Funeral service for Cindy M. Myer, 63, Lawrence will be 10am, Tuesday, August 31, at Lawrence Baptist Temple. Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery. Cindy died Friday, August 27, at LMH Health.
Denise Gloshen Fish, 61 of Lawrence, died Thursday, August 26, at home in the company of family and friends. A cremation is planned and a Celebration of Life service will be scheduled for a future date.
She was born August 22, 1960 to Charles and Earladean Gloshen in Kansas City, KS, where the family lived. She attended public schools in Kansas City and Wellsville, KS, where she graduated in 1978. She was a beautician for many years but also acquired education and training to provide specialized assistance for children with reading challenges at Prairie Park Elementary. She also played a pivotal role in the establishment of collective bargaining for classified employees of Lawrence Public Schools.
Denise married Gerald Criss in 1978, two sons were born to the union and the couple divorced in 1990. She married Larry Fish in 1991 and another son was born. She leaves behind her husband, of the home, and sons, Brandon, Kyle and Matthew, daughters-in-law, significant others, grandchildren, extended family and many, many friends.
Services for Ralph Alan Drake, 89, Lawrence, will be private. Inurnment will take place in Leavenworth National Cemetery.
Mr. Drake died August 26, 2021, at his home.
He was born September 30, 1931, in Lawrence, the son of Jay Franklin and Josephine Beckner Drake. He graduated from high school and earned a bachelor’s degree from Bethany College, where he played football. Mr. Drake has lived in Lawrence most of his life.
Mr. Drake served in the United States Navy during the Korean War as an airplane mechanic. He was stationed in Virginia and Cuba. He taught middle school history and math, as well as coaching basketball and football.
Ralph enjoyed fishing, making lures, stock car and Indy racing, KU basketball and football.
Survivors include a brother, Melvin Drake and wife Donita, of Lawrence; nephew, Brian Drake of Kansas City, Missouri; and brother in law, Jim Dwyer.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Jay Willis Drake; and sister, Virginia Dwyer.
Norma Lee McCune passed away August 22, 2021 at the age of 92. She was born on December 23, 1928 in Kansas City, Kansas. She is preceded in death by her husband Howard E. McCune, her parents, Neal and Lela Van Dorn, and her brother, Duane Van Dorn. She is survived by her daughters Marcia McCune and Gary Rochester, Julie Sifford and husband Rick, and Kristi Rowland and husband Larry and grandchildren Kaitlyn Sifford, Matthew Sifford, and Gabriel Rowland.
Norma attended Kansas State University where she was a member and president of the Kappa Delta sorority. She met the love of her life, Howard McCune, a member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity, after being set up on a blind date and they were married March 24,1951 in Kansas City, Kansas. After their marriage they returned to live in Minneola, Kansas. On the way to Minneola, Howard stopped to purchase 100 chicks and Norma remarked, “What are we going to do with those?” Norma embraced her role as a farm wife and became the COO of the McCune homestead.
Norma served her community in Minneola through her membership in the Garden Club, Civic Club, a member of Easter Star and she played piano for the Minneola United Methodist Church. Norma enjoyed gardening and playing the piano. She adored her family and was especially proud of her grandchildren.
There will be a gathering of friends and family at Minnis Mortuary in Minneola on Saturday, November 13th beginning at 10:00am.
Memorials can be sent to the Minneola Hospital District or the Alzheimer’s Foundation.
Freida Jeanette (Luckan) Martin, 88, died Saturday, August 21, 2021, at her home in rural Douglas County.
Freida was born August 31, 1932, in Lawrence to parents Otto Emil Luckan and Bertha May (Shaffer) Luckan. She attended the Pleasant Valley one-room school house. She was an active member of 4-H and loved growing up on a farm. She graduated from Liberty Memorial High School in 1950.
Freida worked at Barteldes Seed Co. as a bookkeeper for seven years and after marrying, eventually left work to join her husband stationed in the U.S. Army. Freida married Kenneth Martin of Welda, Kansas on Sept. 5, 1956. They would have celebrated 65 years of marriage this year.
