Category: Obituaries

Nancy R. Dunn

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Memorial services for Nancy Roofe Dunn, 76, Lawrence, will be at 11 a.m. Monday, June 10, 2013, at Plymouth Congregational Church, with the Rev. Dr. Peter A. Luckey officiating. Private inurnment will take place at Pioneer Cemetery on the University of Kansas Campus.

Nancy Dunn died Thursday, May 30, 2013, at Select Specialty Hospital in Topeka, Kansas, following a long illness.

She was born October 30, 1936, in Abilene, Kansas.

Nancy came to Lawrence in 1945 with her parents Paul Gibbons Roofe and Helen Waddell Roofe. As members of the University of Kansas community, Paul Roofe was Head of the Anatomy Department.

Nancy attended Lawrence public schools, graduating in 1954 as a member of the first graduating class from Lawrence High School. In 1958, she graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis on Design. She was a Life Member of the University of Kansas Alumni Association. She worked for the U.S. Geological Survey and the Political Science Department.

In 1983, Nancy and James met at a Square Dance sponsored by Square De Lites Square Dance club, of which Nancy was a founder. They were married in the Althaus Chapel of Plymouth Church on October 1, 1983. The following month a square dance wedding reception was held at the church. James and Nancy enjoyed many forms of dancing: ballroom, Scottish country, clogging, in addition to square dancing.

She enjoyed knitting, beading, drawing, many arts and crafts activities, including consignment sales in Kansas and Florida. Gardening, including planting a fruit orchard, was a part of Nancy’s activities.

Nancy was a 50-year member of Plymouth Church, a life member of the Franklin County Historical Society, a board member of The Associated Landlords of Kansas, a member of Landlords of Lawrence, a Republican Precinct Committeewoman, a member of the League of Women’s Voters – Lawrence/Douglas County, Knife and Fork Club, Oread Neighborhood Association, Oread Residents Association, and Spencer Art Museum.

Nancy and James enjoyed traveling principally by intercity rail with departures and arrivals at the Lawrence Amtrak/BNSF Station. Train tours in the U.S. and Canada were on the American Orient Express and Grande Luxe Rail. Seventeen days were the greatest number of consecutive overnights on the rails.

Overseas travel included journeys to Antarctica, Europe, Africa, Australia-New Zealand, Hawaii, Caribbean Islands, and Central/South America. Nancy and James enjoyed theater trips to New York, the Berkshire of Western Massachusetts, Sanibel Island, Florida, and Orange County, California.

Nancy is survived by her husband, James C. Dunn.

Memorial contributions may be made to Plymouth Church – Althaus Chapel Renovation Fund, Depot Redux, or the Lawrence Humane Society, in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS, 66044.

Charles Douglas ‘Doug’ Coffman Jr.

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Charles D. ‘Doug’ Coffman Jr. passed away May 30, 2013, at his home following a long illness. Doug was born Jan. 11, 1943, on a farm just outside of Halfway, Mo., the eldest son of Charles D. Sr. and Georgia Guinn Ross Coffman. Most of his school years were in the Ruskin area of Kansas City.

In 1960, Doug was saved and baptized into Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Kansas City, Mo. Later that same year, God called him to preach the Gospel. At the time of his death, he was a member of Charity Missionary Baptist Church, Independence, Mo.

Doug married his high school sweetheart, Patricia I. DeShazo on June 2, 1962, and has one son, Mark Douglas Coffman. Doug and Patty moved to Lawrence in 1969 and lived in the same house where Patty was raised from 1970 until his death. Doug is survived by his wife, Patty, of the home; his son Mark (Kim) of Humansville, Mo; granddaughter Kira Coffman, Greeley, Colo., and Kim’s grandchildren; two brothers, Robert A. Coffman (Carol) and Johnnie Coffman and their children; father-in-law John Mark DeShazo, and brother-in-law Roy DeShazo. He was preceded in death by his parents, and a sister-in-law, Mary Coffman.

