October 4, 2002 The ADVOCATE’s Free Press & Community News Serving Anderson, Southern Franklin and Western Linn Counties Volume 6, No. 78 Transcribed with permission of Vern Brown Page 3, Column 2: “Virginia L. Robrahn 1926-2002 Funeral services for Virginia L. Robrahn, 76, Ottawa, KS, are Saturday, October 5, 2002, at 10:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Ottawa. Interment will follow at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday at Graceland Cemetery, Burlington, KS. Mrs. Robrahn died Tuesday, October 1, 2002, at Golden Heights Living Center, Garnett. Among her survivors is her daughter, Vanessa Palmer, Garnett. Lamb-Roberts-Heise Funeral Home, Ottawa, is in charge of arrangements.” Gerald Michael ‘Jerry’ Peterson 1955-2002 Funeral Mass for Gerald Michael ‘Jerry’ Peterson, 47, Topeka, KS, is Friday, October 4, 2002, at 10:30 a.m. at St. John’s Catholic Church, Greeley, KS, with Father Tony Lickteig officiating. Mr. Peterson died Sunday, September 29, 2002, at Topeka. Farris-Feuerborn Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.” Pearline May Stephens 1916-2002 Funeral services for Pearline May (Minkler) Stephens, 85, Kincaid, KS, were Wednesday, October 2, 2002, at 1:30 p.m. at the Selma United Methodist Church with Rev. Lee Bahney officiating. Interment followed at the Lone Elm Cemetery, Lone Elm, KS. Mrs. Stephens died Sunday, September 29, 2002, at Anderson County Hospital, Garnett, KS. Pearline May Stephens was born November 11, 1916, in rural Kincaid, KS, the daughter of James Earl and Rosa (Shaw) Minkler. She was raised and attended public schools in both the Smith Center and the Lone Elm areas. She attended high school in Smith Center. Pearline and Raymond E. Stephens were married February 20, 1937, at Ottawa, KS. She was the wife of a farmer and she enjoyed gardening, cooking, canning, and her flower garden. Most of all, she loved caring for her family. She was a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Pearline was a member of the Selma United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women. She served on the school board of Minkler Star School. She was also a Sunday School teacher and a Youth Fellowship leader with her church. Mrs. Stephens was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond E. Stephens, on January 14, 1994; and two brothers, Charles Earl Minkler and Wallace Yost Minkler. Pearline is survived by five daughter, Irene Ray and her husband, Virgil, Centerville, KS, Rosalie Voorhees and her husband, Warren, Reading, KS, Jo Ann Anderson and her husband, Wayne, Topeka, KS, Ruby Schmidt and her husband, Lee, California, MO, and Crystal Rohr and her husband, Ronnie, Wichita, KS; one son, Eugene Stephens and his wife, Marjorie, Garnett, KS; one brother, Milburn Minkler, Gaylord, KS; one sister, Floy Nelson, Iola, KS; fifteen grandchildren and thirty great-grandchildren. The family received friends on Tuesday, October 1, 2002, from 7:00-8:00 p.m. at the Johnson-Kunkel Mortuary, Moran, KS. Memorial contributions may be made in Pearline’s memory to the Selma United Methodist Church or to the National Kidney Foundation, in care of the mortuary. Johnson-Kunkel Mortuary, Moran, KS, was in charge of arrangements.” “John Baptiste Blanchon 1921-2002 Funeral Mass for John Baptiste Blanchon, 81, Wea, KS, was Wednesday, October 2, 2002, at 11:00 a.m. at the Queen of the Holy Rosary Church, Wea. Interment was in Holy Rosary Cemetery. Mr. Blanchon died Sunday, September 29, 2002, at his home. John Baptiste Blanchon was born July 31, 1921, the son of John Baptist and Rosa (Bosquet) Blanchon. He was a graduate of Shawnee Mission High School and moved to the Wea community in Miami County in 1950. He was an entrepreneur and successful business owner with interests in real estate and farming. Mr. Blanchon was a member of the Queen of the Holy Rosary Church in Wea. Mr. Blanchon was preceded in death by his wife of fifty-one years, Agnes Schlagel; his daughter, Nancy Blanchon Kern, and his parents, John and Rosa Blanchon. John is survived by his wife, Maria; his seven children, Elaine Donaldson, Olathe, KS, John Blanchon, Raytown, MO, Mary Tooley and her husband, Kevin, Richmond, KS, Rita Mauner and her husband, Greg, Overland Park, KS, Therese Blanchon and her husband, Mark Treppe, Myersville, MD, Gerard Blanchon, Benton, NH, and Edward Blanchon, and his wife, Kelly, Stanley, KS; fourteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. The family received