Col. Norman Floyd Repp, USAF, Retired, departed peacefully on his final flight on August 18, 2015, surrounded by family.
Norman was born August 28, 1925 in Julesburg, CO. to Floyd J. Repp and Nora Foster Repp.
Norman was preceded in death by his wife Iris, his son Philip and daughter, Deborah. He is survived by three daughters and their spouses, Nancy and Jerry Lonergan, Sue Cline and her partner Rick Wolfe, Patty and Dan Colahan, son, Rusty and Julie Repp, grandchildren and their spouses, KC and Karen Chavez, Matt and Elissa Cline, Philip and Kristin Repp, Joe and Tina Lonergan, JR and Clare Snyder, Brent and Jennifer Evans, Hollie Colahan and Patrick Colahan and 10 (soon to be 11) great grandchildren.
Norman graduated from Julesburg High School, Julesburg, CO in 1943, and enlisted in the US Army Air Forces. He saw combat in World War II and Vietnam. He was a fighter pilot and retired from the United States Air Force after 27 years.
Norman married Iris Elaine Scott on August 17, 1947 in Denver, CO, and enjoyed over 49 years together. In 1986, they moved from Salina, KS to Drake, CO where they had found their “pot of gold at the end of the rainbow,” aptly named Rainbow Ranch.
Norman enjoyed working in his wood shop – making treasured family heirlooms, furniture, cabinets, birdhouses and toys for family and friends.
Most of all, Grandad loved talking about his family to anyone and everyone. He was an excellent story teller and could recall memories throughout his life in impeccable detail and show you the pictures to prove it.
His impact on this Earth was exceptional, and he will be greatly missed.
Memorial Services will be 11:00 AM, Saturday, August 29, 2015, at the Ryan Mortuary, 137 N 8th St, Salina, KS 67401. Burial of Norman’s ashes will be in the Hillside Cemetery, in Julesburg, CO at a later date. There will be no visitation.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are to The Wounded Warrior Project or The Eaglecrest Retirement Community Memorial Fund.
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Ruth Virginia Mosher Sampson, born on June 12, 1920 in Salina, Kansas, the daughter of Willy and Theodora (Hunt) Mosher, passed away on the morning of August 8, 2015. She had lived a full and happy life of 95 years. She will be sorely missed by her family but is, most likely, performing an elegant tango in Heaven with her beloved husband, Stanley Francis Sampson, who preceded “Ruthie” in death in 1997.
Ruth and Stanley were high school sweethearts. They had three children. Their firstborn, William McKinley, died at eighteen months. Subsequently, they raised two other children, Stephanie Ann Sampson Dahlberg and John Clark Sampson. They will miss their sweet mother, as will their spouses, Raymond Dahlberg and Sharlene Sampson, respectively. Ruth Sampson loved her family. She doted on her five grandchildren: Collin Lloyd Dahlberg, Johnna Virginia Dahlberg, Matthew Dahlberg, Betany Dahlberg Coffland and Sharlyn Sampson DeWeese. She also treasured six great-grandchildren: Nicholas Green, Nyla Dahlberg, Austin Dahlberg, Hannah Dahlberg, Max Dahlberg and Zane Dahlberg.
Throughout Ruth Sampson’s life, she was quick to smile and she loved to laugh. She was a wonderful listener. Although neither she nor her husband had an education beyond high school, Stanley and Ruth built a successful business in Salina. Upon retirement, they moved to the Branson area where the fishing pleasures called to them. They were always active in their church in both areas but loved to have family members visit them in their home on the river.
After Stanley’s death, Ruth moved to Liberty, Missouri, and later to Wichita, Kansas, to be near those she loved. Although Ruth sometimes had sorrow in her life and later shared many of the usual ailments of old age, one legacy is hers: she was never known to complain and accepted everything that life threw at her with bravery, style and an unshakeable faith in tomorrow. The world is a poorer place without Ruth Virginia Mosher Sampson but she is lighting up another world now.
Burial was in Gypsum Hill Cemetery, Salina, Kan., in a private ceremony. Ryan Mortuary, 137 N. Eighth, Salina 67401, handled arrangements.
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Ludvick Buddy Truhlar, 87, of Salina, passed away Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2015, peacefully in his sleep. He was born Oct. 31, 1927, the last remaining sibling of 13 children of Stephen and Mary Truhlar of Genesso.
Buddy served as an MP during World War II. In 1949, he married Gertrude Bowman. He worked as a warehouse manager at Weeks grocery and hardware store in Salina from 1964 until the store closed. He was a lifetime member of the VFW, where he also was a bartender for many years.
