Author: RumseyYost

Winston Jones Lata

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M. Winston (Jones) Lata, 86 passed away from natural causes at Neuvant House in Lawrence, KS June 18, 2016 surrounded by her family. A memorial service will be 9:00AM, Saturday, June 25 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 1011 Vermont Street, Lawrence.

Winston was born May 6, 1930 in Gadsden, Alabama, the only child of James B and Kathleen A (Lockard) Jones. Winston attended University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va. She transferred and was the 5th generation of her family to graduate from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. She received her Master Degree in Fine Arts from Alfred University School of Arts and Design in Alfred NY.

Winston’s family roots extend to earliest settlers of Virginia. Her ancestors served as officers in the Revolutionary Army as well as on both sides during the Civil War. Notables include Maj. Peter Winston Jones, operator of a trading post in 1675 called Peters Point which grew into Petersburg VA. and John Winston Jones, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives 1843-45.

Winston taught art classes at Tulane University and at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. In 1955 she took a job with Special Services, uniformed civilian personnel in the U.S. Army and was stationed at Ft. Sill Oklahoma where she met her future husband, 2nd Lt. Alfred Lata.

Alfred and Winston were married in Williamsburg, VA on June 15, 1957. They moved to Cleveland where Winston became a full time homemaker. In 1965 Alfred took a position at the University of Kansas and they settled in Lawrence.

Winston was member of Trinity Episcopal Church. She was a compassionate, quiet and introspective woman, as beautiful inside as out. She was loved by all who knew her. She enjoyed her pets and loved to read. She practiced her many artistic talents throughout her life. One of her works, “Uncle Sam Hawk”, remains on display at the Lawrence Turnpike rest area to greet travelers since 2003.

Winston is preceded in death by Alfred and their daughter Elizabeth Leftwich Lata.

She is survived by a son, John Lata of Tallahassee, FL.; a daughter, Jamie Darlington Lata and her spouse Dale Worley of Lawrence, KS; five grandchildren and three great grandchildren.



The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home.



The family suggests memorial contributions to Lawrence Humane Society, sent in care of the funeral home, P.O. Box 1260, Lawrence, KS 66044.


Condolences may be sent at rumsey-yost.com.


Gwenice L. Reed

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No services are planned for Gwenice L. Reed, 78, Lawrence, who passed away Wed., Jun. 15, 2016, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. She was a 1955 graduate of Lawrence High School, and was a housewife. Gwenice married Emmitt Reed, and shared 56 years of marriage. She enjoyed her three children, Kim Costa (Brian), Pam Reed, and Leon Reed (Angie), her five grandchildren, and her three great grandchildren.

Maggie (Sue) Langston

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Graveside services for Maggie Sue Langston, 80, Lawrence, will be 11 am, Friday, June 17, 2016, at Oak Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday from 6:30-8:30pm at Rumsey-Yost.

She died June 13, 2016, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

Sue was born September 22, 1935, in Tuckerman, Arkansas, the daughter of Henry Thomas and Rose Mae Huggins-Cooper.

She married G.W. Langston, Jr. on August 13, 1951 in Batesville Arkansas, they were married for 64 years. He died February 2, 2016. They moved to Kansas after being married and lived in Kansas ever since. Maggie worked as a Cashier for several local retail stores including Dillon’s-Kroger for 20 years. She was a local business owner; Angel’s Beauty Salon. She enjoyed keeping house, spending time with her family, reading, and taking vacation trips in the summers with family.

Survivors include a daughter Carol Langston, Lawrence; Granddaughter Misty Goff, Denver Colorado; son Peter Langston and wife Trina Langston, Lawrence; 3 Grandsons, Chase, Quincy, and Keiron Langston Lawrence.

Memorial contributions may be made to Visiting Nurses Association Lawrence, sent in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home.

Vera E. Beeghley

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BeeghleyFuneral services for Vera E. Beeghley, 98, Baldwin City, will be at 10 am Saturday at Willow Springs Old German Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Pleasant Grove. Mrs. Beeghley will lie in state Friday from noon to 8 pm at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, and the family will receive friends from 5:30 – 7:30 pm Friday.

