Author: RumseyYost

Cecil Lloyd Miller Jr.

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Graveside services for Cecil Lloyd Miller Jr., 64, Topeka, will be 2 pm, Tuesday, February 9th, 2016, at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lawrence, KS. He died Thursday, February 4th, 2016 at Midland Hospice House in Topeka, KS.

Cecil was born February 1st, 1952 in Lawrence Kansas the son of Cecil Lloyd Sr. and Sarah Valentine Faler. He graduated from Lawrence High School in 1970. Cecil was a computer programmer most of his life. Working at many different companies over the years; lastly being the Kansas Department of Corrections where he retired in 2014. Before becoming a programmer he worked for the Lawrence Paper Company, Gibson’s, and Simmon’s Guns.

Cecil will be remembered for his hearty laugh and for the expected event of him spontaneously singing a favorite country western ballad without an ounce of tepidness to quell his booming voice. He was an avid sportsman and firearm enthusiast. Cecil could always be expected as a vendor at local gun shows and always came with his headband magnifier so that he could carefully examine items that piqued his interest and to provide careful assessments for those who asked it of him. Cecil also loved to read and could often be found on his recliner enjoying books of the military thriller or western adventure categories. Cecil instilled both his love of reading and singing to his daughters and it will be one of his many lasting legacies.

Cecil married Annie Olano on June 18th, 2005 she survives of the home. He was preceded in death by his infant son, Angelo, parents, and siblings Amerette and Beverly. Survivors include two daughters, Jenny Ikenberry of Lawrence and Julie Rodgers of Olathe; three sisters Brenda Bissey, Carole Cassity, and Cathy Wales all of Lawrence; and three grandchildren Ezra Ikenberry, Scarlett Rodgers, and Nora Rodgers.

A visitation will take place on Monday, February 8th, 2016 from 6-7 pm at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana Street Lawrence, KS 66044.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Midland Hospice House, sent in care of the funeral home.

Charles W. “Chuck” Hedges

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Charles Wilbur “Chuck” Hedges passed away peacefully on Sunday February 7, 2016 at Pioneer Ridge in Lawrence, KS.

He was born in Courtland, Kansas, population near 430, on February, 26, 1935. The son of Wilbur and Anne (Holtberg) Hedges, he had three older sisters, Betty, Joyce, and Shirley. He graduated second in his high school class, but as he liked to say, was not in the top ten percent. There were nine students in his senior class. Chuck attended the University of Kansas where he was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity, making him a life-long Jayhawk fan.

After graduating from the University of Kansas School of Law, he turned to real estate, and eventually founded Hedges Real Estate and Insurance, which grew into two separate businesses. He loved working in the real estate and insurance businesses and he truly appreciated the many co-workers and customers over the years. He was elected President of The Lawrence Board of Realtors and ultimately received the honor of Distinguished Service Award from the Lawrence Board of Realtors. Some of his other civic activities included being President of The Optimist Club, President of the Lawrence Country Club Board of Directors, serving as a member of the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Board, and attending the First United Methodist Church.

In 1956 he married a Lawrence girl, Yvonne Richardson. Together they had four children, Laura, Scott, Blake, and Bryan, who became the focus of their lives. In addition to raising their kids and growing their businesses, Chuck and Yvonne enjoyed traveling and spending winters in Texas. They loved playing golf, cards, bridge, and enjoyed the many friends made while playing. Chuck ultimately earned his Life Master in Duplicate Bridge.

Chuck enjoyed sailing, boating, skiing, fishing, playing racquetball, hunting quail and pheasant, coaching Hillbillies youth football, helping the Aquahawks swim teams, and eating cookies and ice cream. He loved to play games, tell jokes, laugh, and make others laugh. His cabin at Lone Star Lake was the site of many memories with family and friends. Even when slowed by Parkinson’s disease, Chuck never lost his sense of humor, often catching his caregivers by surprise with his quick wit. For more than 30 years, he was Grandpa or Pop. He leaves twelve grandchildren and one great-grandchild with another great-grandchild on the way, and many nieces and nephews. He loved spending time with family and attending their activities.

Chuck was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Betty.

He is survived by his wife and companion of nearly 60 years, Yvonne; his sisters Joyce and Shirley, his daughter Laura and husband Frank Burney of San Antonio, Texas, their son Christopher and wife Elizabeth and their daughter Bennett, and daughters Kara, and Charlotte; Scott Hedges and wife Paula, and children Anna, Kayla and Michael; Blake Hedges and wife Kristin and children Apryl, Dylan, Isabella, and Jake; Bryan Hedges and his wife Laura, and their children, Faith and Will.

