Obituaries
Obituaries
Obituaries for Wamego and Alma, KS and surrounding areas
George Lee Bettencourt
Oct 10, 2026
George Lee Bettencourt, age 89, of Wamego, Kansas, passed away peacefully on October 10th, 2026, in Manhattan, Kansas, surrounded by his loving family.
Lee was born on May 13, 1937, in Colusa, California, to Liborio Bettencourt and Mary Lambert (O’Brien). He grew up in Oakland, California, and enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1954, serving on active duty until...
Gary Lee Helget
Oct 6, 2026
Gary Lee "Buck" Helget, age 76, of Westmoreland, passed away Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka. He was a life-long resident of the area. Complete obituary information is pending. A celebration of life gathering will be held on a later date and will be announced.
Carol Sue Clouse
Oct 5, 2026
Carol Sue Clouse, 74, of Wamego, passed away on Monday (October 5, 2026) at Ascension St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, Kansas
Carol was the firstborn child of Beatrice (Nees) and Orval Clouse. She was born on September 23, 1952, in Oberlin, Kansas. She spent her early years in Norton, Kansas, before moving to Smith Center, Kansas, where she graduated from high...
Patricia R. Schumacher
Jul 19, 2026
Patricia R. Schumacher, 92, formerly of Wamego, Kansas, passed away on Sunday, July 19, 2026 at her home in Tampa, Florida. Born November 17, 1933 in Wamego, Pat was the daughter of John and Etta (Mensch) Ross. She married Lewis Elbert Schumacher on March 17, 1952 in Leonardtown, Maryland. He preceded her in death on September 26, 2009. Pat...
Lawrence Bridgewater
Oct 9, 2026
Lawrence Bridgewater, 90, formerly of York, IL, passed away on October 9, 2026.
He was born September 27, 1936, in York, the son of Virgil Bridgewater and Martha Daugherty Pine. Larry graduated from Hutsonville High School in 1954 and enjoyed playing basketball there as well as a number of other sports in later years, including handball. Larry enlisted in the United...
Joyce E Casper
Oct 5, 2026
Joyce E. Casper, age 82, passed away on October 5, 2026, at the Heritage Home in Alma, Kansas. She was born on December 18, 1943, in Marysville, Kansas, the daughter of Paul and Edith (Perkins) Musil.
Joyce attended school in Blue Rapids, Kansas, where she spent her early years and lived throughout her youth. In 1963, she moved to Wamego, beginning...
Ronald Castle
Sep 24, 2026
Ronald Castle, 77, passed away on September 24, 2026, in Kansas City, Kansas. He was born on March 14, 1949, in Laramie, Wyoming, the son of Vernon Albert Castle and Mary Isabel Smith.
Ronald grew up in Las Vegas. At 17, with his parents’ permission, he joined the Army and served two tours in Vietnam. During his military service, he received...
Karl "Fred" Schwarz
Sep 22, 2026
Karl Frederick “Fred” Schwarz, 85, of Topeka, Kansas, formerly of Onaga, passed away Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at his home in Topeka, Kansas.
Fred was born on December 22, 1940, in Onaga, Kansas, the son of Karl and Mary (Nightingale) Schwarz. He was baptized and confirmed in St. Paul Lutheran Church in Duluth. He attended Onaga schools and graduated from Onaga...
Criss Mayfield
Sep 22, 2026
Carl Criss Mayfield, III, 83, of Wamego, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at the Good Samaritan Center in Wamego.
Criss was born June 4, 1943, in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Carl Criss Mayfield, Jr. and Ruth Victoria (Kerigan) Mayfield. He attended local grade schools and graduated from Bakersfield High School in Bakersfield, California. In 1966, he graduated from...
John Edward Simmer
Sep 16, 2026
John Edward Simmer, 90, of Wamego, Kansas, passed away on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka after complications from a stroke.
John was born March 26, 1936, in Wamego, KS, the son of Frank Joseph and Cecelia (Umscheid) Simmer.
He was a member of the community his entire life, attending local schools and graduating from Wamego Rural High...
