Category: Obituaries

Debra Lynn Hamlin Cathers

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Debra Lynn Hamlin Cathers (nee Anderson) died at home July 2, 2026, after a 14 year battle with metastatic breast cancer. She was 71. Having recently moved from Lawrence to Auburn,KS, she was being cared for by family when she passed.

Debra (Deb) will be remembered by her many friends and beloved family for her kindness, humor, humanity, and loving spirit. An avid film and television fan, Deb knew obscure film quotes like no one else and was often known to throw them out in casual conversation, to the confusion of many. But, Deb was quick with an explanation as well as a plot summary and review.

Deb loved nothing more than spending time with her family and friends. Deb was always quick to support, listen, and laugh.

Born April 8, 1955, in Augusta, Georgia, Deb was the daughter of Ulis (Andy) Anderson and Wilma (Maxine) Anderson (nee Earl). Weeks after Deb’s birth, Andy’s career in the Air Force moved the family to Germany. From there, they returned to the States where they lived in multiple places including: Texas, Kansas, all around the St. Louis area, and then back to Kansas, where they settled in Topeka. Deb had, by all accounts, an interesting education journey, having gone to thirteen different schools before landing at Highland Park High School in Topeka, where she graduated with the class of 1973.

At Highland Park, she met Steven Ray Hamlin. After working together at Lindy’s Grocery Store, the two started dating and were married in June of 1973. They welcomed their daughter, Lisa Michele Kusumpa (nee Hamlin) in 1974. They then welcomed a son, Ryan Cortney Hamlin-Canady, in 1977.

Deb was the definition of a jack of all trades. Her various careers included work for Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Hallmark, Radio Shack, and USD 497 here in Lawrence. Her longest career, Deb was the main office secretary at South Jr. High School in Lawrence before moving to Free State High Schol where she was the athletics secretary. After USD 497, Deb took a much different career path and became the Head Chef for Hawthorne House in Parkville, Mo, an event and wedding venue. Deb led Hawthorne House to many local awards and was the chef for a Presidential event. Before retiring, Deb was working locally again for the Lawrence Dental Center.

Deb is survived by her children, grandchildren Henry, Benjamin, and Oliver Kusumpa, son -in-law Darren Canady, sisters Sue Hamlin and Kathi West, as well as cousins, extended family, and many friends. Debra was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Gregory Allen Anderson, her son-in-law Yuthama “Boomie” Kusumpa, her beloved Aunt, Mamie Leonard, and her second husband, Patrick Cathers.

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, August 1st, 2026, at Arterra Event Gallery, 2161 Quail Creek Drive in Lawrence, KS. An Open House will be from 1pm to 5pm with a short service at 2pm. Donations can by made in the name of Deb Cathers to the LMH Health Foundation in care of the Cancer Center.

David Craig Loomis

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Services for David Craig Loomis, 63, of Lawrence, Kansas, will be held Monday, July 6, 2026, at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lawrence. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 11:00 a.m. Family and friends are invited to gather to remember and celebrate Dave’s life.

Dave passed away June 27, 2026, at his home.

David was born July 6, 1962, in Waterloo, Iowa, the son of Robert Arthur and Karen Lee (McKinney) Loomis. He graduated from Excelsior Springs High School in 1981 and later attended Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  David enjoyed using his skills as a mechanic to work on aircraft and motorcycles.

He is survived by his daughter, Marlene of Belgium; mother, Karen Stine and her husband, Paul; brothers, Doug Loomis and Duane Loomis, all of Excelsior Springs, Missouri; along with many nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

He was preceded in death by his father, Bob Loomis, and his sister, Debra Loomis Fetters.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Redeemer Lutheran Church, 2700 Lawrence Avenue, Lawrence, Kansas 66047.

A full obituary honoring Dave’s life will be posted as soon as it becomes available.

