Mary Del Sparks, age 93, passed away on Friday, January 10, 2020 at Country Place Senior Living in Fort Scott where she had been a resident for two years.

Mary Del was born on September 21, 1926 in Pittsburg, KS. She was the daughter of Peter A. and H. Leota Dixon Esch. She attended St. Mary’s School in Pittsburg and graduated from St. Mary’s Colgan High School with the class of 1944. Mary Del graduated from Kansas State Teachers College of Pittsburg, now called Pittsburg State University, in 1948. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education

Mary Del married James (Sparky) Sparks of Arma, KS after meeting in college. They were married on August 8, 1948 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Pittsburg. Sparky and Mary Del had four daughters.

Jim preceded her in death on June 30, 1991.

Mary Del is survived by her daughters and son-n-laws J.W. and Diana Endicott of Fort Scott, Rick and Kim Farmer of Rogers, AR. and Shelly Sparks of Dallas, TX. Also surviving are granddaughters and their husbands: Mathew and Mary Foster, Cris and Laura Corey, Jake and Susan Brown, Cody and D’Ambra Hawkins, Kayla Stillwagon, Heather Townzen and Steven and Hillary Townsley; two grandsons: Mathew Hampton and Christopher Stillwagon as well as 15 great-grandchildren. In addition, Mary Del is survived by her brothers and their wives Pete and Shirley Esch of Fayettville, AR and David and Masolyne Esch of Joplin, MO.

Mary Del was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her daughter Kay Lynn Stillwagon, her brother John Gerald Esch and sisters-n-law Betty Esch and Louise Esch.

Mary Del taught school in Crawford and Bourbon Counties. She was a member of Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church, Chapter FU PEO and past president of Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority. Mary Del devoted her life to caring for her friends and family. She was a loyal friend to many who found her always available when needed. She was never too busy to offer support to others. Mary Del’s sense of style and fashion were outdone only by her quick wit and delightful sense of humor, always gracious. Mary Del was loved and admired by all who knew her.

The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Fort Scott Area Community Foundation in care of Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

Rosary and Mass of Christian Burial will be held for the family. Graveside services for friends and family will be at Fort Scott National Cemetery at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, January 17, 2020.

Family will receive friends following the graveside services at the Empress Event Center, 7 N. Main in Fort Scott.

Sharon A. Price, age 79, passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones at her home in Ft. Scott, KS, on January 5, 2020. She was born in Corning, CA, on September 30, 1940, the daughter of William and Lois Stark Jackson. She married Joe Price in 1957. He preceded her in death on January 21, 2016. Sharon worked at J.C. Penney in Lenexa, KS, until she retired. Sharon enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, taking them to the swimming pool. She enjoyed crocheting blankets and doll clothes, baking and cooking for holidays and birthdays and having the family with her. Sharon also liked watching cooking shows and loved her some Steve Harvey and Wayne Brady.

Survivors include a daughter, Sarah Riggs and husband James, Ft. Scott; two sons, Joseph Price II and fiancé Patty, Springfield, KS, and Patrick Price, Otisville, NY; two brothers, Steve Jackson, Red Bluff, CA, and Albert Jackson and wife Charlie, Spokane, WA; a sister, Mary Lee Sterwood and husband Skip, WA; one grandson William J.C. “Billy” Gooderl and wife Stacy, Ft. Scott; great grandchildren, Kayla and husband Kyle Purdy, and Cheyenne, Selena, and James “Fred” Gooderl; along with her fur babies Buddy, Abby, Sadie Sue, Gracey, Man 2, Chica, Ralph, Bdog, Reilly, Nina, and lastly Lucey. Also surviving are many nieces and nephews and many family by choice, including Jim and Renee Calovitch, Kristen, Daeshone Bohrn and Doug Bohrn.

Graveside services will be held at 1:30 PM Friday, January 10^th, in the Centerville Cemetery, Devon, KS. Services are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, KS. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

James Randall Smith, 70, of Fort Scott passed away suddenly, Saturday evening, in Fort Scott, January 4, 2020. He was born June 24, 1949 in Chicago, Illinois the son of John Fred and Virginia Marie (Kedzior) Smith. He married Paulette Smetana, July 11, 1970 in Villa Park, Illinois, she survives of the home.

Jim was Owner/Operator of Smith and Chambers here in Fort Scott for years before retiring in 2008. After retiring he filled his time with the renovation of the Liberty Theatre and Crooner’s Lounge. He was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church of Fort Scott.