Joe Dean Harder
Sep 15, 2026
Joe Dean Harder passed away on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, after a 13-year battle with chronic emphysema and C.O.P.D. He died with his loving family by his side and with his eyes on his Lord and Savior.
Joe was born on December 14, 1955, the son of William F. and Catherine L. (Bruns) Harder, in Onaga, Kansas.
He attended Onaga schools all...
Nyla Mae Zerbe
Sep 14, 2026
Nyla Mae Zerbe, 92, of rural Wamego, Kansas, passed away Monday, September 14, 2026, at the Valley Vista Good Samaritan Center. She was a life-long resident of the area.
Nyla was born January 25, 1934, in Wamego, Kansas, the daughter of Frank H. and Leona (Wille) Bandel. She attended local grade school and graduated from Alma High School in 1952. She...
Dylan Joseph Higgins
Sep 13, 2026
Dylan Joseph Higgins, 17, of Wamego, Kansas, left us far too soon on September 13, 2026. He was born on October 6, 2008, in Manhattan, Kansas, to Chelsi Sterling and Robert Higgins.
Dylan was larger than life, with an outgoing and animated personality. He danced his way through our world everywhere he went and could talk his mom into anything he...
Carol Jean Pitney
Sep 13, 2026
Carol Jean (Ebert) Pitney, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend passed away Sunday, September 13 th , 2026 at Good Shepherd Hospice House, Manhattan, Kansas. She was born on October 12, 1939 to Emil “Butch” and Dorothy (Beard) Ebert at Genn Hospital, Wamego, Kansas.
She was raised on the farm and preferred being outdoors with her twin brother doing farm...
Dalene Christine Corbin
Sep 11, 2026
Dalene Christine Corbin passed away on September 11, 2026, in Topeka, Kansas. She was born on February 3, 1969, in Manhattan, Kansas, the daughter of Dale C. and Patricia A. (Mitchell) Ricker.
Dalene built a working life in the food industry and held numerous jobs over the years, including catering. Food and hospitality were a familiar part of her life, and...
Carol Lynn Eichman
Sep 8, 2026
Carol Lynn Eichman, 83, of Flush died September 8, 2026 in Wamego, KS. She was the second daughter born to Walter and Thelma Kennedy, in Manhattan, KS on November 4, 1942. Carol grew up in Manhattan where she lived on Pierre St, across from Roosevelt Grade School. Her grade school years were spent at Theodore Roosevelt; 7th through 9th grades...
Daniel E. Herrs
Sep 7, 2026
Daniel E. Herrs passed away on September 7, 2026, at Onaga Health and Rehab. He was born on August 12, 1959, in Marysville, Kansas, to Clarence and Johanna (Frese) Herrs.
Daniel spent his working life doing what he knew best: working with his hands and keeping things running. He was an auto mechanic with Herrs Auto and Tractor Service, the family-owned...
Nora "Norie" Jean Lietz
Sep 5, 2026
Nora Jean Lietz, age 98, of Paxico, Kansas, passed into the arms of Jesus on Saturday, September 5, 2026.
She was born May 28, 1928, to Frank and Emma (Richter) Gehrt in rural Alma, Kansas. Nora was baptized June 24, 1928, and confirmed on April 6, 1941, at Trinity Lutheran Church in McFarland. She attended the local Hinerville Grade School and...
Marilyn Ann Simon
Aug 30, 2026
Marilyn Ann Simon, 91, passed away Sunday August 30, 2026, at Ascension Via Christi, in Manhattan.
Marilyn Ann Diepenbrock was born June 10, 1935, in Alma, KS to Carl and Florence (Lemon) Diepenbrock. She attended Alma schools and graduated from Alma High School in 1953.
She was joined in marriage to Ray Melvin Simon on June 14, 1953, at St. John Lutheran...
James "Dale" Lambley
Aug 29, 2026
James Dale Lambley, age 84 of Paxico, passed away on Saturday August 29th, 2026 at his home.
He was born August 22, 1942, in Creston, Iowa, the son of John and Corda (Sharr) Lambley. They lived near Conway, IA, near his grandparents’ family farm.
Dale started Kindergarten in Conway Public School in 1947. In the spring of 1950, his family moved to...
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