Edith Ethel (Bertschy) Lewallen, age 94, passed away on March 6, 2023, at Citizens Medical Center, in Colby, KS. 
She was born on July 30, 1928, to William and Emma Bertschy in Buena Vista, Colorado. 
Edith grew up in Buena Vista, attending school and graduating from BVHS.
 In 1947, she met Jack Lewallen while working at Wright’s Lodge in Chalk 
Creek Canyon. They were married on Jack’s birthday, October 1, 1948, at 
Wright’s Lodge. They raised their two sons, Danny and Harley in Buena 
Vista. 
Edith’s two loves were family and cooking. She was an excellent cook and
 loved to feed people. She worked in the school cafeteria until both 
sons had graduated and then began cooking at Spring Canyon Lodge, where 
she cooked for people from across the country. It was often said she 
could cook for four and feed eight. She had a knack for feeding the 
masses without notice. 
After Jack and Edith retired, they spent several years fishing at Blue 
Mesa Reservoir, near Gunnison, CO. During that time Edith perfected her 
smoked salmon recipe and was generous in sharing the bounty. 
In 2006, Jack and Edith moved to Winona, KS, while still spending the summer months at their home in the Chalk Creek Canyon. 
Edith is survived by her two sons, Danny (Ellen) of Winona, KS and 
Harley (Mary) of Nathrop, CO and Lebanon, KS; and many, many nieces and 
nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Jack, her parents, 
four brothers and three sisters. 
A memorial service will be held in Buena Vista, Colorado over Memorial 
Day Weekend. Friends wishing to honor Edith are welcome to donate to the
 Logan County EMS, 710 West 2nd St, Oakley, KS 67748. For information or
 condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678825070514.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Edith Ethel (Bertschy) Lewallen, age 94, passed away on March 6, 2023, at Citizens Medical Center, in Colby, KS. 
She was born on July 30, 1928, to William and Emma Bertschy in Buena Vista, Colorado. 
Edith grew up in Buena Vista, attending school and graduating from BVHS.
 In 1947, she met Jack Lewallen while working at Wright’s Lodge in Chalk 
Creek Canyon. They were married on Jack’s birthday, October 1, 1948, at 
Wright’s Lodge. They raised their two sons, Danny and Harley in Buena 
Vista. 
Edith’s two loves were family and cooking. She was an excellent cook and
 loved to feed people. She worked in the school cafeteria until both 
sons had graduated and then began cooking at Spring Canyon Lodge, where 
she cooked for people from across the country. It was often said she 
could cook for four and feed eight. She had a knack for feeding the 
masses without notice. 
After Jack and Edith retired, they spent several years fishing at Blue 
Mesa Reservoir, near Gunnison, CO. During that time Edith perfected her 
smoked salmon recipe and was generous in sharing the bounty. 
In 2006, Jack and Edith moved to Winona, KS, while still spending the summer months at their home in the Chalk Creek Canyon. 
Edith is survived by her two sons, Danny (Ellen) of Winona, KS and 
Harley (Mary) of Nathrop, CO and Lebanon, KS; and many, many nieces and 
nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Jack, her parents, 
four brothers and three sisters. 
A memorial service will be held in Buena Vista, Colorado over Memorial 
Day Weekend. Friends wishing to honor Edith are welcome to donate to the
 Logan County EMS, 710 West 2nd St, Oakley, KS 67748. For information or
 condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Edith Ethel (Bertschy) Lewallen

SYRIA—Authorities are investigating an attack U.S. Forces in Syria. Just before 8:30p.m. Monday, two rockets landed near coalition forces at Mission Support site Green Village in Northeast Syria, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

No U.S. or Coalition troops were killed or injured. There was no damage to coalition infrastructure or equipment.

U.S. Forces found rocket debris at the point of impact. There were no claims of responsibility late Monday, according to the U.S. Central Command.&nbsp; &nbsp;The U.S. reported similar attacks in October, November and February.