Vera Ethel (Crumpacker) Beeghley, second child of Albert and Anna (Barnhart) Crumpacker, was born July 16, 1917, near Centropolis, Kan. She peacefully passed from this life to eternity on June 11, 2016, in the Comfort Care Home of Ottawa at the age of 98 years, 10 months, and 26 days. She grew up on the same farm where she was born, and attended eight years at the one-room Centropolis school, after walking through the fields and woods, anxious to return home each day, where her shy, quiet, obedient character blossomed into womanhood.

During the Depression years, on Apr. 7, 1937, at the age of 20, she and Lloyd Alvin Beeghley were united in marriage at the home of her parents. She moved from Franklin County into a Douglas County 1902 farm house on the farm Lloyd had been farming with his father. This home is where they resided together the next 66 years of their marriage.

To this union were born two children, Deanna Marie in the fall of 1941, and Norman Alvin in 1946.

In Oct. 1944, Vera and Lloyd were baptized at Lone Star Lake and became members of the Old German Baptist Brethren Church, where she remained faithful until her death, in the Willow Springs District.

Mother was a great example of a Godly wife, mother, and homemaker, enjoying years of milking cows, raising chickens, and cooking three full meals a day. Each year an abundant vegetable garden was raised. Rows of filled jars were put on shelves in the basement for cold winter days.

Many times after Sunday meeting, Mother served delicious homemade dinners to a tableful of company. To Mother, Sundays were not complete without sharing around a bountiful table of food. This continued into their older years as well, and many of you have been seated around their table.

Reflecting on those memories, Mother leaves the legacy of hospitality to her family, and we are thankful for her teaching hands and willing footsteps.

After leaving the farm, they lived three years at 211 Silver Leaf Lane in Baldwin City, and celebrated 70 years of marriage, before Daddy was called home Apr. 8, 2007. Mother missed him and was so lonely, she chose to spend her last years among people with caring hands and hearts at Vintage Park Assisted Living, and a little more than a year at Comfort Care in Ottawa. As a family, we were thankful for this great blessing, since her two children and grandchildren lived out of state for most of their adult years. However, they enjoyed traveling and there are many precious memories of the times they spent in each others homes.

Even in her later years, she sat contented, busily embroidering with tiny stitches and blessing others with her beautiful tea towels as gifts. She always greeted family and guests with a sweet welcoming smile, generous giving, and concern for others with her caring spirit. She will be greatly missed by all who met and knew her.

Feeling our loss is her daughter, Deanna Davison, husband Dale; son Norman, wife Judy; four grandchildren, Danny Davison, wife DeAnn, Dawna Iott, husband Randy, Diane Hannay, husband Shawn, and Lori Flora, husband Doug; eleven great grandchildren: Charissa Lamb, Ashley Brown, Emily Wyatt, Justin Iott, Cody Iott, Haley Rose Iott, Abigail Hannay, Luke Hannay, Grant Flora, Justin Flora, Katelyn Flora; ten great great grandchildren; and two sister-in-laws, Alberta Crumpacker and Anna Mae Beeghley, one special niece and devoted caregiver, Barbara Beeghley, and many other nieces and nephews.

Other family members gone before to meet our Savior include: her parents, husband, an infant brother, Kenneth, a brother Everett Crumpacker , and a precious granddaughter, Jenni Ann Beeghley. Also two brother-in-laws and companions: John and Ethel Beeghley, and Everett and Rhoda Beeghley.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. Psalm 116:15

Florence C. Smith

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Florence C. Smith passed away June 9, 2016, to be with her Lord and Savior in heaven. Her body has been donated to KUMC School of Medicine per her instructions. No services are planned.

She was born July 27, 1923, in Brooklyn, NY. She was a member of US Nurse Cadet Corps. In WWII and graduated as an R.N. from Bellevue Hospital Nursing School in 1946. She attended K.U. and received a degree in education. She worked most recently as a nurse at L.M.H. She also taught grade school at St. Johns, Wakarusa, and New York schools. She also taught nursing at Stormont-Vail Hospital.

She married Francis P. Smith in Brooklyn during WWII on February 10, 1948.

Survivors include her husband Francis P. Smith; brothers, John Frey of Puebla, Mexico, Jim Frey of Westminster, Calif.; 2 sons, Thomas P. Smith and Lawrence E. Smith; 2 daughters, Joan E. Starks and Mary C. Chaney; 2 grandsons, Maxwell Day Smith and Harrison Reed Starks; and a granddaughter, Kelsey Smith Myers.