Francis (Frank) Roy Rock

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Francis (Frank) Roy Rock, 87, of Palmdale, California, previously of Pittsburg, Kansas, passed into the arms of our Lord on March 21, 2026, surrounded by family members and compassionate caregivers at the Forever Love Home Care, Inc., in Lancaster, California.

Roy was born on May 17, 1938, in Baltimore, Maryland, to John Edward Roch Sr and Catherine Elizabeth Kelly. As a child, he lived in Essex, MD, near the Back River, where he would go crabbing with his friends, sharing the spoils with nearby neighbors and family. Roy joined the Air Force at the young age of 17, retiring after serving his country for 23 1/2 years. He achieved the rank of Master Sergeant, filling positions from firefighter to Deputy Fire Chief during his military career. Assignments took him to Kansas, Greenland, Texas, Okinawa, Washington DC, Vietnam, Missouri, Germany, and New Mexico. He received numerous medals during his military career. Among these is the Bronze Star awarded for his response to an aircraft crash involving live munitions at Da Nang Air Base, Vietnam. Several of his fellow firefighters were killed or injured. He never forgot this tragedy and loss of his firefighter brothers who gave the greatest sacrifice that day. As a result, he took every opportunity to remember them at the Vietnam Wall or traveling replica.

Upon returning from Germany, he was assigned to Cannon AFB, where the firefighter assigned to show him around introduced him as “Frank”. Roy didn’t want to embarrass him, so he chose not to say anything.

After retiring from his last military assignment as Deputy Fire Chief at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, he traveled to California, joining his old friend, Willie Bell, at Edwards Air Force Base. Roy served Edwards as a civilian Assistant Fire Chief for the next 15 years.

Roy was a devout Catholic and a lifetime member of the VFW and the American Legion. Roy enjoyed fishing and hunting, and often kept his family fed in leaner times through these hobbies. He also enjoyed bowling, cards, and dominoes. He loved the laughs of friends and family when he sang songs such as The Tattooed Lady, Roberta Roberta, Fever, There Is Nothing Like a Dame, and I Can’t Give You Anything but Love. He was known to have sung both male and female roles of the song, Figaro wearing a “cute” wig or hat, depending on the part, signing off with a Looney Tunes copy of “That’s all, Folks!” He loved making his audiences laugh. And who among firefighters at Edwards could forget being awakened in the morning to I’m Too Sexy for My Shirt.

Roy and his “Beautiful Bride,” Alberta Louise Tippie, were married May 16, 1959, at Forbes Air Force Base Chapel, Topeka, Kansas.

Roy is survived by his wife, Alberta, and their children, Rhonda Rock, Earnest (Kristine) Rock, Elizabeth (Ray) Sadler, Wendy (Michael) Jackson, and David (Jennifer) Rock, grandchildren, Elyssa (Stephen) Winters, Michael (Melissa) Jackson Jr, Kayla Rock, Jeremy (Bekah) Rock, Ashlynn Rock, Vanessa (Patrick) Burch, Anthony Andrade, Eliana Andrade. great-grandchildren, Lincoln, Robyn, Finn, Miles, Haven, Ashton, Amelia, siblings: Charles Rock, Margaret Rock. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Preceded in death by his parents and siblings, John (Nancy) Rock Jr, Bernard Rock, Catherine (Harry) Neenan, Robert (Dorothy) Rock, Dorothy Rock, and William Rock. Granddaughter, Amanda Jackson, and predeceased by other nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to thank Forever Love Home Care, Inc., Anthem Hospice, Golden Road Hospice, Kathleen Samano, and Lynda Mills for providing loving care for Roy during his final days. We are also grateful for visits, calls, and prayers from our friends and family.

Burial will take place at:
10 am, Friday, July 10, 2026
Fort Scott National Cemetery
900 East National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Phone: 913-212-4612

Request donations be made to your favorite charity in place of flowers.

Ernest Kent Hayes

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Celebration of Life for E. Kent Hayes will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at the Danforth Chapel on KU Campus, 1405 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, Kansas.

