Private family services for Audrey Jean Banks, 94, Lawrence, will take place at a later date in Arizona.
She died January 31, 2023, at LMH Health.
Category: Obituaries
Mildred May Goans
Mildred was born May 8, 1924, in rural Lowry City, Missouri, daughter of Arthur and Jessie (Walters) Bray. She died January 25, 2023, at her home in Lawrence, Kansas. Mildred loved her family: late husband Robert T. Goans; sons Michael Ray and Arthur Bradley Goans; grandchildren Elaine, Allen, Lisa, Julie, Michael, Brandon, and Jessie and their children; and 14 siblings, all deceased. Granddaughter Lisa Goans was her loving caregiver at the end of her life.
The family will gather in her memory in the spring at her home. A donation to Douglas County Visiting Nurses Hospice and condolences may be sent to Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana Street, Box 1260, Lawrence, Kansas 66044 or rumsey-yost.com
Sonja Jean Ross
Sonja Jean Ross, 80, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri passed away peacefully at her home on January 23, 2023.
Sonja was born on October 4, 1942 in Lawrence, Kansas to Fredrick H. and V. Bernice (Cole) Wilson. She graduated from Wyandotte High School in 1960.
Sonja first met her husband Patrick in junior high and then again in junior college. They were married on August 1, 1965. She worked most of her life in banking and secretarial work. She was an accomplished musician, playing cello, accordion, piano, and organ. She played for church services for many years. In her spare time, she enjoyed collecting, antiquing, floral arranging, and reading.
Sonja was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband Patrick, two daughters, Julie (Richard) Rosenberg and Jenny (Joe) Terry, two grandsons, Matthew (Molly) Brackeen and Jordan Eimer, two great-grandchildren, Matthew and Macie Brackeen, sister Marilyn Keener, and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held on Friday, January 27, 2023 from 1:00pm-2:00pm at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, Lawrence, Kansas. Funeral services will follow at 2:00pm. Graveside services following at Clinton Cemetery, Clinton, Kansas.
Glenda Joan Wood
Glenda Joan Wood, 81, passed away Monday, January 23 at the Baldwin Healthcare & Rehab Center in Baldwin City, Kansas.
Glenda was born April 16, 1941, in Cassville Missouri, the daughter of Glenn and Georgia Easley.
Due to her father’s job, the family moved often. She spent her high school years in Elkhart & Neodesha, Kansas and then graduated from Joplin Business College, with a business degree.
Living most of her adult life in Ingalls, Kingsdown and Ft. Dodge, Kansas, Glenda moved to Lawrence, Kansas in 2014.
Glenda was a gifted seamstress, making several wedding & bridesmaid gowns and prom dresses for friends and family. She also enjoyed crocheting and knitting, making blankets or afghans for every child, grandchild, and great-grandchild.
She married Claud “Woodie” Wood on August 17, 1985, in Dodge City, Kansas. Woodie preceded Glenda in death on March 27, 2014. Glenda was also preceded in death by her parents and a great-grandson, Roston Hanson.
Glenda is survived by her brother Gregory Easley, daughter Tina Bruner, Lawrence, Kansas, stepdaughter Kathy Richardson of Pratt, Kansas, daughter Cathy Eddy (Todd) of Wright, Kansas and son Sean Wendel (Beverly) of Ingalls, Kansas. She is also survived by 15 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Glenda will be at 10am on Saturday, April 1, at the Kingsdown Presbyterian Church, Kingsdown, Kansas.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the Arthritis Foundation or the American Diabetes Association, sent in care of Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, PO Box 1260, Lawrence, KS 66044.
Laraine Christensen
Laraine passed away in Lawrence KS from pancreatic cancer and is survived by Ken Felmlee (son), Scot (son) & Donalu Felmlee, Jeff (son) & Jeanie Felmlee, Jim (son) & Leanna Felmlee, 9 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild. She is also survived by siblings Martin Christensen (brother) and Lynn Zimmer-Lambert (sister).
