Author: RumseyYost

Howard Plenert

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Visitation for Howard Plenert, age 78, Lawrence, will be 1 to 3 pm, Sunday, December 3, at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana Street, Lawrence, Kansas.   Burial will be at a later date at Johannestal Cemetery, Hillsboro, Kansas.

Mr. Plenert died Monday, November 27, 2017, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.  He was born May 3, 1939, in Hillsboro, Kansas, to Ben and Edna Plenert.  He graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1957.

Mr. Plenert served in the U.S. Army.  He moved to Lawrence in 1969 to manage McCall’s Shoe Store until 1996.  He married Bevely Andrews in 1959 in Newton, Kansas, they divorced.  He married Linda Clark on 1969 in Pittsburg, Kansas, they divorced.

Survivors include, daughter Stacee Wiggins and husband Steve, and three granddaughters, Kaylee , Kylee, Kellee and one step-grandson, Brandon Wiggins, two brothers Orley and Dwight, two sisters Hazel Hein and Verna Treadway. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Charles and Willard.

Memorials may be made to the Boys & Girls Club or Visiting Nurses Hospice, sent in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, PO Box 1260, Lawrence, Kansas 66044.

Online condolences may be sent at rumsey-yost.com.

Harry Carl Peterson II

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A memorial service for Harry Carl Peterson II will be held at 11 AM on Wednesday, November 29, 2017, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 21515 W. 101st Street, Lenexa, KS 66220.

Harry died unexpectedly at home on Friday, November 24, 2017.

He was born October 23, 1942, in Salt Lake City, Utah, the eldest son of Harry and Lola Peterson. He graduated from Grand Junction, Colorado, High School and pursued specialized training in heavy equipment operation and semi-tractor trailer driving. He moved from Grand Junction to Kansas in 1976. He drove for Pizza Hut for many years.

Harry was a humble man of faith and was a life-long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He loved the Lord and always strived to live the Gospel.

He married Jacqueline Stewart on June 6, 1977, in Overland Park, Kansas, and she survives him. Their marriage was sealed in the Salt Lake City Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Other survivors include three sisters: Patricia (Richard) Cook, Salt Lake City; Mary Krasnow, Grand Junction, Colorado; Debra (Dave) Warnas, Sandy, Utah; and three brothers: Brian (Royanne) Peterson, Grand Junction, Colorado; Michael (Christi) Peterson, Graford, TX ; Scott (Sherry) Peterson, Olathe, Kansas.

The family suggests memorials to the church’s Missionary Fund or its Humanitarian Aid Fund, sent in care of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 21515 W. 101st Street, Lenexa, KS 66220.

Margaret E Broeker Sanders

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Margaret Emma Broeker (Margaret B. Sanders) was born September 22, 1915 to Margaretha C. Bayer Broeker and John Fred Carl Broeker, in Lawrence. She died, age 102, on November 16, 2017, at Pioneer Ridge Nursing Facility, in Lawrence.

When Margaret was six months old, the family moved to 341 Lincoln Street, in North Lawrence, where Margaret lived until 2016. She recalled that when she was in the second grade, at the nearby Woodlawn School, the building burned. Until the new Woodlawn School, at Fifth and Elm Streets, was completed, local students of color attended Lincoln School in the morning and white children in the afternoon.

Margaret crossed the river to attend junior high school and then Liberty Memorial High School, from which she graduated in 1932. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree at KU, in 1936, with a certificate to teach at the high school level. No teaching positions being available, she took a job in the office of the Bullene­ Skinner Motor Company (the Dodge­Plymouth dealership), in the 600 block of Massachusetts Street. She continued there as the dealership changed ownership to become the Bullene­ Skinner Motor Company, then the Ransdell­Skinner Motor Company, and, last as Ransdell Motor Service. When Mr. Ransdell sold the company, she took a positon with the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey, where she took a lead role in managing operations. She continued in that role for 25 years, until retirement.

Among many memories of life in Lawrence, Margaret remembered hearing accounts of the 1903 flood, noting that the Kaw River had risen to the level of one foot above the first floor of the house at 341 Lincoln. She and her parents lived through the 1951 flood, when the level of water rose seven feet higher than the 1903 occurrence, also burying the lily ponds and a swimming pool north of the house.

