Vera Pauline Goodwin, 83, of El Dorado, died Friday, Sept. 7, 2007 at LakePoint Nursing Center in El Dorado.
Graveside services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Walnut Valley Memorial Park. Visitation with the family will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday at Carlson Funeral Home.
She was born Jan. 31, 1924 in El Dorado, the daughter of Milard and Olive L. (MacKey) Barnes. Pauline spent all her life in this area and was a retired beautician. She had her own shop in her home for many years.
On Feb. 28, 1942, Pauline and Chester Goodwin were united in marriage in Augusta.
Survivors include: her husband, Chester of the home, and a brother, William Barnes of Hemet, Calif.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Max Raymond Hitch; two sisters; and two brothers.
Memorials may be made in her memory to the choice of the donor.
Friends may call at Carlton Funeral Home beginning Sunday. Condolences for the family may be sent to Carlson Colonial Funeral Home. (El Dorado Times, September 8, 2007)
G.W. Gragg Dies At 65
Funeral services for Glenn West Gratt, 65, Leon, were held at the Leon Baptist Church at 2 this afternoon and burial was in the Leon cemetery.
Gragg, a retired oil field worker, died Friday at his home.
He was born May 10, 1912 at Carthage, Mo., a son of T.J. and Ora West Gragg. On May 15, 1951 he married Doris Holt, who survives, in a ceremony at Wichita.
Mr. Gragg was a member of the Leon Baptist Church, past master of Joppa Lodge 223 at Leon and the Little Walnut Chapter of OES.
Other survivors include a son, John Gragg, Russell; a step-mother, Mrs. Nora Gragg, El Dorado; two brothers. A.A. "Bill" Gragg, Wichita, and Jim Gragg, El Dorado; three sisters, Mrs. Ilene Smith and Mrs. Thelma Robinson, both of El Dorado, and Mrs. Reba DeBus, Holly, Colo., and a grandson.
Memorials to the Kansas Lung Association or the American Heart Association have been suggested. The Dietz-Carlson Funeral Home at El Dorado was in charge of arrangements. (Augusta Daily Gazette, Monday, Feb. 13, 1978. Submitted by Diana Herrman)
Phyllis L. Griffith, 74, of Haslett, died Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007 at Wynwood Assisted Living Center, after succumbing to complications due to a recurrent brain tumor.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Gorsline-Runciman Funeral Homes, 1730 E. Grand River Ave., East Lansing. Interment will follow in Rose Cemetery, Bath. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m.
Phyllis was born Jan. 21, 1933, in El Dorado, to the late John M. and Dora M. Robertson. As a girl, she played the piano and the clarinet. Phyllis graduated from El Dorado High School in May, 1951. Upon graduation, she worked for the Treasurer's Department at the Courthouse. On Sept. 1, 1955, Phyllis was united in marriage to Douglas W. Griffith.
As newlyweds, Phyllis and Douglas moved to Michigan, living the majority of their married life in rural Haslett. For most of her adult life, Phyllis took pleasure in being a homemaker. She cooked from "scratch," sewed and knitted, played Bridge, kept a weekly hair appointment and rode a Honda 90! She enjoyed travel, yard work and getting to know others - as was evidenced by her never-ending questioning! Phyllis' most important role in life was raising her children and eventually enjoying her grandchildren. While her daughters were still at home she sampled a few part-time jobs - selling Avon, delivering phonebooks and the mail. In 1976, when faced with an empty nest, Phyllis went to work full-time for Lansing Community College. She retired from L.C.C. in 1995, to become a full-time caregiver for her husband. Phyllis was a member of the Okemos Chapter #267 O.E.S. and the House of Prayer in Haslett.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Douglas W. Griffith, and brother, Robert N. Robertson.
Surviving are: her daughters, Cathryn Lovern of Williamston and Teresa (Bruce) Sutherland of Okemos; grandchildren, Alisha Lovern, Caman (Emily VanValkenburg) Lovern, Shaylan Lovern, Zachary Ellis and Gabriel Ellis; great-grandchildren, Nikolas VanValkenburg and Tayler Lovern; brothers, John (Helena) Robertson of Derby, Kenneth (Patricia) Robertson of Leon and; sister, Dolores (Edwin) Barney of Richmond, Va.; numerous nieces and nephews; and one cousin.
Those desiring may make contributions to Hospice Advantage, 801 S. Waverly Rd., Suite 304, Lansing, MI, 48917, or to the Shiawassee County Council on Aging, Meals-on-Wheels Program, in memory of Phyllis Griffith.
"Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of Life." (Revelation 2:10)
We will miss you, Princess! (El Dorado Times, Sept. 3, 2007)
Lowell P. Griggs Jr. (Tuffy), 62, died Wednesday, Aug. 29,2007 at his home in El Dorado.
A celebration of his life will be 10 a.m. Sept. 1, 2007 at Kirby-Morris Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Walnut Valley Cemetery.
Lowell was born Sept. 1, 1944 in El Dorado, the son of Lowell and Wilma Jean (Dial) Griggs Sr. He attended school at Oil Hill and graduated from Towanda High School. He was a car salesman for Lubber Auto in Andover. Lowell loved his motorcycle and to camp at the lake and fish.
Surviving family include: his son, Todd and wife Jennifer Griggs of Douglass; daughters, Linda and Randy Gillett of Andover and Alyesha Moore of El Dorado; parents, Lowell and Wilma Jean Griggs Sr. of El Dorado; brothers, James and wife Linda Griggs of Kansas City and Jack and wife Elva Griggs of Random Spring, N.M.; and eight grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Berdene, and his second wife, Cecilia.
