Author: RumseyYost

Rosie Ann Summerville

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Rosie Ann Courter Summerville, 78, formerly of Oskaloosa and Ozawkie, Kansas, gained her Angel Wings on March 26th, 2025, at her home in Perry, Kansas.

Rosie was born on May 13, 1964, in Topeka, Kansas

A Visitation will be on Wednesday, April 2, from 6-7 pm, at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home in Lawrence, Kansas.

Graveside services will be on Thursday, April 3 at 10:00 am, at Buster Cemetery, North of Perry, Kansas.

Rosie was a loving wife, mother, to all her family and friends, as she never knew a stranger and always willing to help when and where she could.

Rosie married Charlie “Gutch” Summerville of Perry, Kansas on February 1, 1946, Later divorced and later remarried until Charlies death in October 2012.  Together in their lives, they farmed, milked dairy cows, for starters.  Rosie, worked for the variety store in Oskaloosa, KS, the Nursing home in Oskaloosa, as a cook.  Rosie then opened the DOWNTOWN CAFÉ, in Oskaloosa, KS, which was a popular café/restaurant up until her retirement.  Rosie will be deeply missed and loved by all.

Survivors include daughter, Genie Summerville-LaDuke-LeRoux (Eric), Oskaloosa, Ks, two sons, Billy and Brian Summerville, both of Topeka, Sisters Vera (Kaycee) Courter Channels, Lawrence, Ks, Melba Courter Fisher Williams, of Eudora, Ks, Margaret Courter, Winchester, Ks; brothers, Carl Courter, Perry, Ks, Allen and John Courter, of Oskaloosa, Ks, Harold Courter of Alaska; grandchildren, John “Duke” W. LaDuke (Ragen), Yorktown, Texas, Jamie LaDuke, of Oskaloosa, Ks, and Chas Summerville, all of Topeka, Ks; three grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Rosie was proceeded in Death by her parents Pleasant Franklin Courter and Dorothy Alice May Courter of Perry, Ks; Husband Charlie “Gutch” Eugene Summerville; a son David “Davey” Charles Summerville; a daughter Debbie Ann Summerville Giffin; a sister Lousie Courter Bonham; brothers Tom Courter and James Courter; great grandson, Chas Summerville, Jr.

Memorial contributions may be made to Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1260 Lawrence, Ks 66044.

Duc Minh Nguyen

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Duc Minh Nguyen, 81, of Lawrence, Kansas, and formerly of Vietnam, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at the University of Kansas Hospital.

Born on October 20, 1943, in Hanoi, Vietnam, Duc was preceded in death by his parents, Tuong Hieu Nguyen and Dung Thi Nguyen. He honorably served as a Captain in the South Vietnamese Navy. After immigrating to the United States in 1975, Duc pursued a career as a welder while nurturing his love for fishing and the great outdoors.

On March 21, 1968, Duc married Hai Thi Duong, with whom he shared five children. She passed away in 2001. He married Kim Chi Thi Nguyen in 2002, who survives him.

Duc is also survived by his children: son Anh Nguyen and daughter-in-law Lisa; son Vu Nguyen and daughter-in-law Chi; daughter Trang Nguyen and son-in-law Dan; daughter Rhea Pierron and son-in-law Brian; and daughter Kathy Nguyen; as well as his beloved ten grandchildren.

Friends are invited to pay their respects on Friday, April 4, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, located at 601 Indiana Street in Lawrence, Kansas.

A funeral service celebrating Duc’s life will be held on Saturday, April 5, at 10:00 AM, followed by cremation, at the same location.

To share condolences, please visit www.rumsey-yost.com

Jimmy Lee Flowers

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It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Jimmy Flowers, age 43, of Eudora, Kansas, on March 21, 2025. Born on February 12, 1982, to Jeff and Pam Flowers, Jimmy’s life, though brief, was filled with remarkable accomplishments and deep connections.

He was a devoted husband to Kayla Flowers and a loving father to their three sons: Hudson, Tucker, and Graham. Jimmy also leaves behind his mother, Pam Flowers; father, Jeff Flowers; sister, Heather (Jason) Funk; nieces and nephews Emry, Asher, Avenue, and Sawyer; mother-in-law, Lisa Harlan; father-in-law, Sam Harlan; sister-in-law, Lindsey Harlan; and grandparents Janet (George) Berg and Judy Jennings. He was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Jim Flowers and Morris Jennings, and his uncle, Wayne Jennings.