SYRIA—Authorities are investigating an attack U.S. Forces in Syria. Just before 8:30p.m. Monday, two rockets landed near coalition forces at Mission Support site Green Village in Northeast Syria, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.No U.S. or Coalition troops were killed or injured. There was no damage to coalition infrastructure or equipment.U.S. Forces found rocket debris at the point of impact. There were no claims of responsibility late Monday, according to the U.S. Central Command.&nbsp; &nbsp;The U.S. reported similar attacks in October, November and February.

Another rocket attack targets US base in Syria

By DAVID BAUDER AP Entertainment Writer

NEW
 YORK — In reimagining 40 of their best-known songs, U2 recognized 
that many fans would experience them through earphones connected to a 
device in their pockets — rather than being belted out onstage.

That was one thought behind <a href="https://www.u2.com/">“Songs of Surrender,”</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/u2-ted-lasso-streaming-watch-week-211eb0a5b4f8606f313c523c790f49d1">coming out this week</a>.
 The four men of U2, now either 61 or 62 years old, revisit material 
written in some cases when they were little more than kids out of 
Dublin.

Particularly in those days, U2 songs were written 
primarily with concerts in mind. The Edge told The Associated Press in 
an interview that U2 wanted to catch the attention of people seeing the 
band for the first time, perhaps in a festival or as an opening act.

“There's
 a sort of gladiatorial aspect to live performances when you're in that 
situation,” he said. “The material has got to be pretty bold and even 
strident at times. With this reimagining, we thought it would be fun to 
see intimacy as a new approach, that intimacy would be the new punk 
rock, as it were.”

The Edge was the driving force behind “Songs of Surrender,” using pandemic down time to record much of the music at home.

Given
 that his electric guitar and Bono's voice are the musical signature of 
U2, there's a certain irony in the absence of that guitar being the most
 immediately noticeable feature of the new versions. He sticks primarily
 to keyboards, acoustic guitar and dulcimer.

The process began without a roadmap or commitment to see it through if it wasn't working.

“As
 we got into it and got into a groove, we really started to enjoy what 
was happening,” he said. “There was a lot of freedom in the process, it 
was joyful and fun to take these songs and sort of reimagine them and I 
think that comes across. It doesn't sound like there was a lot of hard 
work involved because it wasn't.”

Much of the intimacy comes 
through Bono's voice. There's no need to shout, so he sometimes uses 
lower registers or slips into falsetto.

Lyrics are often rewritten, sometimes extensively in even a recent song like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwZEIHTne58">“The Miracle of Joey Ramone.”</a>
 Some changes are more subtle but still noticeable: replacing the line 
“one man betrayed with a kiss” with “one boy never will be kissed” takes
 Jesus out of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHcP4MWABGY">“Pride (In the Name of Love).”</a>

At the same time, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” is rearranged to end with a question: “where is the victory Jesus won?”

Cellos replace the driving guitar of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98W9QuMq-2k">“Vertigo.”</a> Keyboards give <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzZWSrr5wFI">“Where the Streets Have No Name”</a> an ambient sound. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQiFSPboKAM">"Two Hearts Beat as One,"</a>
 the original a high-octane rock dance song, now has a slinkier, sexy 
vibe and is one of four songs where The Edge takes lead vocal.

The
 band is fairly democratic in taking songs from throughout its catalog, 
although 1981's “October” album and 2009's “No Line on the Horizon” are 
not represented. “New Year's Day,” “Angel of Harlem” and “Even Better 
Than the Real Thing” are among the songs left alone.

“We’re one of
 the only acts that has this body of work where a project like this 
would be possible, with the distance of time and experience where it 
would be interesting to revisit early songs,” The Edge said.

Throughout
 music history, bands have occasionally re-recorded material for 
contractual reasons. Taylor Swift is the most famous example, putting 
out new versions of her older songs in order to control their use. 
Squeeze's “Spot the Difference” makes sport of how they tried to make 
new recordings indistinguishable from the originals.

