Category: Obituaries

Alyson Ann Pickens

Posted on by RumseyYost

Alyson Ann Pickens, 71, of Lawrence, passed away on September 2, 2023, after a brief battle with cancer.

Ally was born on September 12, 1951 to John and Mildred Pickens in Lawrence. She graduated with a master’s degree in education from the University of Kansas. She was a jayhawker through and through.

Ally loved all things outdoors, traveling, her family, including her dog Rocky and seeing to the needs of the less fortunate.

Ally was preceded in death by her father John. She is survived by her mother “Mickey”, and her brother Mike.

Graveside services will be held on October 21, 2023 at 11am at Memorial Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Special Olympics, in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, PO Box 1260 Lawrence, KS 66044. This was an organization she held near and dear to her heart.

Dennis Leroy Smith

Posted on by RumseyYost

Dennis Leroy Smith ,75, lost his battle with cancer on Friday, October 6th, 2023.

Dennis was born September 22, 1948 in Lawrence, KS the son of Leland and Eunice Smith.
He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam war and was stationed in Germany. He was a man of many skills including singing, hunting, playing poker, and coaching baseball. His longest job was as a maintenance and grounds worker for USD 497. He was also a welder, construction work, and limo driver, just to name a few.
He married Eloise Montgomery on October 25th, 1969. They later divorced. He never remarried.
Survivors include his daughter, Mischa Bell (Chris), Lawrence; a son Richard McCart (Shari), Garner, North Carolina; a brother Eric Smith (Judy), Lawrence; 5 grandchildren Allison, Aeron, Aspen, Jackson and Alexandria; his nephews and niece, Dustin, Cory, Brett, Patrick and Lori whom he loved like they were his own.
Dennis was a fierce KU Basketball fan, he loved his hot rods, his motorcycle, hunting, fishing and playing cards. Dennis never met a karaoke night he didn’t like, you could find him singing anything- Oldies, Doo Wop and especially anything Motown.
Dennis was a friend to everyone, if you were lucky to call him friend, you knew it was for life. He was a gentle giant, a big teddy bear with a huge heart. He loved his friends and family with everything he had.
A graveside inurnment will take place on Thursday, October 12th at 11:00 AM at Maple Grove Cemetery in North Lawrence. Memorial contributions can be sent to Douglas County VNA- Hospice.

Debra Ann Smith-Baker

Posted on by RumseyYost

Debra Ann Baker, 61, of Baldwin City, Kansas, passed away on October 5, 2023. She was born on March 20, 1962, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Sandra and John Caswell. Debra was a kind and loving mother and wife who enjoyed dancing and listening to soul music. She had a playful spirit and always went out of her way to do things for the people she cared about. Debra also loved card games and having a good time.

Debra is survived by her husband Richard Baker. Her children, Christopher Smith, Merry Cabrera and her husband Roberto, Josh Smith and his wife Kendra, Dustin Baker, Ricky Baker, and Melissa Baker. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren. Debra was preceded in death by her mother, Sandra Caswell, and her father, John Caswell.

Debra attended Lees Summit High School.

Please join us in celebrating Debra’s life at her Memorial Services at 6:30 pm, Monday, October 16, 2023, at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home.

Barbara Hays Martin Duke

Posted on by RumseyYost

Barbara Hays Martin Duke died on October 3, 2023 in Lawrence, KS.

She was born February 7, 1930 in San Diego, CA to Russell Randolph Hays and Adele Eugenia Weidner. She grew up on the family farm near Baldwin, KS and in Lawrence, KS.

She graduated from KU in 1951 with a B.A. in economics and received a M.S in library science in 1971 from the University of North Texas, Denton. She was coordinator of the community relations program in the Ft. Worth Public Library, headed interlibrary loan services at the Texas State Library in Austin, and retired as head of the UCLA Education and Psychology Library in 1992. She lived in South Dakota, Texas, and California before returning to Kansas in 1993.

She was active in the National Organization for Women (NOW) in Texas and served on the NOW Board in the 1970’s. She was a legislative coordinator for the NOW Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) countdown campaign in Florida in 1982. She lobbied for the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault, and, in Kansas, for women’s reproductive rights as president of the Kansas Choice Alliance and as a member and officer in the Kansas American Association of University Women. She worked with Planned Parenthood of Kansas and mid-Missouri on fund raising projects in Lawrence. She also served for three years as president of the board of the Peggy Bowman Second Chance Fund. She read for Audio-Reader, was a docent at the KU Spencer Museum of Art, a member of the KU University Women’s Club, and Kappa Kappa Gamma, as well as the Sunday, Sunday Book Club and Kappa Book Club.

