Warren Monroe Craft was born in Edson, Kansas on Thursday June 23, 1932 to Addie (Conarty) and Earl Craft. He was their only child, but had many aunts, uncles, and cousins to grow up with.
When Warren was 3, he moved with his parents to Arkansas to live with his paternal grandparents, while his father traveled as an itinerant farm worker during the Great Depression. Warren learned the important skills of gardening and saving during the “dirty thirties” – skills which would shape his entire life. Warren often visited his Conarty relatives back in Kansas on the 101 Ranch outside of Kanorado.
In 1942 the family moved back to Kansas and settled in Kanorado. There he started 3rd grade and met some lifelong friends and his future wife, Georgia Lea Sprinkle.
In 1945, they opened the Craft Confectionary store on Main Street in Kanorado. Warren discovered he had an after school job, and a weekend job, and a summer vacation job. He learned the value of hard work. The store was a meeting place for the community.
In 1951, Warren graduated high school in May and enlisted in the Army in October instead of waiting to be drafted. The army took him to faraway exotic places, like New Jersey, Germany, and Korea.
Warren was an Infantry Sergeant. He realized he had an opportunity with the army, and worked hard to learn every job. The army taught him to raise the bar of performance. If the army expected a certain thing done to a certain standard, Warren made sure he always did it a little bit better.
It wasn’t always easy for him to make friends, being such a know-it-all, until they needed someone they could count on. And they could count on Warren. One of his specialties was acting as an Advance Observer – locating his own men (and the enemy) on the frontline using 1 coordinate. This special skill got him involved in the battle at Porkchop Hill in Korea. Some of you may have seen the movie. Warren was one of the few to make it off Porkchop Hill with no injuries, and came safely home. He rarely talked about his experiences in the war, but he was proud to serve his country when they needed it.
In 1960 he finally convinced Georgia Lea to marry him. They eloped to Raton, New Mexico on September 12. They lived as newlyweds in Colorado Springs on the military base. Once the kids started arriving, Warren left the army. They had 5 children from 1963 – 1968 (Cinda, Linda, Paul, Catherine, and John). Warren had a plan, and knew if he wanted to raise kids (and he did), he needed a job where he and Georgia could be at home full time. He looked for motels in the little tourist towns in Colorado, and finally settled on the Parkview Motel in Gunnison. He packed up his wife, 5 kids, and mother and drove to Gunnison in his 1954 Chevy Bel-Air in June of 1969.
Now June in Gunnison, Colorado is magnificent. The days are warm and sunny. There is often a short rainstorm in the afternoon – enough so you don’t have to worry about watering your lawn or flowers. With a 6 week growing season, not many people bothered with a garden, but Warren would not let a little thing like that stop him. He grew garlic and horseradish in a small plot behind the motel.
Winter in Gunnison was also magnificent, but very different than winters in western Kansas or Arkansas. That first winter the snow started falling, and it kept falling for 3 days. Warren had all the kids outside with shovels keeping the parking lot and sidewalks clear. By the time they got to the end, the entire thing was covered again. The snowplows would pile all the snow into the middle of the streets. He had wondered why in the world the streets in that small town were so wide – and now he knew.
The kids started school, but having a family business meant that they also had weekend, and after school, and summer vacation jobs. He taught his kids to set the bar high in whatever they did, and to be proud when they accomplished their goals.
In 1978, their family was complete with the birth of their youngest, Elaine. With 6 kids, it was a good thing they had the motel – each kid got their own room in the winter months once they were in high school. In the summers, they frequently all shared a room. It was kind of like summer camp, but with work instead of camp activities.
A favorite time for the entire family was getting a Christmas tree. Warren never seemed too interested in having a tree, but when he saw how much it meant to Georgia and the kids, he made sure he got the license to cut his own tree early. The whole family would pile into the old red station wagon and head up to Pitkin. Warren would drive as far as he could on the road to Tin Cup, then lead a hike up the hill in search of the best tree. There were complaints – frozen toes and fingers, the hike was too far and there was too much snow to walk through. He often shared a story from his army days, saying if anyone in his platoon complained of having to walk, they would be ordered to run. That tended to quiet the complainers (a little).
Once they had selected and cut the perfect tree, Warren tied a rope to the trunk and the kids would all pull it back to the car. Georgia had hot cocoa waiting when they got home, and the family decorated the tree. Then the real fun of Christmas would start – making (and eating) candy, and making the lists for Santa.
One year Warren got a little grouchy at how demanding the kids were, and how much they all wanted for Christmas, so he took over. He was going to be Santa. The family still had to have Santa, since they still had a couple of younger kids. He got everyone a pair of mini-skis. He knew the kids would love them. Having so many kids, skiing wasn’t a sport that the family could afford. They all had ice-skates, but had never gotten to ski. Well, the kids were disappointed at first that they got one thing from Santa – all the same thing! There were tears. Doors got slammed. By the time the sun was bright in the sky, everyone had snow boots and warm coats and gloves, and Warren was strapping on mini-skis. That was another record snowfall year, and the kids skied for months.
