Norman George Andersen, age 80, entered into rest on Monday, September 14, 2015 at the Cloud County Health Center, Concordia. He was born on August 15, 1935 at his aunt’s home in Jamestown, Kansas. He was the first child born to George Austin and Anna Rosebud Palmquist Andersen. His family moved to several different farms during his lifetime and in 1951 settled on a farm across the road from his grandparents. He attended country school at District #11 and graduated from Concordia High School in 1953. Norman was an avid hunter, trapper and fisherman all during his life. He farmed with his father, spent various summers building grain elevators in Iowa or on custom harvesting crews until he began full time farming in 1956.

On September 30, 1956 he was united in marriage to Sheryl Zohn. To this union one daughter, Lynette Marie Andersen, was born.

In 1962 he bought his grandparents homestead and lived there for the rest of his life. In January 1989 he had a tragic fall from a pole shed he was building and was paralyzed for the remainder of his life. Although he was in a wheelchair, he was very active in helping his daughter and son in law with their farming operation by building or repairing any equipment as long as it could be done with iron, a metal lathe and a welder! He could build nearly anything and many times would build a part for a neighbor when a part was no longer available. He would sit in the fields for hours a day watching Gene plant, spray or harvest and run for parts or shuttle people from field to field. He loved to teach what he knew and passed the love for hunting and fishing to his daughter, then to her husband and eventually to both of his granddaughters. He never really considered himself handicapped. Even though he spent 26 years in the wheelchair he always kept a positive attitude. Norman was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Concordia, past president of the Jamestown Co-op Elevator Board, was on the Board of Directors for many years and was also a charter member of the Cloud County Rural Water District #1.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Carolyn Sanford; brothers-in-law, Gerald E Bergeson & Kenneth Sanford and sister-in-law, Lois Andersen.

He is survived by his daughter, Lynette and husband Gene Saltzman of Jamestown; granddaughters, Sydney Conner and husband Bill, of Jamestown & Mikki Bowman and husband Mark of Goshen, Indiana; great-granddaughter, Bailey Conner & a great-grandson due in October; sister, Anna Jeanette Bergeson of Salina, KS; brother, Norris Andersen of Jamestown and a host of family and friends too numerous to mention.

Funeral services will be 10:00 am, Thurs., September 17, 2015 at the First United Methodist Church, Concordia with Rev. Tessa Zehring officiating. Burial will follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Concordia. Visitation will be on Wed., September 16, 2015 from 1-9 pm with family greeting friends from 6-8 all at Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home. The family suggests memorials to the church in care of the funeral home.

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MARION – Michelle A. Williams, age 41, passed away Saturday, September 12, 2015, at the St. Luke Hospital Emergency Room, Marion.  She was born June 22, 1974, at Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  She was the daugher of Bobby and Wanda (Wall) Gossett.  She moved to Marion in 2006.  She was employed at Cindy’s Cafe in Marion.  On February 9, 2009, she was married to James Williams.  She was preceded in death by her father.  She is survived by her husband James of Marion; her mother Wanda Wescott of Wichita; her sons, Sean Southard of Hesston; and Daniel Webber of Rose Hill; and a daughter Serina Webber of Wichita.  Cremation has taken place, there will be no visitation.  A Memorial Service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, September 16, 2015, at Marion Christian Church.  Memorials can be made to the church in care of Zeiner Funeral Home, 205 Elm, Marion, KS, 66861.

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Helen L. (Shores) Wells, 92, formerly of Nickerson, Kansas, was called home peacefully with family beside her on September 13, 2015 at the Peggy Kelly House in Topeka, Kansas.

Helen was born in Sterling, Kansas to Leo and Mary “May” Shores on January 28, 1923. She attended a country school before graduating at Nickerson High at the age of 16. She went on to earn a business degree from Adlehale Business College in Hutchinson, Kansas. Although she enjoyed bookkeeping and working at the Nickerson Elementary School and High School, she enjoyed her work at church the most. Through the years she served as a Church Board, Member, Sunday School Superintendent, Sunday School Teacher, Deaconess, Musician and on various committees. Helen also enjoyed her membership in the Cameo Club, SS Club, Order of the Eastern Star and Women’s Fellowship Group.

On March 30, 1942 Helen married the love her of life, W. Dale Wells, in Lamar, Missouri. As a couple the two enjoyed numerous activities with clubs and organizations, community involvement, close friendships with card parties, picnics, barbeques and pot luck dinners. While Dale was the extrovert, Helen loved baking bread to take to the elderly, calling on shut-ins and supporting Dale.

Helen is survived by three children, sons Harold and wife, Kathleen, of Weatherford, Texas; Stan and wife, Mary, of Oroville, Washington, and a daughter, Carolyn and husband, Mark, of Topeka, Kansas. She loved being the grandmother of nine grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her husband, her parents and a brother.

A graveside service will be held at the Sterling, Kansas Cemetery Wednesday, September 16th at 3:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation or Grace Hospice in Topeka, Kansas.

