Category Archives: Obituary

Obituary of Carolyn Franklin

Carolyn Blanche Franklin, 63, of Fort Scott, passed away Saturday evening, December 29, 2018 at Mercy Hospital in Joplin, Missouri. She was born April 11, 1955, in Fort Scott, Kansas, the daughter of James and LeOne Louise (McCreedy) Cullor. She married Richard Leon Franklin December 19, 1973 in Miami, Oklahoma. He preceded her in death March 20, 2009.

Carolyn is survived by her children, Jared Franklin, Josh Franklin, and Jessica Franklin, all of Fort Scott; a brother, James Cullor and wife Mary, of Woodland, California; a sister, Linda Cullor Smith and husband Bill, of Mission, Kansas; six grandchildren, Cameron, Courtland, Jayden, Tanis, Josiah, and Henley, and a great-grandchild on the way. In addition to her husband Richard, she was also preceded in death by her parents.

Funeral services are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 5, 2019, at the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home with burial following at the Memory Gardens Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday evening January 4, 2019, from 7:00-8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Carolyn Franklin Memorial Fund and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, PO Box 309, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.

Obituary of Edward Byerly

Edward Blair Byerley, 91, passed away peacefully on December 24, 2018, at Country Place Senior Living Center, Fort Scott, KS.

Ed was born in Mapleton, KS, on 20 April 1927. He was the only child of Blair D. “Sandy” Byerley and Myrtle P. Byerley (Brown). Ed graduated from Fulton H.S., KS, in 1945 and joined the U.S. Navy shortly thereafter.

Ed married Eva M. Byerley (White) on April 27, 1947. He worked his adult career for The Western Insurance Companies from September 1946 through 1986, supervising the computer room operations at the time of his retirement.

Ed and Eva moved from Fort Scott to Sun City West, AZ in the 1980s, where he enjoyed golf, bowling, and the warm weather.

Ed is survived by his wife, Eva, three sons, six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

There was cremation. Memorial services will be announced at a future day by the Cheney Witt Chapel with burial at Fort Scott National Cemetery.

Obituary of Ada Maxine Burnett

Ada Maxine Burnett

Ada Maxine Burnett, age 92, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Wednesday, December 26, 2018, at Guest Home Estates.

She was born January 25, 1926, in Ft. Scott, the daughter of Ernest Goddard and Ruby Hazel Evans Goddard.

Maxine graduated from Richards,  Missouri high school where she excelled at basketball.

She married Frederick Burnett, Sr. on October 16, 1944, in Ft. Scott. He preceded her in death.

Maxine retired from Key Industries after many years of service. She also took up babysitting and managed Acre U Storage for numerous years reaching past retirement at the age of 80.

She enjoyed bird watching, collecting Redbirds, jigsaw puzzles, word searches, quilting, and flower gardening. She would sew for anyone from measurements including no-scent fabric in hunting clothing and period clothing for Good O’l Days.

She was a very giving person, willing to help anyone in need. Maxine was a charter member of Westpark Church of the Nazarene. More recently she attended Community Christian Church.

Survivors include two sons, Fred Burnett and wife Janice, Greenfield, MO, and Tom Burnett and wife Norma Jean, Clinton, MO; a daughter, Marilyn McCutcheon, Ft. Scott; 14 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; 27 great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by a daughter, Ruby Katherine Wunderly; a great-great-grandson; 8 siblings; and her parents.

Pastor Paul Martin will conduct funeral services at 10:00 AM Saturday, December 29th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Burial will follow in the Memory Gardens Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 9:00 AM until service time at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to Mercy Hospice 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.

Obituary of Mark Lynn McDaniel

Mark Lynn McDaniel

Mark Lynn McDaniel, age 51, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Sunday, December 23, 2018, at his home.

He was born December 28, 1966, in Ft. Scott, the son of Donald Lee McDaniel and Barbara Sue Wolfe McDaniel. He graduated from the Ft. Scott High School and later completed welding and truck driving courses at Ft. Scott Community College. He operated his own mechanic shop. He was an avid stock car racer and fan. He used his mechanical abilities to further his own racing career and was always willing to help his friends as well. He married Tammy Peacock on July 28, 2000, at Ft. Scott.

Survivors include his wife, Tammy, and his children, Derek Miner, of El Dorado Springs, Missouri, Brittani Ledbetter and Cody McDaniel, both of Springfield, Missouri and Kimberly Skaggs and Taylor Shook, both of Ft. Scott and nine grandchildren. Also surviving is his father, Don McDaniel, of Ft. Scott; three brothers, Randall McDaniel, of Carthage, Missouri, Rick McDaniel, of Ft. Scott and Ron McDaniel, of Pittsburg, Kansas and three sisters, Patricia Flanigan, of Carthage, and Jeanise Malone and Tanya Lockwood, both of Ft. Scott.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Barbara McDaniel.

Graveside services will be held at 1:00 P.M. Saturday, December 29th at the Evergreen Cemetery.

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

Memorials are suggested to the Mark McDaniel Memorial Fund 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.