Ernest Kent Hayes, age 88, of Lawrence, Kansas, passed away peacefully at home on December 18, 2025. Kent was born in Bronson, Kansas, to Clare and Lois (nee Osborne) Hayes, who were longtime residents of Topeka. He spent his youth in Holyoke and Alamosa, Colorado, and Baldwin and Topeka, Kansas. He attended Baker University and was a proud graduate of Washburn University.

At Baker University he met Betty Carolan of Kansas City, Missouri. They married and had three children: Michael Hayes of Santa Fe, New Mexico; Mark Hayes (Brenda) of Burlingame, Kansas; and Lisa Greene (Jack) of Carolina Beach, North Carolina. The marriage ended after 25 years. Kent then fell in love with Virginia (Ginger) Lyman, who had a son, Scott Lundemo, now in Anchorage, Alaska. Kent and Ginger were then proud to welcome a son, Nicholas Hayes (Brandy), who lives in Lawrence.

Straight out of college Kent spent his career advocating for children. He ultimately became a nationally recognized authority in concepts of care for abandoned, abused, and neglected children. He first served as chief probation officer of the Shawnee County Juvenile Court and then became superintendent of the Boys’ Training School in Kearney, Nebraska. Along the way he partnered with Dr. Karl Menninger to develop a new concept for the care of delinquent, abandoned, and neglected children (The Villages). Thereafter, he became codirector of the Menninger Youth Program, known as the CHARLEE (Children Have All Rights: Legal, Educational, and Emotional) program, which developed and administered a nationwide network of community-based alternative child care systems in eight states and the District of Columbia.

His experiences with children in the direst of straits resulted in the publication of numerous articles and two fictionalized accounts of their situation, which he cowrote with his program codirector, Dr. Alex Lazzarino: Broken Promise (Putnam, 1978) and Find a Safe Place (McGraw-Hill, 1984). Both books became made-for-television movies. In 1989, he published a third book, Why Good Parents Have Bad Kids (Doubleday). These publications earned him appearances on numerous national television and radio shows, like The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Phil Donahue Show, Larry King, CNN, and NBC’s Today Show.

He was proud that his life’s work, his books, and the attention that they drew produced meaningful progress in the care of abandoned, abused, and neglected children throughout the United States.

Kent loved to play golf and became quite good, winning several local tournaments. Even more, Kent loved to be with his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He liked to travel to the Rocky Mountains as often as possible and always had a book by his side. He was particularly fond of murder mysteries both in books and on television.

Kent is survived by his loving wife, Ginger; his five children, 10 grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren; and his brother, Kenneth Hayes.

Sandra (Sandy) Marie Riley

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Sandra Marie Riley, age 68, passed away peacefully on June 19, 2026. Born on February 13, 1958, Sandra was the beloved daughter of Lawrence Riley and Rosieleta (Albert) Riley.

Sandra was a proud graduate of LHS and was known for her loving heart, strong spirit, and devotion to her family. She found joy in spending time with those she loved and leaves behind many cherished memories that will continue to live on in the hearts of her family and friends.

She is survived by her children, Shane Riley and his wife Jennifer, Cassandra Sanders and her husband Mark, Annette Patterson, and Angel Patterson. Sandra was also a proud grandmother to four grandchildren who brought great happiness to her life.

She is further survived by her siblings: Rose Brown and her husband Steve, Kathy Brown and her husband James, and Michael Riley and his wife Liz, along with many extended family members and friends who will miss her dearly.

Sandra was preceded in death by her father, Lawrence Riley, as well as Melvin Riley and Leslie Riley.

Sandra passed away on Juneteenth, a day that symbolizes freedom and hope. Her family finds comfort in knowing that she is now celebrating her eternal freedom in Heaven, reunited with loved ones who went before her.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 p.m. at North Lawrence Christian Church, 746 Elm Street, Lawrence, Kansas 66044.

