Nettie Irene Bender, 99, of Russell, Kansas, died
on Wednesday, December 02, 2015, at the Main Street Manor in Russell.
Nettie was born on November 01, 1916, in rural Bunker Hill, Kansas, the daughter of Charles and Carrie Fisher. She grew up in the Bunker Hill and Dorrance areas and graduated from Dorrance High School. She met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Bennie Bender on November 12, 1936 at the county courthouse in Hays, Kansas. She also lived in Salina and she and Bennie moved to Pomona, California in 1956. While in Pomona she worked as a school cook from 1956 to 1985 and moved back to Kansas. She was a member of St. John Lutheran Church. She enjoyed crocheting, cooking, playing cards and working in the garden.
Surviving family include her nephew Clair Fisher and wife Bonnie of Russell and daughter in-law Luann Bender; step grandson Graham.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Bennie on April 04, 2007; son Steven Bender; brothers Fred, Doc, Charles and Verlin Fisher; sisters Ophal Hoien and Caroline Reeves.
A graveside service to celebrate Nettie’s life will be held at 2 P.M. on Friday, December 04, 2015, at the St. John Lutheran Cemetery in Russell, Kansas with Pastor Roger Dennis officiating. Visitation will be from 9 A.M. to 1 P.M. on Friday, December 04, 2015, at the mortuary. Memorials can be given to Main Street Manor and sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.
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Lewis Solomon Thayer passed away Tuesday, December 1, 2015 at the Wilson County Medical Center in Neodesha, Kansas at the age of 35. He was born on November 3, 1980 in Plainville, Kansas to Patrick and Lorna (Hahn) Thayer. He grew up in the Stockton, Kansas area and graduated from Stockton High School with the Class of 1999. Following high school, he attended Northwest Kansas Technical College in Goodland, Kansas with a focus on Diesel Mechanics.
On April 28, 2007 Lewis was united in marriage to Kathleen Young in Smith Center, Kansas. Later they moved to Cherryvale, Kansas where they made their home for two years before moving on to Neodesha in 2009. Together they went to work for Cobalt Boats LLC in Neodesha where Lewis was a Fiberglass Lamination Team Lead before he became ill.
Lewis enjoyed football and NASCAR, even to the point of developing an interactive website so he and his friends could keep up with each other and create friendly competition, or maybe sometimes not-so-friendly, over the stats and scores of their favorite teams and players. But the greatest love of his life was his family and children. From races to airshows, from model cars to drones, time with the kids was sometimes adventurous, sometimes educational, but always fun. During this past summer vacation, Lewis built a NASCAR-like race track and modified the kids’ bicycles so they could host neighborhood races in their own backyard.
Left to cherish Lewis’s memory are his wife Kathleen, their three sons Zachary Ryan, Isaac Randall, and Vincent Russell, and their daughter Shelby Lynn, all of the home in Neodesha; parents Patrick and Lorna Thayer of Stockton; brothers Aaron Thayer of Stockton, and Clayton Thayer and wife Cammie of Stockton; sister Melissa Saaranen and husband Andy of Stockton; grandmother Imogene Thayer of Stockton; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents Austin Thayer, and Clyde and Meda Rae Hahn.
A loving husband, father, brother, son, co-worker, friend and neighbor, Lewis found the perfect balance in working hard to support his family and spending time with those who were most important in his life. Although he was taken from us way too soon and will be greatly missed, his smile and laughter, his love and dedication, and his heart and spirit will remain with us forever.
A memorial service will be held at the Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home in Stockton at 10:30 am on Saturday, December 5, 2015. A private family burial will be held at a later date.