The Hedges Family would like to sincerely thank all those friends, medical professionals, and caregivers who helped Chuck throughout his life and in recent years and especially to those at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Pioneer Ridge, and Grace Hospice in recent months.

A celebration of life and memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, February 27, 2016 at 3 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 946 Vermont Street, Lawrence KS. The family suggests gifts in honor of Charles W. Hedges to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home or at Michaeljfox.org/foundation.

Charles L. Stansifer

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Charles Lee Stansifer, long-time resident of Lawrence and Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Kansas, died Thursday, February 4, 2016. He was born December 13, 1930 in Garden City, Kansas, the second son of Benjamin Harrison Stansifer and Berenice Arlene Isabel Lucas.

He was married to Mary Ellen Love on August 21, 1954; she died in 2001. He is survived by their four children and their families — Ryan and Betsy Stansifer of Melbourne Beach, Florida, Mary Lee Stansifer and Jim Collins of Denver, Colorado, John Stansifer of Malibu, California, and Karen Stansifer and Jean-Yves Sabot of Thornton, Colorado. Seven grandchildren and four nephews and nieces also survive.

In 2015 his second partner in life, Mary Miller, died. Professor Stansifer is survived by three of her children and their families — Dianne Miller of Nehalem, Oregon, Kim Miller of Manzanitas, Oregon, and Byron and Ann Miller of Lawrence, Kansas.

Professor Stansifer graduated from Garden Plain High School in 1948 where he played on the football, basketball, and baseball teams. He participated in track, sang in the boys’ quartet, acted in all the high school plays, and edited the high school newspaper. He graduated from Wichita State University with a major in Spanish and master’s degree in history. He began to work on a doctorate in Latin American history at Tulane University under the direction of William Joyce Griffith. He finished his Ph.D. in 1959. He came to the KU as an Assistant Professor of History in 1963. A specialist in Central America, Professor Stansifer taught the first course specifically on the history of Central America in the USA and was a frequent visitor to all the Central American countries, especially Costa Rica. He was director of the Junior-Year program in Costa Rica in 1966 and 1974. He served as the Director of the Center of Latin American Studies from 1975 until 1989, and was Chair of the Department of History from 1993 to 1996. He retired from teaching in 2004.

Until dementia limited his independence, Professor Stansifer traveled all over the world for fun and in pursuit of his many interests. He helped strengthen the KU Library’s collection on Central America to become one of the best in the country. His humorous lectures on the subject of bananas and his extensive collection of banana-related things are well-known. He served for over twenty years on the board of directors of the Kansas-Paraguay Partnership and negotiated the first university exchange agreements between universities in Paraguay and the state universities of Kansas.

A memorial celebration is planned for a later date.

The family wishes to express its great appreciation to Byron Miller and to Gail Zukav-Ross and David Ross of At Home, Inc., for making it possible for Professor Stansifer to live in Lawrence close to KU which he loved. The family suggests memorials to the Stansifer Scholarship Fund at the KU Endowment Association, P.O. Box 928, Lawrence, KS 66044 for the benefit of students of Central American Studies.

Karen Simmons Erb and Thomas Owen Erb

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Karen Simmons Erb (June 4, 1944 – February 4, 2016) and Thomas Owen Erb (February 18, 1945 – November 27, 2015).

Karen and Tom spent most of their lives in Lawrence Kansas, but for the past 3 years had lived in New Haven Connecticut. They passed within two months of one another with all of their children by their side. They could not live without each other.

They were parents, grandparents, teachers, mentors, travelers, art collectors, athletes, health food enthusiasts, conversationalists, punsters, political junkies, NPR listeners, movie buffs, and life-long members of the Lawrence Cooperative Mercantile.

Born in Fort Wayne Indiana, they both graduated from South Side High School (Karen 1962, Tom 1963). They left to pursue their educations, Karen at Indiana University (1965) and Tom at DePauw University (1967).

Karen and Tom were together for 50 adventure-filled years.

After graduating from IU in the spring of 1965, Karen followed her dreams by joining the Peace Corps to begin her teaching career in Nigeria, West Africa.

In her first year of teaching in the Peace Corps, the Biafran Civil War broke out in Nigeria and her school was closed and became a military compound. She continued teaching in Nigeria for 8 more months, but was eventually evacuated from Benin City on an open barge within earshot of gunfire. This brought to an end Karen’s exciting and, at times, frightening 20 months as a new teacher and Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria, at the age of 23. She was not quite ready to return Stateside, and decided instead to continue her teaching experience in Spain and Portugal.

