Randy Scott Ballweber, age 62, a resident of Fort Scott, passed away Saturday, February 20, 2021 surrounded by his wife, mother, and children. He was born June 26, 1958 to Harold and Ruth (Stiers) Ballweber in Salem, Oregon.

Randy became a Christian in 1982 and was a member of the Church of Christ. His hobbies included being outdoors, gardening, concerts, and anything that involved his family. Randy loved playing pranks and making others laugh. He would go out of his way to help others. He was always the quietest in the room but had the biggest personality. On June 24, 1983, he married his soulmate, Veneita Eleanor Griffin in Fort Scott, Kansas. Together they had two daughters. In 2015, both daughters married, giving Randy the sons he always wanted. Danielle Dercher of Lenexa, Kansas, married to Robert Dercher. Jacquelyn Karleskint of Nevada, Missouri, married to Jonathan Karleskint. In 2019, Randy became a “Grandy” a nickname representing being a great and grand Randy to his grandson, Jalen Karleskint.

Randy is survived by: his wife, Veneita Ballweber and their two children, Danielle Dercher (Robert Dercher) and Jacquelyn Karleskint (Jonathan Karleskint); one grandchild, Jalen Karleskint; two fur grandpups, Henry Dercher and Barret Karleskint; His mother, Ruth Rice, sister Lesa Jones, (Marvin) and his brothers, Daryl Ballweber (Anna), Terry Ballweber (Joanne), Don Ballweber (Sandy), Eric Ballweber (Rose), and Gary Ballweber. In-laws that became brothers and sisters: Melissa Hulbert (Warren), Joe Griffin (Deborah) Ron Griffin (Carey), Letitia Stockton (Gary), and Sandra Everhart (Paul). He leaves behind numerous loving relatives and friends.

Randy is proceeded in death by his father Harold Ballweber, stepfather James Falwell, and sister Linda Ballweber Holm.

Services will be held at 10:00 AM Friday, February 26^th, at Memorial Hall. The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 Thursday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Lewy Body Dementia Association 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.

Karin “Sue” Morrison, 67, of Redfield, passed away Friday February 19, 2021, at Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg due to complications from COVID. She was born July 21, 1953, in Colony, Kansas, the daughter of Russell Don and Vinita Ruth (Potter) Robb. She married Leonard Dean “L.D.” Morrison June 31, 1972, in Xenia, Kansas, and he survives of the home.

Sue graduated from Blue Mound High School in 1971. Over the years, Sue worked for Key’s, The Western, FSCC Truck Driving School. She retired from Valu Merchandisers in December of 2018 after eleven years with the company. Sue was a member of Marmaton Community Church in Redfield. She enjoyed spending time with her family, her cats and her chickens, and she loved to garden.

In addition to her husband L.D., Sue is also survived by her two sons, Clint Morrison of New Orleans, Louisiana, and Jeff Morrison, of the home; two sisters, Dona Spencer and husband Harry of Fort Scott, and Kathy Budd and husband Albert of Richards, Missouri; three step-grandchildren, Lance, Michael, and Donovan; two nieces, Amber Cain and Holly Fritter; and five nephews, Albert, Russell, and David Budd, and Jess and Andrew Spencer. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Following cremation, the family will hold private services at a later date. Services are under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, Kansas, 66701. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.

Gary Dean Beerbower, age 54, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Friday, February 19, 2021, at his home. He was born August 13, 1966, in Ft. Scott, the son of Lowell William Beerbower and Donna Kay Lawson Beerbower.

Gary graduated from FSHS with the class of 1985. He married Angie Riley on February 4, 1999. They later divorced but remained good friends.

Gary enjoyed shooting and was a member of the Old Fort Sharpshooters. He liked music and was a horror movie buff. He was a packrat and lover of junk. He enjoyed spending time with his family.

Survivors included 3 sons, Landon Beerbower, Trevor Pulliam, and Zach Riley; ex-wife Angie Riley; 3 brothers David Beerbower and wife Donna Jo, Ft. Scott, Allen Beerbower and wife Kim, Redfield, KS, and L. W. Beerbower, Ft. Scott; a sister, Rhonda Tinkey and husband Preston, Ft. Scott; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and beloved friends.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Troy Beerbower, and his parents.

