Category: Obituaries

David C. Head

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A celebration of life gathering for David C. Head, 50, Lawrence, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the South Park Gazebo.

Mr. Head died Monday, Jan. 9, 2012, at his home.

He was born Jan. 28, 1961, in Junction City, the son of Roy and Shari Johnson Head. He is survived by his parents, and cousins Chip Mathes, South Korea, and Mary Liz Bachard, Junction City, and other relatives and friends.

Memorials may be made to Shari Head, 1416 Conn., Lawrence, 66044, for establishment of a fund to help others in need.

Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

Mark E. Kelley

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Services for Mark Eugene Kelley, 55, Lawrence, will be 11 a.m. Saturday, January 14, 2012, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Mr. Kelley died Tuesday, January 10, 2012, at Lakeview Village in Lenexa, KS.

A visitation will be held at 10 a.m. until service time at the church.

Memorials may be sent to the Lawrence Humane Society.

Charles E. Cullumber

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Charles E. Cullumber was born on May 19th, 1928, son of Mary Brown and Clinton Cullumber. The loving husband to Geraldine Hannigan Cullumber for 60 years. The father to Charles Clinton and Gerald Cullumber; Grandfather to Alex Cullumber. Charles served in the Korean War and was later employed at Santa Fe Railroad as an electrician. He retired at the age of 62. He and his wife were residents of Linwood, KS for 40 years before moving to Baldwin City in 1999. He was a member of American Legion Post 228, Baldwin City. He was a friend to many and will be greatly missed.

The family will host a memorial service for Charles on Saturday, January 14th, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm at the American Legion, 803 High, Baldwin City, KS 66006.

Mary Jo Elston

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Funeral services for Mary Jo Elston, 77, Lawrence, will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, with Terry Jacobsen officiating. Interment will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery.

Mrs. Elston died Sunday, January 8, 2012, at her home.

She was born Feb. 27, 1934, in Reading, Kan., the daughter of Lewis Myron and Mabel Nona Workman Brittain. She attended Liberty Memorial High School.

Mrs. Elston was a clerk at Howard Pine’s Garden Center and Green Houses in North Lawrence for 17 years. She had previously worked at Muncher’s Bakery and as a daycare provider, providing care for many of her own grandchildren, great-grandchildren and children of many friends. She was a member, office holder, and Hall of Fame member of the Lawrence Women’s Bowling Association. She participated in, and coached women’s co-ed slow pitch softball and volleyball, and many called her “Grandma.” She was an avid Lawrence High School football supporter. She enjoyed Kansas University Athletics, and worked in concessions at many events. She also enjoyed supporting and watching all the athletic events her grandchildren were involved in.

She married Duane A. Elston on Jan. 17, 1950, in Lawrence. He survives of the home.

Other survivors include two sons, Larry Elston and Scott Elston, both of Lawrence; two daughters, Jo Lee Erskin, Eudora, and Michelle Elston, Tonganoxie, a bother, Joseph Brittain and wife Josephine, Medford, Ore.; a sister, Imogene Kilgore and husband William, Lawrence; ten grandchildren, Stefan, Shaun, Nathan, and Christopher Elston, Tiffany Medina, Jeremy, Misty, and Justin Nichols, and Jasen and Kayla Hadl; one step grandson, Dustin Hadl; 17 great-grandchildren, Courtney, Kyler, Cameron, Jackson, Maya, Ethan, Aiden, Seth, Brooklynne, Cody, Caden, Devon, Shauna, Gracelynne, Chasity, Jaden, and Zarius; and three step great-grandchildren, Mason, Riley, and Bella, and adopted granddaughter, Shelly Armstrong.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and a son, Rick Elston.

Friends may call from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, where the family will receive them from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The family suggests memorial contributions to Visiting Nurses, or Douglas County Youth Sports, in care of the funeral home, 601 Ind., Lawrence, KS, 66044.

Lubomyra O. Palij

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Lubomyra (Luba) Olha Palij (1922-2012)