The winter of 1967 back in Fort Wayne marked the beginning of “Karen and Tom” and their 50-year love affair. At that time, Karen was living in Lisbon, Portugal and Tom was teaching middle school in Wilmette, Illinois while pursuing a Master’s degree in education at Northwestern University. Tom found Karen to be the most fascinating person he had ever met and he was eager to pursue a relationship with her. This was made difficult by the fact that she soon returned to her European adventure, and he to teaching.

Tom spent the next 50 years of his life trying to keep up with Karen! In the summer of 1969, he traveled to Europe to pursue this fascinating woman. He convinced her to return to the U.S. and during the summer of 1970 they took a 2 ½ month, 14-thousand-mile road trip around North America in a Dodge Corvair convertible. During that trip, Tom proposed to Karen. She said she would think about it. In her mind, she had more adventures to pursue prior to settling down. In the meantime, she moved to San Francisco to live with her sister and best friend Mary Ann, study art and theatre, and consider Tom’s proposal. Apparently, she realized that life with Tom would be it’s own adventure, and a year later, they were married on September 3, 1971. After teaching middle school for two more years in the states, they accepted teaching jobs in an international school in Luanda, Angola, West Africa in 1973. They taught in Luanda during the dying days of the Portuguese colonial empire, while traveling extensively in Africa.

In 1974 they returned to the United States to attend graduate school at the University of Florida. It was here where their family started to grow with Christopher being born in 1975 and Gregory in 1976. After four years in Florida, Tom received his Ph.D. in curriculum theory while studying with two prominent professors of middle school education and Karen received her Master’s in African studies. Then, after twenty-six rejection letters, the University of Kansas offered Tom the job of building its newly approved middle school education program. So, after six years living in the tropics and subtropics, they moved back to the Midwest to Lawrence Kansas in 1978, with Chris (3) and Greg (1 ½). Over the next 34 years of living in Lawrence, both their careers and their family grew.

Tom moved up the ranks of the professorate at KU while Karen became an instructor in the Applied English Center teaching English as a Second Language to international students. During Tom’s teaching/research career, he co-authored 5 books on middle school curriculum and interdisciplinary team teaching, contributed 17 book chapters, and supervised the dissertations of 17 doctoral students. Through the years, his educational consultancies took him to 23 states and over 90 school districts and educational agencies. While at KU, Tom founded the Journal of the Kansas Association for Middle Level Education (KAMLE), which he edited for 8 years. In 1994 he assumed the editorship of the Middle School Journal for the National Middle School Association (NMSA), which kept him in touch with what was going on in middle school education throughout the United States and internationally for the next 15 years. In June 2005 Tom went on emeritus status at the University of Kansas and subsequently held two distinguished professorships at his Alma Mater, DePauw University, retiring from the Boswell Professorship in 2010, at the same time Karen retired.

Upon their arrival to Lawrence in 1978, Karen earned a second master’s degree, this time in Teaching English as a Second Language. While studying for this degree, she taught as a graduate assistant at the Applied English Center (AEC), which would become her teaching home for the next 30 years until retiring to join Tom at DePauw in 2009. During her career teaching at KU, Karen twice took the opportunity to teach English in Asolo, Italy. Karen finished her teaching career working with international students at DePauw University in 2010.

As their careers expanded, so did their family. Brian was born in 1982. After three boys, Karen decided to take biology into her own hands and guarantee herself a daughter. The Erb Family adopted Emily in 1989 after two years working with the American and Mexican consulates to secure the necessary paperwork (Thanks to Senator Bob Dole!). They made several trips to visit Emily during her first two years living with a foster family outside Cuernavaca, and Karen even took Spanish lessons at KU so she could be the spokesperson for the family on those trips. Their family was complete—almost. In 1994 Karen and Tom became foster parents for Reggie Harrison during his senior year in high school. They also had two exchange students over the years, and those students’ families have remained life-long friends: Eduardo Molina from Ecuador and Eric Uribe from Mexico.

After several years focused on raising her family, Karen told Tom that when she turned 50, she was going to start traveling again. Many of those trips were connected to international study, Peace Corps service, or weddings of their children, nieces and nephews. They visited Christopher during his time in Ecuador, Spain, and Costa Rica, and Chris’ wife Kim during her Peace Corps service in Belize. They traveled with Brian to Uganda during his study abroad experience. The whole family visited Mexico many times over the years to visit Emily’s birthplace, once even to meet her birth mother near Cuernavaca. Since Karen’s Peace Corps work and Tom’s study abroad in the 1960s, they lived in or visited 60 countries abroad. All told, in addition to Canada, they visited 20 European countries, 7 in Central & South America, 22 in Africa, and 8 in Asia. Their international travel and the wonderful memories it provided was a great source of pleasure for Karen and Tom for many years.

