Donald E. “Don” Bender, 81, passed away Friday, August 12th, in Abilene at the Abilene Memorial Hospital after suffering a major heart attack while playing golf at the age of 81. He was born May 24, 1935 in Industry, Kansas, the son of Orville E. and Freda M. (Matteson) Bender. Growing up in the Dickinson and Clay County area, Don attended local schools and graduated from Longford Rural High School with the class of 1953. He had been employed by Boeing in Wichita prior to joining the Marines. He then worked at the ADM Grain Elevator and farmed near Manchester. Don was united in marriage to Verna J. Fager on April 3, 1964. They were married for 52 years. They lived for 38 years in the Manchester – Longford community before buying the Fager farm on Fair Road and moving there in 2002. Don went to Philip’s Lighting in 1969, became a supervisor in 1984 and retired in 1996. He loved life, good music, traveling, the game of golf and most of all, his family and friends.
He is survived by: wife, Verna Bender of Abilene; two sons, Kenneth Bender of Lancaster, Ohio and Todd Bender of Abilene; daughter, Wendy of Salina; 8 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held 2:00 PM Tuesday, August 16th, at the Danner Funeral Home with Rev. Ron Matteson officiating. The family will receive friends 5:30 – 6:30 PM Monday, August 15th, at the Danner Funeral Home. The family suggest memorial contributions in his name be made to the Dickinson County 4-H Scholarship Fund. They may be left at the church the day of the service or left at or sent in care of the Danner Funeral Home POB 758 Abilene, Kansas 67410.
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WICHITA – Peggy J. Schoenhofer, age 80, was born July 5, 1936, in Emporia, Kansas She passed away August 9, 2016, in Wichita, Kansas. Peggy was the second of three children in the union of Dorothy Mae and Fred Wheeler. Peggy married Charles T. Schoenhofer on December 29, 1954, at Christ the King Parish. The Reverend Fr. Ivan Eck celebrated the nuptials. From that marriage, six children followed: Mary Ann, Mark (Cindy), Denis (Julie), Carol (Bob), Barbara (Arto), Patricia; 14 grandchildren, Joshua, Alyson, Lesley, Charlie, Jesse, Samantha, Cameron, Victoria, Dominic, Adam, Aaron, Peyton, Luke, Drew; 2 great-grandchildren, Carter and London. Peggy is also survived by her brother, Freddie Wendell. Peggy was a board member of Phyllis Wheatley Children’s Home. Later, she purchased houses for homeless Vietnam Veterans. In her later years, Peggy hosted many foreign exchange students visiting America. This was not her first patriotic gesture. In 1980, she opened her home to President Ronald Reagan’s son, who was in town dancing with the Joffrey Ballet. In the 1990’s, Peggy opened Schoen’s Fashions in Parklane Shopping Center. She then operated several KFC restaurants in the years that followed. More than her business or charitable contributions, Peggy will be remembered for the love and devotion to family. Visitation will be held from 2 – 4 p.m., Sunday, Zeiner Funeral Home, Marion. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. with the Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. Monday, August 15, at Blessed Sacrament Church in Wichita. A luncheon will follow at the church. Interment will be in the Marion Cemetery at 3 p.m., Thursday. Memorial Fund established for Blessed Sacrament School, in care of Zeiner Funeral Home, 205 Elm, Marion, KS, 66861.
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Stanley Lee Bailey, 60, of Wichita, Kansas, and former Hays, Kansas, resident, died on Thursday, August 11, 2016, at the Rolling Hills Health and Rehabilitation Center in Wichita.
Services are pending at this time and cremation has preceded the services. Please check back later for funeral service dates and times. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.