We will miss Doug, but we know by his own testimony that he’s gone to walk those streets of gold with his Savior.

Services for Doug will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery in North Lawrence. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home, where the family will receive them from 6-7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to VNA/Hospice, in care of the funeral home, 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS, 66044. Online condolences may be sent to rumsey-yost.com.

Richard L. “Dick” Davis

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Funeral services for Richard L. “Dick” Davis, 84, Lawrence, will be 10 a.m. Friday, May 31, 2013 at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. Burial with military honors will follow at Clinton Cemetery.

Mr. Davis died Tuesday, May 28, 2013, at his home.

He was born October 10, 1928, in Lawrence, the son of Joseph Robert and Mabel Josephine Mitchell Davis. He attended Pinkney Elementary School, graduated from Liberty Memorial High School (1948) and then graduated from Clark’s School of Business in Topeka.

Mr. Davis served in the U.S. Marine Corp during the Korean War, receiving the Purple Heart. He retired from the State of Kansas Department of Corrections as a comptroller in 1991 after 36 years of service. After retirement he raised Paint horses, Classic Shetland ponies, enjoyed his family, and coffee time with friends.

He married Joyce Herschell on April 8, 1956 in Lawrence. They recently celebrated their 57th anniversary. She survives of the home.

Other survivors include children, Julie and Hal Jensen, Scott and Gayle Davis, Marcia and George Hersh, Ellen and Kent Townsend, Steve and Gisela Davis; grandchildren, Kelly (Randy), Katie (Jerrod), Stacy (Justin), Abby (Matt), Jenny (Matthew), Becky (Jesse), Jessica (Tom), Jamie (Drew), Mark, Leslie (Mack), Steven, Melissa, Luke, Natalie, and Jacob, 11 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings; Al, Ed, Dutch, Jane, Spec, Peg, Leonard, Lila, Vada, and twin brother Bob.

Friends may call from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home, where the family will receive friends from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The family suggests memorials to the charity of donor’s choice or Clinton Presbyterian Church in care of the funeral home, 601 Indiana, Lawrence, KS 66044.

Gaylen Liska

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Funeral services for Gaylen Liska, 74, Lawrence, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery. Gaylen died Wednesday, May 29, 2013, at Brandon Woods at Alvamar.

He was born Apr. 5, 1939, in Pratt, the son of Peter G. and Mary Gunn Liska. He graduated from Pratt High School. Gaylen worked for John Haddock Ford from 1963-79, and later was the assistant director of the Kansas University Garage & body shop, retiring in 1992 after 21 years of service. He was a ‘Mr. Fix-it’, and enjoyed collecting and restoring cars. He also enjoyed traveling, bird watching, and ebaying.

He married Deronda Meacham in 1959. They later divorced. He married Carlotta Culver in 1985 in Lawrence. She survives of the home. Other survivors include three sons, Nathan Liska, Sterling Eubank, and Bill Eubank, all of Lawrence; two daughters, Dawn Stewart, Lawrence, and Michelle Shanks and husband Scott, Gardner; a sister, Evelyn O’Brien, Superior, Wisc; 19 grandchildren, and 8 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by sons Dean Liska, Eric Eubank, and Lyle Lee Liska; daughters Robin Liska and Carleen Eubank; brothers Willard Liska and Larry Liska; and sisters Marvel Combs and Shirley Liska.

Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. The family suggests memorial contributions to the LMH Endowment Association, in care of the funeral home, 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS, 66044.

Kermit ‘Jay’ Laughlin

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Jay Laughlin, 72, was laid to rest Saturday, May 25, 2013, at 11 a.m. at Vinland Cemetery, with the Rev. Shirley Edgerton officiating.

Jan and Jay Laughlin were originally from the Vinland area, but had been living recently in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. They had two daughters.

Jay died Feb. 14, 2013, in Hot Springs Village. He was an avid golfer, and enjoyed spending time with family.