In retirement, they learned that Karen had Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), an atypical Parkinsonian disorder. In 2012, they moved from their family home of 30 years near downtown Lawrence to New Haven, Connecticut to live with Christopher’s family, including two of their grandchildren. In 2015, Emily also moved to New Haven to help care for Karen.
Karen and Tom are survived by their loving family, including: Christopher Thomas and his wife Kimberly and their children Madeleine Deone (8) and Emerson Luciano (5); Gregory Marcus and his wife Vikki and their children, Isaiah Chance Gregory (17), Gwen (12) and Griffin (10); Brian Benjamin and his wife Lauren and their three daughters Olivia Karen (2), Addison Quinn (3.5 months), and Jacqueline Roe (3.5 months); and Emily Renee and her Alaskan Husky, Max.

Those who knew Karen and Tom know that they could strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere. They taught us that people don’t care if you speak their language well. They will be warm and welcoming as soon as we take a moment to try and communicate. PSP took away Karen’s voice, but it could never take away her talent for connecting to people.

PSP was devastating to both Karen and Tom. In a way, however, it was also purifying. Tom was completely dedicated to and focused on caring for his soul mate. As she lost her ability to care for herself, Karen remained determined, compassionate, and focused on others. She was pure love.

Visitation Services are scheduled from 11am to 1pm on Sunday February 7, 2016 at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home at 601 Indiana Street in Lawrence.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the following causes that were important to Karen and Tom.

The Karen S. Erb or the Thomas O. Erb Endowed Scholarship at KU.

The Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE ) Foundation in Columbus Ohio.

The Parkinson’s Research and Advocacy Organization CurePSP.org

Kathryn Louise Haberly

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Services for Kathryn Louise Haberly, 93, Lawrence, will be 10 a.m. Monday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. Burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery in Independence, Kansas.

Ms. Haberly died Wednesday, February 3, 2016, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

She was born April 30, 1922, in Independence, Kansas, the daughter of Dennis F. and Marjorie Lorraine Boyd Russell. She graduated from Independence High School and attended community college.

Ms. Haberly worked as a secretary at Commonwealth Theaters for more than 25 years. She was a lifetime member of the Order of the Eastern Star and VFW Auxiliary.

She married Derrell W. Haberly, April 22, 1941 in Miami, Oklahoma. They divorced after 35 years.

Survivors include a daughter, Linda Dick of Lawrence; son, Kendal Haberly and wife Jan of Wichita; grandchildren, Kathleen Bahan, David Dick, Jeremy Dick, Brian Haberly, Beth Barron, and Brett Haberly; and 13 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Deanna Kay Haberly, and brother, Dennis Russell Jr.

The family will receive friends from 9 to 10 a.m. Monday at the funeral home.

The family suggests memorial contributions to the First Southern Baptist Church, sent in care of the funeral home.

Mary Alice Rollins

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Funeral services for Mary Alice Rollins, 91, Eudora, will be 1 pm, Saturday, at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery.

She died Wednesday, February 3, 2016, at Medicalodges in Eudora.

Mary Alice was born December 30, 1924, in Cherokee, KS, the daughter of Orville and Viola Horn Uttley. She graduated from West Mineral High School.
She married David C. Rollins on January 2, 1946, in Independence, KS, he preceded her in death in 1983.

Mary is survived by a sister Betty; four sons, David, Bob, Danny and Terry; a daughter Debra; ten grand children and fifteen great grandchildren.

A visitation will take place from 6-7 pm, Friday at the funeral home.

The family suggests memorial contributions made to the Eudora Medicalodges, sent in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana Street Lawrence, KS 66044.

GW “Pete” Langston Jr.

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Graveside services for GW “Pete” Langston Jr., 86, Lawrence, will be 11 am, Friday, February 5, 2016, at Oak Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday from 6-7 pm at Rumsey-Yost.

He died February 2, 2016, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

Pete was born April 11, 1929, in Magness, Arkansas, the son of George William Sr. and Susie McClure Langston. He married Maggie Sue Cooper on August 13th 1951 in Batesville Arkansas, she
survives of the home. They moved to Kansas after being married. Pete worked at the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant as a driver from 1951 to 1959. Then worked for the Kansas Color Press as a Pressman until he retired in 1984. Pete was an avid sports lover. He loved fishing, Royals Baseball, KU Basketball, Chiefs Football, and NASCAR racing. He enjoyed doing puzzles, word searches, and solitaire.

Other 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.

Ronald Ray Avey

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Ronald R. Avey, age 74, left the loving care of his family to peacefully begin his journey home to be with the Lord on Monday, February 1, 2016 while working on the acreage he loved, outside Lawrence, Kansas.

