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OBITUARIES Updated 2/3/10 Davis Louise Davis, 86, Holton, formerly of Butler, Mo., died Jan. 31, 2010, at Holton Community Hospital. She was born June 29, 1923 in Taberville, Mo., the daughter of Charles Monroe and Edna Weir Lukenbill. She graduated from Appleton High School. Mrs. Davis was a bookkeeper for her husband’s fertilizer business. She was a member of the Reorganized Latter Day Saints. She married Buzz Davis on Jan. 1, 1944. He died March 27, 2007. She also was preceded in death by a son, Charles Davis, on Jan. 15, 1962; two sisters; and two brothers. Survivors include a daughter, Betty Cashier and husband Larry, Holton; grandchildren, Kelle and Barry Ireland, Deanna and Kevin Moege and Jerry and Cheri Cashier; and seven great-grandchildren, Dean, Kyle, Leslee, Cody, Morgan, Caitlyn and Scott. Graveside services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 6 at Oak Hill Cemetery in Butler, Mo. Family will greet friends from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 6 at Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel in Butler, Mo. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association, sent in care of Mercer Funeral Home, P.O. Box 270, Holton, KS 66436. Online condolences may be sent to www.mercerfuneralhomes.com Hamlin Jean Hamlin, 79, St. Joseph, Mo., died Jan. 31, 2010, at a local health care center. She was born March 20, 1930, in Winona, Minn., the daughter of Henry and Barbara Fellers. Mrs. Hamlin was a certified nurse’s aide. She and her husband moved to St. Joseph, Mo., from Hibbing, Minn. She was a member of the Methodist Church and volunteered at the Community Hall. She married Raymond Hamlin on Jan. 13, 1979, in Minnesota. He survives. Other survivors include six sons, Bruce Petersen and wife Bonnie, Minneapolis, Minn., Raymond Petersen and wife Annie, Wrenshall, Minn., Rick Becker and wife Dawn, Billings, Mont., Bill Becker and wife Sachico, in Japan, Mark Hamlin and wife Margaret, Duluth, Minn., Terry Hamlin and wife Julie, Aurora, Minn.; a daughter; Coleen Hamlin, Dallas, Texas; two brothers-in-law, Jim Hamlin and wife Donna and Jack Hamlin and wife Gayle, both of St. Joseph, Mo.; two sisters-in-law, June Carson and husband Bob, Wetmore, and Ramona Hamlin; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her adoptive parents, Jesse Paul and Melva Marie Smith; her birth parents; and two sons, Pat and Mike Hamlin. Mrs. Hamlin was cremated. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Feb. 6 at Wetmore United Methodist Church, with Pastor Cathryn Love officiating. A dinner will follow the service at the church. Private inurnment will follow in Wetmore Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent to www.clarksampson.com 2/1/10 Barnes Ronalda “Ronnie” L. Barnes, 91, Holton, died Jan. 28, 2010, at Medicalodges Jackson County. She was born July 6, 1918, in Aurora, the daughter of Fred J. and Nellie M. Bigbee Marcotte. Mrs. Barnes had lived in the Holton community since 1995 and had previously lived in Whiting and in Colorado. She worked at Holton Hospital as a cook and in housekeeping for a few years, and she also worked at the Jackson County Courthouse. She was attending Circleville Christian Church. She married James L. Barnes on April 5, 1962, in Holton. He died Jan. 17, 1995. She also was preceded in death by five sisters, Dorothy Gerstner, Maxine Ponton, Maurine Troudt, Fredia Lemke and Betty Markham; three brothers, Bill, Elmer and Leo Marcotte; and a grandson, Nathan Hendren. Survivors include three sons, Charles Koester, Blaine, Wash., Richard Koester, Lawrence, and Fred Pearce, LaCenter, Wash.; a stepdaughter, Melany Barnes, Wichita; two sisters, Clara Bell Lemke, Hastings, Neb., and Marie Brown, Atascadero, Calif.; a brother, Don Marcotte, Fillmore, Calif.; 10 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held Feb. 1 at Mercer Funeral Home in Holton. Burial was in Holton Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Circleville Christian