Live 
recordings and archive-cleaning projects like Bob Dylan's “bootleg” 
series gives fans the chance to hear familiar songs differently.

Many
 older artists don't see the point of making new music, since there's 
little opportunity to be heard and fans are partial to the familiar 
stuff, anyway, said Anthony DeCurtis, Rolling Stone contributing editor.

“Revisiting
 your body of work in a creative way is a means of sustaining interest 
in your career,” DeCurtis said. “Older fans might not be interested in 
another collection of your hits, but reworking them in a meaningful way 
could prove enticing. Younger fans don't have the same investment in 
your classics, so these new versions offer a route into your catalog.”

The Edge encourages fans to give the new versions a try, suggesting they may even grow to prefer some of them.

“I
 don't think there's a competition between these and the original 
versions,” he said. "It's more of an additive thing than a substitution.
 If you like the new arrangements, great. If you prefer the originals, 
keep listening.

“It's no problem either way,” he said. “They're both valid.”

The Edge said he's working on new music for U2, “and we've got some great stuff in the pipeline.”

The
 quartet that met in drummer Larry Mullen Jr.'s kitchen when they 
answered an ad placed on a high school bulletin board is a remarkable 
story in longevity. A passage toward the end of Bono's book “Surrender,”
 where he talked about looking around onstage at the end of their most 
recent tour in 2019 and wondering if it was the end, raised natural 
questions about how long U2 would continue.

“There are many 
reasons why U2 has stayed together for so long, but one of the main 
reasons is that it works so well for us as individuals,” The Edge said. 
“I think we all shine the brightest as part of this collective. I 
certainly would not like to hang up the guitar.”

This year will 
provide a test for a band that can count on one hand the number of times
 it has performed without all four members. U2 has committed to a run of
 shows in Las Vegas without Mullen, who is recuperating from surgery.

Would U2 continue if one of the original quartet decides it's time to hang it up?

“I
 wouldn't rule out the possibility that we could go forward with 
different members,” The Edge said. “But also, equally, I could imagine 
us deciding not to. It would be a big challenge. But I think at the time
 we would know what felt right.”