Ron was born July 1, 1941 in Adair, IA the son of Carl Avey and Elsie (Elsberry) Pollock. He was the youngest of 4 siblings.

He graduated Atlantic High School in 1959. He furthered his education at The University of Nebraska-Kearney. Throughout his career he worked in Atlantic, IA, Council Bluffs, IA, and Holdrege, NE, which led him to working as a consultant in repackaging pharmaceuticals in California and Nebraska. He was a brilliant resource for information and leadership advice. Ron loved his employees and enjoyed encouraging and leading them every day.

He was a member of Trinity Family of Faith Lutheran Church in Basehor, KS and Mt Calvary Lutheran Church in Holdrege, NE. He loved many through the fellowship of our Lord. He enjoyed keeping busy with his acreage and handyman duties, including fixing refurbished furniture with his wife, Connie.

He loved to make people laugh with his wit and humor and served as a remarkable example for his family as a devoted husband and loving father.

He married Connie (Paulsen) Avey on September 3, 1972. They enjoyed 43 years of blissful marriage.

Survivors include his wife, Connie, three children, Jay and Mandy of Belton, MO, Marissa Ayotte and Chris of Lincoln, NE, and Nicholas and fiancé Stephanie of Lawrence, KS; 7 grandchildren, Haley, Austin, TJ, Anisten, Mike, Zach, and Justin; one brother, Maynard Avey. He leaves behind to cherish his memory many other relatives and friends who loved him dearly. He is preceded in death by his parents and two of his siblings, Gerald Avey and Betty Turk.

His funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 6 at Trinity Family of Faith Lutheran Church, 16928 Evans Road, Basehor, KS. Open visitation will be at 10:00 AM followed by the service at 11:00 AM. Interment will be held at a later time at Anita Evergreen Cemetery in Anita, IA.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions made to the Trinity Family of Faith Lutheran Church in Basehor, Kansas, sent in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.

Cecile L. H. Clare

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Cecile Lola Helen Clare, 90, our beloved “Auntie,” made her transition on 3 February, 2016 in Lawrence, Kansas. Born in Lucea, Hanover, Jamaica, West Indies on 30 September, 1925 to Louis Napoleon and Rachel Ann (neé Henry) Clare, Cecile was the youngest of eight children. She was preceded in death by her parents and her seven siblings: Neville St. Louis, Ivan St. Basil, Aston George Napier, Millicent Louise, Cynthia Ann, Emerson Dixon Carlisle, and Sybil Anita. She is survived by her nieces Jacqueline St. Louis Clare (Canada), Patricia Carlise Clare, Janice Elizabeth Louise Robinson (Kingston, Jamaica), Sherrill Alicia Clare Robinson (Lawrence, Kansas), and by her nephews Neville Cunliffe Clare, Richard Carlise Clare, Louis Carlise Clare, Neil Anthony Napier Clare and wife Allison (United Kingdom), and Brian Taylor Napier Clare and wife Sandra (Tulsa, OK). She is also survived by her close friends, Doris Byles, Dorothy Harker, Laura Howard, and Gloria Tavares.

After graduating from school, Auntie worked throughout her life in the public and private sector in Jamaica. Auntie loved her community and was active in many civic and philanthropic activities. She was well known in her community for her charitable work on behalf of the poor and needy. She was a founding member of Hanover Charities from its inception in 1957, and remained an honorary board member until her death. Hanover Charities is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that raises and distributes charitable funds throughout the Parish of Hanover, Jamaica. To honor her immeasurable gifts to Hanover Charities, the Soup Kitchen in Lucea was renovated and enlarged in February of 2011 and was renamed the Cecile Clare Kitchen of Love. Auntie’s home and garden reflected her love of flowers. In her retirement, Auntie used her passion to take on floral arrangements for weddings and funerals. Auntie loved to laugh and had a great sense of humor. She enjoyed everyone she met and always reached out with a smile and a welcoming hand.

Auntie came to live with her niece in Lawrence, Kansas in 2009 after suffering a stroke. Even with limited mobility, she embraced this new adventure. She loved going on Mass Street, cheering on the KU Women’s basketball team, watching the children cavort in the fountain at the Legends, and eating ice cream cones. Special thanks to her many caregivers and especially to her cardiologist, Dr. Roger Dreiling.

The family will receive guests at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana Street, Lawrence, Kansas on Saturday, 13 February from 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held in Jamaica. Donations in memory of Cecile L. H. Clare can be made to Hanover Charities, a 501(c)(3) organization, in care of the funeral home, Rumsey-Yost, or online at www.hanovercharities.com