Louise (Walburn) Younger, passed away peacefully on February 23, 2026 in Hays, Kansas surrounded by her family.
Louise was born on November 21, 1938 to Pearl Lena Picking and William Dee Walburn. She was the second daughter and had four younger brothers. Her family owned Walburn’s Grocery on West 7th Street and she would often be seen standing on a milk crate to work the cash register. Growing up, Louise was thin as a rail and was endearingly called “Fatty Arbuckle” by friends.
At age 14, as a freshman at Hays High School, she met her future husband, Jug Younger. Jug and Louise were married in Great Bend, Kansas on May 19th, 1957. They were married for almost seven decades and lived in Hays for the entirety of their marriage.
Louise and Jug welcomed five children together in the early years and also became foster parents. While raising her children she began babysitting neighbors’ children, which eventually turned into a licensed daycare. Though she was busy with children, both her own and those she cared for, she always made time for volunteer work. Some of that work included volunteering for the Hays First United Methodist Church, Hays Medical Center, various elementary schools in Hays, and as a mentor to college students attending Fort Hays State University.
This daycare she started while her children were young slowly morphed into a preschool. Wee Friends Preschool was Louise’s other love, born from dreams, love, hard work, sweat, some labor from Jug, and a desire to educate children at their most vulnerable age. Not only was the preschool a place of learning for children beginning their educational journey, but it was also where countless Fort Hays State Education students began their own educational journey- just on the other side.
No matter where Louise was, she was a teacher. This applied to her 11 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. Grandma was one of her favorite titles. As a grandmother, Louise made dreams come true. Going to her house was magical for kids- I mean not every grandmother has a race track and playground in their backyard and a reading loft inside their house. She shared her love of baking (and eating the sweet treats), family, education, and volunteer work with many of her grandchildren.
Louise will be remembered by those she left behind in many different ways. Those who know her best described her as a teacher, a nurturer, precise, clean, supporter, casseroles, jumbo hotdogs, lollipops, a sister, a volunteer, a foster parent, a crafter, Tupperware, a Christian, crochet, prayer shawls, an advocate, Beanie Babies, Boyd’s Bears, Christmas cookies, holidays, and an advocate. But above all else, Louise was a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and a great grandmother. She will be dearly missed by those who loved her.
Survivors include her children Cindy Younger of Wichita, Dave Younger (Kelly) of Oakley, Chris Hobbs (Greg) of Hays, Darryl Younger of Hays, and Doug Younger (Kelly) of Auburn, four siblings Ruth Rider-ImMasche (Don) of Emporia, Keith Walburn (Becky) of Maryville, MO, Ken Walburn of Emporia, and John Walburn (Sharon) of Lawrence, her grandchildren Keaton Younger (Katie), Kamri Younger, Karson Younger, KT Younger, Deacon Younger (Kelsey), Kirby Younger, Macy Younger (Robert), Dustin Hobbs (Megan), Brooke Keltner (Stu), Summer Demel (Dylan), and Austin Sloyer (Lauren), her great grandchildren Taylor Garner (Derrik), Tyson, Brooklyn, Cam, Landry, Owen, and Beau Younger, Halle, Shae and Miles Keltner, Lindsay and Landyn Demel, Hudson Sloyer, Benjamin, Oliver, and Louis Delgado, and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Jug, and a brother LeRoy Walburn.
Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Dr. Susan Murithi officiating. Inurnment with her husband Jug will follow in Mt. Allen Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5:00 pm until 7:00 on Monday at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home and from 9:00 am until service time on Tuesday at the church. Memorials are suggested to the FHSU Foundation, designated to Tiger Tots. Online donations are available at https://foundation.fhsu.edu/donate/. Condolences and memories of Louise may be shared with her family at www.haysmemorial.com.