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Rodney Scott McCaslin, of Conway, AR, received his heavenly reward Saturday, December 6, 2014 at the age of 58, while under the care of the Conway Regional Medical Center.  He was born July 14, 1956 in Sterling, KS to his father Edwin “Mac” McCaslin, who preceded him in death and his mother, Louise McCaslin of Conway, AR whom he is survived by.
As a youth, Scott was an avid athlete competing in several sports but most well known as a ranked quarter midget car racer, as early as the age of four.  He graduated from Claremore High School in 1975 where he played football and competed in wresting.  Also, meeting & later marrying the mother of his children, Shelly Collier, whom also precedes him in death.
Upon graduation, Scott enlisted in the United States Navy stationed in the Subec Bay located in the Philippines, launching planes with a catapult. After receiving an Honorable Discharge, he obtained certification as a welder and offshore driller, working in several states as well as, offshore and was a member of the team that performed the first horizontal drilling in Catoosa, OK.
Bro. Ken Jordan baptized him at the Friendship Baptist Church located in Conway, AR, in which he was a member. Scott is also survived by: wife, Diane; daughters, Amber M. and Brandy N. McCaslin; one sister, Ginger Whipple (Michael) and three grandchildren. Graveside services will be held at the Bean Memorial Cemetery in Rice County, Little River, KS on Saturday, September 19, 2015 at 2:00 p.m.

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Donna Elaine (Stice) Stewart Stanton died September 13, 2015 at her home in Hays, Kansas. She was born on April 4, 1933 to Loyd and Mary (Veverka) Stice. She was the youngest child. She had two brothers, Gerald Stice and Harold “Shorty” Stice, and a sister, Gayle Stice Wasinger. She was born and raised on the family farm, 11 miles northwest of Stockton, Kansas. She went to all eight grades at Bethel, a country school which was located just ½ mile north of the family farm. She often walked, rode her horse or if it was cold her Dad would take her to school.

In 1947, she graduated from the eighth grade at Bethel and the family moved into Stockton where she attended Stockton High School. In high school she was employed by William’s Jewelry Store, she was a sales clerk and worked there during the summer, after school and on week-ends. She enjoyed high school and some of her best friends across the years have been her former classmates. In the fall, after graduation in 1951 she moved to Kansas City, Missouri and attended a Jewelry School. After completing her schooling, she moved back to Stockton and worked for William’s Jewelry as a full-time sales clerk and watch technician.

On October 26, 1952 she married a classmate, Alan Stewart. She continued to work at the jewelry store and Al was employed by the City of Stockton. In September of 1953, Al enlisted in the US Army. After he completed basic training at Fort Riley, Kansas, they moved to Des Plaines, Illinois when he was assigned to the Great Lakes Radar Unit. She worked for the “Little Fuse” factory in Des Plaines while he was in the Army. After his discharge in September of 1955, they moved back to Stockton where Al worked for Lane Wells and she returned to work at the William’s Jewelry Store.

While they lived in Stockton, their oldest son, Douglas Alan was born in September of 1956. In early 1957, Al was transferred to Russell, Kansas with Lane Wells. During their time in Russell, their second son Ryan Loyd was born in July of 1957. Once again they moved back to Stockton in the Spring of 1958 when Al became a full-time student at Fort Hays State University and worked as the night police officer for the City of Stockton. In March of 1959, Al became the General Agent for Rooks County Farm Bureau. Their third son, Kelly Charles was born in March of 1960. With 3 sons, she became a full-time mother, wife and homemaker. In 1964, Donna and her sister-in-law Edna Stice, opened Maylaines Dress Shop in Stockton, which they operated for several years.

In 1979, Al and Donna built a home in Hays and they enjoyed living in Hays. She received her Real Estate License and became a Realtor for her brother, Harold with the Stice Agency. It was a wonderful opportunity for her to work for and with her brother “Shorty” in the real estate business in Hays. They had a good time together.

Her husband Alan, died in 1983 after a long struggle with Multiple Scleroses.
In July of 1986, she moved to Wichita, Kansas and became the wife of a United Methodist Pastor. She married Delbert “Dink” Stanton who was an associate minister at First United Methodist Church in Wichita.

For 23 years, she served as a full-time pastor’s wife in several churches in Kansas. They lived in Wichita, Medicine Lodge, Atwood, WaKeeney, and in Hays. In 2008 Delbert retired from full-time ministry from the First United Methodist Church in Hays after serving the congregation for eight years as the Senior Pastor. During her time in ministry, she gave countless children’s sermons, taught Jr. and Sr. High Sunday School and served as chairperson of the Evangelism Committee. She truly enjoyed the opportunity to serve in ministry with her husband. She had a great time and valued her role in this very fulfilling and life changing vocation. Also, while living in the different communities she remained active as a Realtor. She retired as an agent from the Dean Ellner Agency in Hays in 2005.

Donna and Delbert enjoyed travelling in their RV. They also enjoyed golf, swimming, and spending several months in Arizona during the winter. They traveled to Europe on several occasions as well as New Zealand. They hosted several trips to Israel.

Through email, Facebook, and Skype, she enjoyed staying connected with family and friends. Having the grandchildren come and spend time each summer while they were growing up was always a source of treasured memories for Donna. They still come every 4th of July.

Donna felt fortunate to have been raised in the Stockton community and to have lived the majority of her life in Western Kansas. She was so very grateful for the opportunities she had and the many people who helped her along life’s journey.

Donna was preceded in death by her husband Alan, her parents and her brothers and sister. She is survived by her husband, Delbert. By her three sons, Douglas of Denver, CO, Ryan and wife Kathleen of Elbert, CO, and Kelly and wife Karla of Stockton. She is also survived by her nine grandchildren, Robynn Hickert (Dustin), Megan Purinton (Royce), Morgan Musser (Matt), Jessica Pratt (Mark), Jamie Stewart, Seth Stewart, Andrea “Gracie” Stewart, Grant Stewart, and Grayson Stewart; and six great-grandchildren, Chloe Purinton, Isaac Purinton, Amelia Purinton, Caroline Purinton, Stella Hickert, and Mason Hickert.