Wilbur Eugene Mowen, Sr., age 97, a former resident of Merriam, Kansas and more recently of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away early Wednesday, November 18, 2020, at his home at the Presbyterian Village in Ft. Scott.

He was born August 29, 1923, in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, the son of Ned W. Mowen and Amanda L. Dawson Mowen.  He married Mae Steffler on July 22, 1944, at Monaca, Pennsylvania.

Wilbur served for several years with the United States Navy during World War II and the Korean Conflict.  Following his military service, the family moved west and eventually settled in the Kansas City area where Wilbur found employment at the Nazarene Publishing House.

Wilbur worked in electronic maintenance and his wife, Mae, served as the receptionist.  Wilbur was very mechanically minded and could fix most anything rather it be at work, church or for a friend.  He was a pilot and used his mechanical ability to restore vintage airplanes.  Wilbur was a longtime member of the Shawnee Church of the Nazarene.  Music was always an important part of the family’s life.  Wilbur enjoyed singing and playing the guitar.  He also played bass for the Southwood Samaritans.

Survivors include his wife of seventy-six years, Mae Mowen, of the home in Ft. Scott; three children, Jeanne Lynch (Jim), of Loveland, Colorado, Wilbur E. Mowen, Jr. (Patricia), of Ft. Scott, Kansas and Richard Mowen (Leta), of Shawnee, Kansas; nine grandchildren, Janice, Julie, James, Andrew, Jessica, Brent, Jeff, David and Sally and a host of great and great-great-grandchildren.  Also surviving is a sister, Sally Mowen, of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.

He was preceded in death by a son, Ned Mowen who died in infancy and several brothers and sisters.

Graveside services will be held at 1:30 P.M. Monday, November 23^rd at the U. S. National Cemetery in Ft. Scott, Kansas.

Military honors will be provided by the U. S. Navy.  The family will receive friends on Monday at the Cheney Witt Chapel from 12:30 until leaving for the cemetery at 1:15 P.M.

Memorials are suggested to Integrity Hospice 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.

Avis Marie Boyd (Stradley), was born in Blue Mound, Kansas October 4, 1926, to Elvin Adrian and Josephine Fern (Spillman) Boyd and passed November 15, 2020. She was the eldest of three children. She was born with red hair and freckles, a true indicator she was descended from the Boyd clan in Scotland.

Her ancestors came to America before the Revolution. One grandfather, Josiah Hall, then 22, traveled from Walpole, Massachusetts to Concord, Massachusetts to warn that General Gage’s Regulars were crossing the Charles River to march to Lexington and Concord on their way to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock and to capture military supplies. Another grandfather, Uriah Tippie, marched the 17 miles in freezing conditions, barefoot, with General George Washington to fight in the “Battle of Trenton”.

After helping to secure the new country, Avis’ family moved west, pioneering their way across the new United States. Her parents continued the pioneering way, living and farming in the Blue Mound area. She attended Country School 101 until 1938 when her family moved to Redfield. Avis graduated from Uniontown High School with the Class of 1944 and then taught at Poplar Grove Common School. As usual in one-room common schools, she was the only teacher and taught all the children in the school. She later worked at and retired from the accounting department of The Western Insurance Company.

She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Red Hat Society, and a 68-year member of the Order of the Eastern Star, where she served as Worthy Matron three times, District Aide in 1983, and was a Grand Representative to Kansas in Kansas.

She was an active member of First Presbyterian Church and as head of the Sewing Circle completed several fundraising projects and she also cooked and assisted with funeral dinners.

She was a member of the IZA Stomper square dance group. She enjoyed sewing and made lots of clothes for her family including school clothes, party dresses, prom dresses and two wedding dresses.

In 1945, she married Johnnie Lloyd Allen and to that union they had six children. In 1966, Avis married James Raymond (Red) Stradley.

Avis was immensely proud of her grandchildren. They have earned A.A. and B.S. Degrees, a Master’s Degree, a Medical Degree, and Juris Doctor Degrees. They are small business owners, counselor, mechanics, information technology specialists, authors, and attorneys, and a doctor.

She is survived by all six of her children. Darlene (Irvin) Gleim, Gainesville, FL, Johnnie Lloyd (J.L) Allen, Jr., Pleasanton, KS, Joyce (Ron) Steuer, Dubuque, IA, Diana Pauzauskie, Boston, MA, Carolyn (Rick) Callow, Blue Springs, MO, and Linda (Mark) Morris, Arcadia, KS, 20 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband James Raymond Stradley; parents, Elvin & Josephine; sister, Alwilla Karleskint; brother, Dale Boyd; a grandson, Christopher Allen; and a granddaughter, Kristyn Culp-Hicks. Also preceded by two daughters-in-law, Sadie Howard Allen and Shirley Pollet Allen; and a son-in-law, Denny Ray Simmons.

Rev. Dr. Jared Witt will conduct a private graveside service on Friday, November 20^th at the U.S. National Cemetery.  A celebration of life service will be held at a later date.  Memorials are suggested to the First Presbyterian 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.

James Douglas Shelton, age 73, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Friday, November 13, 2020, at the Medicalodge in Ft. Scott.

He was born January 28, 1947, in Littleton, Colorado, the son of John Newton Shelton and Geraldine Marsh Shelton.  James graduated from the J. B. Conant High School in Hoffman Estates, Illinois and later attended the University of Kansas.

He had worked as a carpenter.  He enjoyed woodworking and being outside.  He also liked to watch educational programs on television.