In addition to his wife, Paulette, he is survived by a son, Dallas Smith and his wife, Christie of Fort Scott, and a daughter, Darcy Smith and her husband, Scott of Fort Scott, a brother, David Smith of Wheaton, Illinois, three sisters, Donna Haddad of Fort Myers, Florida, Karen Smith and Kim Smith both of Plainfield, Illinois, and six granddaughters, Megan, Eleanor, Catherine, Addison, Ashley and Alyssa Smith all of Fort Scott.

Funeral services for Jim Smith will be 2:00 p.m., Thursday, January 9, 2020 at the Trinity Lutheran Church with Pastor Michael Apfel officiating.

The family will receive friends from 1:30 p.m. until the service starts and again when the services are concluded, Thursday at the Church.

The family suggests memorials to the Marine Corps Scholarship Fund or The Trinity Lutheran Church. Contributions may be sent to, or left in the care of, the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall St., P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701. Condolences may be emailed to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney,com.

James Randall Smith, 70, of Fort Scott passed away unexpectedly, Saturday evening, in Fort Scott, January 4, 2020. Funeral arrangements for Jim Smith are incomplete and will be announced later by the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

Diane Lee Fryda, age 57, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, December 31, 2019, at the Via Christi Hospital Emergency Room in Ft. Scott.

She was born April 25, 1962, in Duluth, Minnesota, the daughter of Clifford Fryda and Rosemary Ruzinsky Fryda. The family lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Floodwood, Minnesota; Watertown, South Dakota and Lincoln, Nebraska before Diane found her way to Kansas and became part of the Tri-Valley family. While with Tri-Valley, Diane worked in janitorial services at Niece. She later worked for eleven years at Pizza Hut. She loved her job at Pizza Hut and could sometimes be seen waving in the lunch crowd. In addition, she occasionally worked at the receptionist desk at Tri-Valley. Diane enjoyed reading and doing word searches as well as looking up current events and science facts on her tablet. She also enjoyed cooking and researching health-friendly recipes.

Survivors include her mother, Rosemary Fryda; three sisters, Nadine (Ron), Debbie and Candice and five brothers, Daniel (Elaine), David, Dean (Lisa), Kim (Sarah) and Paul (Corisa) and numerous nieces and nephews and friends.

Rev. Chuck Russell will conduct funeral services at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, January 11^th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Burial will follow in the Memory Gardens Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to the Tri-Valley Developmental Center 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.

Geraldine Frances Raney, age 98, a resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado, passed away Saturday, December 21, 2019, at her home in Colorado Springs.

She was born August 30, 1921, at the family home near Devon, Kansas, the daughter of Bettus F. Young and Thelma H. Simmons Young. Geraldine graduated from the Fulton High School with the Class of 1939.

She married Cecil Raney on May 31, 1941, at Little Rock, Arkansas.

Cecil and Geraldine made their home in California
for many years. While in California, Geraldine worked twenty-one years in the business office of California State Polytech University at Pomona, California.

Following the death of her husband, Geraldine moved to Colorado Springs to be near her daughter. Geraldine loved to travel and made regular trips to Kansas to visit relatives and attend school reunions.

Survivor include her daughter, Cynthia Norcross and husband, Michael, of Colorado Springs, Colorado and a grandson, Mason Lee Pedotto.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a sister, Hazel Lois Young.

Rev. Chuck Russell will conduct graveside services at 1:00 P.M. Saturday, January 4th at the Glendale Cemetery south of Fulton.

Family and friends may meet at the Cheney Witt Chapel prior to leaving for the cemetery at 12:45 P.M.

Services are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott.

Gary Wesley Dennison, 75 of Fort Scott, passed away Tuesday night, December 31, 2019 at the Overland Park Regional Medical Center. He was born January 18, 1943 in Booneville, Missouri, and became the son of Guy Wesley and Allie Faye (Maberry) Dennison.

Gary worked with Tri-Valley Developmental Center before taking up residency in the Medicalodge Nursing a few years ago.

He is survived by 4 cousins, Cheryl (Maberry) Blacklidge of Madison, Mississippi. Karen (Mabery) Atkins of Nixa, Missouri, Ray Gene Mabery and Elaine (Mabery) Marshall. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Funeral services for Gary Dennison will be 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 3, 2020 at the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Large (Pleasant View) Cemetery. Memorials may be made to either the Tri-Valley Developmental Center or the Medicalodge Activity Fund, contributions may be sent to or left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall St., P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, Kansas 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.

Vicky Lynne Nation, 57, of Fort Scott, passed away Thursday, December 26, 2019 at Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas.

She was born in Fort Scott, Kansas, June 15, 1962, the daughter of Fred Allen and Connie Arleata (Hanna) Pettyman.

She is survived by two sons, Bryan Nation of Fort Scott, Kansas and Blayne Nation of Reno, Nevada, her mother, Connie Prettyman, a sister, Toni Reece and two nephews, Victor and Emerson Reece all of Pomona, Kansas.

