Irvin Earl Goertzen, age 98, passed peacefully into the welcoming arms of Jesus in the early morning of August 18, 2024, at Bethesda Home in Goessel, Kansas.
Born in Newton, Kansas on Memorial Day, May 30, 1926, to Henry S. and Mathilda (Wedel) Goertzen, Irvin grew up at 508 West Broadway in Newton, the only home he knew until he married the love of his life, Elaine Bachman, on December 26, 1947. She passed away on December 12, 2014.
Patrick Alan “Pat” Thayer, Stockton, passed away on August 18, 2024, at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., at the age of 67.
He was born on November 12, 1956, to Austin R. and Imogene P. (Bird) Thayer in Omaha, Neb. He married Lorna Hahn on March 16, 1980, in Stockton. They were blessed with four children: Lewis, Aaron, Clayton, and Melissa.
Marianne Werner, of Codell, passed away on August 11, 2024, at the Olathe Hospice House in Olathe, Kansas, at the age of 54.
She was born on May 9, 1970, to David and Ann (Weis) Miller in Salina, Kansas.
Marianne grew up in Salina, Kansas. She attended Salina South High School, later receiving her GED. Marianne received her bachelor’s in education from Kansas Wesleyan University. She was a special education teacher at Plainville Elementary School for 27 years.
Richard Werner, 92, passed away on August 9, 2024, at Via Christi in Hays.
He was born May 25, 1932, in Plainville, Kansas, the son of Joseph and Nettie (Larson) Werner.
He was united in marriage to Rosella (Garvert) Werner on December 29, 1952, and to the union, seven children were born: Doug, Dave, Rick, Kenneth, Debbie, Jeff, and Rusty. She preceded his death on January 31, 1997. He later married Judy Meitler on February 14, 1998, in Colorado.
Steven Ray Tholen, 59, of Grinnell, passed away Friday, August 9, 2024, at Hays Medical Center, Hays.
He was born in Oakley, Kansas on January 23, 1965, to Lawrence and Agnes (Schumacher) Tholen. Steve grew up in Grinnell and graduated from Grinnell High School in 1983. Steve did construction with his dad and brother Greg and worked at Western Plains Energy.
Sidonie Chiaye, 60, Yukon, Okla., passed away Tuesday, July 30, 2024, at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., after a brave eight-month battle with ovarian cancer.
She was born October 23, 1963, in Agboville, a village in the Ivory Coast of Africa.
On October 6, 2018, she was united in marriage to Bob Hamilton in Los Angeles, Calif. The couple resided in Atlanta, Ga. before moving to Yukon, Okla., in 2019.
Mark Richard Hammerschmidt, of Plainville, passed away on August 4, 2024, at his home after a brief illness, at the age of 44.
He was born on September 29, 1979, to Leo and Barbara (Finnesy) Hammerschmidt in Hays, Kansas. He was married on August 21, 2010, to Deanna (Schultz).
Mark grew up in Plainville and graduated from Plainville High School in 1998. He graduated from Northwest Kansas Technical School in 2001 with an Engineering & Drafting Technology degree. Mark was an Engineer Technician at Penco Engineering.
Harry Anthony Moos passed away at the Graham County Hospital on July 28, 2024, at the age of 89.
He was born June 3, 1935, to Harry and Alice (Desbien) Moos. When he was thirteen, his sister Carol was born. Harry prided himself on the fact that he and his sister never had an argument. Eight years later, his brother Brian joined the family. Harry grew up on their family farm and experienced the hard life of a dairy farmer. He first attended a country school, then went to Sacred Heart School, and later graduated from Plainville High School.
Reva Ardel Houser, 92, of Plainville, passed away on Friday, July 26, 2024, at the Solomon Valley Manor in Stockton.
She was born on June 13, 1932, on the family farm in rural Natoma, Kansas, the daughter of Matthew A. and Velma P. (Dorr) Kirkwood. She grew up in Natoma and graduated from Natoma High School in the Class of 1950. She met, fell in love with, and united in marriage to Billy Lynn Houser on July 22, 1950. From this union, Ardell and Bill were blessed with four sons: Lynn, Jerry, Kirk, and Tom.
Donna Mae (Novotny) Hicks, 63, Stockton, passed away surrounded by loved ones on July 19, 2024, in Kearney, Nebraska.
She was born at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Hutchinson, Kansas on May 2, 1961, to William J. Novotny and Dorothy M. (Irsik) Novotny. On February 8, 1980, Donna married Gary E. Hicks in Hutchinson. Together they had two sons, Ronald J. Hicks and Richard W. Hicks.
