Obits for Butler County, Kansas Genealogy Trails

BUTLER COUNTY, KANSAS

OBITUARIES

BLOOD, VERA

Funeral services for Vera Blood, 86, Douglass, were held at the Hilyard Smith Funeral Home in Douglass Saturday morning. Rev. Jerry Calvert of the Douglass United Methodist Church officiated and burial was in the Douglass Cemetery.

Mrs. Blood, widow of Clarence P. Blood, died last Wednesday at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita after being a patient there for about four weeks. Prior to that she resided at the Colonial Manor nursing home in Douglass. Her husband preceded her in death in 1972.

She was born Aug. 1, 1891 in Douglass, a daughter of Hiram Walter and Lorena Livingston Hartenbower. Mrs. Blood was a member of the former Congregational Church there.

Mrs. Blood a graduate of Southwestern College at Winfield was also a member of the Eastern Star and PEO organizations at Douglass.

She leaves a nephew, Rick Hartenbower and a niece, Jan Hartenbower, both of Beloit. (Douglass Tribune, June 26, 1978)

BROTTON, HUGH E.

Hugh E. Brotton, 56, Douglass, an engineering analyst for Boeing of Wichita, died Wednesday at the St. Joseph Medical center in Wichita.

Funeral services will be 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon at the Douglass First Christian Church. Rev. Paul Calkin will officiate and burial will be in the Douglass Cemetery.

Memorials have been established with the Douglass First Christian Church building fund and the School of the Ozarks at Branson, Mo.

The Hilyard-Smith is in charge of arrangements.

Brotton was born March 5, 1923 at Bluff City, as a son of Clarence and Lucina Crossman Brotton.

He married the former Mabel Post on Sept. 9, 1944 at Columbia, S. C.

Brotton served with the army during World War II and he was a former member of the Unified School District 396 Board of Education at Douglass.

In 1977, he led a successful one man campaign to do away with a state tax in propane tanks.

He was a president of the Butler County Special Education program and a member of the Douglass Christian Church.

Brotton loved to work with children and during his life had served as a football basketball official as well as a commissioner of the South Central Kansas League.

As commissioner he assigned officials to the various athletic events and personally worked games in the Seven Star League.

The Brottons moved to Douglass from Wichita about 11 years ago.

In addition to his wife, Mrs. Brotton leaves a daughter, Mrs. Janet Clasen of Douglass, his father, Clarence Brotton Sr., of Bluff City, two brothers, Hubert and Clarence Brotton Jr., both of Seattle, Wash., a sister, Mrs. Sarah Hendee of Everett, Wash., and one grandson. (Douglass Tribune, October 12, 1979)

BRUKE, JAMES R.

James R. Burke, 28, of Douglass, died Friday, December 23, 1977 in Wichita.

Services were held Monday December 26, 1977 at the Douglass cemetery.

Survivors are his wife, Sue, a daughter, Isadora Rae, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Kennith Haskett, a brother, Kenneth E. and two sisters, Mrs. Anna Ramsey and Mrs. Pat Houchin all of Douglass and his grandmother Mrs. Martha Burke of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Hilyard Smith Funeral Home. (Douglass Tribune, January 5,1978)

BUSH, ZACHARIA

Zacharia Bush, 76, Douglass, a retired farmer, died Sunday morning at a Winfield hospital.

Services will be at the Hilyard Smith Funeral Home in Douglass at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon with Rev. Henry Cox officiating and burial in the Douglass Cemetery. A memorial has been established with the Douglass Museum.

A lifelong resident of the Douglass area, Bush was born March 6, 1902. He married Fern White, Dec. 2, 1926 in Winfield. She survives.

Other survivors include a daughter, Betty Boucher, Douglass, two grandchildren, Skip Boucher, Douglass and LeAnn Bishop, Wichita and one great-grandchild, Weston Boucher, Douglass. (Augusta Gazette, September 25, 1978)

COLGIN, EDWIN A.

Edwin A. Colgin, 84, Haysville, died at his home Sunday.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at the Haysville Church of the Nazarene, Rev. J. C. Andrews and Rev. Kenneth Nelson will officiate and burial will be in the Douglass Cemetery.