Laraine was born in Garfield Utah to Earl Varley Christensen & Cora Evelyn Martin. She was raised in Center, CO where she met and married Kenneth Ray Felmlee. They had 5 children and must have enjoyed moving because they raised them in New Mexico, Arizona, Missouri and Colorado. Their daughter Vicki preceded them in death at the age of 13 in 1980.
She is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and enjoyed attending the temple whenever possible.
Laraine held many jobs throughout her life including checker at City Market, a city clerk and a prison guard, but she enjoyed and was most proud of being a baker, having been taught by 2 french chefs in Colorado. She enjoyed making wedding cakes for many years. She had a talent for being creative, making crafts to give to friends/neighbors, crocheting, making quilts and shopping.
Her wishes were to be cremated and buried with her daughter in Colorado. Graveside services for family will be held in the spring.
Ellen Vincent Martinez
Ellen Vincent Martinez passed away on January 16th, surrounded by her loving family. She had suffered from a long illness.
Ellen was born on November 14th, 1950 in Topeka Kansas to Jack Hathaway Vincent and Ethna Green Vincent. She was a 1968 graduate of Topeka West and attended Texans Women’s University. It was as a student there that she met her devoted husband of 52 years, Ruperto Noe Martinez, on a blind date for a Texas A&M football game. Thus, beginning her lifelong love affair with both Rupe, and the Texas Aggies.
She was a committed military wife who served her country through her support of Rupe’s 23-year career in the Army, starting and raising a family in over 10 duty stations, spread over 2 continents.
In addition to her full-time occupation as an Army wife and mother, she held a variety of jobs throughout her life. Some she loved, some she tolerated, with the standout being her career as a Committee Secretary to both the House and Senate of the Kansas State Legislature. She loved her life at the Capitol, which suited her “never met a stranger” personality. She made many friends there, which she treasured to her last day.
Above all else, Ellen’s pride and joy was her family. In addition to Rupe, she is survived by her children, Captain Miguel Ruperto Martinez (USN) and Adaline Posey Saenz, their spouses Erin Dunlap Martinez and Lawrence Wayne Saenz, her sister-in-law Tamara Armstrong Vincent, and the real stars of Ellen’s show, her grandchildren: Ella Grace Martinez, Sofia Rose Martinez, Starks Harrison Saenz, and Evelyn Maris Saenz. She is preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Starks Key Vincent.
Ellen was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend to many. She will be remembered for her spontaneity, her love of a good adventure, her ability to talk anyone into one of her “projects,” the way she loved her friends and family, and her chocolate turtles, whose recipe she forbid us from sharing until her death.
Cremation is planned with services at a date to be announced later. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Fisher House at https://fisherhouse.org/
Ellen’s Texas Turtles
1 C sugar
1/2 C melted margarine
1 C white Karo syrup
1 C brown sugar
2 C heavy whipping cream
1 t. Vanilla
2-4C pecans (added in increments and judging caramel coverage)
2-12oz. packages of dark chocolate chips or candy making discs
Bring to a boil sugar, Karo, brown sugar, 1 C whipping cream, and margarine. After boil, add second cup of whipping cream SLOWLY so mix never stops boiling.
Continue cooking over medium flame until firm ball forms or 245 degrees F. (Approximately 55 minutes), monitoring constantly.
Remove from heat and add vanilla and pecans. Scoop individual portions on well-greased cookie sheet, or greased aluminum foil, with each portion including 2-4 pecans (depending on size of pecan). Each turtle should be the size of a small cookie. Let cool completely.
Chocolate dip: Melt chocolate in double broiler or candy melting pot. Dip each piece of candy in chocolate, drain briefly, and put on sheet to cool completely.
Ellen always wrapped her turtles in individual baggies, sealed with a small piece of curling ribbon. We suggest you do the same.
Charlotte J. Stroker
Charlotte grew up in Topeka Kansas, the only child of Alva L. and Marian J. Kentzler. As a child she enjoyed roller skating, her petite size made her a favorite partner of the boys in couples skating.
Charlotte attended the University of Kansas where she met Walter Stroker who proceeded her in death. They were married on August 30, 1958. Charlotte worked for Hallmark Cards in Lawrence for 35 years.