Jimmy’s passions were many and varied. He found joy in building traditional hot rods and shared memorable moments participating in demolition derbies with his oldest son, Hudson. As a skilled fabricator, he had a talent for transforming ideas into reality. His love for attending swap meets and “picking for rusty gold” reflected his appreciation for the unique and the timeless. Beyond his hobbies, Jimmy’s infectious smile and generous heart left an indelible mark on all who knew him.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, March 30, 2025, from 1:00 to 2:00 PM, followed by a service at 2:00 PM at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana Street, Lawrence, Kansas. In honor of Jimmy’s profound love for animals, the family requests that donations be made to the Lawrence Humane Society in lieu of flowers.

Though his time with us was short, Jimmy’s life was rich with experiences, love, and lasting memories. His legacy serves as a testament to living fully and loving deeply.

“Catch you later, nerds.”

 

Phillip L Woods

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Phil Woods, 64, of Lawrence, Kansas passed away peacefully in his home on March 18, 2025.

Phil was born in Lawrence, KS on December 23,1960 to William and Sara Woods. He grew up in a family that loved the KU Jayhawks, so he was truly a life-long fan. Phil enjoyed sports, especially riding dirt bikes in his younger days, but he also liked going to the lake, bowling, fishing and hunting. He loved spending time with family and friends and participated in coaching his son’s baseball and basketball teams, he loved animals, especially dogs and horses. His current pets at home KC & Kali miss him dearly. Phil enjoyed traveling and was an avid reader, always reading about history, politics and religion, always watching programs to learn more about weather events and far-away places.

Phil and Cathy met in Parsons, KS in 1990, and were married in 1996. Phil is survived by his wife Cathy, two sons Tyler (Ashley) of Olathe and Daniel (Lexus) of Lawrence, his sister Cynthia Kim (David) of Connecticut, and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Phil is also survived by one grandchild, the light of his life, Claire Elizabeth.

Phil was preceded in death by his parents.

Phil graduated from Lawrence High in 1979 and was around the lumber business his entire life. Following in his father’s footsteps, he owned a lumber yard in Parsons, KS. He was also a lumber salesman, a builder and a trim-carpenter, as well as being self-employed doing remodel work.

A Memorial Service will be held at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home in Lawrence, Kansas on March 29 at 10:00 am. Following the memorial service will be a gathering of friends and family at Johnny’s Tavern (Johnny’s West) from 12:00 – 3:00 pm.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Douglas County Visiting Nurses as they brightened his day so many times, or the Lawrence Humane Society for his love of animals.

Karl Robert (Bob) Williams

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Karl Robert (Bob) Williams 89 went home to be with his Lord Savior Jesus Christ on March 19, 2025.
Karl Robert (Bob) Williams was born to Raymond Anselm and Hazel Thedora Forman Williams on March 10, 1936 in Lawrence, Kansas. Karl attended the Kanawka School Lawrence, Ks across the road from his family’s farm and Liberty Memorial High School Lawrence, Ks and attended KU for 2 years before becoming employed at the Santa Fe Railroad.
Karl (Bob) met his wife Catherine Kreighbaum in 1969 at the Hillcrest Bowling Alley where they both loved bowling. They were married on May 13, 1971 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lawrence, Kansas by Pastor Harold Hamilton where Bob had been a member for fifty years.
Karl Robert (Bob) was employed by the Santa Fe Railroad in Topeka, Kansas for 40 years. He was an active volunteer for twenty-three years at the Lawrence Memorial Hospital he loved his time working twice a week until covid and then was reduced to once-a-week Bob had given close to 5,000 hours of time volunteering and loved working the Health Fairs. In 2020 Bob was given the Marguerite Lockwood Volunteer of the Year Award.
Bob also worked for the Laird Noller Ford here in Lawrence driving new cars and going to the auctions in Kansas City to buy used cars. He did both of these activities up until July of 2024.
Karl Robert (Bob) and Catherine were blessed to have two sons Robert Scott Britton-Williams and David Raymond Williams.
Karl Robert (Bob) is survived by his wife Catherine, a son David Raymond Williams and a granddaughter Averi Poe Williams all of Lawrence, Kansas. A sister Marjorie Caroline Schenck Poquoson, Va. A son Robert Scott Britton-Williams preceded him in death August 22, 2018 and a grandson Riley Lane Davis­ Britton preceded in him death May 14, 2019. Bob was forever changed when our granddaughter Averi was born. Averi was Papa’s girl and loved to sit on his lap and play school, or grocery store, or making up silly stories and laughing. Bob adored Averi and he was forever blessed being a part of her life. He always called Averi his little cupcake.
As per Bob’s request there will be no services or visitation.
John 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”
Revelation 21:4 “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

Corinne Mildred (“Millie”) Dew Averitt

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Corinne Mildred (“Millie”) Dew Averitt, age 93, of Lawrence, Kansas, entered into eternal life with her Savior on March 18, 2025.