Though Sandra’s presence will be deeply missed, her love, kindness, and legacy will remain forever in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.

Barbara Ann (Garrison) Oliver

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After a long and event-filled life, Barbara Ann Garrison Oliver passed away peacefully at Bridge Haven Memory Care in Lawrence, KS on June 21, 2026.

Barbara was born on August 31, 1932, in Bowling Green, Kentucky, to Calvin Garland and Dorothy (Drake) Garrison. She grew up in Auburn, KY, surrounded by the loving and watchful eyes of both sets of grandparents, and a great grandmother all within walking distance of her parents’ home.

Barbara flourished in Auburn’s closeknit community. She attended high school in Auburn where she was a cheerleader, and her father was the principal and basketball and football coach. Thus began her lifelong love of rooting for her favorite sports teams. She attended Kentucky Western College (WKU), becoming a fervent “Hilltopper” and graduating with a degree in business administration.

After completing her studies, Barbara moved to Louisville, KY. Her love for travel began while working for Delta Airlines in their Louisville, Ky office. She worked as a ticket clerk for Delta Airlines and was quite proud to be able to maneuver large suitcases as easily as the otherwise all male ticket crew. Barbara had great stories about helping many interesting people, including Mohammad Ali and Colonel Sanders. She later became secretary to the regional manager.

Using the travel perks provided by Delta to its employees, Barbara and several other women from the office enjoyed trips to Hawaii and other resort areas in South America. She had fond memories of hard work and fun times at one of her favorite spots, the IXL Dude Ranch outside of Sheridan, WY. Barbara and her good friend, Nancy Lee, regularly vacationed on the ranch.
While living in Louisville, at the insistence of a good friend, Barbara accepted a blind date with a young architect. William “Kelly” Oliver had been an apprentice with Frank Lloyd Wright and had recently moved to Louisville to supervise the construction of the new Lincoln Income office building. The blind date worked! After nearly a year of dating and sailing on the Ohio River, Barbara and Kelly were married on March 26, 1966, at the Second Presbyterian Church in Louisville, KY. Delta perks helped with the honeymoon trip to the Bahamas. Following completion of the Lincoln Income building they packed their belongings in her little Renault and, towed by a 55 T-Bird, headed to Denver, Colorado.

In Denver, Kelly and another former Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice, Gordon Lee opened their own office in Cherry Creek. Barbara fell in love with Colorado. She enjoyed mountain picnics and regular family vacations made each year to rented cabins near Estes Park in the Rocky Mountain National Park. One winter Barbara, along with her sister-in-law, Betty Oliver, made a gallant attempt to learn to ski but both found that lacing up boots and falling were not worth the effort.

Everything changed in 1968 when son David was born. Barbara stayed at home with David until he started school. She then became an active volunteer at his school and continued to work through his high school years in the school library. After David left for college, Barbara joined the Assistance League of Denver. The Assistance League had a number of volunteer projects and Barbara participated in several and formed strong friendships with many of the members. Volunteering at the League’s Thrift Store was her favorite project.

Barbara and Kelly had joined the Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church shortly after it was formed in the early 80’s in Denver. Worship services were then conducted in the Cherry Creek High School auditorium before the current church complex was constructed. Barbara and Kelly remained active members until moving to Kansas.

Barbara loved to play cards and was very competitive. She and Kelly had season tickets for the Broncos for nearly forty years. John Elway was still one of her favorites. Barbara loved almost every sport. She played golf at the Links Golf Course and was in a regular mahjong group that met at each player’s house in rotation.

After Kelly retired, he and Barbara embarked on more travel, spending time with extended family in the U.S. and abroad. They especially enjoyed cruises to all kinds of destinations including Alaska, the Mississippi River, the Danube, and the St. Lawrence River.