Margaret enjoyed traveling, notably a trip, with her sister, Marianne C. Hadl, to Germany to attend the 350th anniversary performance of the passion play in Oberammergau. She was a member of NARFE (National Association of Retired Federal Employees) and, as an avid photographer, of the Lawrence Color Camera Club. She donated her large collection of photo slides, many of them images of the Douglas County area, as well as selected family papers, to the Spencer Research Library, at KU, creating the Margaret Broeker Sanders Collection.

In 1985, Margaret married Raymond W. (“Tag”) Sanders. He preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Fred E. Broeker; her sister, Marianne C. Hadl; her nephew Fred Hadl; and step­daughter, Nancy P. Sanders. She is survived by nephews David (Gay) Hadl and George (Bonnye) Hadl; niece Margaret Isabella (Rick) Hendrix; step­ daughter, Kathryn S. (John R. [“Jack”]) Wilson, step son­in­law William J. (‘Bill”) Crowe, and step­ granddaughter, Katherine M. Crowe, of Denver, Colorado.

Memorials may be made to the charity of the donors choice in care of the Rumsey­-Yost Funeral Home, PO Box 1260, Lawrence KS 66044.

Graveside Services were held at Memorial Park Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent at rumsey­yost.com

Patricia Ann “Pat” Hess Hackett

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A memorial service for Patricia Ann “Pat” Hess Hackett, 70, Edwardsville, will be 10:00 a.m. Thursday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home & Crematory. Inurnment will be held at a later date.

Ms. Hackett died Friday, November 24, 2017, at the Parkway Care & Rehabilitation Center in Edwardsville.

She was born May 24, 1947, in Lawrence, the daughter of John J. Hess Jr. and Goldie Agnes Brouhard Hess. She graduated from Lawrence High School in 1965. She had lived in the Lawrence and Baldwin City areas most of her life.

Ms. Hackett worked at Honeywell as a parts inspector for 32 years.

She enjoyed working on puzzles, fishing, and attending her grandchildren’s extracurricular activities.

Survivors include daughters, Heather Hackett of Edwardsville, Sherri McDonald and husband Michael of Kansas City, Kansas; sister, Linda Brooks of Lawrence; and grandchildren, Jeffery Rawleigh, Kody Rawleigh, Ethan McDonald, Autumn Rawleigh, Michele Rawleigh, Matthew McDonald, and Isaac McDonald.

She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Ron Hess.

The family suggests memorial contributions to The American Cancer Society, sent in care of the funeral home.

Marion Willey

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Memorial services for Marion Willey, 90, Lawrence, will be at 2 pm Thursday at the Lawrence Presbyterian Manor Chapel. Marion died Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017, at Lawrence Presbyterian Manor.

She was born Mar. 7, 1927, in Lawrence, the daughter of Theodore and Lena Womack Wiley. She graduated from Liberty Memorial High School in 1945. Marion worked as a secretary at the University of  Kansas Department of Anthropology. She later worked at Hallmark Cards for many years. She was a founding member of the Kaw Valley Quilters and Crazy Quilters, and enjoyed spending time with her dogs. Marion was a long time member of First Presbyterian Church.

She married Elden E. Willey on Sept. 15, 1946, at First Baptist Church in Lawrence. He preceded her in death in 1996. She was also preceded in death by a brother, Odell Wiley. Survivors include two sons, P. Willey and wife Judy Stolen, Chico, Calif., and Gale Willey and wife Bonnie, Lawrence; three nieces, Barbara Wiley, Martyn Umholtz, and Carol Lauber; and three nephews, Michael Wiley, and Brian and David Wigington.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Lawrence Humane Society, in care of the funeral home, 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS, 66044. Online condolences may be sent at rumsey-yost.com

Neil J. Salkind

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Neil J. Salkind, 70, passed away from complications related to melanoma on Saturday at his home in Lawrence.  The son of Harry and Irene Salkind, he was born in Newark, N.J., where he grew up and attended Weequahic High School.

He received his Ph.D. in human development from the University of Maryland, and after teaching for 35 years at the University of Kansas became a professor emeritus. After retiring he continued to collaborate with colleagues and mentor students.

Neil was a prolific writer and editor. He delivered more than 150 professional papers and presentations; wrote more than 100 trade and textbooks; edited several encyclopedias; was editor of Child Development Abstracts and Bibliography for 13 years; and aided many other writers in their search for publishers. He had at least three of his letters to the editor of the New York Times published, an accomplishment of which he was exceedingly proud.

