough (living in the Morrison family home in Ellsworth), Arthur Joe II (Kentucky), and Dennis Lee (who preceded her in death). Susan’s son, Doug (Karen), is in Arizona, and daughter Carol (Scott) in Indiana. Arthur (Kathy) lives in Kentucky; their son Geoff (Gewel) is in Texas, Kenn in Boston, and Alix (Paul) in South Carolina.  

And she was very proud of her many great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life is planned April 23 in  Wilmore; interment will be later this year at West Point.

Janice Ann Thomas, 71, passed away April 13, 2016 in Salina.
She was born July 3, 1944 in Osborne, Kan. to Loretta (Reidel) and Lawrence Henke. She lived most of her life in Ellsworth before recently moving to Salina.
Janice married Raymond Thomas in Ellsworth on May 11, 2001. She was a retired cosmetologist. She attended the St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Ellsworth and after moving to Salina, attended the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church.
  Janice is survived by her son, Terry Fuller (Anita) of Dillingham, Ark.; daughter, Trina Sheppard (Bill) of Salina; daughter, Tammy Runnebaum (Greg O’Brate) of Topeka; son, Travis Fuller (Amber) of Topeka; brother, Bernard Henke of Beeville, Texas; sister, Leona Clavette of Olathe; sister, Dorothy Heatwole of Warrensburg, Mo.; sister, Betty Stokes of Midwest City, Okla.; and 11 grandchildren.
  Janice was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond; sister, Rosemary St. Clair; and brother, John Henke.

Ronald L. “Ron” Montgomery, 81, and Marlene B. (Mattas) Montgomery, 78, passed away from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Marlene passed Thursday, April 7, 2016 in Topeka. Ron passed Monday, April 11, 2016 in Topeka.

Ron was born Feb. 21, 1935 in Anthony to James E. Montgomery and Mary P. (Oliver) Montgomery. Marlene was born Jan. 3, 1938 in Ellsworth to Albert C. Mattas, Jr. and Marie A. (Jiricek) Mattas. Ron spent his early years in Hutchinson and Marlene grew up on a farm near Black Wolf. Ron’s family moved to Ellsworth in 1947 when Ron’s parents bought F&M Drug.

Ron and Marlene had their first date on April Fools Day. They met for dinner at a Chinese Restaurant in Salina.

Funeral services with honors for Dallas K. Murphy, 82, Lawrence, will be at 11 am Monday at Plymouth Congregational Church, with Rev. Dr. Peter Luckey and Chaplain Paul Taylor officiating. Burial will follow at Vinland Cemetery. Dallas died Tuesday, April 5, 2016, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
He was born Sept. 19, 1933, in Cortez, Colo., the son of Eloise Beck. He was raised in Ellsworth, Kan., and graduated from high school there in 1951. He served for many years in the Army National Guard and the Reserves, 35th Infantry Division, and later graduated from several law enforcement training academies. Dallas served with the Kansas Highway Patrol for 14 years (1956-70) and served with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for 21 years (1970-91), where he served in the capacities of deputy, supervisor, undersheriff, and jail administrator, retiring with the rank of lieutenant. Upon retirement, he served with the United States Marshal’s Service for eight years (1993-2001).