Nancy B. McHenry, 79, Minneapolis, died Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at the Ottawa County Health Center, Minneapolis. She was born March 14, 1935 in Minneapolis to Darrel E. and Frances (Payne) Hubbard.
Betty L. Hamilton, 91, of Salina, died Monday, Oct. 20, 2014. She was born March 24, 1923, in Formosa, Kan., the daughter of Carl B. and O’Dessa (Dunn) Bradrick. She graduated from Formosa High School as valedictorian of her class. She also played tennis in high school. She and her sister Joyce sang as an opening act for Monty Montana. She attended Brown Mackie School, Salina.Betty worked for Kansas State Department of Revenue as a driver’s license examiner in Dodge City and Salina for 20 years. She also worked for Long’s Clothing and Key Rexall, Salina. She was a member of the Mankato, Kan., Eastern Star and a member of Hoyt United Methodist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Marvin; three brothers, Don, Jack and Bob; and one sister, Wilma Joyce (Hoyt) Bradrick.
Survivors include two sons, Jim (Cindy) Hamilton, of Salina, and Brad Hamilton, of Hoyt; three grandchildren, Krista (Rob) Long, Karla (Jerry) Breeden and Mose Hamilton; five great-grandchildren, Callie, Cooper, Cade, Cason and Wyatt; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, at Ryan Mortuary, 137 N. Eighth, Salina, with family greeting visitors from 1-2 p.m., prior to the service. Memorials to: Hoyt United Methodist Church, in care of the funeral home.
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LINCOLN — William R. “Bill” Wolford, 67, of Lincoln, passed away Monday, Oct. 20, 2014. He was born Oct. 23, 1946, in Wichita to Russell and Mary Ellen (Lindsay) Wolford.
He married Barbara Steinberg on Aug. 10, 1969 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Lincoln.
He graduated Lincoln High School in 1965, and there he was referred to as “Tiny.” Bill worked at the Co-op as a petroleum and livestock manager. He was also and farmer until he retired. His hobbies included team penning and car racing.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara, of the home; mother, Mary, of Abilene; sister, Kay Marshall, of Tribune; brother, Joe Wolford, of Abilene; nieces, Diane Gentry, Audrey Cummings, Travis Wolford and Robin Prado; special friends, Garry Fuller, Neil Mcwhirter and Collin Schroeder; and many great-nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at Ryan Mortuary. There will be no visitation.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Salina Animal Shelter, American Heart Association, American Cancer Association or donor’s choice and are in care of Ryan Mortuary 137 N. Eighth St. Salina 67401.
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OVERLAND PARK — Charles M. Pierce, 77, formerly of Salina, passed away Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014, in Overland Park. He was born March 26, 1937, in Salina to Alva and Florence (Visser) Pierce.
Charles graduated from Salina High School in 1955. He married Dava Kay Means on June 22, 1958, in Salina. He enjoyed playing golf, going to church and singing in the choir. He and Dava were avid K-State football and basketball fans and loved spending time with his family and friends.
Survivors include his son, Curtis and wife Janeen Pierce, of Bakerfield, Calif.; daughter, Laura and husband Jerry Lutjen, of Olathe; brother, Jim Pierce, of Salina; grandchildren, Hayden and Bryce Lutjen and Mason and Emily Pierce.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Dava Kay and his parents.
A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at First Baptist Church in Salina with Pastor Kevin Hazelton officiating. Visitation will be 9 a.m. until service time Saturday at the church. Burial will be directly after at Roselawn Memorial Park.
Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church and are in care of Ryan Mortuary 137 North Eighth Street, Salina 67401.
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Dr. Wendell Kay Nickell was born Jan. 17, 1926, in Smith Center, Kan., and died Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014, in Salina, Kan., after a long illness. He attended grade school and high school in Smith Center, but went on to University of Kansas before receiving his high school diploma. There he joined Beta Theta Pi fraternity and went into the Navy V-12 program. He was active in student politics, and was involved in starting the KU Bookstore.
After graduation, he entered University of Kansas Medical School, where he met his future wife, a fellow medical student, Waitstill Blair Ashbaugh. They married on June 15, 1947, and were married 57 years before her death in 2005.
They transferred to Northwestern Medical School, in Chicago, because of his interest in neuroanatomy. After graduation from medical school, he earned a Master’s Degree in neuroanatomy, and she pursued residency training in anesthesia. Subsequently, they began practicing medicine together in Osborne, Kan. Their ?rst two children were born in 1951 and 1952.
He was drafted during the Korean War and served as a flight surgeon in San Angelo, Texas, for two years. While there, he obtained his pilot’s license and started one of the Air Force’s ?rst ?ying clubs.
After military service, he trained in general and thoracic surgery at KU Medical Center from 1956-1960, and was involved in some of the ?rst open heart surgeries. A third child was born in Kansas City in 1957. After ?nishing his training with a young family, he started a surgical practice in Topeka, Kan., from 1960-1966. Two more children were born in 1960 and 1962.
In 1966, he was convinced by his fraternity brother, Dr. Robert Weber, to move his practice to Salina. He continued the practice of surgery in Salina, until his retirement in 1991.
He was active in community affairs in Salina. He was instrumental in building the sanctuary for the Belmont Boulevard Christian Church, and was president of Asbury Hospital Medical Staff, Marymount College, The Kansas Surgical Society and The Salina Symphony. He was a longtime Rotarian and active in the Gridiron Club. After his wife’s death from Alzheimer’s, he founded Sun?ower Adult Day Care.
He met Barbara Marshall at Kansas Wesleyan in 2009. They shared a love of music and the arts. In 2012 they were married.
He is survived by his wife Barbara Marshall Nickell; his children, Barry Louis Nickell and wife Margaret, of Kansas City, Sherry Lorraine Nickell, of Bell Buckle, Tenn., Nancy Nickell Kinzie and husband David, of Dallas, Karen Kristin Nickell and husband Andrew Wentzel, of Knoxville, Tenn., and Stacy Margaret Nickell Miller, also of Knoxville. There are nine grandchildren, Solomon Blair Willis, of Dallas, Caleb Wendell Willis and wife Lisa, of Washington, D.C., Ellen Ashley Nickell, of New Orleans, Elliott John Nickell and wife Elizabeth White, of St. Paul, Minn., Carrie Elizabeth Nickell, of Denver, Jenna Waitstill Kinzie, of Dallas, and Cecilia Blair Miller, Forrest Andrew Wentzel and Max Reuben Miller, all of Knoxville, Tenn.
The family would like to thank all the caregivers who helped make his last days comfortable.
Donations in his honor can be made to Sunfower Daycare, the Salina Symphony or Kansas Wesleyan Fine Arts, in care of Ryan Mortuary, 137 N. Eighth St., Salina 67401.
A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014, at University United Methodist Church, Salina.