Memorials may be made to Village United Methodist Church, or the American Diabetes Association.

Elizabeth Gorrill Sterling

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My beautiful mama, Elizabeth Gorrill Sterling, 80, joined her past loved ones on May 24, 2013, at her home in Lawrence.

She was born June 22, 1932, in Lawrence, the daughter of Galen A. and Mary O. Warren Gorrill. She graduated from Liberty Memorial High School.

Elizabeth worked as a secretary for Kansas Power and Light for many years. Previously, she had worked for the Baldwin City newspaper, Lawrence Memorial Hospital, and managed the Alley Shop in downtown Lawrence. She enjoyed Scrabble, crossword puzzles, knitting, gardening, Reader’s Digest, and spending time with her family.

Survivors include her companion, Harold Haskett, of the home; a son, Robert G. Sterling, Lawrence; three daughters, Cathy Lewis and husband Brian, Lawrence, Virginia Mofid, Lawrence, and Vicki Pendleton and husband Raymond, Jacksonville, Fla.; 14 grandchildren, 31 great grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, and three on the way.

Memorials may be made to the Lawrence Humane Society, P.O. Box 651, Lawrence, KS, 66044.

Any services for Elizabeth will be announced at a later date.

Robert L. Taylor

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Robert (Bob) L. Taylor, 83, passed peacefully Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at The Windsor of Lawrence. A Celebration of Life service will be 10 am, Saturday, June 1, 2013, at Trinity Lutheran Church. A private burial was previously conducted in the green section of Oak Hill Cemetery.

Bob was born Jan. 30, 1930, in Willis, Kan., the son of C.W. and Bessie Tinsley Taylor. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He earned his Bachelor’s degree at Washburn University, and his Master’s and additional Doctoral coursework at Kansas University.

Mr. Taylor spent his entire career with Lawrence School District 497, initially as principal at Pinckney Elementary, later as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction, and finally as Assistant Superintendent until his retirement in 1995 after 35 years of service. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, along with numerous civic and professional organizations. He enjoyed traveling, reading, and yard work. Bob had a passion all his life for dogs and rarely didn’t have one in the home.

He married Fern Wolff in 1951 in Everest, Kan. They divorced in 1978. He married Romaine Douglas on Aug. 28, 1978, in Valley Falls. She survives of the home. Other survivors include a son, Kent Taylor and wife Cheryl, Lawrence; a daughter, Susan Grier and husband John, Chula Vista, Calif.; a step daughter, Claire Oxtoby and husband David, Claremont, Calif; seven grandchildren, three step grandchildren, and one great grandchild. He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers and one sister.

The family suggests memorials to Friends of the Lawrence Public Library, in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS, 66044.

LeNora T. Emray

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LeNora Emray of Brandon Woods in Lawrence, Kansas, died 14 May 2013. She was born 02 June 1917 in the township of South Fork, Wayne County, Iowa, the daughter of Leroy Holden Carr and Winnie Ayers. She is predeceased by her husband, Frank E. Emray, her sister, Elsie M. Close, and her brother, Richard L. Carr; she is survived by her daughter, granddaughter, and two great grandchildren. No services will be held.

Arthur Warren Polk

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Arthur Warren Polk, 54, of Lawrence, KS, died on May 15, 2013, in Topeka, KS.

In accordance with his last wishes, he will be cremated at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, Lawrence, KS. There will be no services.

Arthur was born on Oct. 8, 1958 in Lawrence, KS to Milton and Eva (Hicks) Polk. After graduation, he joined the United States Army, but, due to health complications, he was discharged shortly afterwards. He worked for the World Company, Lawrence, KS as a driver prior to his death.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Milton and Eva Polk.

He is survived by his sister, Ruth Rocker, Beavercreek, OH; a cousin, Kim Davis, Salina, KS; a cousin, Lee Shoemate, Lawrence, KS; a nephew, Dustyn Polk, Lawrence, KS; and a niece, Traci Hegarty, Colorado Springs, CO.