Kenneth Byron “Ken” Hemphill, 66, of Smolan, Kansas, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Sunday, February 7th, 2016.
Kenneth was born in Clay Center, Kansas on October 28, 1949, a son of the late Pearl Mary (Hammond) and Howard Hemphill.
Ken worked for Schwan’s Pizza Service for 27 years. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. He also enjoyed farming, clearing pasture land and restoring tractors.
Ken attended the Salemsborg Lutheran Church.
Survivors include his wife, Susan (Harper) Hemphill of the home; three daughters, Angela Caraballo and husband Brandon , of Tonganoxie, Kansas, Christine Gentz, of Aurora, Colorado;
Jamie Kempe, and husband Darin, of Kipp, Kansas; three sons Joe Hemphill, and wife Maria, of Raytown, Missouri, Justin Hemphill, and wife Sarah, of Blue Springs, Missouri; Corey Hemphill, of Denver, Colorado; brothers, Ray Hemphill, and wife Joyce, of Cherryvale, Kansas; Dan Hemphill, and wife Judy, of Alameda, California. He is also survived by 9 Grandchildren, 1 great grandchild, and the descendants of W.K Hammond.
At the family’s request there will be no visitation as cremation has been chosen.
Memorial Service will be held at Salemsborg Lutheran Church, Smolan, Kansas, at 11:00 am on Saturday, February 13th, with Rev. Ethan Feistner officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Salina, 730 Holly Lane, Box 2238 Salina, Kansas 67401.
///////////////////////////////////////////////
MENTOR — Ronald Johannes, 87, of Mentor, passed away peacefully Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016. He was a lifelong resident of the Salina area. He was born Feb. 3, 1929, in Salina to Lawrence and Agnes (Breer) Johannes.
He graduated from Sacred Heart High School in 1947. He was a U.S. Army veteran and served in the Korean War. He worked as an electrician at Kansas Technical Institute and retired in 1990.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Gerald Johannes and Laverne Johannes.
Survivors include his wife, Norma, of Mentor; sons, Mike Johannes, of Topeka, Mitch Johannes, of Salina, and Kevin Johannes, of Wichita; brothers, Eugene Johannes, of Salina, and Lowell Johannes, of Hays; and grandsons, Scott Johannes and Tyler Johannes, both of Yuba City, Calif.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, at St. Mary’s Queen of the Universe Catholic Church, Salina, with Father Kevin Weber officiating. Burial will follow in All Saints Catholic Cemetery, Salina.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Shriners Children’s Hospital or St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Ryan Mortuary, Salina, is handling arrangements.
//////////////////////////////////////////////
CASSIA MARIE “CASI” ROTT, 36, died February 8, 2016 at Clay County Medical Center in Clay Center, KS. She was born on September 25, 1979 in Liberal, KS, the daughter of Chadd and Cynthia (Bissett) Harris. Casi was raised in Olathe and graduated from Olathe South High School. She worked for Garmin in Olathe. Casi married Joey Rott on May 13, 2006, they made their home in Clay Center. She worked as a secretary for the USD 379 School Board Office and as a secretary at Garfield School. Casi was a member of S.S. Peter and Paul Catholic Church.
Survivors:
Husband: Joey Rott, Clay Center, KS
Father: Chadd Harris, Olathe, KS
Mother: Cynthia Harris, Olathe, KS
Daughter: Chloe Rott, Clay Center, KS
Daughter: Tenley Rott, Clay Center, KS
Son: Asher Rott, Clay Center, KS
Son: Levi Rott, Clay Center, KS
Daughter: Piper Rott, Clay Center, KS
Sister: Charissa Harris, Olathe, KS
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, February 12, 2016 at 3:00 PM at the SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Clay Center, KS
Officiating the service will be The Rev. Randall Weber
Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Clay Center, KS
Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 11, 2016 from 3-8 PM atNeill-Schwensen-Rook Funeral Home
Memorials: Casi Rott memorial fund c/o the funeral home
//////////////////////////////////////////
John E. Strella, 70, passed away February 8, 2016 at The Hospice House, Olathe, KS after a 27 month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born May 29, 1945 in Denver, CO to Victor John and Ruth Ann (Tindle) Strella.
John graduated in 1963 from Ellsworth High School; Hutchinson Community Junior College in 1966; and earned a BS in Elementary Education from Ft. Hays State University in 1969. He met his future wife, Linda Weber in 1965 at a teen dance in Ellsworth and married June 8, 1968 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Wilson, KS. They had two children Scott and Angela.
John taught 5th and 6th grades and Jr. High Science & Social Studies plus coached football, basketball, track and cross country in Bunker Hill, Geneseo, Bushton, Holyrood, Ellis and Lyons for 15 years and also taught CCD religion classes at St. Bernard’s in Ellsworth for 15 years. He was a registered baseball and softball umpire for 25 years.
In 1983, John became owner of Strella’s Family Shoe Center in downtown Ellsworth. He enjoyed selling shoes and working with customers for 25 years until his retirement in 2008.
He was a member of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church and K of C #3400, Ellsworth; Msg. Maher Assembly 4th Degree K of C, Salina; and past member of Ellsworth Kiwanis and Lions Club.
He is survived by his wife, Linda of 47 years; son, Scott (Lori) Olathe; a daughter, Angela (Dan) Tatro, Leesburg, FL; grandchildren, Ashley, Abby, and Ava Strella and Christopher, Alexis, and Tristan Tatro. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Joan Handlin.
Visitation will be 1:00-6:30 p.m., Thursday, February 11, 2016 at Parsons Funeral Home, Ellsworth. A Vigil and Rosary Service will follow at 6:30 p.m., Thursday with family present.
A Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 a.m., Friday, February 12th, 2016 at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, Ellsworth with burial following in Ellsworth Memorial Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, suggested memorials are to Ellsworth County Cancer Fund; St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, Ellsworth; or KU Endowment at KU Cancer Center for pancreatic cancer research, c/o Parsons Funeral Home, PO Box 45, Ellsworth, KS 67439.
///////////////////////////////////////////////
Amy L. Kingsbury, 36, of Wilson, Kansas passed away January 18, 2016 at her home in Wilson. She was born August 25, 1979 in Amarillo, Texas, the daughter of Gary and Dodie (Slagel) Sanders. She grew up in Hutchinson, Kansas then later moved to Wilson and graduated from Wilson High School in 1997. After high school, she focused her education in the healthcare field; first becoming a Certified Nurse Aid then a Certified Medication Aide. After working at Golden Living Center in Wilson and DSNWK in Russell, Kansas, she went on to become a Licensed Practical Nurse through Brown Mackie College in Salina, Kansas.
Amy was married to Wayne Buell on September 25, 1998 in Ark City, Kansas. This union was blessed with three children: Klayton, Kalab, and Kaelyn. They later divorced. She married Daren Kingsbury on November 10, 2011 in Wilson, Kansas. He survives.
Survivors include two sons; Klayton and Kalab Buell both of Ark City, Kansas, daughter Kaelyn Buell of Wilson, Kansas; father Gary Sanders of Wilson, Kansas; mother Dodie Sanders of Las Cruces, New Mexico; grandparents Gary and Lucretia Cunningham of Wilson, Kansas; great grandmother Mildred Slagel of Napolean, Ohio and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her grandfather Donald Sanders and infant brother Brian Sanders.
Always a caretaker, Amy worried more about others than she did herself. She loved music, her family and friends, but her greatest love of all was her children.