She married Maurice Clark Martin in 1951. She married Osborn Duke in 1973. They both preceded her in death. She and Maury’s 2nd wife, Patricia Martin, became good friends and Pat survives her.

She is survived by her children: Maureen Martin Winkler (Marty), Daniel Hays Martin, and her step-daughter, Olivia Duke. In addition, she is survived by her daughter-in-law, Sheila Wilkins (Kim), four grandchildren: Jessica Hays Martin (Jessie), Joel Hunter Martin (Demi), William Russell Martin and Adam Russell Martin. She leaves two great-grandchildren, Ezra Martin and Romi Martin.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the Kansas Abortion Fund at www.kansasabortionfund.org or the Southern Poverty Law Center at https://support.splcenter.org. Special thanks go to her caregivers at Star Living Assisted Living and to Interim Healthcare Hospice.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Arterra Event Gallery from 5-8 pm on Saturday, November 18. Burial will be at the Oakwood Cemetery in Baldwin.

Barbara F. Archinal

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Barbara Ford Archinal, 83, passed away September 28, 2023, at her home.

She was born Dec. 2, 1939 in Worth County, GA., the daughter of Fred G. and Agnes M. Powell Ford. She graduated from Sylvester High School, Sylvester, GA. in 1957.

After living in several different states as a military wife, she settled in to work at AGE Federal Credit Union in Albany, GA, where she worked for 10 years from 1971-1981, before moving to Lawrence, KS with her family. She was employed there with the City of Lawrence in the Finance Division, where she worked from 1981-2005 before retiring after 24 yrs.. She was a member of Cornerstone Community Church.

She is survived by a daughter, Donna K. Smith (Sean P.) Linwood, KS., and a son, Alan C. Archinal (Carol E.) Perry, KS. Two grandchildren – Kayli E. Tucker, Topeka, KS. and Tyler C. Archinal, Lecompton, KS.   Great-grandchildren – Kycin and Breckin , Step-grandaughters – Nicole R. Garber (Micah), Rachel E. Ussery, and Madison D. Smith, Step-Great-grandchildren – Aleah, Ashton,  Cole,  Xander, Colton, and Raelynn – A brother, Billy G. Ford, Azle, TX. and a sister, Anita Ford Mallory (Shirl C.) Cedartown, GA., and several nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by not only her parents, but her husband, Donald E. Archinal, and sisters, Bettianne Ford Amick and Joyce Ford Bliss.

Memorial services for Mrs. Archinal will take place at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS. 66046 on Sat., Oct. 28th at 3:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions made to Visiting Nurses Assoc. of Douglas Co. or  St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, sent in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1260 , Lawrence, KS. 66044

Larry Lee Helm

Posted on by RumseyYost

Larry Lee Helm, 68, of Wellsville Kansas passed away unexpectedly in his home on September 29th, 2023.

Larry was born on August 18th, 1955, to Odis “Lee” Helm & Lois Helm in Wichita Falls, Texas. Larry graduated from Lawrence High School in 1974 and he spent most of his career at Lawrence Paper Company until a work injury forced him to retire.

Larry spent his childhood years camping and enjoyed collecting Antique Barbwire with his father. Over the years, Larry often frequented barb wire shows and had a passion for woodworking, gardening, and fishing. He spent much of his time tinkering around his shop and was a collector of many things by thrift shopping at Goodwill. Larry enjoyed weekly lunches with his parents and there wasn’t a conversation to be had where he wasn’t sharing stories or bragging about his daughter.

Larry is survived by his parents, Lee & Lois Helm, Lawrence, Kansas, his daughter Amanda Davis (Kyle Davis), Lawrence, Kansas. His sister Lori Petrie (Matt Schmidt) Baldwin City, Kansas, a niece Kari Brungardt (Ken Brungardt), Lawrence, Kansas, grandsons Cohen & Nash Davis, Lawrence, Kansas, and many extended family members.

A Private Celebration of Life will be held in the Spring for family and friends.