Church, sent in care of Mercer Funeral Home, P.O. Box 270, Holton, KS 66436. Online condolences may be sent to www.mercerfuneralhomes.com Beightel Paul Raymond Beightel, 88, El Paso, Texas, formerly of Holton, died Jan. 26, 2010, at a nursing home. He was born Dec. 9, 1921, in Holton, the son of Marion Arthur and Alice Elizabeth Fisher Beightel. He graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Mr. Beightel served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He later was an accountant for El Paso Natural Gas Company. He married Fanchon Groth. She died in 1963. He was also preceded in death by a sister, Dorothy Hensley; and three brothers, Marvin, Delmar, and Merrill Beightel. Survivors include two daughters, Pam Beightel and Cheryl Beightel, both of El Paso, Texas; a sister, Berniece Hyman, Mocksville, N.C.; a brother, Gerald Beightel and wife Dorothy, Holton; and a sister-in-law, Norma Beightel, Emporia. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 2 at Mercer Funeral Home in Holton. Burial will be in Holton Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, sent in care of Mercer Funeral Home, PO Box 270, Holton, KS 66436. Online condolences may be sent to www.mercerfuneralhomes.com Davis Louise Davis, 86, Holton, formerly of Butler, Mo., died Jan. 31, 2010, at Holton Community Hospital. She was born June 29, 1923 in Taberville, Mo., the daughter of Charles Monroe and Edna Weir Lukenbill. She graduated from Appleton High School. Mrs. Davis was a bookkeeper for her husband’s fertilizer business. She was a member of the Reorganized Latter Day Saints. She married Buzz Davis on Jan. 1, 1944. He died March 27, 2007. She also was preceded in death by a son, Charles Davis, on Jan. 15, 1962; two sisters; and two brothers. Survivors include a daughter, Betty Cashier and husband Larry, Holton; grandchildren, Kelle and Barry Ireland, Deanna and Kevin Moege and Jerry and Cheri Cashier; and seven great-grandchildren, Dean, Kyle, Leslee, Cody, Morgan, Caitlyn and Scott. Graveside services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 6 at Oak Hill Cemetery in Butler, Mo. Family will greet friends from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 6 at Schowengerdt Funeral Chapel in Butler, Mo. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association, sent in care of Mercer Funeral Home, P.O. Box 270, Holton, KS 66436. Online condolences may be sent to www.mercerfuneralhomes.com Velasquez Carlos Antonio Velasquez, 36, Hiawatha, died Jan. 25, 2010. He was born Feb. 6, 1973, in El Salvador, the son of Rafael and Gladys Escobar Velasquez. He attended Domingez High School in Compton, Calif., and received his GED in 2006 in Hiawatha. Mr. Velasquez worked at Alamo in Holton, RHS in Hiawatha, Argabright’s in Sabetha and the past two years as a welder for the Herzog Railroad repair business in Falls City, Neb. He and his wife moved to Hiawatha about 10 years ago. He was a member of St. Ann Catholic Church of Hiawatha. He also was a Boy Scout assistant and coached soccer and flag football. He married Horalia Contreras on Feb. 2, 2001, in Hiawatha. She survives. Other survivors include two sons, Carlos Velasquez Jr. and Matthew Contreras Velasquez; his parents, Gladys Escobar and Rafael Velasquez; a brother, Ronald; and six sisters, Norma, Rina, Evelyn, Celia, Claudia and Rosanna. He was preceded in death by his grandmother Celia and Aunt Amalia. Mass of Christian Burial was held Jan. 29 at St. Ann Catholic Church in Hiawatha, with Fr. Gabriel Landis as celebrant. Interment followed in Mount Hope Cemetery in Hiawatha. Memorial contributions may be sent to Morrill & Janes Bank in Hiawatha. Online condolences may be sent to chapeloaksfuneralhome.com Wagner Rose Marie Wagner, 84, Whiting, died Jan. 27, 2010, at a Horton hospital. She was born March 1, 1925, at Mattawa, Ontario, Canada, the daughter of William and Ann Marie Huard Beaudry. She graduated from Mattawa High School. Mrs. Wagner served in the Canadian Army with the Signal Corps during World War II. She later