She is survived by her 4 children, son Allen Stroker his wife Evelyn of Atlanta Ga. and their son Christopher. Daughters Shelley Ezell her husband Neal of Lawrence, Ks and their children Darci and Thomas. Daughter Tonia Anderson her husband Morgan of Lawrence, Ks and their children Kendra,
Branden and wife Casey, Casper and husband Oliver and Tristen. Daughter Collette Manzanares her husband Carlos of Topeka and their children Niko, Cody and Courtney.
Private family services will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, 200 Maine St., Lawrence, KS 66044, or Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence, 2910 Haskell Ave., Lawrence, KS 66046.
Don Kent Gammon
Arrangement will take place at a later date in Indiana for Don Kent Gammon, 70, Eudora, who passed away Thursday, January 12, 2023, at Baldwin Healthcare & Rebab, Baldwin City.
Harold F. Rosson
Harold Rosson, 93, passed away January 12, 2023 at Bridge Haven Opa’s House. He was born in San Antonio, Texas but spent his early life in Marfa, Texas. He attended the Marfa public schools and the New Mexico Military Institute for his last two years of high school, graduating in 1945. He received two college degrees in chemical engineering, his B.S. in 1949 and his Ph.D. in 1958, from Rice University, Houston, Texas. Harold married Melissa “Missy” Potts on March 15, 1951, a marriage which lasted until her death, over 66 years later. He served four years in the United States Air Force during part of the Korean War, the latter portion as a nuclear weapons officer responsible for maintenance of nuclear components of atomic weapons.
Harold joined the University of Kansas faculty in 1957 in the Department of Chemical Engineering, (later the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering) and served 25 years, retiring in 1992. He served two terms as department chairman and several years as an associate dean in the School of Engineering. For one year he was on sabbatical leave from KU to work for the Upjohn Company in the area of pharmaceutical chemicals development and manufacture. In 1999 Harold and Missy moved to the Brandon Woods retirement community where he took up wood sculpture and cycling, activities which he much enjoyed, although interrupted for several years to devote to care for Missy. He began his sculpture work under the tutelage of an accomplished local Michigan sculptor, Leslie Scruggs, and also developed a close friendship with a famous artist and designer, Leslie Laskey, Professor Emeritus, Washington University, St. Louis, who summered in Michigan where they met, and who greatly influenced his work.
Harold was preceded in death by his daughter Diana Laird and by his wife. He is survived by two sons, Richard of Pacifica, CA, and Brian of Houston, TX, and a granddaughter, Larissa Laird of Lawrence. His ashes will join those of his wife and daughter in the waters of Portage Lake, Michigan, on the shore of which was their summer cottage for over fifty years, their Camelot. Harold did not expect to join either Diana or Missy in an afterlife, but the good part is that he no longer must live without them.
Wayne Allen Walker
Services for Wayne Allen Walker, 59, Lawrence, will be held at 1:00 pm Tuesday at River City Church with the Rev. William A. Dulin officiating. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Mr. Walker died Wednesday, January 11, 2023.
He was born July 28, 1963, in Lawrence, the youngest son of Glen Howard Walker and June Wilma Wilhoite-Walker.
He graduated from Lawrence High School in 1982. He worked for Harris Construction and went on to work for other construction companies. He was a member of the Local Laborers Union #1290. Mr. Walker was a member of River City Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Delores E. Walker, and his brothers, Michael Lewis and Perry Walker.
Survivors include his wife, Lynn, Lawrence; his son, Scott, Lawrence; two brothers, Glen H. Walker, Jr. (Kristen), Lawrence and John W. Walker (Karen), Indiana; and two sisters, Wilma J. Walker, Lawrence, and Alice Walker-Flemming (Cedric), Texas, mother-in-law, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, uncles and aunts, nephews and nieces, and a host of cousins.
Mr. Walker loved the KU Jayhawks, Kansas City Chiefs, and was lovingly-called the “mayor of the block”. He was also a member of the McDonald’s tea social club at 6th and Michigan.
Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, where the family will meet with friends.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Diabetes Education Center at LMH Health or the American Diabetes Association, in care of the funeral home, 601 Indiana St., Lawrence, KS, 66044.