Neil enjoyed letterpress printing, reading, running with the Mad Dogs and later swimming with the Lawrence River City Sharks, baking brownies, poking around old Volvos, and being with his family and friends. He volunteered with numerous local charitable organizations and served on a number of nonprofit boards.

Services will be at 2:00 p.m., Monday, November 20, 2017 at the Lawrence Jewish Community Center. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Willow Domestic Violence Center, The University of Kansas Cancer Center, and the Lawrence Jewish Community Center in care of the Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, PO Box 1260, Lawrence KS 66044.

Neil is survived by his wife, Leni; daughter, Sara, of Alexandria, VA; son Micah and son-in-law Ted, of Providence, RI; sister Phyllis and brother-in-law Seymour, of Dallas, TX; his sister-in-law Suara Welitoff, of Cambridge, MA; nephews, nieces, countless friends, mentees, associates, and his beloved golden doodle, Bella. His boundless energy and curiosity will be missed. So will his brownies and challah.

Georgia Shelby

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Graveside services for Georgia R. Shelby, 103, Lawrence, will be at 10 am Thursday at Oak Hill Cemetery. Georgia died Monday, November 13, 2017, at her home, surrounded by family.

She was born February 22, 1914, in Albany, Mo., the daughter of John and Lizzie McClure. She worked for SRS as a homemaker. She previously had worked at Tension Envelope in Kansas City and Samaritan Lodge Rest Home in Lawrence. In her spare time, she enjoyed reading and watching KU basketball.

She married Orville L. Shelby. He preceded her in death in 1975. She was also preceded in death by numerous children and siblings. Survivors include a brother in law, Tom Harmon, Lawrence, and a daughter in law, Glenda Shelby, Lawrence.

The family suggests memorial contributions to the Georgia Shelby Memorial Fund, in care of the funeral home, 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS, 66044.

Donald Lee Engel

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Donald L. Engel, 81, of Lawrence, Kansas passed away November 14th, 2017 at Pioneer Ridge Nursing Home.

Don was born June 20th, 1936, in Hastings, NE to Waldorf and Clara (Rundall) Engel. He was raised in Harvard, NE and graduated from Harvard High School in 1953. He worked for Farmland Industries in Hastings, NE and Lawrence, KS as the Maintenance Supervisor and retired from there in 1998.

In 1955, Don married Shirley Ann McCune and the two celebrated their 62nd anniversary in May of this year. Don and Shirley moved to Lawrence KS in 1976, when Don transferred to the Farmland plant in Lawrence. In 1985, they moved to a farm in the Pomona KS area. Don enjoyed being on the farm where he raised cattle, some crops and put up hay. Don also owned and operated his bulldozer which he thoroughly enjoyed!! In 2010, Don and Shirley retired from the farm and moved to Lawrence due to Don’s declining health. Don’s increased lack of mobility led to him moving into Pioneer Ridge Nursing Home in 2014.

Don was very active in the community of Harvard, NE. He served as president of the school board, and was a member of the Harvard Volunteer Fire Department. As president of the Harvard Lions Club, Don helped to procure Harvard’s first emergency unit (ambulance). He was also president of the Harvard Community Development Corporation remodeling, building and selling houses in an effort to improve the community. He was a member of the Masons in Harvard, Nebraska and the Scottish Rite in Lawrence, KS. He was a member of the Lions Club for over 50 years starting in Nebraska transferring his membership to Kansas and receiving the Melvin Jones Fellow Award in 2012.

Don was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Joann (Engel) Asmus. Survivors include his wife Shirley, four sons, Donald Jr. and wife Jeanie of Kearney, NE, Jerald and wife Barbara of Pomona, KS, Doug and wife Mary of Joplin, MO, and Dennis and wife Brenda of Kansas City, MO. Nine grandchildren, Tyler Engel and wife Leslie, Tanner Engel and wife Cassi, Renae Mitchell and husband Casey, Jamie (Engel) Dahlberg, Doug Engel Jr. and wife Ellen, Brandon Engel, Ashlynn Engel, Matthew Perez-Engel and Lauren Perez-Engel. Seventeen great grandchildren Savannah, Camdon, Maryn, Lucy, Nolan, Landry, Selah, Lainy, Libby, Londyn, Dax, Jake, John, Trent, Alex, Audrey, and Nora. Above all, Don valued the time spent with his family, especially watching his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren progress through the stages of their lives.