He was born May 29, 1894 in Pueblo, Colo., to Daniel and Mary Colgin. He married Ruth Alger, a Douglass woman, June 15, 1940 in Wicihta.

Colgin was a retired laborer.

He was also a member of the Church of the Nazarene.

Survivors include his wife, Ruth Colgin of the home, a son, Harold Colgin, Guymon, Okla., daughter, Evelyn Watson, Livonia, Mo., three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

The Hilyard Smith Funeral Home of Douglass is in charge of arrangements. (Douglass Tribune, October 31, 1978)

COOLEY, THOMAS W.

Thomas W. Cooley, 11, Douglass, died yesterday at the University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan.

Services will be at 2 p.m. tomorrow at the First United Methodist Church. Douglass. Rev. Paul Calkin will officiate and burial will be in the Douglass Cemetery.
Cooley was born Aug. 18, 1966 in Wichita, a son of Bill and Norma Wolf Cooley. He was a fifth grade student at the Douglass Elementary School.

Other survivors include sisters, Mrs. Christy Wesbrooks, Route 1, Mrs. Connie Mitchell, Douglass, Jenny Cooley of the home; grandparents, Mrs. Lucy Cooley and Mr. and Mrs. George Wolf all of Douglass.

A memorial has been established with the First Christian Church, Douglass. (Augusta Gazette, June 5, 1978)

ELLIOTT, EVERETT J.

Everett J. Elliott, 90, Wichita, a retired Douglass farmer, died Saturday at the Veterans Administration Hospital.

His service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Douglass United Methodist Church. Rev. John Martin and Rev. Karl Magnusson will officiate and burial will be in the Douglass Cemetery.

A memorial has been established with the Diabetes Association.

He was born Nov. 4, 1889 in Butler County to Jefferson and Amanda J. Love Elliott. He married Hattie Elizabeth Wilson Sept. 26, 1938. She preceded him in death in 1963.

Elliott farmed in Douglass until 1972. He moved to Arkansas City and then to Wichita. He was a member of the Douglass Masonic Lodge and the Douglass United Methodist Church. He was in the U.S. Army during World War I.

Survivors include many nieces and nephews.

Hilyard Smith Funeral Home at Douglass is in charge of arrangements. (El Dorado Times, December 10, 1979)

FOLEY, W. HERSCHEL

W. Herschel Foley was born February 18, 1900, one of three children born to Ina Wade and Peter Foley of Merriam, Missouri. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, Dell and one daughter, Joyce Dunn. He was united in marriage to Ruby Turner June 15, 1934.

Herschel was blessed with a full and active life. He worked as an accountant with Harris Gore Pharmaceutical and Lucky Tiger Hair Tonics for 60 years and at the time of his death was still retained by them on a part time basis, as well as holding employment as Blue Springs Equipment. He has served the church as both a Deacon and Elder holding the positions of Treasurer and Trustee. He enjoyed good health and was still an active bowler and golfer.

Herschel passed into God's care July 30, 1977 at the home. He is survived by his wife Ruby of the home, a daughter, Mrs. Rogene Morgan, Corpus Christi, Texas, a sister Mrs. Edna Lashbrook, Kansas City, Missouri, nine grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and a host of friends.

Services at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday August 2, 1977 at Grain Valley Christian Church at Grain Valley, Missouri.

Final resting place at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 3, 1977 at Douglass Cemetery, Douglass, Kansas. (Douglass Tribune, August 11, 1977)

FOX, CHARLES E.

Charles e. Fox, 83, of Douglass, a retired agent for Standard Oil Company, died Tuesday.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Douglass Cemetery.

Survivors are a son, Celestine of Wichita, two daughters, Mrs. Ferrol Koppock of Cherokee, Okla., and Mrs. Phyllis Meredith of Iola, two brothers, William of Burden and L. C. of El Dorado and a sister Mrs. Margaret Kopp of El Dorado.

Hilyard Smith Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. (El Dorado Times, January 24, 1979)

GRAVES, ORIE W.