Obituary for Elvis “Sode” Myrle Reeder

Elvis "Sode" Myrle Reeder

Elvis “Sode” Myrle Reeder, age 87, of Bronson, KS, passed away peacefully into the arms of our Lord on Friday, December 21, 2018, at Freeman West Hospital in Joplin, MO, after a sudden illness.

Elvis was born January 31, 1931, in Uniontown, KS, the firstborn of three children to Eldon “Buzz” Delois Reeder and Hazel Levonia “Vone” (Shull) Reeder.

He was raised in the Uniontown and Bronson area on his family’s farm. His family lived in the area for several generations and Elvis worked on the family farm as well as for other farmers in the area as a young man while attending school. He graduated from Bronson High School, where he excelled in the sports he loved: football, basketball, track and boxing.

While attending high school, he met the love of his life, Geraldine “Geri” Patricia Wolford. Following graduation, they were married at the Bronson Methodist Church on July 16, 1950.

In 1952, he received his draft notification to report for induction into the United States Marine Corps for service in the Korean War. He proudly served his country for two years from 1952 through 1954, serving overseas in Korea.

He was honorably discharged following his service to his country and he and his wife Geri became an inseparable pair for the remainder of their 68-year marriage. To their union was born two sons, Elvis Erwin and Steven Wayne.

In the early days of their marriage, Elvis worked on the construction crews of Highway 54 near Bronson and in construction as Moran Grade School was being built. He then began work for the Bronson Grain Company where he was employed for 45 years. During his employment with Bronson Grain, Elvis also learned by correspondence course how to repair appliances and ran Reeder Appliance Repair. Not only did he repair appliances, but he did electrical work and repairs in the area as well. These things were all done in the small amount of time he had to spare while working for Bronson Grain, completely remodeling and nearly rebuilding his own home, raising a family and being active in community organizations.

Elvis was a 66-year member of Bourbon Masonic Lodge #268, having served in all or nearly every office and throughout that time made many friends and acquaintances. He was a 63-year member of the American Legion, first in Bronson and most recently in Moran, KS, having also served in many positions within. He was a faithful longtime member of the Bronson United Methodist Church, having served in many positions as well as maintaining the church building, church grounds and annex. Elvis was an active, longtime and faithful member of the Bronson Ruritan Club, serving in offices within the local organization, participating in each of the fundraising activities, working to maintain the local ball field as well as volunteering during events there. Elvis served on the Bronson Volunteer Fire Dept. in his earlier years and also served in elected Bronson city government positions.

He was fully committed to his hometown and believed in it and was a selfless volunteer, willing to help out anytime a neighbor or friend needed a hand. Elvis was known as an honest, hard worker, as someone who could repair or fix nearly anything, and a dependable man of his word. He was a man of few words, rather quiet and unassuming but never short on action.

He enjoyed hunting and fishing in his younger years as well as bowling with his fellow employees for Bronson Grain. Elvis also enjoyed raising a few calves a couple of times each year, had an immaculate and productive garden, loved working in and maintaining his yard and home, helping others, building, and woodworking. There was not a season that he didn’t enjoy just being outside.

More than anything, Elvis loved his dear wife Geri, his family, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He looked forward to each and every time he got to speak with them or see them. The great-grandchildren dearly loved the times that “Granddad” would take them on rides in the old gas-powered golf cart. Each will remember the ways in which he loved them with his kind but ornery smile and the ways in which he would tease them in a loving way.

Elvis was preceded in death by his parents Eldon and Vone; a son Elvis Erwin; and brother Lynn.

Elvis is survived by his wife, Geraldine “Geri”, of the home; son Steve and wife Betty of Carl Junction, MO; granddaughter Sonia and husband Paul Jones of Garnett, KS; granddaughter Andrea and husband Mike Page of College Grove, TN; grandson Bill Reeder of Garnett; grandson Todd Reeder and wife Ashley of Smyrna, TN; granddaughter Kattia Andrews of Iola, KS; grandson Zach Andrews, currently serving in the U.S. Navy; sister Maxine Kruse of Cape Coral, FL; ten great-grandchildren: Sophia, Gavin, McKenzy, Cooper, Wyatt, Madison, Abigail, Corban, Brynnlee and Braxten; beloved nieces and nephews; many other beloved family and friends.

Rev. Jim Stigall will conduct memorial services on Sunday, January 6, at 3:00 PM, at the Bronson United Methodist Church.

Private burial of cremains will take place at a later date in Bronson Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Bronson United Methodist Church and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, KS. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Obituary of Tom Lawrence

Tom (Moose) Lawrence, age 58, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Friday, December 21, 2018, at the Mercy Hospital Emergency Room.

He was born July 20, 1960, in Ft. Scott, the son of Lloyd D. Lawrence and Shirley J. Sears Lawrence. He graduated from Fort Scott High School with the class of 1978. Tom excelled in both football and track and field, and still holds the school record in the shot put. He also broke numerous Junior Olympic records.

He married Norma Williams on July 8, 1989, in Ft. Scott. Norma was the love of his life. Together they did everything, especially enjoying traveling. Tom was a dedicated worker for Extrusions in Ft. Scott for over 26 years. He was always willing and able to accomplish anything needed.