was an assistant manager for Magnum's (later Nordstrom’s) Department Store. She and her husband moved from San Diego, Calif., to Whiting in 1985. She married John Wagner in 1983 in Yuma, Ariz. He died Feb. 2, 1995. She also was preceded in death by five sisters and a brother. Survivors include two brothers, Rene Beaudry, Surrey, British Columbia, and Leo Beaudry, Vancouver, British Columbia; three sisters, Valeda Harrison, Edmonton, Alberta, Della Kaspardlov, North Bay, Ontario, and Lynn McLellan, Grimsby, Ontario; and many nieces and nephews. Cremation is planned. Inurnment will be held at a later date in Spring Hill Cemetery at Whiting. Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Holton is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to chapeloaksfuneralhome.com Wittenbach Edwin “Ed” L. Wittenbach, 76, Topeka, formerly of Holton, died Jan. 29, 2010, at a Topeka hospital. He was born Nov. 10, 1933, in Wetmore, the son of Edward and Ina Hawley Wittenbach. He graduated from Wetmore High School in 1951. Mr. Wittenbach served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He owned and operated Ed’s Tavern from 1957 to 1980, and he also owned and operated Ed’s Tastee Freeze from 1966 to 1968, both in Holton. He retired from Dupont/Flexel in Topeka in 1995 and later worked at Sam’s Club in Topeka for five years. He was a member of American Legion Post 400 and worked with Boy Scouts and American Legion baseball. He married Pat Barnett D’Orvilliers on Dec. 29, 1956, in Topeka. She survives. Other survivors include three sons, Dennis D’Orvilliers and wife Deb, Holton, and Steve Wittenbach and wife Reene and Jerry Wittenbach and wife Kirby, all of Topeka; a daughter, Susie Lovelady and husband Tom, Silver Lake; a daughter-in-law, Terry Taul, Topeka; three sisters, Opal Bryant and Donna McCulley and husband Bob, both of Holton, and Lola Stattleman and husband Rich, Topeka; a brother, Melvin Wittenbach and wife Loretta, Downs; 12 grandchildren; and a great-grandson. He was preceded in death by a son, John D’Orvilliers; and a sister, Ione Fletcher. Family will greet friends from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 2 at Mercer Funeral Home in Holton. A memorial graveside service will be held at a later date in Holton Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Honor Flight, sent in care of Mercer Funeral Home, P.O. Box 270, Holton, KS 66436. Online condolences may be sent to www.mercerfuneralhomes.com 1/27/10 Beightel Paul Raymond Beightel, 88, El Paso, Texas, formerly of Holton, died Jan. 26, 2010, at a nursing home. Funeral services are pending with Mercer Funeral Home of Holton. Online condolences may be sent to www.mercerfuneralhomes.com Hittle Virgil D. Hittle, 70, Mayetta, died Jan. 25, 2010, at a Topeka hospital. He was born May 7, 1939, in Goff, the son of Bernard Edward and Alma Pauline Cody Hittle. He graduated from Goff High School in 1957. Mr. Hittle served in the U.S. Army from 1961 to 1963. He worked for Herrman’s Excavating in Topeka for 28 years. He was a member of International Union of Operating Engineers Local 101. He married Carolyn Sue Hermann on Jan. 13, 1966. She died Oct. 31, 2007. He also was preceded in death by a son, Bernard E. Hittle III, in January 1990; and a brother, Terry R. Hittle, in January 2009. Survivors include a son, William C. Hittle and wife Barbara, Mayetta; two daughters, Sheri Dale Sharp, Topeka, and Tina Marie Casura and husband Paul, Deltona, Fla.; two brothers, Bernard E. Hittle II, Carbondale, and Randy L. Hittle, Mayetta; eight grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Jan. 28 at Mercer Funeral Home in Holton. Mr. Hittle will be cremated following the service. Inurnment will be held at a later date at Fairview Cemetery in Goff. Family will greet friends from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27 at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, sent in care of Mercer Funeral Home, P.O. Box 270, Holton, KS 66436. Online condolences may be sent to www.mercerfuneralhomes.com