In his later years, Buddy enjoyed reading, gardening, spending time with his granddaughter, Amanda, great-grandchildren and dog, Clyde.
Survivors include two sons, Dwight Truhlar, of Oceanside Calif., and Jim (Mary) Truhlar, of Salina; and daughter Terri Oriez, of Salina; four grandchildren, Rachel Stowell, of Wichita, Amanda Nestler, of Salina, and Jake Truhlar and Austin Truhlar, both of Oceanside; and five great-grandchildren.
There will be no visitation or service. The family is honoring Buddy’s choice to be cremated.
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Rosann Riekenberg, 66, of Galva, KS, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 21, 2015, at Peabody Health & Rehab. She had worked as a file clerk for Farmers Alliance Mutual Insurance Co. and was an elementary music teacher at Sylvan Grove, KS. She also was a piano teacher.
Rosann was born on June 24, 1949, in St. Paul, NE, the daughter of Ray and Sabine (Bydalek Kowalski) Lewandowski. She received her Bachelor’s degree in music education from Marymount College, Salina. On August 2, 1975, she was united in marriage to John M. Riekenberg in Farwell, NE.
She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, McPherson.
Survivors include: husband, John of the home; sons, Jonathan Riekenberg and wife, Anne, of Lenexa, KS and Aaron Riekenberg and wife, Tracy, of St. Paul, MN; sister, Sharon Lewandowski and husband, Peter Tooth, of Chester-le-Street, England; brother-in-law, Richard Miller of Lincoln, NE; and three grandchildren, Will, Ben, and Hannah.
She was preceded in death by her parents and sister, Rae Jean Miller.
The graveside service will be held at 10:00 AM, Tuesday, August 25, 2015, at Empire Cemetery, Galva, KS with Rev. John Hull officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to Good Shepherd Hospice or Huntington’s Disease Society of America in care of Stockham Family Funeral Home, 205 North Chestnut, McPherson, KS 67460.
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Hillsboro – John Masson, 73, died August 20, 2015 at Salem Home in Hillsboro. He was born June 2, 1942 in Twining, Michigan to Frank and Sylvia (Clark) Masson. He married Lenora May Collier in 1982 at Denver, Colorado. Survivors include: sons, Ralph Collier of Pueblo, Colorado, Curtis Collier of Lakewood, Colorado; daughters, Betty Lou Judd of Mt. Morris, Michigan, Cindy Masson of Thornton, Colorado; brothers, Ronald of Jonesboro, Michigan, Donald of Twining, Michigan, Clark P. of Flint, Michigan, Albert of Twining, Michigan; 20 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. Predeceased by his wife in 2008. Private Family services.
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Doris Kathryn Olson was born on July 27, 1927 at Asbury Hospital, Salina, Kansas and passed away Aug. 18, 2015 at Bethany Home, Lindsborg, Kansas. She was the second of four children born to Arthur Joshua Olson and Tena Olivia (Holmquist) Olson and grew up on the family farm located 1 ¼ miles south of Assaria. She was confirmed at Assaria Lutheran Church and graduated Valedictorian from the Assaria High School with the class of 1945. She attended Bethany College for one year before enrolling at “Trinity Lutheran School of Nursing” in Kansas City.
Doris met Chester “Ray” Park who was working as an orderly at Trinity Hospital while attending night school for mechanics at the National Trade School in K.C. As graduation and wedding plans were being contemplated, Doris’ father unexpectedly passed away on June 5, 1949. Doris and Ray decided to honor her parents by choosing the same wedding date, September 22.
As the Korean conflict broke out, Ray was called back into service in the U.S. Navy. In the meantime, Doris worked at the Lindsborg Hospital until she contracted rheumatic fever. Her illness was so severe; Ray was released from military service and sent home.
In 1952, Ray and Doris moved to Kansas City where Ray found employment with Robison Lawn and Golf, Inc. About 1963, Doris returned to her chosen profession at Research Medical Hospital where she worked in the intensive care unit.
In 1975, Ray’s employer moved to Grandview, Missouri, so Ray and Doris found a perfect two acre home in Peculiar, Missouri with enough space for their dog, a large garden, and plenty of birds to watch. For six years, Doris worked as an RN at the ABC Nursing Home in Harrisonville, Missouri. After retirement, Doris and Ray were able to spend a number of golden years together on their Peculiar acres until choosing to downsize to a home in Raymore. After Ray’s passing on December 7, 2008, Doris moved to Bethany Home in Lindsborg, Kansas.
She was also preceded in death by her parents, sister; Betty L. Hanson, and a brother; Robert Dean Olson.