Tom enjoyed woodworking, golfing, arcade games and was a KC Chiefs and Royals fan. He was a loyal FSHS athletic event attendee, especially football. He loved spending time with his grandchildren and family.

Survivors include his wife Norma and their grandson Brayden of the home; a sister, Cindy O’Rear, Ft. Scott; two brothers, Larry Lawrence and Terry Lawrence and wife Linda, all of Ft. Scott; sons Brad Peterson and wife Crystal, Joplin, MO, and Cody Lawrence and wife Rebecca, Oronogo, MO; a daughter, Kortney McGehee and husband Alex, Ft. Scott; grandchildren Bailey Peterson, Tyler Bradley, Zoey Lawrence, Lexi Lawrence, Kaylynn McGehee, and Jaxson McGehee; and six nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Robert and Kathy Clark will conduct funeral services at 10:00 AM Friday, December 28th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 Thursday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to the FSHS Athletic Department 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.

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.

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.

Obituary of Daryl Keith Swanwick

Daryl Keith Swanwick was born in Columbus, Kansas on August 23, 1946, to Francis Darrell “Sonny” Swanwick and Alma Arlene McCorkle Swanwick of rural Oswego, Kansas. He attended Sunny View Elementary School, which was a one-room schoolhouse in his 1st-grade year, then replaced by a modern two-room school from his second through eighth grades. There were five students in his eighth-grade graduation class, four boys and one girl. Daryl sang The Marines Hymn at his graduation.

He graduated from Labette County Community High School in 1964, attended Kansas State University one year, then graduated from Kansas State College of Pittsburg (now Pittsburg State University) in May 1969 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology.

Daryl and Nancy Kathleen Austin had been married on January 25, 1969, at the First United Methodist Church in Parsons, Kansas.

He was drafted and inducted into the Army in July 1969. He was chosen to be an Image Interpreter with a Top-Secret Security clearance, doing his AIT at Fort Holabird in Baltimore, Maryland. Orders for Viet Nam were changed as his brother was already serving there, so he spent a year in Khorat, Thailand. When he returned home, he enrolled in chemistry courses at Pitt State while Nancy finished her degree, then did a year’s training at Cox Medical Center in Springfield, Missouri to become a Registered Medical Technologist. Daryl and Nancy moved to Fort Scott, Kansas in December 1973 where he worked in the laboratory at Newman-Young Clinic for eight years, then the rest of his career at Mercy Hospital in Fort Scott, retiring on Dec. 18, 2008.

At his retirement, Daryl took up distance running. He trained for, entered, and placed in his age division in many half marathons beginning in 2009, and he has the medals and trophies to prove it. He also traveled all over the United States, Canada, Italy, France, England and Ireland with his wife and attended more quilting events than he ever planned to, always a good sport and supportive husband.

As a young father, Daryl was a “room dad” at Winfield Scott school, a soccer coach, T ball and Little League coach, 2nd and 3rd grade Sunday School teacher, a member of the Marching Dragoons and volunteer through the Fort Scott National Park Site, co-chair of the Fort Scott High School Booster Club, and became a very knowledgeable father/coach of two placekickers for the FSHS football team.

Baptized in the sanctuary of the First United Methodist Church by Rev. Jerry Tubach in 1988 with his wife and sons as witnesses, he has been a very devoted and faithful member of the church. He has served on boards and since retirement has been the paint specialist on the Wednesday Morning Men work crew.

A retroperitoneal sarcoma, diagnosed October 1, 2018, took Daryl’s life. He was stoic and strong through the ordeal and those of us who mourn him take comfort that his faith was strong, and his pain was relatively short.

He was a kind and gentle man who will be forever loved and missed.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Austin Swanwick of Fort Scott; his sons and families, Matthew Austin Swanwick, wife Carissa, children Tatum and Elliott of Lenexa, KS; and Daniel Levi Swanwick, wife Catherine, and children Benjamin and Anna of Warrenton, Virginia; his father, F.D. Swanwick of Oswego; his brothers, Roger Swanwick of Wann, Oklahoma and Duane Swanwick and wife Traci of Alma, Kansas, his in-laws Virginia Austin Constance of Lawrence, Dennis Constance of Lawrence, T. J. and Sharon Austin of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and several nieces, nephews, aunts and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Alma Swanwick of Oswego, his parents-in-law, Kirk and Barbara Austin of Parsons, his sister-in-law, Carolyn Austin Brigman and her daughter, Laura Ann Brigman, of Mukilteo, Washington.

Daryl’s service will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday, December 27, 2018, at the First United Methodist Church under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.

Visitation will be at 10:00 a.m. until service the at 11 a.m.

Burial will take place in the Oswego Cemetery, in the family plot purchased by Daryl’s great-great-grandfather, Lt. Col. Francis Swanwick, who served in the Black Hawk War and led the 22nd Illinois Infantry in the Civil War before moving to Kansas.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Fort Scott or to Mercy Hospice, soon to be Integrity Hospice. They were truly a Godsend to Daryl and his family. Contributions may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, PO Box 309, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.