Obituaries

Frank Robert Henderson of rural Hamilton, died on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, at his home south of Hamilton, at the age of 91.

Martha Strong

Vera Mae Nichols of Leawood, passed away peacefully of natural causes on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, at the age of 96. Vera was born Jan. 12, 1928, in Greenwood County. She was the daughter of Albert and Tammy (Bair) Stuber. Vera graduated from Climax High School. She met her future husband Wayne Carl Nichols in Eureka. They were married on Aug. 22, 1948. Wayne and Vera together were successful farmers/ ranchers. They had four children together. Wayne and Vera moved to Kansas City in 1976 when Vera needed a lifesaving kidney transplant, giving her the gift of life for 48 more years. In Kansas City, she spent many years helping her son Ken’s business by managing the accounting aspects of the company.

Nancy Lee Gilmore of Eureka, died on Monday, February 5, 2024, at Greenwood County Hospital, in Eureka, at the age of 73. She was born on July 23, 1950, in Evanston, Ill., the daughter of William and Irene (Wich) Kroschel.

Norlan Leon Ferguson, 83, of McPherson, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, surrounded by family at Hospice House, in Hutchinson. Norlan was the former President/CEO of Ferguson Production. He was born on June 18, 1940, in Cedar Vale, the son of Cecil Fay and Nadine C. (Compton) Ferguson. From the age of 11, Norlan was raised by his uncle & aunt, Carl & Gail Jordan, whom he grew close to and considered parents. Following graduation from Severy High School, Norlan served in the United States Navy for four years.

On Monday, Jan. 29, 2024, we bid farewell to Terry Fankhauser, a beloved figure born in Eureka, on October 16, 1970, to Larry and Mary Clark Fankhauser. Terry’s journey began at Madison High School, where he graduated with the Class of 1989, later pursuing football at Ft. Scott Community College, and earning his undergraduate and Masters in Ruminant Nutrition at Kansas State University.

Constance June (O’Connell) Bratton Hart passed away on Jan. 23, 2024. She was born on Dec. 11, 1940 to Harold Kenneth O’Connell and Gladys Armilda (Benton) O’Connell. Connie’s younger childhood was spent moving from place to place due to her dad’s profession as a welder, but the family settled in Eureka. Connie graduated from Eureka High School in 1959. She met Edmond Wayne Bratton during her Senior year and the two were married on Aug. 28, 1959. Eddie and Connie were happily married for 38 years before Eddie passed away from cancer in 1998.

Dale Louis DeVoe, 89, of Neodesha, formerly of Grove, Okla., passed away Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024 surrounded by family. Dale was born July 2, 1934 in rural Elm Creek, Nebraska, the son of Claude Lester and Rena May (Milton) DeVoe. He graduated from Elm Creek High School at the age of 16. Dale, a retired Operations/ Engineering Consultant, traveled and worked all over the world. After high school, he worked on local ranches alongside his brother Jack. Deciding the ranch life wasn’t for him, he started working for Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) in Elm Creek loading 100lb. gunny sacks of alfalfa pellets into rail cars stacking them for shipment. Through the years he worked his way up in ADM from Pellet Mill Operator to Construction Department to District Maintenance Supervisor for Western Alfalfa Corp., where he traveled throughout Kansas and Nebraska repairing plants. Then it was onto Plant Manager in Belle Plaine. He then took the position as General Manager for United Alfalfa Mills in El Centro, Calif.; followed by a few years, ‘69-‘73, at MEC Company in Neodesha as a Start-Up Technician and Construction Manager. In 1973, he bought an interest in Eureka Alfalfa Processors in Eureka, and moved the family there. This plant was then sold to a Canadian company, disassembled and moved to Canada. Following the sale of the plant, Dale was a Technical Consultant for Westston Drying Co. in Vancouver, BC, Canada. In 1977, he started Dale L. DeVoe Co. in Eureka, performing consulting work in the drying and feed mill equipment industry, inspection work of all types of plants and equipment along with dryer repair and track grinding work. Dale also worked as a Field Service Rep for Guaranty Performance Co., Inc. of Independence. Dale retired from ASIMA Corp./ESE of Caney, as an Engineering Consultant for new plant start-ups as well as overseeing the equipment rebuild division.

Nellie Elizabeth (Watts) Johnson of Severy, received her wings at the age of 87, two days before her 88th birthday, on January 19, 2024, at her home. She was surrounded by family.