April 30, 2003
The ADVOCATE
Serving Anderson, Southern Franklin and Western Linn Counties
Volume 7, No. 35
Transcribed with permission of Vern Brown

Page 3, Column 2:

“Charles Henry Green
1920-2003
Memorial services for Charles Henry Green, 82, Garnett, were Tuesday, April 20, 2003, at 5:30
p.m. at Farris-Feuerborn Memorial Chapel with Pastor Sharon Brown Chappell officiating.  Mr.
Green died Friday, April 25, at St. Luke’s Hospital, Kansas City, MO.”

“Herbie L. Bontrager
1931-2003
Funeral services for Herbie L. Bontrager, 71, Garnett, formerly of Seneca, KS, were Saturday,
April 26, 2003, at 10:00 a.m. at Lauer Funeral Home, Seneca.  Interment, with military honors,
was in Wetmore Cemetery.  Mr. Bontrager died Wednesday, April 23, shortly after arrival at St.
Francis Hospital, Topeka, KS.
Herbie L. Bontrager was born May 6, 1931, on a farm near Goff, KS, the son of George and
Clara (Troxel) Bontrager.  He grew up near Granada, KS, and graduated from Wetmore High
School in 1948.  He worked for Huerter Skelgas delivering propane to farmers, on a dairy farm,
and as a truck driver for the F.J. Levret Trucking Company at Goff from 1950 to 1953.
On February 18, 1953, he entered the United States Army, where he served in Korea with the
38th Infantry Division.  He received the Korean Service Medal, ROK Presidential Unit Citation,
the United Nations Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.  He was discharged
on November 30, 1954, and served in the Army Reserves for eight years.
Herbie and Millie Olberding were married in February 1956.  They were later divorced.
He lived in Seneca and was the undersheriff in Nemaha County under Deke Swartz for seven
years and was elected sheriff from 1971 to 1976.  Herbie and his family were the last family to live
in and manage the original Nemaha County Jail.  He worked for Hall Brothers Construction until
he moved to Garnett in 1977.  He worked as a security guard at Wolf Creek Energy Center until
1985.  He was a former member of the Kansas Sheriff’s Association and the American Legion.
Mr. Bontrager is survived by his sons, Herbie Bontrager, Jr., Manhattan, KS, Jim Bontrager,
Seneca, KS, and Terry Bontrager, Topeka, KS; his daughter, Connie Holthaus, Topeka, KS; his
brother, Leo ‘Scottie’ Bontrager, Wetmore, KS; his sisters, Gladys Ward, Lees Summit, MO,
Elma Spiker, Holton, KS, and Edith Reed, Pueblo, CO; four grandchildren, five
step-grandchildren, and three step-great-grandchildren.
The Rosary was prayed at the funeral home at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 25.
Memorials may be given for Sts. Peter and Paul Grade School or the American Legion.
Lauer Funeral Home, Seneca, KS, was in charge of arrangements.”

“Ann C. Sise
1913-2003 
Funeral Mass for Ann C. (Strobel) Sise, 89, Shawnee, KS, was Monday, April 21, 2003, at 10:00
a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church, Mission, KS.  Interment was in Mt. Olivet Cemetery.  Mrs.
Sise died Tuesday, April 15, at the Sweet Life, Shawnee.
Ann C. Sise was born October 8, 1913, in Scipio, KS, the daughter of John and Anna
(Steinbacher) Strobel.  She had been employed with Palace Clothing Company in Prairie Village,
KS, for many years, and was a member of the Daughters of Isabella, Delphine Chapter.
Mrs. Sise was preceded in death by her husband, Clifford J. Sise, on October 25, 1987; and six
brothers and sisters.
Ann is survived by her daughter, Pat Jackson and her husband, Joe, Mission, KS; her sons, John
Sise and his wife, Chris, Roeland Park, KS, and Michael J. Sise and his wife, Shelia, Chicago, IL;
her sisters, Mary Rockers, Topeka, KS, Bernice Rockers, Ottawa, KS, Hilda Patton, Rancho
Palos Verdes, CA, and Ethel Mae Meyer, Lenexa, KS; her brother, Richard Strobel, Garnett;
eight grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Pius X School, 5300 Woodson, Mission, KS 66702.
Amos Family Chapel of Shawnee was in charge of arrangements.”