O. Leroy Farmer

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Funeral services for O. Leroy Farmer,83, Lawrence, will be 10 am, Saturday, June 4, 2016, at 360 Church, 3200 Clinton Parkway, Lawrence, Pastor Rick Burwick officiating. Burial will follow at the Reformed Presbyterian Cemetery in Winchester, KS.

Leroy was born April 13, 1933, in Lawrence, the son of Orville William and Ollie Mae Ray Farmer. He worked as a Printer for a few years at Allen Press, before entering the Army. After his service he returned to Lawrence and worked as a printer for KU Printing. Leroy also owned and operated Farmer’s Garage and Machine Shop. He bought and raced a 1965 Pontiac 421 HO, he raced at the Lawrence Drag Strip and also in Topeka.

He married M. Louise Countess on June 2, 1954, in Colorado Springs, CO, she survives of the home.

Other survivors include two daughters Sue and late husband Lee McKelvey, Cindy and husband Ray Whisenhunt, both of Lawrence; two sons James “Jim” Farmer, Lawrence, Thomas “Tom” and wife Kim Farmer, Baldwin City; grandchildren, Jeremy Farmer, Jordan and wife Denise Farmer, Travis and wife Mickhail Farmer, Matt Farmer, Caleb Soden, Colby Soden; three great grandchildren, Craetyn Farmer, Rhylee Farmer, Julia Farmer; sister Mary and husband Robert Pears, Springfield, MO; sister in law Ada Smith Eudora; other daughters Esther Sparks, Linda Maas; many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, and brother Orville William Farmer Jr.

Friends may call from noon to 8 pm Friday where the family will visit with them from 6­ to 7pm at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the 360 Church, Sent in care of Rumsey­ Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana Street Lawrence, KS 66044.

Barbara Jane Riley

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Graveside services for Barbara Jane Riley, 84, Baldwin City, will be at 10 am Saturday at Mt. Sidney Cemetery in Linwood, with Roger Dressler officiating. Barbara died Monday, May 23, 2016, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

She was born Feb. 10, 1932, in Lawrence, the daughter of John R. and Nettie McGoldrich Burke. She attended schools in Linwood, and graduated from Linwood High School. Barbara was a farm wife, and drove a school bus for Baldwin City USD 348 for over 33 years. She enjoyed sewing, needlepoint, crafts, and reading.

She married Charles T. Riley on Mar. 6, 1952, in Linwood. He preceded her in death on Apr. 19, 2004. Survivors include three sons, John Charles Riley and wife Debbie, Lawrence, Michael Allen Riley and wife Rhonda, Baldwin City, and William E. Riley and wife Christine, Lawrence; and four grandchildren, Anna, Brenna, Justin, and Micaela.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 – 7:30 pm Friday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Alzheimer’s Foundation, in care of the funeral home, 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS, 66044. Online condolences may be sent at rumsey-yost.com

Frances Ruth Dent

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Funeral services for Frances Ruth Dent, 101, Lawrence, will be at 11 am Friday at Central United Methodist Church, with the Revs. Piet Knetsch and Noel Stephens officiating. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will follow the service at Oak Hill Cemetery. Ruth died Saturday, May 21, 2016, at Tonganoxie Nursing Center.

She was born April 10, 1915, in Altona, Mo., the daughter of John and Myrtle Beaman. She attended schools in Osage County at Patterson #4 County Grade School until third grade, then moved to Vassar until seventh grade, and attended Michigan Valley High School. She was baptized in the Vassar Evangelical Church, Ruth was a homemaker, and worked at Pippert’s Auto Parts from 1942-53. She was a longtime member of Central United Methodist Church and its United Methodist Women Circle.

She married Harry Dwight Dent on Aug. 15, 1953, in Santa Ana, Calif. He preceded her in death in 1989. She was also preceded in death by her parents, four brothers, Oliver, Clarence, Howard, and Wendall, and two sisters, Mabel Pettengill and Grace Wrightsman. Survivors include twelve nieces and nephews and their families

Friends may call from noon to 8 pm Thursday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. The family suggests memorial contributions to Central United Methodist Church, or 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