Graveside services for Orie W. Graves, 81, of Douglass will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Douglass Cemetery.

Graves died Aug. 26 in Apache Junction, Ariz., where he and his wife Inez were vacationing. He was a lifelong resident of Douglass and a retired farmer and Cessna Aircraft employee.

Survivors include brothers, W. D. Graves, Douglass and Frank Graves, Parsons a sister, Alva Chauncey, Chanute and one grandson, Robert Graves, Wichita. (Douglass Tribune, August 31, 1978)

HOCK, PAUL E.

Paul E. Hock, 70, Douglass, died Thursday at the William Newton Memorial Hospital in Winfield.

Services will be at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the First Baptist Church in Douglass. Rev. Randy Drake will officiate and burial will be in the Douglass Cemetery.
He was born July 24, 1909 at Milan as a son of Oliver and Elvie Hock.

On April 9, 1936, he married the former Veda McClain in a ceremony at Arkansas City. She survives.

Hock was a member of Douglass Masonic Lodge 151.

He was a retired welder of Beech Aircraft and had made his home in Douglass the past 18 years.

Other survivors include a son, Jimmy of Del City, Okla., a daughter Janice stockbouer of Gretna, La., seven brothers, Jess of Winfield, Glen of Wichita, Vernie of Caldwell, Vinton of Topeka, Marion of Dawson, Texas, and Tim of Blackwell, Okla., and eight grandchildren.

The Hilyard Smith Funeral Home at Douglass is in charge of arrangements. (Douglass Tribune, August 31, 1979)

KITTLE, ELMER LEONARD

Elmer Leonard Kittle, 81 year old Baptist minister and farmer from Douglass died Saturday at the Augusta Medical Complex.

Services will be at 2 p.m. tomorrow at the Douglass United Methodist Church. Rev. John Martin will officiate and burial will be in the Douglass Cemetery.
His grandsons, Ron, Ed, Bill, Robert, Jim, John and Larry Kittle will be the pallbearers.

Kittle was born May 28, 1898 in a dugout in Rush County near Nekoma to Silas Milton and Elizabeth Louiza Isabell Kittle. He married Bessie Mae Sumwalt Dec. 30, 1925 in Latham. She preceded him in death in 1950.

He graduated from Augusta High School and served as a minister in the Central Baptist Church west of Augusta. Due to poor health he left the ministry and returned to farming. He farmed in the Latham and Douglass communities.

After leaving farming in 1948 Kittle worked at the Douglass Grain Company and served the Methodist Church as a custodian.

Kittle loved God, all animals and the outdoors. He believed in hard work and tried to instill this in his sons and grandsons. He was forced to retire from physical labor following lung surgery 3-1/2 years ago.

For the past 2-1/2 years Kittle had been a resident of the Colonial Manor nursing home in Douglass.

Survivors include two sons, Glenn Hittle of Augusta, and Robert Kittle of Douglass, three brothers, Henry Kittle of Richland Center, Wis., Joe Kittle of East Grand Forks, Minn., and John Kittle of Texhoma, Okla., two sisters, Nellie Sumwalt of Richland Center, Wis., and Violet Broomfield of Rockford, Ill., seven grandsons, Larry Kittle, Ed Kittle, Jim Kittle, and John Kittle, all of Augusta, Ronald Kittle of Corpus Christi, Texas., Bill Kittle of Wichita Falls, Texas, and Robert Kittle of Douglass and two great-granddaughters. (Douglass Tribune, December 17, 1979)

McBEE, DONALD

Donald McBee, 38, died January 26, 1978. He was owner of McBee Lumber Co., of Douglass and had been in the lumber business the past six years. He and his wife Shirley, and their sons, Russ, Gregg and Brad operated a lumber yard on Third street in Douglass.

Don had worked as an off-shore driller along the coast of Africa and the Gulf of Mexico for five years before moving back to Douglass about seven years ago.

He was a member of the Douglass City Council, the Douglass Chamber of Commerce and the Church of Christ. He was a sponsor of the Babe Ruth Baseball team in Douglass and active in all sports with his sons.