Page 3, Column 3:

“Donald Gareth Balcaen
1922-2003
Inurnment service for Donald Gareth Balcaen, 80, Garnett, were Monday, April 28, 2003, at
10:00 a.m. at Garnett Cemetery.  Mr. Balcaen died Monday, April 21, at Anderson County
Hospital.
Donald Gareth Balcaen was born October 15, 1922, at Garnett, KS, the son of Charles G. and
Ethel (Richardson) Balcaen.  He was a lifetime resident of Garnett.  He was a 1940 graduate of
Cedar Point High School.  In 1941, Don attended United States Navy Hospital Corp School and
was honorably discharged in 1944.  Don was a member of the Anderson County Flying Club,
serving as safety officer in 1978.  He was also a HAMM Radio operator.
Mr. Balcaen was preceded in death by his parents, Charles G. and Ethel Balcaen; and twin
brothers.
Don is survived by his daughter, Gloria Guerra, Stagecoach, NV; his granddaughter, Tessique
Koenig, Reno, NV; his grandson, Aaron Guerra and his wife, Brendys Brena Guerra, Burbank,
Ca; his great-granddaughter, Brendys Brenna Guerra; and his sisters, Ilona Hudson, Wisconsin,
and Lucille Lillibridge, Topeka, KS.
Farris-Feuerborn Memorial Chapel was in charge of arrangements.”

“Charles Marshall Curtiss
1916-2003
Funeral services for Charles Marshall Curtiss, 86, Burlington, KS, were Saturday, April 26, 2003,
at 1:30 p.m. at Jones Funeral Home, Burlington.  Interment was in Graceland Cemetery,
Burlington.  Mr. Curtiss died Wednesday afternoon, April 23, at Coffey County Hospital,
Burlington.
Charles Marshall Curtiss was born August 12, 1916, at Garnett, KS, the son of Fred B. and H.
Fern (Marshall) Custiss.  He was raised on a farm west of Garnett and graduated from Garnett
High School.
On November 8, 1935, Charles and Fern Irene Ashburn were married at Kansas City, MO.  The
same day as their wedding, they boarded a bus for Monroe, MI, where Charlie spent the winter
working for a pipeline before they returned to Kansas.  Charles started working the wheat harvest
while still in high school, taking a freight train from job to job.  In 1950, he moved to Burlington,
where he and his father opened Curtiss Implement, an Allis-Chalmers dealership.  Charlie had
continued to work the wheat harvest and in 1959, he started Curtiss Custom Harvest.  He and his
crews worked from Texas to Canada every spring until Charlie retired in 1981.  He served on the
Burlington City Council in the mid-1950’s.
Mr. Curtiss was preceded in death by his wife, Fern Irene Curtiss, on November 21, 1998; his
parents, Fred B. and H. Fern Curtiss; and his sister, Ruby Jean McKinzie.
Charles is survived by his daughter, Carol Sue Knapp and her husband, Ted, Mission Hills, KS;
his sons, Larry Curtiss and his wife, Jerilyn, Burlington, KS, and Steve Curtiss and his wife, Patty,
Topeka, KS; his grandchildren, Tim Knapp, Tamra Knapp, Traci Knapp, Karen Ristau, Kristen
Bastian, Joshua Curtiss, Matthew Curtiss, and Jacob Curtiss; three great-grandchildren, Devin
Marie Ristau, Hunter Curtiss Ristau, and Dylan Richard Bastian; and his sister, Fred Thornbrugh,
Tulsa, OK.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimers and Related Disorders Association.
Jones Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.”


Transcribed for 
Anderson County
Kansas
USGENWEB
By:  Lulu B. Nixon