After military life, they resumed residence in Lawrence in 1960 and she became a homemaker raising three children. In 1971, they moved to rural Douglas County and returned to farm life, country grade school, and 4-H programs for the family. Later, as the children got older, she started back to work as a cook at the Vinland country grade school. She loved cooking. In retirement she and her husband did some traveling in other states and a trip to Canada.
She was very involved with making homemade chicken noodle dinners for the Vinland Fair, bake sales at the church and homemade noodles for the church. She was an active member for 59 years in the Family Community Education (formerly EHU), serving at the local and county levels, and valued their goals of continuing to educate ourselves and those in the community around us.
She is survived by her husband Kenneth Martin of the home, a son Otto Martin (Lisa Bilson) of Lawrence, two daughters, Anita (Martin) Rapp (Craig) of Minnesota, and Kendra Martin of the home, grandchildren Megan Judd (Chris) of Ohio, David Martin of Lawrence, Brandon Martin (Cassie) of Minnesota, and Nicholas Martin of Minnesota, one sister, Charlene (Luckan) Winter of Lecompton, and many nieces and nephews.
The family suggests memorial contributions to Harvester’s, or the American Cancer Society, in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS, 66044. Online condolences may be sent at rumsey-yost.com
A celebration of Freida’s life will be held Wednesday, September 1, at 2 pm at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. A visitation will take place one hour prior to the service. Private family inurnment will follow the service. Friends are invited to join the family following the service for refreshments at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1245 New Hampshire St., Lawrence.
Visitation for James “Kin” Norman, 68, Lawrence, formerly of Kansas City, will be 3 to 5pm Sunday, August 29, 2021 at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home.
Kin Norman was a self-effacing, humble man. In spite of the fact that he was the smartest guy in the room. And the funniest. And the most well read. And the most talented.
James Kindred Norman was born on January 17, 1953, in Joplin, Missouri, and died August 21, 2021, in Lawrence, Kansas.
Kin graduated from Parkwood High School in Joplin, MO in 1971, where he was a champion debater and editor of an award-winning newspaper. He also choreographed the end-of-school assembly in which the entire senior class danced on the auditorium stage to Johnny B. Goode.
After high school he pursued his love of literature to earn an undergraduate degree in English from Missouri Southern State College and a master’s degree from Pittsburg State University, all while working full time managing electronic stores for the family business.
Upon completing his education, Kin moved to Kansas City where he spent over 30 years as a professor at Devry University, teaching English to mostly tech-focused students who had no idea they loved literature until they met Professor Norman. He was a demanding but adored teacher who developed friendships with many students that lasted long beyond their college years.
Kin was preceded in death by his parents William Polk Norman and Evadeane Norman of Joplin, Missouri. He is survived by his son, William Reed Norman, Lawrence, Kansas; sisters Nancy Spoeneman of Leawood, Carol Gold of Kansas City, and Leslie Norman Hubble of Kansas City; nephews William Gold and David Spoeneman; nieces Jill Lewandowski and Amy Cowan; two great-nephews; five great-nieces; and many friends who loved him.
Kin loved his family, friends, books, film and music. He was an amazing, completely self-taught guitarist and visual artist. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of literature and writers, along with an equally astounding knowledge of music and musicians. He was truly a unique person who positively impacted countless lives and will forever be very fondly remembered by those of us who were so privileged to know him.
No public services are planned at this time for Patricia I. Willis, 92, Eudora, who passed away Sunday, August 22, 2021, at LMH Health.
She was a retired elementary school teacher.
Her husband, Robert L. Willis, preceded her in death.
Sara Marie Vinyard Kyriakos passed away on Friday, August 20th 2021. She was 62 years old.
She was born on July 28, 1959 to Betty and Kenneth Vinyard in Lawrence, Kansas. Her parents were both from Harrisburg, Illinois.
Sara attended Lawrence High School, graduating in 1978. Sara attended the University of Kansas in Lawrence getting dual degrees in Liberal Arts and Education. She later received a Master’s degree from Emporia State University in Special Education.
Sara worked for the Lawrence Journal-World for many years before pursuing her Masters and going to work in the Lawrence Public School District. Sara taught Special Education at Billy Mills Middle School (formerly South Junior High/Middle School).
