James Albert Hegge, age 82, a resident of Fort Scott, Kansas, died Sunday, November 25, 2018, at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas, after a brief illness.

He was born February 29, 1936, in Butte Montana, the son of Albert Hegge and Inez Irene (Stufflebeam) Hegge.

Shortly after his father’s death, he and his mother moved to Fort Scott to be near family. He attended the Fort Scott school district.

Jim married Anita Marie Murphy on December 4, 1956, in Miami, Oklahoma.

He was a Tree Trimmer for KG&E for over 40 years.

Jim was an avid baseball player for several local leagues and was recruited to Marion, West Virginia, to play for the Class D Appalachian League in 1955. An injury prevented him from fulfilling his dream of being a professional pitcher for the Kansas City Athletics. He went on to coach for many years in the local baseball leagues with numerous players benefiting from his expertise.

Jim was also a member of the Lucky Strikes Bowling League.

In his younger years he enjoyed hunting.

One of his great joys was fishing at Table Rock Lake in Missouri while staying at Bridgeport Resort and Lake Fork in Texas as well as Lake Fort Scott.

Jim maintained a bountiful garden for years that he shared with the whole community. Many say he had the best tomatoes they had ever eaten.

He is survived by his wife, Anita Hegge of the home; daughter, Catrina (Hegge) Farmer of Fort Scott; son James A. Hegge Jr, of Garland, Kansas; daughter Rose Marie (Hegge) Wheeler and husband Ken of Fort Scott; and daughter Julie K. (Hegge) Beckley and husband John of Sedan, Kansas; ten grandchildren, Melissa Farmer, Johnathon Beckley, Ryan Wheeler, Levi Hegge Stewart, Dustin Wheeler, Michael Farmer, Jordan Beckley, Jaimie (Hegge) Anderson, Jefery Beckley, and Zachary Wheeler; and twenty great-grandchildren.

He was proceeded in death by his father, due to a car accident, when he was a newborn; his mother; and an infant grandchild, Jacqualine Kristean Beckley.

There was cremation with services being held at 2:00 PM Saturday December 1, 2018, at the First Church of God in Fort Scott.

Memorials are suggested to the James Hegge Memorial Fund and may be left in care of Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S Main, P.O. Box 347, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Pete Contla, age 79, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, formerly of Harbor City, CA, passed away Monday, November 26, 2018.

He was born October 24, 1939, in Los Angeles, CA, the son of Ygnacio A. Contla and Serafina Trujillo Contla.

He was a hard-working young man who followed in his father’s footsteps by working closely with him in the landscaping and masonry business. Even after his father’s passing, Pete continued this line of work in addition to cutting Palos Verdes flagstone by hand, which is a rare profession normally done by saw.

Pete was married three times. Out of those three unions came three children. With his first wife Vicki, Pete had daughter Cathie Lea Contla (Brower), with his second wife Ann, he had son Antonio Gilberto Contla, with his third wife Ingrid, a daughter, Melissa Anne Goff.

Pete loved playing cards, pool and darts. He was an avid Denver Broncos fan, loved to play golf, go fishing, and watch horseraces. His favorite thing above all was spending time with his granddaughters! Whether it included watching Monday Night RAW, fishing, teaching them to cook or going to the park, he was at his happiest being with them.

Survivors include his daughter, Melissa Goff, Ft. Scott; son-in-law, Frankie Schubert, Ft. Scott; daughter, Cathie Brower and husband Keith, Yreka, CA; son Antonio (Tony) Contla and wife Gina, Burnsville, NC; grandchildren, Hannah Grace-Marie Schubert and Tobyn Marianne Schubert, Ft. Scott, and Robin Nicole Contla, Las Vegas, NV; sisters Amelia De La Cruz and husband Gerardo (Lalo), Paramount, CA, and Serah Gurule, Long Beach, CA. Also surviving are numerous nieces, nephews, and his last wife Ingrid, who even through divorce, continued to care for him until his death.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Ezekiel (Zeke) Contla, Robert (Bob) Contla, and Ignacio (Ruben) Contla; a sister, Gertrude (Trudie) Contla; nephew, Ruben Contla; a niece Delores (Penny) Bostick; a nephew, Genaro Acosta; and a special friend that was a 3^rd daughter, Amanda Leigh Thron.

There was cremation. Memorial services will be announced at a future date. Arrangements are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com

Bobby G. Clayton, age 90, a resident of rural Mapleton, Kansas, passed away Saturday, November 24, 2018, at his home.

  He was born November 8, 1928, in Mapleton, the son of George E. Clayton and Minnie F. Cook Clayton.  He graduated from the Fulton High School.

  Bob served with the United States Army from March of 1951 to December of 1952 where he was stationed in Korea.

Following his military service, he married Betty Le Long on June 18, 1953, at Manty, Kansas.

Bob had worked for many years as a long-distance truck driver for Key Industries.

He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

He enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren’s sporting events as well as gardening and playing fantasy football.

He was a member of the Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene.

Survivors include his wife, Betty, of the home; his six children Terry (John) Erie, of Ft. Scott, Bobby Dean (Crystal) Clayton, of Mapleton, Tracy Clayton, of Ft. Scott, Danny (Janet) Clayton, of Redfield, Kansas, Kelly (Rodney) Fleming, of Ft. Scott and Tami Clayton, of Mapleton; twenty-four grandchildren and thirty-eight great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two grandsons, Eric and Drew Clayton, his brother and sister-in-law, John and Betty Clayton and sisters and brothers-in-law, Mildred and Johnny Farris, Marie and Kenneth Hueston, and Wilma and Clifford Underwood and sister-in-law, Jean Mayhew.

Rev. Virgil Peck will conduct funeral services at 11:30 P.M. Friday, November 30^th at the Ft. Scott Church of the Nazarene.

  Burial with military honors will be in the U. S. National Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 P.M. Thursday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to the First Church of the Nazarene Building Fund or the Wounded Warrior Project and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.