Obituaries

Ramona M. Echer, 81, Lucas, died Jan. 22, 2016.
She was born Ramona M. Svaty on Feb. 5, 1934, in rural Lincoln County, Kan. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, Danny Echer of Lucas; two daughters, Jill Vinson of Salina, and Joy Echer of New York, N.Y.; two brothers, Norman Svaty of Oregon and Melvin Svaty of Lucas.
Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Rodrick & Minear Lucas Chapel with family present.
The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27, at the Lucas United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Lucas Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the church or the Lucas Area Community Theater.

 Constance Diane “Connie” Lill, 70, died Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, at her Brookville home.
Connie was born Jan. 16, 1946, in Salina. She was a lifetime member of the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Brookville. Connie graduated from Brookville High School, Marymount College of Salina, with a bachelor of arts in theater and English, and Betty Bonn Modeling School, Kansas City.
Connie raised her four children in Brookville, Melissa Lill, of Brookville, John Langer, of Kansas City, Kan., Chad Langer, of Lawrence, and Jarrod (Pam) Langer, of Salina.
Connie was preceded in death by her parents, John and Nell Lill, of Brookville, and an infant brother, in Rockaway Beach, Calif.
 She is survived by her brother, Jack Lill; her four children; and eight grandchildren.
Connie worked at Salina Regional Health Center as an environmental sanitarian and at Braum’s as a cashier.

Jeanne Reinking Baker Anschutz, 96, died Dec. 29, 2015 at Villa Ventura assisted living in Kansas City.
She was born Sept. 21, 1919, on a farm in Ottawa County, Kan. to Leona Percival Reinking and H.H. Reinking. She graduated in 1936 at age 16 from Hays High School. She enrolled at Fort Hays State College, where she met Herb Baker. They were married in 1938.
Herb and Jeanne were married 44 years, had four daughters and lived in Dorrance, Simpson, Silver Lake, Long Island and Wilson, where Herb coached and/or taught high school. Herb died in 1982. Jeanne married Leo Anschutz, a farmer and rancher from Wilson, in 1987. Leo died in 2000.
In addition to her parents and two husbands, Jeanne was preceded in death by three daughters, Carol Jeanne Baker, Christine Ann Baker and Eileen Baker Grauer.

Fred F. Vondra, 92, passed away Friday, Jan. 22, 2016, in Ellsworth, Kan.
He was born, June 16, 1923 in Ellsworth County to Frank G. and Mary Elizabeth (Svara) Vondra. A lifetime resident of Ellsworth County, Fred was a farmer and rancher, manager and co-owner of Ellsworth Truck and Tractor, 50-plus-year member of the Ellsworth American Legion, Post 174, a member of Ellsworth VFW, Post 6485, and former president of the Ellsworth County Farm Bureau Association. He also served his country during WWII in the U.S. Navy.
  Fred is survived by his brother, Charlie Vondra of Ellsworth, many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, great-great-nieces and nephews, and a host of good friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Frank Vondra.
Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 24, at Parsons Funeral Home, Ellsworth, with family present from 6-8 p.m.

     Keith Duane Suelter, 80, of Westfall, Kan., died Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016, in Ellsworth, Kan. Keith was born Dec. 10, 1935, in Lincoln, Kan. to Edmund and Louise (Aufdemberge) Suelter.
     He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, James.
     Left to celebrate his life include his wife, Clara (Wacker) Suelter of the home; daughters, Linda Suelter (Bryan Perry) and Janet Suelter (Randy Moore), both of Westfall; sister, Carol (Arlie) Haymond, of Ellsworth.
     Visitation is from 1 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, at Hall Chapel in Lincoln, with the family present from 5 to 7 p.m.
     Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 22, at the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Westfall, with interment following in the St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery.
     Memorials may be made to the Church.
     Keith is in the care of Hall Funeral Home, Lincoln, Kan.
     Online condolences to www.postrockfs.com
 
 

     Bonnie Elaine Fuller, 81, passed away Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, at Good Samaritan Village, Ellsworth, Kan.
     She was born Feb. 13, 1934 in Galt Township in rural Geneseo to Richard and Velma (Orm) Crane. She graduated in 1951 from Geneseo High School. She was a longtime resident of El Dorado, and also resided in Great Bend and Ellsworth. She was a school bus driver for Circle USD 375, retiring after 25 years.
     She married Clarence H. Fuller Feb. 7, 1959, in Wichita. He passed away Sept. 26, 1997.
     She was also preceded in death by her parents, Richard and Velma Crane.

     Louanna Ellis Robinson, 85, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016, in Salina, Kan. following a short illness.  
     She was the fourth child to Clyde and Charlotta (Piepmeier) Ellis and was born Aug. 1, 1930, on the family farm south of Appleton City, Mo.
     She attended Appleton City Schools first through 12th grade. She met her future husband, Marlin Robinson, after he returned home from World War II, while he was living in Appleton City helping his brother run the weekly newspaper. They later married on May 15, 1948, in Clinton, Mo. This union was blessed with three children: Roger, Marlena and Creighton.

     Patsy Kanak, 67, died Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015 in Grant City, Mo.
     Patsy leaves behind her husband, Norman Kanak; sons Shawn and wife, Tiffany, Jason and wife, Jen, and Matthew; daughter Kim Sherwood and husband, Nathan; 11 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
     Funeral services were conducted Monday, Jan. 4,  2016, at the Christian Church of Grant City, Mo.

     Michael J. Watrak, Lenexa, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016, at age 75. Michael was born Friday, Sept. 13, 1940 to Patricia (Lattin) and Ted Watrak at St. Margaret’s Hospital in Kansas City, Kan. His identical twin brother was born 8 minutes later.                                                              Michael attended St. Benedict’s Catholic School in Kansas City through eighth grade and graduated from Wyandotte High School in 1958. He proudly served in the U.S. Navy from 1962-1968 and was a Vietnam veteran.
     He married Rosemary (Hlaus) on Aug. 1, 1970 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Wilson.

     Robert Stroede, 70, of Kemp, Texas, passed away Friday, Dec. 25, 2015. He was born Aug. 4, 1945 in Ellsworth, Kan. the son of George John William Stroede and Minnie Anna Wacker Stroede. He retired from the U.S. Navy in 1986 after many years of faithful service to his country and was a member of the VFW Posts of both Seven Points and Trinidad, Texas. Robert was an avid outdoorsman who loved fishing, riding horses and watching football.
     He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Harlan.
     He is survived by his wife, Stacy of Kemp, Texas; two children, Jennifer Lynn Stroede of Clarksboro, N.J. and Robert Stroede Jr. of Mer Rouge, La.; step-daughter, Donna Force and children, Reagan Pogue of Hobbs, N.M. and Randy Force of Malakoff, Texas; one sister, Wanda Stroede of Salina; and one brother, Gary Stroede and his wife, Sarah, of Salina; and grandchildren Katelyn and Jayden Stroede of Mer Rouge, La.