The family will receive friends, 3:00 p.m., Sunday, December 29, 2019 at the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, Fort Scott, Kansas.

All other services will be private.

Patricia Ann German, age 82, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, went to be with her personal Lord and Savior Thursday, December 26, 2019, at the Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas.

She was born February 21, 1937, in Triadelphia, West Virginia, the daughter of Albert Martin King and Ruth Pauline Rhoades King.

Pat married Norman Dean German on December 23, 1968, at Miami, Oklahoma.

Pat had worked at Peerless Products for over twenty years. She enjoyed crocheting and used this talent to make hundreds of hats for the burn unit at the Shriners Hospital.

Pat and Norman enjoyed traveling to various Shriners events especially parades. Pat also liked cooking and decorating cakes. Above all, Pat loved being a grandma to her three grandchildren, and made it her duty to faithfully pick them up after school. She was a past member of the First Christian Church and more recently a member of the First United Methodist Church as well as the Daughters of the Nile.

Survivors include her daughter, Dee Ann Davis and husband, Allen, of Ft. Scott and three grandchildren, Cody Allen Davis who is stationed at Al Udeid Air Force Base in Qatar; Jasmine Bradley and husband, Chad, of Ft. Carson, Colorado and Lee Patrick Davis, of Ft. Scott.

Her husband, Norman, preceded her in death on April 4, 2008.

Following cremation, Rev. Reed Hartford will conduct a memorial service at 10:00 A.M. Saturday, January 4^th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

A private burial will take place at a later date at the U. S. National Cemetery. Instead of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Mirza Shrine Transportation Fund. This money will be used to take children to hospital visits and can be left in the 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.

John Arthur Renard, age 81, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Friday, December 20, 2019, at his home. He was born July 22, 1938, in Ellsworth, KS, the son of Carl E. and Myrtle E. Hundley Renard.

He married Judith Ann Hammons on May 17, 1964, in Mapleton, KS. Following high school, John served in the U. S. Navy.

He worked for Smoky Hill Electrical CO-OP in Ellsworth, KS. They moved to Newton, KS, for about a year before taking the job in Fort Scott in 1969. He worked for KG&E as a lineman and equipment operator until his retirement in 1992.

In 1979, John opened his shoe repair shop, Main Street Shoe Repair, inside Calico Cottage. The shop later moved to the most recent location at the back of Country Cupboard, 12 N. Main St. He enjoyed working in his shop, watching Kansas State football on television, checking boxes of Judy’s to-do lists, attending children’s and grandchildren’s events and attending family reunions.

John was a member of the First Christian Church and later attended the First United Methodist Church. He will be remembered as an awesome husband, dad, and grandfather.

Survivors include his wife Judy; three sons, Jim Renard and wife Melissa, Dallas, TX, Ron Renard wife Geila, Marshall, MO, and Dave Renard, Mapleton, KS; a daughter DeeAnne Miller and husband Kevin, Ft. Scott, KS; two sisters, Eunice Smith, Summerville, SC, and Mary Knottgen, Topeka, KS; four grandchildren, Kellen Renard, Kevin Miller, Jr., Sara “Todorovic.”  and Patrick Coman; three great -grandchildren, Vance Salazar, Lyric Coman and Violet Coman; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Leroy and Kenny Renard; five sisters, Velma Schwerdtfeger, Billie Harold, Rita George, Linda Boese, and infant sister Alma Renard.

There was cremation.

Rev. Reed Hartford will conduct memorial services at 11:00 AM Friday, December 27^th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM until service time at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to the Bourbon County Fair and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Eric Stansbury, age 52, resident of Holden, MO, passed away unexpectedly at his home December 15, 2019.

He was born June 23, 1967, in Iola, KS, the son of Ellis Stansbury, Kincaid, KS, and Donita Powell, Arcadia, KS.

Eric was a truck driver for over 25 years. He enjoyed fishing and all his family and friends. He will be missed.

Survivors include his wife Marsha Morris Stansbury of the home; siblings Lonnie Stansbury, Arcadia, KS, Brian Stansbury, Iola, KS, David Carson, LaHarpe, KS, Karen More, Iola, KS, Kristina Stansbury, Arma, Ks, Joanna Carson, Arma, KS, Christina Bruce, Lenexa, KS, and Ginger Stansbury, Manhattan, KS; step sister Tammy Westhoff, Franklin, KS; 2 sons Brandon Wilson, Austin, TX, and Corey Wilson, Ft. Scott, KS; two daughters, Erica Jones, Osage Beach, MO, and Jessica Byrd, Barre, VT; 7 grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

There was cremation. A celebration of life service will be announced at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, KS. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.