He was born April 23, 1939 in Hiwasse, Ark. His parents later moved to Douglass. He attended Douglass High School and met his wife, Shirley Caser, while there.

He graduated in 1957.

Other survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert McBee, Newton, Mo., sisters, Mrs. Elva Conde, Douglass and Mrs. Dorothy Venable, Springfield, Mo., and brothers Jim McBee, Douglass and Bob McBee of Lamar, Mo.

Services were held January 28 in the Douglass Church of Christ with Dalton Key officiating. Interment in Douglass Cemetery. Bearers were Dave Moore, Alan Bloom, Bill Stafford, Joe Newton, Rex Pedroja and Keith Marcum. Hilyard Smith Funeral Home was in charge. (Douglass Tribune, February 1, 1978)

McKINLEY, JAMES HAROLD

Services will be at 10 a.m. tomorrow at the Hilyard Smith Funeral Home, Douglass, for James Harold McKinley, 82, who died yesterday at the Veteran's Hospital, Wichita.

Rev. Paul Calkin of the Douglass First Christian Church will officiate and burial will be in the Douglass cemetery.

McKinley was a retired farmer and truck driver.

He was born Aug. 27, 1895 in Quincy, Ill., to James and Lizzie McKinley. He married Maude Piper, Oct. 1, 1919 in Oklahoma City. He was a veteran of World War I.

Nieces and nephews survive. (Douglass Tribune, April 27, 1978)

NICHOLS, WANDA A.

Wanda A. Nichols, 60, Rock, died Tuesday at the William Newton Memorial Hospital in Winfield.

Funeral services were held at the Hilyard smith Funeral home in Douglass at 2 o'clock this afternoon. Rev. Paul Calkin officiated and burial was in the Douglass Cemetery.

She is survived by her husband, Tom; two sons, Gerald of Cambridge and Darrel of Rock; a daughter, Audrey of Liberal; a brother, Roland Silvers of Sacramento, Calif., and eight grandchildren.

Her daughter in law Mrs. Darrel (Jeanette) Nichols, is caretaker of the Douglass Historical Musuem.

She was born Feb. 8, 1918 in Cedar Falls, Ia. She married Tom Nichols in 1939 at Pawhuska, Okla. (Douglass Tribune, February 1, 1979)

PETERSON, WAYLAND S. "PETE"

Wayland S. "Pete" Peterson, 36, of 3120 S. Fern, Wichita, died March 15, in a Wichita hospital. His wife, Kay Metheny is of Douglass.

Services were held March 18 in the First Christian Church. Rev. Paul Calkin officiated. He was buried in Douglass Cemetery.

Survivors include his wife; son, Brian, daughter, Debra, all of the home; father M. C. Peterson of Texas, mother Mrs. Adeline Peterson of Wichita, brother, Stuart of Texas, sister, Mrs. Sidney Douglass of Wichita. (Butler County News, March 29, 1978)

RADCLIFF, ELMO L.

Elmo L. Radcliff, 72, Wichita father of Lila Flippo of Douglass, died yesterday at his home.

Services will be 10 o'clock tomorrow morning at the Hilyard Smith Funeral Home in Douglass with Rev. Randy Drake officiating. Burial will be in the Douglass cemetery.

He was born Jan. 5, 1907 in Oklahoma as a son of George and Beulah Radcliff.

On July 23, 1930 he married the former Emily Crusinberry in a ceremony at Beaver, Okla. She also survives.

Radcliff was a retired welder for Truck Hoist Industries of Wichita.

In addition to his wife and daughter, he leaves three sons, John of Wichita, Joe of Redwood City, Calif., and Clyde of Universal City, Texas, another daughter, Lora Cockrum of Gainesville, Mo., a brother, Carl Radcliff of Forgan, Okla., four sisters, Gladys Foreman of Scammon, Grace Middleswart of Ellinwood, Bernice Andrew of Forgan, Okla. And Georgellen Bell of Enid, Okla., and 12 grandchildren. (Douglass Tribune, July 17, 1979)