Doris leaves behind many loved ones, including nephews; Vic Hanson, Salina, and Richard Hanson, Marquette, and a sister Norma Jean Richardson, Hillsboro, TX.
Visitation will be at held Thursday, August 20, from 5-7 pm at Christians Funeral Home, Lindsborg.
A Burial Service will be held 9:00 a.m. Friday, August 21, at the Assaria Lutheran Cemetery with a memorial service to follow at 10:15 a.m. at the Bethany Home Chapel.
Memorials may be designated for Bethany Home in care of Christians Funeral Home 103 N. Washington, Lindsborg, KS 67456.
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June Anderson, 89, died on August 19, 2015. June was born June 4, 1926, in Lindsborg, Kansas, to Royal and Alphild Koons. She grew up on a farm outside Lindsborg; attended a one-room schoolhouse, West Kentuck; and graduated from Lindsborg High School. She attended Bethany College, where she met her husband, Eskil L. Anderson, and they were married August 13, 1949.
After college, June taught elementary school in Sedgwick with her beloved cousin, Betty Joyce (Koons) Parker, and she also taught several courses at Brown-Mackie Business College in Salina. Later, after raising her three children, she taught elementary students with learning disabilities in the Hutchinson public schools. The family lived in McPherson, Wakeeney, Salina, and Hutchinson, and made many friends in all of those communities. After retirement, June and Eskil also lived in Indianola, Iowa, before moving to Aldersgate Village, Topeka, in 2001.
June was very creative, and enjoyed woodcarving, drawing and painting. She especially liked to make paintbrush cookies and read with her children and grandchildren. She loved her Swedish heritage and cherished visits from her Swedish cousins, the Östling family of Tranås, Sweden, including Fred, who lived with the Andersons for a year. She loved to make the traditional Swedish foods at Christmas and put out the Tomten and the Julbocken.
June was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Eskil; and her brothers, Royal, Jr. (“Bud”), Paul, and Vernon (“Gene”) Koons, of whom she was always very proud. She is survived by her children: Jane Dirickson, of Mountain View, OK; Jerry (Susan) Anderson, of Indianola, IA; and Kristin (Jeff) Chanay, of Topeka, KS; her grandchildren: Ryan Levin, Heather Bilyeu, Tyler (Amber Serl) and Alex Chanay, and Peter and Evan Anderson; and four great-grandchildren. She is dearly missed also by Marianne Levander, of Ängelholm, Sweden, who lived with the family as an exchange student, and named her son “Eskil” in honor of June’s husband.
The family plans a private graveside memorial service at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Aldersgate Village, Elmhurst fund, 7220 SW Asbury Drive, Topeka, KS 66614. The wonderful staff at Aldersgate provided June with much loving care for many years.
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James H. Piland, 91, of Waldo, Kansas, died on August 20,
2015, at the Great Bend Health and Rehabilitation Center in Great Bend, Kansas.
James was born in Waldo, Kansas on September 12, 1923, the son of Elmer and Bessie (Burgar) Piland. He graduated from Waldo High School in 1941 and moved to California to build airplanes to aid in the war effort during World War II. He returned to Waldo after the war and went on to be a farmer and rancher. He met, fell in love with and was
united in marriage to Jean E. (May) Piland on June 09, 1960, in Luray, Kansas. James and Jean raised 3 children from a previous marriage, Bill, Shirley and Karen Lahar. Later in life he became the Post Master of the Waldo Post Office and retired from there after many years of service. He also enjoyed farming and ranching and spent countless hours tending to his cattle and managing the farm. James was an active member of the Waldo United Methodist Church. He was also a former member
of the Waldo Fire Department and served as a Waldo city council member and Mayor of Waldo for several terms. James and Jean were avid conservationists and bird enthusiasts. Together they constructed and placed hundreds of bird houses on their farm and throughout Russell County. He also enjoyed Royals baseball, flower gardening, building bird houses, animals, computers and his beloved cat AFLAC. Most of all he enjoyed spending time with his family. After 45 years of marriage, Jean preceded James in
death on January 29, 2006.
James is survived by his son Bill Lahar and wife Barbara of Douglass, Kansas; daughter Karen Carney and husband Jim of Hoisington, Kansas; 8 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, the love of his life – Jean, step daughter Shirley Harrington, 1 brother and 3 sisters.
A memorial service to celebrate James’ life will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Wednesday, August 26, 2015, at the Waldo United Methodist Church in Waldo, Kansas with Pastor Scott Tempero officiating. Cremation has preceded the service and there will be no visitation. In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations be given to the Waldo United Methodist Church or the Waldo Senior Center and sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.