In 2019, Barbara and Kelly moved to Lawrence, Kansas to be closer to son David and his wife Lori. It was a tough decision and an even tougher feat, but very well-timed. The last several years spent close to family were very important to all.

Survivors include her husband of sixty years, Kelly, her son David, and daughter-in-law Lori Jo Phillips.

A graveside service for Barbara will be held at Fairmount Cemetery in Denver, Colorado on July 7th, 10:00am.

The family would like to give special recognition and thanks to the staff of Bridge Haven Memory Care, for their three years of kind and loving care. Caregivers, Helping Hand, and Visiting Nurses Hospice were also incredibly helpful during Barbara’s long journey.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to Lawrence Humane Society, 1805 E 19th St, Lawrence, KS 66046 or https://lawrencehumane.org/donate/.

Deborah Stansbrough Burns

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Services for Deacon Deborah Stansbrough Burns will take place on July 11 at 1pm at Trinity Episcopal Church in Lawrence, Kansas.

Deborah Stansbrough Burns of Lawrence Kansas died on Saturday, June 20, 2026.

Deborah was born on February 28, 1952 in St. Louis MO to Raymond Arthur Stansbrough and Ruth Ronat Stansbrough.  She graduated from University City High School in 1970.  She then moved to Lawrence KS to attend the University of Kansas and completed a B.A. in history.

On May 31, 1975 she married Garth Frederick Burns at a celebration that  remains  renowned.  The center of her world was being a mom to her beloved daughter Sarah Renee Burns.

Debbie  was the first woman chair of KU Young Democrats and went on to manage the state legislative campaigns of Betty Jo Charlton .   She remained active in the Douglas County Democrats throughout her life including serving as Vice Chairman.  She was a poll worker in Douglas County for 50 years and for many of those was a Supervising Judge.  She was proud to support democracy through free and fair elections.

She was an avid reader and cook. Her roast, Yorkshire pudding and Buche de Noel at Christmas will be missed.  Her baked treats were legendary in the community.

She was active in Girl Scouts and served as Hidden Valley Board member, Troop Leader,  Leader Trainer, and Day Camp leader. She loved teaching others to cook on a campfire and sing Girl Scout camp songs.

Watching her beloved Jayhawks play basketball and baseball was one of her favorite activities . She supported the baseball team as a season ticket holder and enjoyed attending their annual banquets.

Deborah was a forever St. Louis Cardinal fan who grew up loving Tim McCarver, Bob Gibson and Lou Brock.   She had fond memories of attending games with  her big sister Liz at  Sportsman’s Park.

Deborah was called and ordained  a Deacon in the Episcopal church on December 22, 2001 and served at Trinity Lawrence and St. Martin in the Fields Edwardsville.

She also completed a year of Clinical Pastoral Education training at Baptist Hospital in Kansas City and then worked for several years as a hospice chaplain.

As a deacon and chaplain she sought to care for the unseen and fulfill her Baptismal Covenant to see and serve Christ in all people, work for peace and justice and respect the dignity of every human being.

One of her roles as a deacon at Trinity was to administer the Deacon’s Discretionary Fund which provided pastoral care for those in crisis including helping with groceries, rent, gas, shelter, and  medication.

Last summer Deborah participated in Kansas to Kenya and served as deacon at services. She spoke fondly of being so graciously received by people in their homes.

Deborah was thrilled to see giraffes up close.

Survived by husband Garth F. Burns, daughter Sarah Renee Burns and sisters Elizabeth Meyer and Christine Wagnon.

Predeceased by parents Raymond A. Stansbrough, Ruth Ronat Stansbrough and siblings Phyllis Moore, Patricia J. Dedeke, Kurt L. Stansbrough.

Family requests donations to the Deacon’s Discretionary Fund Trinity Episcopal Church, 1011 Vermont St, Lawrence, KS 66044, or Relay For Life of Douglas County, ATTN: RFL of Douglas County, 100 Rock Chalk Lane, Lawrence, KS 66049.