friends on Tuesday, October 1, 2002, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Church of the Holy Rosary. Memorials may be made to Holy Rosary School. Runyan-Dickey Funeral Home, Louisburg, KS, was in charge of arrangements.” Page 3, Column 3: “Darrel Berry 1914-2002 Memorial services for Darrel Berry, 88, Garnett, are Friday, October 4, 2002, at 10:00 a.m. at Farris-Feuerborn Memorial Chapel, Garnett. Mr. Berry died Tuesday, October 1, 2002, at his home. Farris-Feuerborn Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.” “Gene H. Hermreck 1941-2002 Mass of Christian Burial for Gene H. Hermreck, 61, Garnett, were Thursday, October 3, 2002, at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Angels Catholic Church, Garnett, with Father George Matz officiating. Readers were Brian Miller and Jim Miller. Offeratory was offered by John and Tracy Miller. Interment was at 2:30 p.m. in Resurrection Cemetery, Lenexa, KS. Mr. Hermreck died Monday, September 30, 2002, at St. Like’s Hospital, Kansas City, MO. Gene H. Hermreck was born August 28, 1941, at Garnett, the son of Louis H. Hermreck and Hazel (Stevens) Couch. He grew up in Garnett and moved to Kansas City, where he lived from 1960 to 1976. He was a member of Holy Angels Church, the Lake Garnett Cruisers Club, and was a Third Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, Garnett. He had been a store manager for Skaggs Drug Company. Gene and Kathleen Miller were married November 25, 1978, at Garnett. Mr. Hermreck was preceded in death by a son, Ricky Gene Hermreck, in 1997; his father, Louis H. Hermreck, in 1963; a brother, Charlie Hermreck, in 1965; and an infant sister, Betty Hermreck. Gene is survived by his wife, Kathleen Hermreck, of the home; his sons, Michael Hermreck, Fort Myers, FL, Gene H. Hermreck II, Shawnee, KS, Levi Hermreck, Overland Park, KS, and John Hermreck, Garnett; his daughters, Rhonda Kellerman, Gardner, KS; Jessica Sears, Garnett; and Amy Hermreck, Garnett; his mother, Hazel Crouch, Garnett; his brothers, Louis (Jack) Hermreck, Bush City, KS, and Marvin (Bill) Hermreck, Liberty, MO; his sisters, Judy Davis, Garnett, Linda Reed, Garnett, and Shirley Crouch, Parsons, KS; nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Music was provided by Rhonda Rhoades, organist, and Fred Miller, vocalist. Musical selections included “Here I Am, Lord”, “You Are Near”, “Amazing Grace”, “Be Not Afraid”, and “On Eagle’s Wings”. Casketbearers were Dave Branton, Bill Dick, John Davis, Jarrett Owens, Dusty Young, Landon Kellerman, Cliff Connelly and Cameron Kent. Honorary casketbearers were George Miller, Jim Miller, John Miller, Fred Miller, Brian Miller, Kevin Traynor, and Dale Feuerborn. Rosary, led by George and Cheryl Miller, was said on Wednesday, October 2, 2002, at 7:00 p.m., followed by family visitation, at Holy Angels Catholic Church. Memorials may be made to Holy Angels Catholic Church. Farris-Feuerborn Memorial Chapel was in charge of arrangements.” “Ella Mae Miller 1912-2002 Graveside services and interment for Ella Mae Miller, 89, Pleasanton, KS, formerly of Mound City and Kincaid, KS, were Wednesday, October 2, 2002, at 11:00 p.m. at the Kincaid Cemetery, Kincaid. Mrs. Miller died Monday, September 30, 2002, at her home in Pleasanton. Ella Mae Miller was born October 1, 1912, in Anderson County, KS. She was raised by her grandparents, William and Mary Garrison. She was a graduate of Kincaid High School. Ella Mae was a member of SEK Cap, Helpful Neighbors, Best Yet Quilters, Busy Doz, Happy Hour, Pickers and Fiddlers, Linn County Craft, Blue Mound and Mound City Seniors, Flower Club, Linn County Board, Multi-Board and Executive Board and area wide SOCK. She had served as president of Best Yet Quilters, Mound City Seniors, SOCK, Pickers and Fiddlers; secretary of Linn County Craft-Seniors, Mound City Seniors, and Linn County Board; vice president of Fiddlers and Pickers and Linn County Seniors; and third vice president of the Executive Board. She married Wallace Miller, who preceded her in death on February 10, 2002. She was also preceded in death by one grandson. Ella Mae is survived by two daughters, Ola Mae Anderson and her husband, Richard, Fort Worth, TX, and Marie Dutton and her husband, Elton, Auburn, CA; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorial contributions to Head Start. Coffel-Schneider Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.” Transcribed for Anderson County Kansas USGENWEB By: Lulu B. Nixon