Mixed Obits for Butler County Kansas Genealogy Trails

Butler County, Kansas

HENRY, JOHN WILLIAM

John William Henry, formerly of El Dorado, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. A. N. Henry of Leon, died at 7:30 o’clock last night in St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., where he had been a patient since December 8. His illness began nearly two years ago and since that time he had undergone five operations, but was able during most of the time to give personal attention to the Western Typesetting Company of Kansas City of which he was owner manager. Kansas City had been his home for nearly twenty years and he was a member of the Consistory, Shrine and Arrarat Shrine Band in that city. He lived there at Valentine-on-Broadway, 3724 Broadway. His mother and his sister, Mrs. William Bush, of Wichita were summoned to his bedside about ten days ago and had been there since.

The Shrine will have charge of a funeral service to be held in Kansas City, Mo., tomorrow afternoon.

On Thursday afternoon a funeral service will be held in El Dorado, the details of which will be announced tomorrow. Interment will be made here in West Cemetery. The Hammer Funeral Home will be in charge.

Mr. Henry began his career in the mechanical department of the former El Dorado Daily Republican. He was for years, a member of the El Dorado band. His father was a member of El Dorado city council. Shortly after he became a linotype operator, Mr. Henry engaged in business independently in Kansas City. Under his astute direction his typesetting plant increased in volume of business until it became one of the leading enterprises in that city and was housed in a brick building which Mr. Henry had erected for its occupancy.

Mr. Henry visited his parents, brothers and sister at holiday time each year and last Thanksgiving Day flew from Kansas City to Wichita where the family reunion was at the Bush home. Although a number here had known of his illness his untimely death is a shock to many of his friends. He was forty-eight years old. In addition to his parents, Mr. Henry is survived by his brothers, Roy Henry of El Dorado, Ralph Henry of Leon, and sister Mrs. Treva Henry Bush of Wichita. (El Dorado Times, Tuesday, January 13, 1931, Volume XII, Number 3, page 3)

LAZZERS, RUBY V.

Ruby V. Lazzers, 77, retired Hallmark Card Production employee, died Monday, Oct. 14, 1996. Service will be 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, Kelley Funeral Home.

Survivors include: sons, Robert Lazzers of Eureka and Harold Lazzers of Toronto; daughters, Betty Griggs, and Sandra Parker of Wichita, Mary Cook of Eureka; brothers, Dale Purkeypile, Doyle Purkeypile, Burl Purkeypile, all of Eureka, Doris Segebartt of Grangeville, Idaho, Velma Ryan and Wanda Mitchell, both of El Dorado, 16 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren. Memorials to Greenwood County Hospital, Eureka. (El Dorado Times, October 16, 1996)

OWEN, JAMES O.

James O. Owen, 79, El Dorado, died unexpectedly Tuesday evening, August 21, 1990, at Allen Memorial Hospital. Services 2 p.m. Friday, August 24 at Carlson Funeral Home with burial following in Greenwood Cemetery, Eureka. Masonic services will be conducted following the services at Carlson.

Mr. Owen was born November 6, 1910 at Marion County, Ark., son of R. D. and Lennie Owen. (El Dorado Times, August 22, 1990)

James O. Owen, 79, retired Skelly Refinery employee, died Tuesday, Aug. 21, 1990. Service 2 p.m. Friday, Carlson Funeral Home.

Survivors sons, Arliss of Liberal, Jimmy of Durant, Ill., Parry of Towanda; daughters, Marvis Warren of El Dorado, Charlotte Charles of Valley Center, Kathryn Blanck of Brainerd, Minn.; brothers, Zerold, Bert, L. D., all of Little Rock, Ark., Doris of Yellville, Ark., Elam of Rock Island, Ill., sister, Elizabeth Blackwell of Yellville, 15 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren. Memorial has been established with Prospect Baptist Church. (El Dorado times, August 23, 1990)

SMITH, LEONARD M. “DICK”

Leonard M. “Dick” Smith, 76, former El Dorado resident, died at the Lawnwood Regional Medical Center, Fort Pierce, Fla., on Monday, Oct. 14, 1996.

He married Mary Davis on June 14, 1938, in El Dorado. He was a retired welder employed at Texaco Refinery. He was a World War II veteran, member of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. While he lived in El Dorado, he delivered Meals-on-Wheels and was a member of the First Christian Church of El Dorado where he taught Sunday school.

He was preceded in death by his father, William B. (Dick) Smith and Ruth Thornton Smith.

Survivors include: his wife of 58 years, Mary, three children, Judy Smith Noller, Augusta, Ga., Linda Smith Higman, Tucson, Arizona and the Hon. Richard M. Smith, Mound City, sisters, Eileen Murrey, Wichita and Helen Shelton of El Dorado, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at the Yates Funeral Home in Fort Pierce, Fla., at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17. Memorials to the First Christian Church in El Dorado. (El Dorado Times, October 16, 1996)

DICKERSON, LLOYD D.

LLOYD D. DICKERSON, 69, of Beaumont and Wichita, retired Dondlinger & Sons construction superintendent, died Saturday, Feb. 4, 1989. Service pending.

Survivors: wife, Christine of Wichita; sons, Tom, Mark, both of Wichita; brother, John of Lyons; three grandchildren. Memorial has been established with Veterans Administration Hospital. Cochran Mortuary.
(Wichita Eagle ~ 5 Feb 1989)

FRANKS, OLIVE M.

Olive M. Franks, 66, homemaker, died Wednesday, Nov. 22, 1989. Service 11 a.m. Saturday, Butts Cemetery.

Survivors: husband, Walter; daughters, Sherry Turner, Linda Dennis, both of Moses Lake, Wash.; brother, Robert Buffalow of Spanaway, Wash.; sister, Iris Thorburn of El Dorado; half brother, David Roby of Wellsville; half sister, Virginia Roby of Nebraska; three grandchildren. Memorial has been established with the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Carlson Funeral Home, El Dorado.
(Wichita Eagle ~ 24 Nov 1989)

FRANKS, WALTER A.

LEON - Franks, Walter A., 82, died Nov. 16, 2003. No services.

Survivors: daughters, Sherry Turner, Linda Dennis both of Moses Lake, WA; companion, Georgia Kennedy of Leon. Kirby-Morris Funeral Home, El Dorado.
Published in the Wichita Eagle on 11/21/2003.