Survivors include three daughters, Jackie Carillo and Jennifer Schneider, both of Tucson, Arizona and Tammi Martin, of Greenfield, Wisconsin and four grandchildren.  Also surviving are his mother, Geraldine Shelton of Ft. Scott, five brothers, Larry (Cathy) Shelton, of Ft. Scott, Steven (Roxanne) Shelton, of Woodstock, Illinois, Darryl (Deb) Shelton, of Gardner, Kansas, Don (Terri) Shelton, and Kevin Shelton, all of Ft. Scott and a sister, Sharon Shelton, also of Ft. Scott.

He was preceded in death by his father and an infant brother, Michael Shelton.

Rev. Chuck Russell will conduct graveside services at 11:00 A.M. Thursday, November 19^th at the Clarksburg Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the Cheney Witt Chapel on Thursday from 10:00 A.M. until leaving for the cemetery at 10:45 A.M.

Services are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, Kansas.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Nancy Kay Gulliford, age 61, a resident of Nevada, Missouri, passed away Thursday, November 12, 2020, at the Moore Few Care Center in Nevada, Missouri.

She was born on April 18, 1959, in Nevada and was adopted by V. H. and Hazel Bley Gulliford on October 15, 1959.  Nancy Kay and her father were close.  As an experienced horseman, V. H. first helped her ride when she was about eight months old.  At the time, she had casts on both her lower legs to treat deformities present at birth.  She laughed and talked to the horses as she grew and learned to ride.

Nancy Kay attended grammar school in Deerfield and graduated from Nevada High School on May 12, 1978.  The family moved from Deerfield to Nevada in 2011.

Nancy Kay enjoyed fabric painting as she grew up and spent many happy hours with her mother decorating hand made quilts.  There were many children who enjoyed cuddling under these beautifully decorated blankets.

She was an active member of the Clayton Christian Church with her family.

Survivors include her mother, Hazel and her maternal aunt, Viva Charlene Bley Widmar.  Aunt Charlene also lived with the Gulliford family and grew up with Nancy.

Nancy Kay was preceded in death by her father. V. H. Gulliford.

Due to the Covid Pandemic, there will be no public services.

Private burial will take place on Wednesday November 18^th at the Memory Gardens Cemetery in Ft. Scott, Kansas.

The family requests memorial contributions to O.A.T.S., Inc. to the benefit of Vernon County.

Hazel used the O.A.T.S. buses regularly to visit Nancy during her extended stay at Moore Few.

Donations may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main St., P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.  May Nancy rest in peace.

Joseph Eldon Harper, age 75, passed away on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 of kidney failure and complications of COVID. A native of Fort Scott, Kansas, Joseph spent the last few years of his life at Moore-Few Care Center in Nevada, Missouri.

He is survived by a spouse, Gertrude (Johnston) Harper, two children: Mary Jo & Richard Harper, two grandchildren: Xavier Huffman and Cobie Haynes, one great-grandchild: Mabel Haynes, and family David Shaffer, Carroll Findley, Edna Stein, Wade and Julie Pellett, Nicole Pellett, Elly Booth, Weston Pellett, Dakota Brown, Jacob Pellett, Michael Nighswonger, Thomas Nighswonger, Brian Nighswonger, and Arria Booth. He was preceded in death by his parents Charles (Charlie) Harper and Mary (Pellett) Harper, sisters: Karen Shaffer and Peggy Findley, and family Larry Stein, Leona and Lewis Dreyer, Bud Johnston, Toby Nighswonger, Robbie Stein, and Tori and Sheena Peirano.

Joe was born June 29, 1945 in Fort Scott, Kansas to Charlie and Mary Harper. He grew up in the country north of town, helping his family run the farmland with his sisters Karen and Peggy.

Until the 4^th​ ^​ grade, Joe didn’t care much for reading, but after a kind teacher at Bunker Hill helped him, reading became a passion for him that he passed on to his children.

Joseph married a Blue Mound girl, Gertrude Johnston, February 10, 1967, before enlisting in the United States Air Force August 10, 1967. Joseph and Gertrude spent two and a half years in Japan during his service. During this time, he was an assistant coach for Gertrude’s softball team and they enjoyed getting lost at the World’s Fair in Osaka. He was discharged as an E-4 Sergeant in 1971 and they moved to Glendale, Arizona where they began teaching Wade and Nicole how to hunt (always remember the Glenn Miller 8-tracks) before having children.

After Mary Jo and Richard were born, they came home to Fort Scott where Joseph assisted his mother in running the store on Main Street: Master Printers. Through the store, he was also a traveling salesman once a week, known as the “Laughing Salesman.”

After retirement, he enjoyed driving a bus for USD 234 Fort Scott. The kids were good company and he loved traveling where he could enjoy the sights and then take a nap or read a book until the kids were ready to come home.

Joe was in DeMolay then a Mason of the Rising Sun Lodge and a Past Patron of the Order of Eastern Star, Chapter 13, Fort Scott.

After graduating from Fort Scott High School and after service, he attended Glendale Community College and Arizona State University.

Joseph loved hunting, fishing, camping, playing cards, and attending music performances of his kids.

Any who heard his laugh knew who it belonged to and where it was coming from. The laughter will ring through those who have been left behind, though his has been silenced.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, November 9^th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Masonic and Eastern Star services will also be held at the chapel.  A graveside service with military honors will be held at 1:30 P.M. Monday at the U. S. National Cemetery in Ft. Scott.

Memorials are suggested to the PSU Foundation with emphasis on the Music Department 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.