Barber County Kansas

Harold Herbert & Irma Faye (Kendall) Garten

Irma Faye Kendall and Harold Herbert Garten, wedding photograph, May 1942, Wichita Kansas.

Photo courtesy of Jana (Garten) Schnelle.

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Irma Faye Kendall and Harold Herbert Garten
Wedding photograph, May 1942, Wichita Kansas.
Photo courtesy of Jana (Garten) Schnelle.

View larger image in a new browser window.


Barber County Index , March 15, 1984.

Harold H. Garten

Harold H. Garten was born January 30, 1920, the son of Frank James Garten and Arvilla Anna (Farley) Garten. He grew up in Medicine Lodge with his brothers Bob and Bill. His father died unexpectedly when he was seven years old leaving Arvilla to raise the family alone.

Harold lived all his life in Medicine Lodge except for a few years. He was always proud of the fact that he lived in Medicine Lodge.

On May 24, 1942, he married Faye Kendall in Wichita, Ks., where he worked for Boeing Aircraft Company during World War II.

Not long after returning to Medicine Lodge from Wichita, he went to work for the school system. For 31 ½ years he worked as the Primary School custodian. Harold felt a great deal of responsibility for the condition of the building and grounds, and great pride in the way he kept it.

Harold and Faye have three children, Jim and his wife, Chris, and two daughters of Prairie Village, Ks.; Jana and husband Dennis, two daughters and two sons, Meade, Ks.; Lori and husband Jay, Coldwater, Ks. Harold always enjoyed his family and they appreciated him.

Fishing was a popular pastime with Harold and he particularly enjoyed fishing the small farm ponds in the area. Harold also enjoyed hunting with his family, brothers and his dogs. In addition to raising dogs, he also raised other animals including rabbits, pheasant, quail and ducks.

Good conversation was always much enjoyed by Harold and as he fished, pursued his collecting hobbies, and conducted a part time sales career, he always met people he enjoyed talking with.

Even though his final illness was long and very taxing, he remained optimistic and enjoyed visitors. As his condition deteriorated, his faith in God strengthened. He will be missed and remembered with love by his friends and family.

Memorial services were held at the United Methodist Church in Medicine Lodge with Dr. Rick Frisbie officiating. Burial was in Highland Cemetery, Medicine Lodge.


People mentioned in Harold H. Garten's obituary:

Arvilla Anna (Farley) Garten
Billy "Bill" Franklin Garten
Robert Dale "Bob" Garten
Frank James Garten
Faye (Kendall) Garten
Harold Herbert Garten
Jim Garten
Chris (Mains) Garten
Dennis Schnelle
Jana (Garten) Schnelle
Jay Sherman
Lori (Garten) Sherman


The Gyp Hill Premiere, October 28, 2002.

Irma Faye Garten

Faye Garten, beloved Mother, Grandmother, and Great Grandmother departed this life on October 11, 2002 after a brief hospitalization at Via Christi Medical Center-St Francis Campus in Wichita, KS. Faye was born August 9, 1921, in Latimer, KS, the daughter of Orval and Ina Blanche (Baker) Kendall. She was joined in the family by brother Orval Kenneth Kendall (who preceded her in death), sister Doris Irene Sullens Witt (now living in Kansas City, MO), and brother Leland Dale Kendall (now living in Penn Valley, CA).

From her birth through her high school days, Faye and her family lived on a farm in western Morris County near Latimer, KS. She attended school at District #78 in Latimer. Upon graduating from Herington High School, Faye attended Salt City Business College in Hutchinson. While in Hutchinson, Faye met the young man from Medicine Lodge that was to become her husband of 42 years.

She married Harold Herbert Garten on May 24, 1942 in Wichita where they took up residence. Harold passed away on March 6, 1984.

Faye worked at Swallow Airplane Company and Harold worked at Boeing Aircraft during the war years. They started their family with son H. James followed by daughter Jana Suzanne. In 1949 the family relocated to Medicine Lodge where Faye would spend the rest of her life. In Medicine Lodge, daughter Lori Ann was born to complete the family.

Faye demonstrated the loving and nurturing parenting that became an inspiration to her children when they became parents. Faye’s delight in her family grew with the marriage of Jana to Dennis Schnelle and Jim’s marriage to Christine Mains. Youngest daughter Lori went on to marry Jay Sherman. From the marriages of her three children came eight grandchildren. Jim and Christine, of Lenexa, are parents to Heather, of Shawnee, and Aubrey, of Overland Park. Jana and Dennis, of Meade, are parents of Fae Cottrell, of Derby, Ara Schnelle, of Springfield, MO, Wes of Meade, and Jay, of Manhattan. Kara and Zach are the children of Lori and Jay, of Coldwater. Faye was blessed with two great-grandchildren, Cole and Kendall Cottrell.

Faye’s interest in nurturing children resulted in her most satisfying career as director of the Helping Hands Preschool, which was housed in the basement of the United Methodist Church. Faye retired after 19 years of teaching in 1986. In later years, Faye enjoyed being hostess at the Leisure Time Center. Faye’s favorite hobbies included card playing, dancing and traveling. Faye belonged to the United Methodist Church, the Monday Afternoon Book Club, the United Methodist Church Circle, and the Pitch Club. For the last six years Faye spent many enjoyable hours with her companion Howard Shelton.

The funeral was at 10:00 am, October 15, at the United Methodist Church in Medicine Lodge with the Reverend Marc McDonald and Pastor Kent Little presiding. Burial was in the Highland Cemetery, Medicine Lodge.

(Note by Jana Garten Schnelle: "I corrected the spelling of Blanche, spelling of Herington, and the marriage date, as they were incorrect in the newspaper article. My parents did NOT do a biography in The Chosen Land—how sad.")


People mentioned in Irma Faye Garten's obituary:

Cole Cottrell
Fae (Schnelle) Cottrell
Kendall Cottrell
Aubrey Garten
H. James Garten
Harold Herbert Garten
Heather Garten
Irma Faye (Kendall) Garten
Ina Blanche (Baker) Kendall
Leland Dale Kendall
Orval Kendall
Orval Kenneth Kendall
Christine Mains
Ara Schnelle
Dennis Schnelle
Jana Suzanne (Garten) Schnelle
Jay Schnelle
Wes Schnelle
Jay Sherman
Kara Sherman Lori Ann (Garten) Sherman
Zach Sherman
Doris Irene (Kendall) Sullens Witt


Also see:

Franklin James "Frank" Garten, father of Harold Herbert Garten.

Arvilla Anna (Farley) Garten, mother of Harold Herbert Garten.

Billy "Bill" Franklin Garten, brother of Harold Herbert Garten.

Robert Dale "Bob" Garten, brother of Harold Herbert Garten.

Sara Elizabeth (Nurse) Garten, mother of Franklin James "Frank" Garten, wife of James C. Garten, paternal grandmother of of Harold Herbert Garten.

Forrest City/Garten Cemetery, Barber County, Kansas, burial place of Franklin James "Frank" Garten's parents and some of his siblings.


Thanks to Jana (Garten) Schnelle, daughter of Faye and Harold Garten, for contributing the above obituaries and photograph to this web site! Her e-mail address is: jandenschnelle@sbcglobal.net




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