Millie was born on September 3, 1931, in Lee County, North Carolina, to Herndon Tuttle Dew and Cora Dunn Smithwick Dew. She was the seventh of nine children and spent most of her childhood years in Lancaster, South Carolina, where she came to faith in her Lord Jesus at an early age. After high school, Millie graduated from nursing school and married William Shepard (“Bill”) Averitt in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1953. Their fifty-four year union included the birth of their daughter Dawn in 1955 and son Jim in 1958. In 1963, the family relocated to Hutchinson, Kansas, which was home for forty years. Millie worked as a registered nurse until retirement, and she and Bill moved to Lawrence, Kansas, in 2003 to be closer to children and grandchildren. Millie found great joy in her family and friends.

Following Bill’s death in 2007, Millie became reacquainted with Lake McCain, a recent widower whom she had known in high school. Millie and Lake were married in 2009, and they enjoyed life together in South Carolina until 2013, when Millie returned to Lawrence due to declining health. She spent the rest of her years at Presbyterian Manor, where the devoted staff cared for her with compassionate tenderness. St. Croix Hospice also provided loving care and kindness to Millie in her last year of life.

Preceding Millie in death were her husband, Bill; her second husband, Lake McCain; and her eight siblings.

Surviving Millie are Dawn and Danny Trent; Jim and Karen Averitt; grandchildren Andrew Trent and wife Emily, Aaron Trent and wife Grace, Alex Trent and wife Dayana, Aric Trent, and Joshua Averitt; eight great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews and their families; and Lake McCain’s children, Karen Baxley and Roger McCain, who with their families lovingly welcomed Millie into their lives.

A private graveside service was held at Memorial Park Cemetery in Hutchinson, Kansas. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Child Evangelism Fellowship, P.O. Box 348, Warrenton, Missouri 63383.

Philip Ray Hoffman

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Services for Phil Hoffman, 75, of Lawrence, will be at 1 p.m. Friday, March 21, 2025, at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. Private burial will take place in Oak Hill Cemetery.

Phil died on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, surrounded by Marge, his wife, and family members.

He married Marjorie Holladay on June 21, 1986 in Lawrence, KS. She survives of the home. Other survivors include two brothers, Carl Hoffman, Topeka, KS, Lee Hoffman (Barb), Coeur d’Alene, ID, one sister, Linda Grossardt, Siloam Springs, AR and a number of nieces and nephews. Phil was also very close to Marge’s brothers and sisters, and nieces and nephews.

Phil was preceded in death by his parents and Elaine Hoffman, and Jim Grossardt.

He was born on August 12, 1949, in Lawrence, the son of Ralph and Mildred Hoffman. He graduated from Lawrence High School in 1967 and entered the Navy in 1968. He was honorably discharged from the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Georgia in 1971. He was a skilled printer for several printing companies in Lawrence and worked as a mechanic in 1974 for M&M Oil Company. He was employed with M&M Oil Company for 28 years and became general manager in 1993. After the closing of M&M Oil he worked as a custodian for USD 497.

Phil received the Eagle Scout rank while a member of Troop 55 and served as a assistant scout master from 1971 through 1978. Phil & Marge enjoyed taking their 1930 Model “A” Deluxe Ford Roadster to car shows throughout the Midwest. He and Marge also enjoyed traveling in and out of the United States. Phil also enjoyed fishing and hot air ballooning.

Visitation will take place in the reception area of Rumsey-Yost after the service. Graveside services will be private.

The family suggests memorial contributions to the Disabled Veterans, sent in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, PO Box 1260, Lawrence, KS 66044.

Josie Lynn Miller

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A celebration of life will be held for Josie Miller, 34, of Lawrence. Date and time are forthcoming. She passed away on Saturday, March 15th, 2025, in her home.

She was born January 5th, 1991, in Kansas City, Kansas to Clay and Paula Miller. She grew up in Lawrence. She graduated from Free State high school in 2012.

Josie loved being outdoors and on the move. She enjoyed car rides, hearing birds singing, listening to music, and playing with her musical toys. Most of all, Josie loved people, especially her family. She had a highly contagious laugh and an infectious smile that everyone loved to see.

She was preceded in death by her father, Clay. She is survived by her mother, Paula; sisters Destiny, of Osawatomie, Jessica, of Lawrence, and Cassandra; and her brothers Chance (Kayla), of Overbrook, Braden, of Lawrence, and Caleb, of Lawrence.

Other survivors include many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews, and her roommates and staff members at GoodLife.

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