There was cremation. Services will be announced at a later date. Memorials are suggested to the Gary Beerbower Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

James “Jim” Gordon Hoffman, age 86, a resident of Fort Scott, died Tuesday, February 16, 2021.  He was born August 22, 1934, to Lester H. and Hazel (Bowers) Hoffman in Ottawa, Kansas. 

After graduating from Ottawa High with the class of 1952, he attended the University of Kansas and served in the U.S. Army and the Kansas National Guard.

He moved to Fort Scott in 1959 and retired in 1996 after 42 years as an engineering technician with the Kansas Department of Transportation.  He was a past member of the Kansas Jaycees and enjoyed league bowling for 39 years.

  He was also a member of the First United Methodist Church.  His hobbies were feeding birds and wildlife, spending hours on the internet researching family genealogy, and following his grandchildren’s many activities.

On June 21, 1969, he married Janice Kay Goodsell at Moran, Kansas. He was preceded in death by his wife; a sister, Evelyn Hamilton; a brother, Kenneth Hoffman; and his parents.

He is survived by his children Becky Tourtillott and husband Joe, Fort Scott, and Brian Hoffman and wife Tamara, Lawrence, Kansas, and grandchildren Hannah and Wyatt Tourtillott and Kyle Hoffman.  Also surviving are a sister-in-law Mary Kaye Hoffman of Powhatan, Virginia, and a sister-in-law Joyce Todd and husband Gene, Fort Scott, as well as several nieces and nephews.

Private family graveside services will take place Monday, February 22^nd, in the U. S. National Cemetery, Fort Scott. Memorials are suggested to either First United Methodist Church or Care to Share 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.

Anthony Eugene “Tony” Wicks, age 62, a resident of Nevada, Missouri, passed away Friday, February 12, 2021, at his home in Nevada following a lengthy illness. He was born May 10, 1958, in Henderson, Kentucky, the son of Thomas Wicks and Kathryn Craddock Wicks. Tony married Barbara Barker Fugatt on March 1, 1990, in Kansas City, Kansas. In earlier years, he had worked as a groundskeeper in Kansas City. He enjoyed fishing and watching Gunsmoke on tv. Tony attended the Nevada Church of the Nazarene.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara, of the home; two step-daughters, Linda Fugatt of Lawrence, Kansas and Deanna Jones of Winter Haven, Florida and four step-grandchildren, Tracy, Eddie, Andrew and Derrick. Also surviving are his sisters-in-law, Pat Wallace (Archie), of Ft. Scott, Kansas and Betty Jo Gardner of Hutchinson, Kansas and a brother, James Barker, also of Hutchinson.

He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant brother.

Following cremation, a private graveside service will be held at a later date at the Prescott Cemetery, Prescott, Kansas. Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society or the American Diabetes Association 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.

Floyd Lee Snyder, age 74, a resident of West Richland, WA died Thursday, January 21, 2021, at the Kadlec Hospital, Richland, WA.

He was born on August 23, 1946, in Fort Scott, KS, the son of Howard Snyder and Lucile (Augur) Snyder. He married Jeanette Hughes, July 22, 1966, in Wichita, KS. He graduated from Uniontown High School in 1964. He earned a Masters Degree in business from City University at Bellevue, WA. He worked at Hanford Nuclear Reservation, Richland, WA. as an inspector for 25 years. Floyd served in both the Army and Navy Reserves where he retired after 21 years. He was a member of many Masonic organizations and he held many offices, grand offices and a supreme office, and he was a Rainbow Dad. He received the Hiram Award in 1994, and Grand Master Achievement Award in 2004.

Floyd enjoyed traveling for his many organizations as well as for pleasure. He met and touched the lives of many people in the United States and other countries. He was loved and will be greatly missed.

