Michael A. Rodriguez, 56, Salina, died Saturday, September 29, 2012. He was born April 19, 1956 in Salina, the son of Jesse and Katie (Riveria) Rodriguez. He was retired from Beech Aircraft.
He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Barbara Schneweis. Survivors include three sisters, Maggie (Joe) Sanchez, of Salina, Nadine Hyde, of Lawrence and Jessica (Tracy) Bloom, of Topeka; numerous nieces and nephews; and a grandniece and grandnephew.
A memorial mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 6, 2012 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 1000 Burr Oak Lane. Private family inurnment will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the church in care of Ryan Mortuary.
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Walter C. Heskett, 51, Salina, passed away Sunday, September 30, 2012. He was born September 9, 1961 in Waterloo, Iowa, the son of Floyd and Ardella (Snyder) Heskett. Walter graduated from Dysart High School in Dysart, Iowa in 1978. After high school graduation, Walter served in the United States Navy for three years active duty and three years reserve.
He began a long and successful career in the newspaper business at the Waterloo Courier. Throughout his career, Walter held circulation and publishing positions with newspapers in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois and New York.
He received many awards during his newspaper career including being named Circulation Sales Executive of the Year by the Newspaper Association of America. Walter was the State Circulation Director at the Salina Journal at the time of his passing.
Walter was preceded in death by his mother Ardella and his sister, Debra Wood. He is survived by his father and step-mother, Floyd and Alicia Heskett, of Waterloo, Iowa; a daughter and son-in-law, Rhonda and William Lackie, of Orlando, Florida; four grandchildren, Alex, Noella, Corey and Brayden; and four siblings, Mitch Heskett, of Pensacola, Florida, Floyd Heskett, of Starke, Florida, Kathy Neary, of Carmel, Indiana and Sandra Lanier, of Mims, Florida.
Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, October 11, 2012 at the O’Brien Baptist Church in O’Brien, Florida. Inurnment will be in the O’Brien Cemetery.
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Loren J. Loucks, of rural Lindsborg, formerly of Salina and rural Assaria, died peacefully Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012, after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was born May 24, 1943, in McPherson, to Phares and Leah (Yoder) Loucks, who preceded him in death.
In 1964, he married RoJean Franz in Inman. She survives, of rural Lindsborg. This union was blessed with two children, Jeffrey, of Tokyo, and Debra (Jeffery) Garretson, of Lindsborg; and nine grandchildren, Reiko, Tomas and Julian Loucks, and Olivia, Luke, Seth, Isaac, Joshua and Peter Garretson. Also surviving are a sister, Irene (Ed) Schrock, of Colorado Springs, Colo., and brothers, Stan (Lynn), of Pryor, Okla., and Randall (Cindy), of Hesston.
Loren graduated from Pittsburg State University and taught junior high industrial arts in Olathe for one year before employment with Ford Motor Company in Wixom, Mich. A technical writer for Ford, he was transferred to the New Orleans operation. In the early ’70s, he joined Schwan’s Sales Enterprises in Marshall, Minn., as safety director, and later as human resources manager for its Tony’s Pizza division in Salina. He took early retirement to set up his own business, crafting cutting board/vent covers for JennAir ranges. Later he returned to management with Turbine Specialties.
Loren always created time for projects with his children and grandchildren. They have a legacy of memories of his work and of time spent together. He found time for volunteering in the community; leading church youth groups, mentoring elementary school children’s reading and hosting in the Kay Pogue Hospice Center. He loved to travel, on motorcycle when possible.
There will be no visitation. Loren has bequeathed his body to anatomical research.
A celebration of his life will be observed at Southeast of Saline School, 5056 E. Kansas Highway 4, Gypsum, at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Hospice of Salina, 730 Holly Lane, Salina, or Evangelical Covenant Church, 102 S. Washington, Lindsborg.
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Sone Xaysongkham, 63, of Salina, passed away Thursday, September 27th, at Salina Regional Health Center.
Sone was born in Laos, on January 10, 1949, to the late Champa and Tha Xaysongkham.
Sone worked as a sanitation worker at Tony’s Pizza.
He was the husband of Kap (Phothiyang) Xaysongkham.
Sone is survived by his wife; children, Chone, Kevin, Annie, Sonny, Khamphone, and Daniel; as well as his grandchildren, Collina, Catrina, Steven, Jasmine, Mollina, Jacob, Maddox, Kamren, Sadie, and Hailey.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Visitation will be on Friday, October 5 from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Carlson – Geisendorf Funeral Home.
A funeral service will be held at at Carlson-Geisendorf Funeral Home, at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 6th.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Xaysongkham family and sent in care of the funeral home.