A memorial has been established with the First Christian Church. Contributions may be left with Kirby-Morris Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to Kirby Morris Funeral Home. (El Dorado Times, Sept. 4, 2007)
A. W. Gephart, pioneer Butler County farmer died this morning after an illness of twelve days. Death was due to complications following a stroke of apoplexy, Mr. Gephart suffered on December 29. He was 73 years old. Mr. Gephart had been a resident of this county for half a century and had resided on his farm east of El Dorado since 1900.
Besides his widow, Mr. Gephart is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Carlos E. Hobbs of Topeka and five sisters. Mr. Hobbs is sports editor of the Topeka State Journal. The sisters surviving are: Mrs. Frank Mitchell, Topeka; Mrs. Will George, Montgomery, Pa., Mrs. Emma Packer, Turtlecreek, Pa.; Mrs. C. B. Eckel, Douglass; and Mrs. T. W. Bowman, Wichita.
Born in Millheim, Pa. On July 30, 1858, Mr. Gephart came to Kansas in 1878 settling at Bennington, in Ottawa County. Four years later in 1882, he moved to Butler County and had lived there since then. Successful as a farmer and joining wholeheartedly in the neighborly activities of his home community, Mr. Gephart was one of its best known residents and his friends also numbered many throughout Butler County. His death removes one of this county's earliest settlers and also one of its ever enthusiastic boosters. Mr. Gephart's advanced age had not interfered with his interest in current affairs and he was an active leader in the Pontiac community until the illness which resulted in the death seized him week before last. He was cared for during that time at Allen Memorial Hospital.
Mr. Gephart was married to Miss Bertie Blake Miccener at El Dorado on November 14, 1889. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Modern Woomen of America and the Methodist Church.
The funeral services will be held Monday. Further arrangements to be announced from the Byrd Funeral Home. (El Dorado Times, Saturday, January 9, 1932, front page, Volume XIII, Number 35)
Gephart Funeral This Afternoon
Funeral services for A. W. Gephart, pioneer farmer of this community who died Saturday morning; were held at 2 o'clock this afternoon at First Methodist Church, Dr. J. W. Abel pastor of the church, preached the funeral address and the Odd Fellows conducted the services. Burial was made in Belle Vista cemetery. The services were attended by a large number of Mr. Gephart's many friends. He had been a resident of this county for about fifty years.
The pallbearers were: Henry Cour, Lon Mankey, Peter Hansen, Charles Siegrist, Claude Woodman and Emmett Browne. The Byrd Funeral Home had charge of arrangements. (El Dorado Times, Monday, January 11, 1932, Volume XIII, Number 36, front page)
Henry Gephart died Sunday morning, June 20 at 3 a.m. He was visiting his daughter, Mrs. C. B. Eckel, 6 miles southwest of Douglass in Cowley county.
Mr. Gephart was born in Center County, Pennsylvania, November 13, 1828. He and his wife whom he married in 1851, and who died here in March 1906, came to Ottawa County, Kansas in 1878. Four years after they came to Butler and settled in Prospect township where they resided until 1890 when El Dorado became their home.
A son and five daughters survive, Mrs. W. H. George and Mrs. Emma Packard of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, A. W. Gephart of Pontiac, Mrs. C. B. Eckel of Douglass, Mrs. Frank Mitchell of Topeka, Mrs. T. W. Bowman of El Dorado. Cleve Gephart died after he reached manhood.
Mr. Gephart was an honorable man, respected by many friends and acquaintances. He was first a member of the Evangelical church, later - in 1855 - uniting with the Methodist Church. All the older residents about El Dorado will sincerely regret to learn of his death.
He had suffered long with diabetes and in his enfeebled condition a carbuncle came on his neck and hastened his death.
His body was brought up from Douglass on Monday morning's Santa Fe. The funeral was from the Methodist Church at 2 p.m., conducted by Rev. C. M. Gray. His body was laid beside that of his wife in Belle Vista Cemetery. (Walnut Valley Daily Times, Monday, June 21, 1909, Volume XXIII, Number 9189)
Mrs. Henry Gephart died very suddenly at her home on Vine street, Saturday evening about 6 p.m. of heart disease. She had been afflicted for several years but was apparently better than usual; she did her work as usual and in the evening sat in the sitting room while Mr. Gephart read the daily papers to her. When he was through she lay down on a couch and he thought she was asleep. After she had lain there some thirty minutes he went to waken her and found that she was not breathing. He phoned for a physician but life was found to be entirely extinct.
Sarah Dinges was born in Millheim, Pennsylvania, August 30, 1830; was married to Henry Gephart, June 5, 1852 and with him came to Kansas locating at Ottawa in '72 where they lived for about 10 years, moving to Butler county in '82 locating on a farm in Prospect Township where they lived for ten years before coming to El Dorado.
She leaves a husband, six children, Mrs. Cordelia George of Wilkensburg, Pennsylvania, Mrs. Emma Parker of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, A. W. Gephart of Pontiac, Mrs. Clara Eckel of Douglass, Mrs. May Mitchell of Chicago; and Mrs. T. W. Bowman of El Dorado, seventeen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Gephart for 52 years was a sincere Christian and a member of the Evangelical church until coming to Butler County, when with her husband organized a Union Sunday school at Pontiac which has since developed into a Methodist Church. Hers has been a pure, simple Christian life, doing good where few would see the need, showing her Christianity by actions rather than words. All honor to such humble doers of kind things.
The funeral will be held at the Methodist church Tuesday at 2 p.m. conducted by Rev. F. C. Fay and her body will be laid in Belle Vista. (Walnut Valley Times, Monday, March 11, 1907, Volume XXI, Number 6675)
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