Floyd is survived by his loving wife, Jeanette Snyder, of the home; two children, Lisette Smith, and husband Cliff, of Kennewick, WA., and Floyd Lee Snyder, Jr. and wife, Michelle, of Richland, WA; two grandchildren, Stephen Smith, and wife Autumn, of Kennewick, WA., and Brayden Snyder, of Richland, WA.; two great-grandchildren, Adysen and Ivory Smith, of Kennewick, WA.; a sister, Delphine Parks, of Fort Scott, KS., and a brother, Eldred Snyder, of Nevada, MO.; a host of nieces, nephews, and other beloved relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents.

There was cremation. A celebration of life will be held at a later date with burial in the Mapleton Cemetery, Mapleton, KS. Donations in his honor may be made to the Shriner’s Hospital, 911 W 5^th Ave, Spokane, WA. 99204, or Pets for Vets, Inc., P.O. Box 10860, Wilmington, NC. 28404. Local arrangements are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main St. For Scott, KS.

Karl Robert Flanner arrived into the home of Raymond Loring Flanner and Alice Estella (Benedict) Flanner on January 9, 1958. He joined 3 brothers, Frank, Dean and Don Flanner and 3 sisters, Margaret, Jan and Alena. His baby sister, Karen, would arrive 3 years later, almost to the day. He grew and thrived at the family farm in Fulton, Kansas, before the family moved to Fort Scott during his 8^th year. He completed his education through the Fort Scott school system and is an alumnus of FSHS class of 1976.

By his own words, he accepted Christ as his savior as a young teen, yet he wandered through the young seasons of his life.

After graduation he began his career at the “Owl Roost”, where he met his wife and life partner, Joyce (Golden) Flanner. They were married on June 7, 1980 at West Liberty United Methodist church. Two years later, they were blessed to become the parents of Kyle Raymond Flanner. Their second son, Kevin Ryan Flanner, arrived in August of 1984, just as they began making plans to purchase the “Owl Roost”.

With help from many family members, Karl, and Joyce, owned and operated Flanner’s Owl Roost for the next 12 plus years, until a fire destroyed the business in 1996. Karl’s work ethic and ability to engage people brought him success in the business area and he finished his career at Peerless Products, where he worked through chemotherapy treatments and his late stages of cancer.

Karl, like all of us, may be best defined by certain life events and his response to those; as well as the quality of his relationships. Some of those moments were the birth of his first grandson and the loss of his father and mother. During this season in particular, Karl shared that his understanding and acceptance of God’s grace and mercy poured over his life as he began to search for God’s purpose and direction. After seeing his son, Kyle, leave this earth for Heaven in 2015, his focus on God’s kingdom became more focused and pervasive in all that he said and did.

A quick smile and encouraging word were always available and he showed care and respect to all who knew him. He loved Jesus, his family and friends, and was a Chiefs fan for all time. His greatest joys were serving Christ and spending time with his family and friends, particularly, his children, Kevin and Stephanie (Stiemsma) and his grandchildren, Treyton, Logan, Tobias and Ronin Flanner.

Karl joined his Savior on February 8, 2021, where he was also welcomed by his son, Kyle; his parents and a great cloud of witnesses who have gone on before. We seek Christ’s peace in our loss and lean on our hope and assurance of being reunited in Heaven some day.

Family and friends are invited to swap stories and remembrances on Thursday, February 11, from 5:30-7:30 PM at Fort Scott Nazarene. The funeral will also be held at Fort Scott Nazarene on Friday, February 12, at 11:00 AM. Chiefs attire is appropriate. Memorials are suggested to Fort Scott Nazarene and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Carl R. “Butch” Avey, age 75, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Thursday, February 4, 2021, at the Via Christi Emergency Room in Ft. Scott. He was born August 21, 1945, in Pleasanton, Kansas, the son of Benjamin Harry Avey and Eva Nina Coberson Avey. In earlier years, he had worked for the Kansas Highway Department. He enjoyed spending time outdoors and walking around his neighborhood.

Survivors include his daughter, Carla Avey, of Ft. Scott and his sister, Goldie Strader, of Raymore, Missouri and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, four sisters, Mae Boyd, Eva Kelly, Thelma Eves and Gladys Turner and a brother, Bennie Avey.

There was cremation. A private graveside service will be held at a later date at the Eureka Cemetery east of Pleasanton. Arrangements are under the direction 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.