Mrs. Palij died peacefully on Friday January 6, 2012 at the Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Lawrence, Kansas.
Memorial services for Mrs. Lubomyra (Luba) Olha Palij will be held on Sunday January 22, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. at the St. Lawrence Catholic Center in Lawrence, Kansas, with Monsignor Vince Krische officiating.
Graveside services for Lubomyra Palij will be held on Monday January 16, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery in South Bound Brook, New Jersey, with Fr. Jeremiah Rybakov officiating.
Lubomyra was born March 14, 1922 in Chortkiv, Ukraine, the daughter of Dr. Ivan and Maria Yashan Welyhorskyj. She was the middle child of three siblings. She had an older brother Myroslaw and a younger brother Ihor. In 1940, she finished high school in Yavoriv, Ukraine. In 1943, she graduated from the Pharmaceutical College in Lviv, Ukraine with a degree in pharmacy. After the Second World War, in 1948, the Welyhorskyj family immigrated to Espanola, Ontario, Canada. A few months later, they moved to Toronto where they settled permanently. Lubomyra obtained her license to practice pharmacy, and worked in St. Joseph’s Hospital until 1963.
In 1963, she married Chicago publisher and businessman Mykola Denysiuk. She moved to Chicago and became co-owner and manager of the Mykola Denysiuk Publishing Company. Mykola and Lubomyra published hundreds of books on Ukrainian culture; a monthly cultural magazine called “Ovid”; and the complete works of iconic Ukrainian writers like Taras Shevchenko and Ivan Franko. She was also active in the Chicago Branch of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (UNWLA). Mykola Denysiuk died suddenly in 1976. Widowed after 14 years of marriage, Lubomyra returned to Toronto to be with her family.
In 1979, she married Dr. Michael Palij, a librarian and historian in the Slavic Department of the Library of the University of Kansas in Lawrence. She moved to Lawrence, Kansas, where for 30 years Michael and Lubomyra dedicated all their time and energy to enlighten American academics about the history and culture of Ukraine. They also became benefactors of several religious and cultural organizations in Ukraine, and donated over 4000 books to Ukrainian libraries. Michael Palij passed away in Lawrence, Kansas in 2010. Lubomyra lived in Lawrence until her death on January 6, 2012.
Lubomyra is survived by her stepson Peter Palij, his wife Linda Leibengood, and their children Maria and Mark Palij, of Ardsley, New York.
Lubomyra was predeceased by her two brothers: Ihor Nicholas Welyhorsky (1927- 1997) of Toronto and Myroslaw Ivan Welyhorskyj (1920-2007) of Espanola.
She will be sadly missed by: sister-in-law Velta Druvis Welyhorskyj of Espanola and the Shepitka family; cousin Alexandra Yashan Kowalsky of Toronto with the Onyschuk, Moskaliuk, Kowalsky, Morozov and Elijiw families; niece Christina Welyhorsky Senkiw of Toronto with her husband George and the Senkiw family; niece Maria Welyhorskyj of Port Dover, Ontario, with her husband Malcolm and her son Alastair Crombie; cousins William and Anne Melnychuk of Oshawa, Ontario; cousins Yaroslaw and Vera Kryshtalsky of New York City; and extended family in Canada, the United States and Ukraine.
The family welcomes memorial contributions to the Palij Family Fund c/o University of Kansas Endowment, PO Box 928, Lawrence KS 66044.
Online condolences may be sent to the funeral home in Kansas at www.rumsey-yost.com

Lonnie O. Johnson

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Graveside services for Lonnie O. Johnson, 81, Lawrence, will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 9, 2012, at Oak Hill Cemetery, Lawrence.
Mr. Johnson died Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
He was born Feb. 24, 1930, in Lincoln, Mo.
He married E. Pauline Short on Dec. 21, 1947, in Sedalia, Mo. In 1958, Mr. Johnson and his family moved to Lawrence, where he worked for Kansas Public Service. He retired after 20 years of service.
His wife preceded him in death in May 1998.
Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, Ronn and Donna Johnson, Lawrence; and a brother and sister-in-law, Charlie and MaryLou Johnson, Ashton, Iowa.
The family suggests memorial contributions to the American Heart Association or the American Cancer Society, sent in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home.
The family will receive friends from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, at the funeral home.

Walter R. Gibson

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Graveside services for Walter R. Gibson, 85, Lawrence, will be 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 10, 2012, at Memorial Park Cemetery, Lawrence. Bishop John Haslem will officiate.

Mr. Gibson died Thursday, January 05, 2012, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

He was born September 15, 1926, in Lawrence, the son of Walter Oliver and Lucinda May Risley Gibson. He was in the United States Army during WWII; he worked for Lawrence Technology in the maintenance department and ran the laundry mat at 19th and Haskell. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints in Lawrence. He enjoyed wood crafting, working on anything with an engine, and working with his hands.

Survivors include two sons, Gene Gibson and wife Sally, Lawrence, and Cecil Oliver Gibson, John Day, Oregon; two daughters, Freda Priest and husband Jeff, Whiting, Kansas, and Patricia Marie Gibson, Lawrence; a sister, Alta May Cruses, and husband Richard, Ottawa; four grandchildren, Matt Britton, John Gorski, Tammy Evans, and Becky Sinclair; two great-grandchildren, August Sinclair and Alexandria Sinclair.

Friends may call from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, where the family will receive them from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday.

The family suggests memorials to the Lawrence Humane Society, sent in care of the funeral home.

Maria “Lolita” Dolores Valdez Wells

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Graveside services for Maria “Lolita” Dolores Valdez Wells, 88, Lawrence, will be 1:00 p.m. Monday at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Lawrence

Maria died Wednesday January 4, 2012 at Midland Hospice Care, Topeka.

She was born December 27, 1923 in Nueva Rosita, Coahuila, Mexico, the daughter of Juan and Matilde Isuegas Valdez. She married Robert “Verle” Wells on May 30, 1948 in Mexico.

While in Mexico, Maria taught dance and sang on the radio and on stage. After her marriage, she and Verle ultimately settled in Lawrence, Kansas and raised their three daughters. She was a dedicated wife and mother and she shared her artistic talents with her daughters. She was an accomplished artist, crafter and seamstress.

Maria is survived by her daughters: Jenny Sellman of LaHarpe; Marissa Harris of New Braunfels, Texas; and Nuria Lucas of Valley Falls; five grandchildren; Buffy and Robin Sellman, Justin and Samantha Harris, and Kelly Snap.

She was preceded in death by her husband Verle in 1974, and her five brothers: Juan, Adalio, Enrique, Ernesto, and Reynol.

Friends may call from noon to 8:00 Sunday at the Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home where the family will receive them from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

The family suggests memorials to Visiting Nurses or Midland Hospice Care in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral, 601 Indiana Street, Lawrence, Kansas 66044.