Vivian Irene Daiprai, 87, Topeka, died Thursday, March 17, 2005 at a Topeka nursing home.She was born Nov. 15, 1917 in Hannibel, Missouri, the daughter of Jessie and Mable Norris Clark. She was raised in Moberly, MO, lived in Independence, MO for about 20 years, and came to Topeka in 1977. Mrs. Daiprai worked in a shoe factory during WW2.She...

John P. Brenton, 81, of Topeka, died Wednesday March 16 at his home.He was born September 1, 1923 in Eureka, the son of Earl and Lena Brenton.He attended Lapland School and Eureka High School, worked on the family farm, and joined the Army at the end of World War II. He served in the 11th Airborne Division during the occupation...

Thelma Loughmiller, 102, of Topeka, passed away on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 at her residence. She was born on July 22, 1902 in Marysville, the daughter of Otto F. and Nellie Secor Thiessen. She moved to Topeka in 1993. She was a homemaker and worked as a secretary for an interior decorating company and for an art class at the...

Victor L. Passow, 93, of Topeka, passed away on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 at Midland Hospice House. He was born on October 16, 1911 in Penn, North Dakota, the son of William F. and Ida Ebert Passow. He graduated from Perry High School in Perry, Oklahoma. He was a carpenter for Markowitz Builders in Emporia. He moved to Topeka in...

Miriam Grace Lira, 81, Topeka, died Saturday, March 12, 2005 at her home.She was born August 16, 1923 in Hartford, Wisconsin, the daughter of Rev. Alden Christian and Grace Heckman Baughman. She graduated from Shorewood High School in Shorewood, WI in 1941, and received a BA from Carthage College, Carthage, IL in 1945. She received a MA from the University...

Dale Duane Harris, 74, of Topeka, passed away on Sunday, March 13, 2005 at Stormont-Vail Regional Hospital after a lengthy battle with respiratory problems. He was born on February 3, 1931 in Topeka, the son of John L.S. and Wilma Beatrice Lacy Harris. He graduated from Topeka High School in 1949. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1951-1955. He...

Robert J. Fairchild, Jr., 60, Topeka, passed away at his home on Monday, March 14, 2005 after a brief illness.Mr. Fairchild was born August 10, 1944 in Topeka, the son of Robert J. and Dorothy D. Schwalie Fairchild Sr. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1964 and served as a Green Beret during the Vietnam conflict. He was a...

Elmer Edgar Mehl, 88, Topeka, passed away at a local hospice house on Friday, March 11, 2005.Mr. Mehl was born August 16, 1916 in Holyrood, the son of William and Augusta Christian Mehl. He graduated from Holyrood High School in 1935.After graduation, he moved to Wichita and joined the Wichita Fire Department in 1942. He retired from the fire department...

Doris J. Dillon, 82, Topeka, died Saturday, March 12, 2005 at Topeka Presbyterian Manor.She was born March 11, 1923 in the Argentine District of Kansas City, Kansas, the daughter of Robert and Marie Green. She married Bill Dillon in 1944. He was a Navy pilot and retired in 1963. Mr. Dillon died in 1970. She was also preceded in death...

Doris K. Desch, 81, Topeka died March 8, 2005 at Midland Hospice House. She was born Dec. 19, 1923 in Topeka the daughter of Pleasant Albert and Addie Mae Dunn Taylor.Doris was a very compassionate person. She spent most of her life giving her time to others to help them overcome their addictions. She worked as Kitchen Manager for various...

James Harlan Oberholser, 87, of Topeka, passed away, Tuesday, March 8, 2005 at Woodland Health Center. He was born April 8, 1917 in Lost Springs, Kansas, the son of Raymond Lee, Sr. and Beatrice Evans Oberholser. He grew up in Lost Springs and graduated from Lost Springs Rural High School.While living in Wichita, Mr. Oberholser worked in a garage and...

John Robert Waetzig, 71, of Topeka, went to be with his Lord on Tuesday, March 8, 2005. He was born on March 8, 1934 in Carbondale, the son of John A. and Lavinia Kosier Waetzig and spent all of his youth there graduating from Carbondale Rural High School in 1952. Mr. Waetzig worked as a computer and data processing professional...

Kathryn "Katy" Matthews, 77, of Topeka, passed away Sunday, March 6, 2005 at Stormont-Vail Regional Medical Center. She was born on July 11, 1927 in Lucas, Kansas, the daughter of Arthur and Vera Cullens Shehi. She attended Topeka schools and graduated in 1945 from Topeka High School. She was a member of Highland Park United Methodist Church, a member of...

Juan Gonzales, Sr., 61, of Topeka, passed away, Sunday, March 6, 2005 at his home. He was born December 19, 1943 in Plateros, Zacatecas, Mexico the son of Narcisso H. and Guadalupe Z. Blea. He was married to Marcela Saenz September 23, 1963 Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Mexico. She survives. Other survivors include four daughters, Niomi Burget and husband Rick, Topeka; Veronica...

Lawrence Alva Hetrick, 76, Tecumseh, died Monday, March 7, 2005 at his home. He was born Aug. 15, 1928 in Quenomo, KS the son of Carl Alva and Dora Pearl Morrow Hetrick. Lawrence served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was a member of Local Carpenters Union #1445. Lawrence worked for several construction companies in the Topeka...

Joshua Michael Blanchett, 26, of Topeka, passed away on Friday, March 4, 2005 at his residence. He was born on May 26, 1978 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the son of Gwen S. Bower and Robert G. Blanchett. He attended Topeka public schools. He was employed by DHL. Survivors besides his parents include two sons, Samuel Quinton and William Vance Blanchett...

Zona Bee Spillman Lana, 70, Topeka, passed away on Saturday, February 26, 2005 at Midland Hospice house.Zona was born December 5, 1934 in Advance, MO., the daughter of Arthur and Rose Chisolm Spillman. She worked for Hallmark Cards in Lawrence for 18 years and later moved to Topeka and operated Sunshine Cleaning.She is survived by her children: Henry Lana, Wichita;...

Wendy Sue McFarland passed away February 24, 2005, at the age of 50 after losing consciousness from an undiagnosed diabetic condition.Like her mother, Betty Smith McFarland, Wendy was an exceptionally warm, kind, and caring person. No one remained a stranger to her. Clinical depression stole much of life's joy from her-but did not stop her from bringing joy to the...

Mrs. Doris Jeanette Coffman, 81, of Topeka passed away Feb. 24, 2005 at St. Francis Hospital. She was born March 3, 1923 in Belvue, KS the daughter of George and Edna Harrower. Doris was a loving wife and mother all of her life as well as a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. She was active in all Hayden High...

Stephen R. Diehl, 60, of Topeka, passed away at his home on Sunday, February 20, 2005 after a courageous fight with cancer. He was surrounded by his family. He was born on November 13, 1944 in Santa Monica, California, the son of Ralph A. and Avis Williams Diehl. He graduated from Highland Park High School in 1963. Steve was a...