Visitation will be Friday at the Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home in Lawrence, KS where the family will receive friends from 6 to 7 PM. The funeral will also be held at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home on Saturday from 12:30 PM. Burial and graveside services will be Sunday at the Harvard Cemetery in Harvard, NE at 2 PM.

The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association or the First United Methodist Church of Lawrence, KS sent in care of the Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.

Donald K. Taylor

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Donald K. Taylor, 89, of Avon Park, FL passed away November 7th, 2017 at Florida Hospital Tampa.

Don was born July 26th, 1928, in Arkansas City, KS to Delmar D and Zetta Mae (Williams) Taylor. He was raised on their Kay County Oklahoma farm and graduated from Newkirk (Oklahoma) High School. He enlisted in the Army in August of 1946 and served his country as a Military MP in Korea until he was honorably discharged in January of 1948. After being discharged from the Army, Don attended the National Institute of Dry Cleaners in Maryland and went on to own and operate ABC Cleaners in McPherson, KS for a number of years.

In 1955, Don married Carol Johnston and the two celebrated their 62nd anniversary last January. Don and Carol moved to Lawrence in 1956 where Don began work at the DuPont plant in nearby Tecumseh, KS. In his many roles there he contributed to a variety of departments until he fully retired in 1991. While at DuPont, Don also enjoyed a part-time job at Anderson Rentals in Lawrence where he was able to utilize his inherent mechanical abilities.

In 1977 Don and Carol built a home at Lone Star Lake, south of Lawrence where they set up residence while not out on the road in their RV exploring the United States. Don and Carol relocated to Wauchula, Florida in 1996 and eventually to Avon Park. Don loved Florida for its beaches, warm weather and fresh oranges. Don was also an avid enthusiast of live Bluegrass and Country music, Western Novels, Professional Bull Riding, and the local KU / KC Sports teams. He passionately supported his Church, the American Legion, the Wounded Warrior Project, and several Christian charities.

Above all, Don valued the time spent with his family including his many brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews – and especially watching his children, grand-children and great grand-children grow.

In addition to his parents, Don is preceded in death by his grandson Clifton James, sisters Ruby, Mabel and Opal Mae and brothers Harold, Dale and Ray. Survivors include his wife Carol Taylor; brother Roy Taylor, KS and sister Alice Faye Mochel, CA; children Mitchell Taylor and his wife Mona, Casper, WY; Teresa Latimer and husband Darren, St. Peters, MO; Gregory Taylor, Gardner, KS and Bradley Taylor and wife Emily, Lawrence, KS. Don is also survived by five grandchildren and their spouses: Kelly Krauss and husband Nathan, Brian Stevens and wife Amy, Heather Irwin and husband Justin, Zachery Taylor and wife Ashley, Joseph Blake Taylor and Tabbetha Lay; and 12 great-grandchildren: Zach Jr, Raymond, Gabrielle, Xavier, Lexie, Mackenzie, Tristan, Caleb, Devin, Aiden, Liam and Finn.

A viewing will be held Sunday, November 19th from 9 – 10am at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home in Lawrence followed by a Memorial at 10 and internment at Washington Creek Cemetery, 607 E 550 Rd, near Lone Star Lake. Reception to follow at the American Legion Dorsey-Liberty Post 14, 3408 W 6th St, Lawrence.

In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to the National World War II Museum, 945 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA: www.nationalww2museum.org – under Tribute Donation option. Online condolences should be sent to: www.rumsey-yost.com.

Kenji Scott Zweygardt

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A Celebration of Life visitation for Kenji Scott Zweygardt, 61, Lawrence, will be held Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017, from 2 to 5 pm at Lavender House, 1600 New Hampshire St., Lawrence.

Kenji died Sunday, November 12, 2017, at Midland Hospice House in Topeka.

He was born June 12, 1956, in Japan, the son of Alvin R. and Loretta Brinkhoff Zweygardt. He earned his Juris Doctor degree, and was a practicing attorney in his firm, Zweygardt Law Office.

Survivors include his wife, Susan Elkins; two daughters, Stara and Natalia Zweygardt, and a brother, Kary Zweygardt and wife Kim.