Karen K. Bergeson, 67, Topeka, passed away on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at Midland Hospice House. Karen was born April 22, 1941 in Indianola, IA, the daughter of Wilbur and A. Loraine (Hickman) Kennedy. She worked for State Farm Insurance for over 28 years, retiring in 2007. She was a member of Countryside United Methodist Church. Karen and Don Bergeson...

Barbara H. Beck, 82, passed away on Wednesday, October 29, 2008. Barbara was married to John W. Beck, and together they owned the Beck Lumber Company in Burlingame. They moved to Topeka in 1981. Barbara lived at Brewster Place from 1996-2006. Funeral services will be at 1 pm Monday, November 3, 2008 at Penwell-Gabel Mid-Town Chapel. Burial will follow in...

Mark Kevin Anderson, 52, Topeka, died Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008 at St. Francis Hospital.He was born March 30, 1956 in Wichita, and had lived in Topeka most of his life.He married Brenda Lee Ragsdale on July 17, 1976. She died Aug. 5, 2002. Survivors include three sons, Justin, Joshua and Jared, all of Topeka; his mother, Beverly Anderson of Topeka;...

Herbert W. Ragsdale, 83, died Monday, October 27, 2008, in Topeka.He was born May 8, 1925, to Ruth Wadley Ragsdale and George T. Ragsdale.After attending Highland Park High School, Herb enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943. He served in WWII as a Radioman on the USS Barnstable, the USS Wasatch in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the USS Rocky...

Jacqueline Joyce Craft, 72, Valley Falls, died October 27, 2008 at the Jefferson County Hospice Care Facility in Winchester.She was born August 4, 1936 at Jane Lamb Hospital in Clinton, Iowa, the daughter of Lester Jake and Margaret (Gladhill) Humphrey.She graduated from Clinton High School.She married Charles Lewis "Chuck" Craft on November 15, 1957 in Topeka. He survives of the...

Bertha Louise Drescher, 91, died in Topeka on October 28, 2008. She was born in Ottawa, Kansas on October 9, 1917 to Will and Dora Cummins and soon moved with her family to Topeka. She graduated from Topeka High School in 1935 and has been a long standing member of Lowman United Methodist Church. Throughout her adult lifetime, she provided...

John "Jack" Carl Pankratz, 72, passed away on Oct. 26, 2008 at his home. He was born May 16, 1936, the son of William G. and Ina M. Pankratz.Jack was a graduate from Hayden High School. He was employed with Ed Marlings for serval years before owning and operating Quality Carpet Installation Service for 40 years. He traveled from coast...

Juanita Sackrider, 80, of Topeka, passed away Sunday, Oct. 26, 2008 at Presbyterian Manor. She was born Jan. 23, 1928 in Topeka to Raymond and Irene Mardock Pinger. Juanita attended the First Church of the Nazarene for many years. She enjoyed playing cards at Garfield Park, painting, quilting, and traveling. Juanita married Frank Sackrider Oct. 5, 1946 he preceded her...

Frank J. Oppitz, Jr., 84, Topeka, died Friday, Oct. 24, 2008 at Brewster Place. He was born February 26, 1924 in Topeka, the son of Frank J. and Eugenia Hilderman Oppitz. Frank graduated from Topeka High School and attended Washburn University. He owned his own business, Central Recording Studio for all of his working life, along with MuSed Background Music...

Donald D. Werst, 72, Topeka, passed away on Thursday, October 23, 2008 at a local care center.Don was born July 10, 1936 in Ozawkie, the son of Christopher and Clara (Webster) Werst.He had worked at Burgess Used Cars.Survivors include son, Richard Dean Werst, Topeka; granddaughter, Molly Lynn Werst; and sister, Wilma I. Freeman, Topeka. He was preceded in death by...

Barbara was born on December 19, 1946, the daughter of Marion and Bertha (Miller) Johnson.Barbara married Henry Profitt in 1990. He survives.Barbara is survived by four sisters: Mary Shannon of Topeka; Patty Goodwin of Redding, KS; Jeane Sartin of Sedalia, MO and Janet Johnson of Hallsville, MO; step-son: Hank Profitt and one granddaughter.She was preceded in death by one sister,...

Gilbert O. "Butch" Baker, Jr., passed away on Monday, October 20, 2008.Butch was born February 15, 1957 in Lawrence, the son of Gilbert O. and Betty L. (Davis) Baker, Sr. He graduated from Highland Park High School in 1975, and later served in the U.S. Marine Corps.He had worked in retail sales for many years.Survivors include sons; Nicholas Baker, Gardner,...

Marlin A. Young, 83, of Topeka, passed away October 11, 2008, at Midland Hospice House.He was born March 19, 1925, in Topeka, the son of Clark and Nellie M. (McCoy) Young.Marlin is a graduate of Topeka High School and attended Washburn University. He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII from 1942-1945.Mr. Young married Mary H. Smith, they later divorced.He...

Jeanne Merry, 86, of Topeka passed away Sunday, October 19, 2008.She was born February 23, 1922 in Kansas City, KS, the daughter of Earl and Mary (DuVall) Ketchum. She was a 1940 graduate of Argentine High School in Kansas City.She was a member of First Congregational Church where she was long-time member of the choir and served as a Deaconess....

Betty Jean Scarborough, 59, Topeka, died Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008 at Midland Hospice House.She was born Oct. 31, 1948 in Hughes, Arkansas, the daughter of Posh and Gertrude Webster Alston and had lived in Topeka over 20 years.Mrs. Scarborough worked for the State of Kansas for 13 years in the records department and was a member of East Side Church...

William "Bill" Guy Cloyes passed away Saturday, October 18, 2008. He was born July 16, 1930 in Madison, KS the son of Ralph S. and Gladys M. "Mordica" Cloyes. Bill moved to Topeka in 1965. He worked at TARC until retirement. He was a member of TARC Senior Services and First Presbyterian Church in Topeka. Bill lived in a group...

Max L. Bolton, 87, passed away Oct. 15, 2008 at Midland Hospice House. He was born Dec. 10, 1920 in Ottawa to Chester and Alma Bolton. Max was a U.S. Army Veteran and served in the European Theater as a gunner with the 161st Field Artillery B Battery. He was a police officer in Ottawa for eleven years and then...

Evelyn "Grandma" Hales, 81, of Topeka, passed away, Sunday, October 12, 2008. Mrs. Hales was born December 23, 1926 in Natchitoches, LA. Evelyn married Darvin "Shine" Hales December 25, 1945 in Leesville, LA. He preceded her in death March 2, 2003. Mrs. Hales is survived by her children, Ginger Powell and her husband Jerry, Topeka; J. Darvin Hales and his...

Kathryn "Kathy" Anderson, 65, of Topeka, passed away at her home of natural causes, Monday, October 13, 2008. Kathy was born July 17, 1943 in Rockford, Illinois the daughter of Donald and Elsie Small Ross. She spent the majority of her life in Topeka graduating from Washburn Rural High School in 1961. She attended Emporia State University and Washburn University....

Nellie Becker Bird, 98, passed away Tuesday, October 14, 2008, at McCrite Plaza.She was born November 9 1909, on a farm near Meriden, Kansas, the twin daughter of Edward and Lottie (O'Brien) Becker. She moved to Topeka in 1918 and attended Topeka Public Schools, graduating from Topeka High School in 1928. She graduated from McClelland's Business College, worked for Capper...