Tommy Lee Lawrence, age 58, resident of Ft. Scott, died Friday, December 21, 2018, at the Mercy Hospital Emergency Room. Services for Tommy Lawrence will be announced by the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main.
Death Notice of Tommy Lee Lawrence
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Obituary of Paul Russell
Paul Vernon Russell, age 87, a life-long resident of Redfield, Kansas, passed away Thursday, December 20, 2018, at the Medicalodge in Fort Scott.
He was born July 1, 1931, on the family farm in Redfield, the son of John Russell and Muriel Boileau Russell.
Paul graduated from the Uniontown High School. He served with the United States Army from 1953 to 1955 where he was stationed in Germany.
Following his military service, he graduated from Pittsburg State University.
Paul married Clarice Needham on June 9, 1957, in Mapleton, Kansas.
Paul taught business classes at both Elsmore and Moran High Schools. He retired from teaching in 1991.
In addition to teaching, Paul also maintained the family farm and raised beef cattle.
He was a member of the Mount Orum Baptist Church and had served as Sunday School Superintendent for thirty years.
He had also served on the Marmaton Township Board.
Survivors include his wife, Clarice, of the home; a son, Curtis Russell and wife, Susan, of Sugar City, Colorado and a daughter, Marsha Tucker and husband, Ken, of Terra Haute, Indiana. Also surviving are three grandsons, Jason Russell, Chad Russell and Russell Tucker and three great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Bernard and Dale Russell.
Rev. Waylon Ingle will conduct funeral services at 10:30 A.M. Thursday, December 27th at the Mt. Orum Baptist Church.
Burial will follow in the Mount Orum Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 P.M. Wednesday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Memorials are suggested to the Mt. Orum Baptist Church 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.
Death Notice Of Elvis Reeder
Elvis M. Reeder, age 87, resident of Bronson, KS, died Friday morning, December 21, 2018, at Freeman Hospital West in Joplin, MO. Services for Elvis Reeder will be announced by the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Dec. 21
The Fort Scott Police Department Daily Reports Dec. 18-20
Click below for the daily reports.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Dec. 20
Obituary of Donna Lynn Bruner
Donna Lynn Bruner, age 73, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Wednesday, December 19, 2018, at the Mercy Hospital emergency room.
She was born on September 22, 1945, in Nevada, MO, the daughter of Ava “Brownie” Brown and Ethel Goins Brown.
She attended Ft. Scott schools until December of her senior year when her family moved to Spring Hill, KS. She always considered herself a member of the FSHS Class of 1963.
She married Evert Eugene “Gene” Bruner on December 20, 1963, in Ft. Scott. He preceded her in death on June 19, 2015.
Donna worked for Western Insurance Company in Ft. Scott for ten years, beginning in 1963. After her boys started kindergarten, she began working for Fort Scott Middle School from 1978 until her retirement in 2015.
Donna enjoyed cross stitch, reading, tending her flowers and watching birds at her numerous birdfeeders. She enjoyed working with the Fort Scott kids at school. Her great love was spending time with her family and watching all the grandkids’ activities.
Survivors include her daughter, Genea Bruner, Ft. Scott; two sons, David Bruner and wife Michelle, Ft. Scott, and Darren Bruner and wife Tracie, Lee’s Summit, MO; a brother, Terry Brown and wife Kristy, Spring Hill, KS; a sister-in-law, Katherine Ann Pritchett, Pratt, KS; grandchildren Kylie and Dylan, Ft. Scott, and Ben, Lee’s Summit; and several nieces and nephews.
Besides her husband Gene, she was preceded in death by her parents; and in-laws, Homer and Dortha Bruner.
Rev. Dusty Drake will conduct funeral services at 12:00 P.M. Wednesday, December 26th, at the Community Christian Church.
Burial will follow in the U. S. National Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 11:00 until 12:00 Wednesday, prior to the service, at the church.
Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, P.O. Box 347, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
KDOT requesting comments on Transportation Improvement Program Amendment
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) requests comments on an amendment to the FFY 2019-2022 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) document.
The STIP is a project specific publication that lists all KDOT administered projects, regardless of funding source, and includes projects for counties and cities as well as projects on the State Highway System. The list of projects being amended to the STIP can be viewed at http://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burProgProjMgmt/stip/stip.asp
The approval of the STIP amendment requires a public comment period, which concludes Jan. 2, 2019. To make comments on the amendment, contact KDOT’s Bureau of Program and Project Management at (785) 296-2252.
This information is available in alternative accessible formats. To obtain an alternative format, contact the KDOT Office of Public Affairs, (785) 296-3585 (Voice/Hearing Impaired-711).
Fort Scott Weekend Events Dec. 21-23
Fort Scott Presbyterian Village honored for achievements
WICHITA, Kan. — Fort Scott Presbyterian Village was recognized with an Emerald Award from Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America for reaching goals in fiscal year 2018, July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018.
The recognition came through PMMA’s Emerald Awards Program, designed to encourage its 17 locations and two hospices to achieve high levels of resident and employee satisfaction, meet financial goals, build philanthropic support for the organization’s mission and meet marketing goals. There are 11 areas measured for the Emerald Awards.
To receive an emerald, a community has to meet its goals in all 11 areas. Team members from the community attended PMMA’s annual Emerald Award Banquet Dec. 6 at the Broadview Hotel in Wichita to accept the award.
“We are pleased to present Fort Scott Presbyterian Village with its first Emerald Award. This recognition is a visible sign of the Fort Scott team’s commitment to the mission of PMMA of providing quality senior services guided by Christian values,” said Bruce Shogren, chief executive officer for PMMA.
Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America has been providing quality senior services guided by Christian values in Kansas and Missouri for nearly 70 years.
For more information about Fort Scott Presbyterian Village, contact Marketing Director Becky Kellum at 620-223-5550 or [email protected].
Fort Scott Presbyterian Village has been offering independent and assisted living apartments for seniors from southeast Kansas and southwest Missouri since 1994. Learn more at FortScottPresbyterianVillage.org. It is a member of the nonprofit Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America network of 17 communities and 2 hospices in Kansas and Missouri. Learn more about PMMA at PresbyterianManors.org.
CHC/SEK Finalizes Plans for Transition of Mercy Clinics
(Pittsburg, KS) – The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) is preparing for a very busy new year as it will assume operations of five clinics in Bourbon, Linn and Crawford counties beginning January 1.
Following the news that Mercy Health System would be closing the hospital in Fort Scott, it was announced that CHC/SEK would take over operations of Mercy’s primary care clinics in Fort Scott, Pleasanton and Arma.
“Mercy recognized the impact that closing the hospital would have and approached us about preserving access to care in Bourbon and Linn counties,” said CHC/SEK CEO Krista Postai adding that CHC/SEK also recognized the need. “We immediately began working with them on a transition plan.”
CHC/SEK will officially assume operations of the Mercy clinics at 601 East Washington in Arma and 11155 Tucker Road in Pleasanton on January 1. CHC/SEK will also transition the Mound City Family Care clinic — which is owned by the Mound City Medical Foundation and currently under the management of the Olathe Health System — on January 1.
Postai said transition of the Fort Scott clinics will begin on February 1 with Convenient Care at 1624 South National changing its name to CHC/SEK Walk-In Care.
“The hours and services will stay the same,” said Postai. “For most people, the only change they will notice will be the name on the building.”
The main clinic located inside the hospital at 401 Woodland Hills Blvd. will be managed by Mercy until January 31. It will then be closed until February 4 when it reopens as part of CHC/SEK. Postai said the clinic will have the same hours and offer the same services.
“We will continue to provide primary medical care along with obstetrics, lab, x-ray and immunizations,” she said. “We also plan to continue to offer mammograms and provide space for specialists including the Cancer Center of Kansas.”
Postai added that CHC/SEK will also operate the retail pharmacy next to the main clinic. “The only difference patients should notice is lower costs for their prescriptions,” she said. “It will have the same hours and you will see the same faces as before.”
Postai said the question she hears most often has to do with staff, particularly which medical providers will be staying with the organization.
“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Katrina Burke, Dr. Larry Seals, Dr. Maxwell Self and Dr. Pankaj Gugnani from Fort Scott as well as Dr. Jay Allen from Mound City to our medical staff,” said Postai. “Dr. Seals and Dr. Burke will also provide delivery services at Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg.”
Postai added that several nurse practitioners will also make the transition including Amanda Stice, Pamela Moyers, Kristine O’Dell, Hannah Born, Amber Hunziker, Brad Young, Kristyn Milburn, Rhonda Kellstadt, Kim Burns and Kelsey Welch.
“We have also hired local Practice Managers who will be on-site to oversee the daily operations,” said Postai. “Amy Budy will oversee the Bourbon County clinics and Tesia Coffey will be in charge of the clinics in Linn County.”
Postai went on to say the addition of five clinics along with a combined total of more than 15,000 patients and approximately 75 staff members represents an estimated 35 percent growth for CHC/SEK.
“This is not only the largest undertaking in our 15-year history,” she said. “It is quite possibly the most significant.”
In the meantime, Postai said one of the biggest tasks CHC/SEK is working on right now is transferring all of the electronic medical records which can be very time consuming. “Every patient needs to sign a release form in order for us to do that.”
Postai encouraged all current patients of the Mercy clinics or Mound City Family Care to complete the forms which are available on CHC/SEK’s website at www.chcsek.org/medicalrecords.
About Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas. Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) is a non-profit Federally Qualified Health Center dedicated to providing affordable, high quality medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy and out
Mercy Health Foundation Donates $300,000 To Community Health Center
Access to numerous health care services will remain intact following the closure of Mercy Hospital due in part to a substantial donation from Mercy Health Foundation Fort Scott. The foundation board agreed to donate $300,000 to Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas to ensure the continuation of essential health care services in Fort Scott and Bourbon County.
Mercy Health Foundation board members presented the check for $300,000 to CHC/SEK leadership on Tuesday, December 18.
Many services currently offered by Mercy will transition to CHC/SEK in Fort Scott effective February 1. The services include:
- A primary care clinic consisting of Dr. Katrina Burke, Dr. P.K. Gugnani, Dr. Maxwell Self, and numerous nurse practitioners.
- Convenient Care located at 1624 S. National will also transition to CHC/SEK effective February 1. Hours of the convenient care clinic will remain the same.
- Pre-natal care will continue to be offered with Dr. Larry Seals and Dr. Katrina Burke.
- Lab, x-ray, and mammograms.
- Future expansion of services by CHC/SEK which will likely include dental care, behavioral health and transportation services.
Funds donated by Mercy Health Foundation will assist CHC/SEK with start-up costs associated to support a new electronic health record and documentation system, computers, phones, printers and other business-related devices necessary to manage a clinic.
Mercy Health Foundation—Fort Scott, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, raises money and community awareness for Mercy Hospital. It is dependent on the support of individuals, corporations and foundations to help Mercy meet community health care needs. Mercy Health Foundation invests its philanthropic support in facilities and the advancement of technologies and programs to enhance Mercy’s ability to provide excellence in health care. For more information, visit mercy.net/giving.