In 1978, the Crafts bought the Silver Plume Country Store in Pitkin, Colorado. Pitkin is 30 miles outside of Gunnison, even farther into the mountains. Warren moved his mother into the store (with accommodation on site). Addie’s brothers bought a cabin in town, where they visited for holidays and hunting season. Warren’s uncles, Dave and Tom Conarty, did not always know how to entertain 6 kids (and eventually teenagers), so they bought a snowmobile to keep at the cabin. The snowmobile would keep 2 or 3 of them occupied at any one time, and was a fun toy to have. Many family get-togethers would happen there, most often at Easter, when the weather was normally a bit nicer. Warren’s aunts, uncles, and cousins would come.
In 1987 they sold the Motel and bought a house in town. This was a 2-story, 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house with a 2 car garage. They had only one child left at home at this time. But as is the case with many families, Warren’s kids would come back home to live for a time, then fly to coop again. The kids were getting to be adults. There were marriages, and in 1987 their first grandchildren were born – twin girls! After that, the family slowly blossomed to include 18 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
In 1999, Warren and Georgia moved to Goodland Kansas to provide support for Warren’s Uncle Tom. They longed to be closer to some of their family. No one lived in Gunnison anymore – they had kids in Grand Junction, Co; Boise, ID; and Salina, KS.
In 2001 their youngest daughter graduated from college and Warren and Georgia moved to Salina. Warren enjoyed tracking local politics and was happy to have a bigger garden. He liked to keep active and walked all over town through all kinds of weather. He enjoyed the milder winters in Salina and got a pool table to enjoy a game with the kids and grandkids when they visited.
Warren enjoyed playing cards and made time to teach his kids and grandkids the joys of cribbage and poker. They fondly remember their grandpa who taught them so many things and spoiled them just a little. He worked the Sudoku puzzle in the paper every day to keep his mind sharp – and his mind was sharp until the very end.
Warren passed away peacefully at home with his wife, Georgia, by his side early on the morning of July 6, 2016 at the age of 84.
No services are planned. Memorials may be made to Kanorado Senior Center or Kanorado Museum, both in care of Ryan Mortuary, 137 N. Eighth, Salina 67401.
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Robert John “Bob” Black, 89, died July 8, 2016, at Village Manor nursing home. He was born March 8, 1927, at Taunton, Mass., the son of William and Helen Currie Black.
Bob raised and trained greyhounds all his life. He operated B&B Greyhound Kennels in Chanute. He was a World War II veteran, serving in the Merchant Marines. In August 1949, he married Helen Hughes in Colorado Springs, Colo. She died Dec. 31, 2015.
Also preceding him in death were his brother Billy, and sister Dorothy Nason. Survivors include brothers George, Quincy, Ill., and Jim, Sarasota, Fla.; sisters Ruth Stafford, Manchester, N.H., Helen “Dolly” Parenteau, Norton, Mass., Beverly Williams, Lexington, Ky., and Rose (Al) Gould, Dunnellon, Fla; three daughters, Terry (Lee) Jackson, Tucson, Ariz., Patricia (Bud) Moore, Toronto, Kan., and Robin (Duane Schrag) Black, Abilene; a son, William “Bill” (O’Donna), Sebastian, Fla.; six grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
In accordance with his wishes, his body was donated to the KU Medical Center Willed Body Program. No services are planned. Memorials may be given to the Greyhound Hall of Fame, or Village Manor, and sent in care of Martin-Becker-Carlson Funeral Home, 414 NW 3rd, Abilene, Kansas 67410.
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Donald E. “Don” Graham, 62, passed away Friday, July 8th, in Salina. He was born April 13, 1954 in Junction City, the son of Glen K. and Phyllis E. (Root) Graham. Growing up in Abilene, Don attended local schools and graduated from Abilene High School with the class of 1972. He had been employed by the Santa Fe Railroad, Tony’s Pizza and Russell Stover Candies. On January 20, 1995, Don married Patty Tyler. All of their married life has been spent in Abilene. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends, wildlife photography and computers. Don was preceded in death by his father. He was a member of the Grace Baptist Church in Chapman.
Don is survived by: his wife, Patty Graham, of Abilene; son, Michael Graham, of Lawrence; sister, Cyndi Hockenberger, of Topeka; brother, Larry Graham, of Topeka; two grandsons, Malcolm and Maxwell Graham and mother, Phyllis Graham, of Topeka. The family has chosen cremation. A memorial service will be held 10:30 AM Monday, July 11th, at the Danner Funeral Home with Pastor Brian Reeves officiating. Inurnment will follow in the Indian Hill Cemetery in Chapman. The family suggests memorial contributions in his name be made to the Tammy Walker Cancer Center. They may be left at or sent in care of the Danner Funeral Home POB 758 Abilene, Kansas 67410.
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Richard L. Sulanka, age 66, went to be with the Lord on Thurs., July 7, 2016 at Via Christi Hospital, Manhattan, KS. He was born on August 14, 1949 in Concordia, KS to Lewis (Dick) & Emeline (Gardner) Sulanka.