Sara enjoyed playing volleyball in the Lawrence Recreation League. She was also an avid artist and did freelance work throughout her career. Sara was very active with her two daughter’s Girl Scout Troops and was a supporter of the Hidden Valley troops and camps. Sara enjoyed sewing and made numerous blankets for friends and family.
Sara was preceded in death by her husband Michael Kyriakos, father Kenneth Vinyard, her mother Betty (Dixon) Hilt, her brother Dr. Gary Vinyard, her step-mother Emma Vinyard and her mother-in-law Jamie (Bales) Kyriakos.
Sara is survived by her daughters Paula (Kyriakos) Forsythe [Noland] and Ellen Kyriakos, her sister-in-law Dierdre Vinyard, her cousin Renae Patterson, her father-in-law Dr. Michael Kyriakos, and her six nieces and nephews Zach Vinyard, Morgan Vinyard, Alex Kyriakos, Ashley Kyriakos, Noah Kyriakos and Jake Kyriakos.
Her family hopes to celebrate her within the next year, date to be announced, services pending.
Funeral services for Jack Neal Anderson, 92, McLouth, will be 2pm Friday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Anderson died Monday, August 23, 2021, at Heritage Garden in Oskaloosa.
Jack was born in 1929 in Lawrence, to Charles and Pearl Elston Anderson. After high school he served in the United States Army. He was stationed in Germany during the Korean War. Jack was born and raised in Lawrence, but had made his home in rural McLouth of 50+ years. He was a member of the North Lawrence Christian Church.
Jack worked in construction as a carpenter for Greens, Edmonds, Harris, and Constant, to name a few. He enjoyed making music with friends and played the acoustic guitar, bass guitar, and mandolin. Jack liked fishing, soccer, skating on the pond, and was a wonderful craftsman when it came to woodworking.
He married the love of his life, Ella Marie Smith on September 2, 1956 in Lawrence; they resided in the house Jack built. They were blessed with 64 years together. She survives of the home.
Other survivors include two children, Marcie Anderson Cox and husband Brian of Iowa, and Clay Anderson of Washington; two grandchildren, Lizzie and Andy (Missy); three great grandchildren, Palmer, Nolan, and Lux; and one brother, Darold Anderson of Lamar, Colorado.
He was preceded in death by his parents, three sisters, and two brothers.
Friends may call from 9am to 2pm Friday at the funeral home, where the family will receive them from 1pm-2pm Friday.
Jack had a tremendous sense of humor, and friends would say that Jack made them forget their troubles for a while. One electrical contractor told him that he never got so much work done and had fun doing it, when he was on a job with Jack.
He leaves a legacy of laughter and song.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to North Lawrence Christian Church or Prairie Wind Hospice, sent in care of the funeral home.
The family would like to extend their sincere thanks to the staff at Heritage Gardens (Larry, you made us laugh), Prairie Wind Hospice, and Cindy Pennel, his buddy and caregiver.
Mark Alan MacKay, 60, of Lawrence, died Friday, August 20, at home in Lawrence. He is now in God’s presence, able to see and play the guitar again to his heart’s content.
Memorial services will be 2 pm, Thursday, August 26, 2021 at the First Southern Baptist Church, Lawrence KS, and can be viewed remotely at https://youtube.com/channel/UCK0AAbz2VkKOXi8N-1okmpQ
He was born on July 27th, 1961, to Charles and Garnet MacKay and raised on the family farm near Douglass, KS. He graduated from Rose Hill High School as the class of 1979 Salutatorian. Mark went on to graduate Magna cum laude in his pursuit of an electrical engineering degree at Wichita State University. He followed with getting his Masters in electrical engineering at the University of Kansas.
But God had different plans for Mark. After 2 summer missions in Alaska, 2 years of mission work in the Philippines, and earning a Master of Divinity from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Mark found his calling. His 40+ year passion was working with youth as a youth minister and always loved his time at church camps with them. His impact on growing young Christ followers cannot be measured.
He is survived by his brother Brent and his wife Sherry, his two nieces Caitlin and Madison (Skyler and Madison Payton) and countless friends, who will always remember his faith in God, his love for others and his sense of humor. He was preceded in death by his parents.
In lieu of flowers, and for those who wish to make a memorial gift can give to the Mark MacKay Super Summer Scholarship Fund via First Southern Baptist Church, Lawrence.