By DAVID BAUDER AP Entertainment WriterNEW
 YORK — In reimagining 40 of their best-known songs, U2 recognized 
that many fans would experience them through earphones connected to a 
device in their pockets — rather than being belted out onstage.That was one thought behind <a href="https://www.u2.com/">“Songs of Surrender,”</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/u2-ted-lasso-streaming-watch-week-211eb0a5b4f8606f313c523c790f49d1">coming out this week</a>.
 The four men of U2, now either 61 or 62 years old, revisit material 
written in some cases when they were little more than kids out of 
Dublin.Particularly in those days, U2 songs were written 
primarily with concerts in mind. The Edge told The Associated Press in 
an interview that U2 wanted to catch the attention of people seeing the 
band for the first time, perhaps in a festival or as an opening act.“There's
 a sort of gladiatorial aspect to live performances when you're in that 
situation,” he said. “The material has got to be pretty bold and even 
strident at times. With this reimagining, we thought it would be fun to 
see intimacy as a new approach, that intimacy would be the new punk 
rock, as it were.”The Edge was the driving force behind “Songs of Surrender,” using pandemic down time to record much of the music at home.Given
 that his electric guitar and Bono's voice are the musical signature of 
U2, there's a certain irony in the absence of that guitar being the most
 immediately noticeable feature of the new versions. He sticks primarily
 to keyboards, acoustic guitar and dulcimer.The process began without a roadmap or commitment to see it through if it wasn't working.“As
 we got into it and got into a groove, we really started to enjoy what 
was happening,” he said. “There was a lot of freedom in the process, it 
was joyful and fun to take these songs and sort of reimagine them and I 
think that comes across. It doesn't sound like there was a lot of hard 
work involved because it wasn't.”Much of the intimacy comes 
through Bono's voice. There's no need to shout, so he sometimes uses 
lower registers or slips into falsetto.Lyrics are often rewritten, sometimes extensively in even a recent song like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwZEIHTne58">“The Miracle of Joey Ramone.”</a>
 Some changes are more subtle but still noticeable: replacing the line 
“one man betrayed with a kiss” with “one boy never will be kissed” takes
 Jesus out of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHcP4MWABGY">“Pride (In the Name of Love).”</a>At the same time, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” is rearranged to end with a question: “where is the victory Jesus won?”Cellos replace the driving guitar of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98W9QuMq-2k">“Vertigo.”</a> Keyboards give <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzZWSrr5wFI">“Where the Streets Have No Name”</a> an ambient sound. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQiFSPboKAM">"Two Hearts Beat as One,"</a>
 the original a high-octane rock dance song, now has a slinkier, sexy 
vibe and is one of four songs where The Edge takes lead vocal.The
 band is fairly democratic in taking songs from throughout its catalog, 
although 1981's “October” album and 2009's “No Line on the Horizon” are 
not represented. “New Year's Day,” “Angel of Harlem” and “Even Better 
Than the Real Thing” are among the songs left alone.“We’re one of
 the only acts that has this body of work where a project like this 
would be possible, with the distance of time and experience where it 
would be interesting to revisit early songs,” The Edge said.Throughout
 music history, bands have occasionally re-recorded material for 
contractual reasons. Taylor Swift is the most famous example, putting 
out new versions of her older songs in order to control their use. 
Squeeze's “Spot the Difference” makes sport of how they tried to make 
new recordings indistinguishable from the originals.Live 
recordings and archive-cleaning projects like Bob Dylan's “bootleg” 
series gives fans the chance to hear familiar songs differently.Many
 older artists don't see the point of making new music, since there's 
little opportunity to be heard and fans are partial to the familiar 
stuff, anyway, said Anthony DeCurtis, Rolling Stone contributing editor.“Revisiting
 your body of work in a creative way is a means of sustaining interest 
in your career,” DeCurtis said. “Older fans might not be interested in 
another collection of your hits, but reworking them in a meaningful way 
could prove enticing. Younger fans don't have the same investment in 
your classics, so these new versions offer a route into your catalog.”The Edge encourages fans to give the new versions a try, suggesting they may even grow to prefer some of them.“I
 don't think there's a competition between these and the original 
versions,” he said. "It's more of an additive thing than a substitution.
 If you like the new arrangements, great. If you prefer the originals, 
keep listening.“It's no problem either way,” he said. “They're both valid.”The Edge said he's working on new music for U2, “and we've got some great stuff in the pipeline.”The
 quartet that met in drummer Larry Mullen Jr.'s kitchen when they 
answered an ad placed on a high school bulletin board is a remarkable 
story in longevity. A passage toward the end of Bono's book “Surrender,”
 where he talked about looking around onstage at the end of their most 
recent tour in 2019 and wondering if it was the end, raised natural 
questions about how long U2 would continue.“There are many 
reasons why U2 has stayed together for so long, but one of the main 
reasons is that it works so well for us as individuals,” The Edge said. 
“I think we all shine the brightest as part of this collective. I 
certainly would not like to hang up the guitar.”This year will 
provide a test for a band that can count on one hand the number of times
 it has performed without all four members. U2 has committed to a run of
 shows in Las Vegas without Mullen, who is recuperating from surgery.Would U2 continue if one of the original quartet decides it's time to hang it up?“I
 wouldn't rule out the possibility that we could go forward with 
different members,” The Edge said. “But also, equally, I could imagine 
us deciding not to. It would be a big challenge. But I think at the time
 we would know what felt right.”

In unusual step, U2 reinterprets 40 of its best-known songs

Dennis Francis Flax, age 57, died on March 11, 2023, at his home in 
Ransom, Kansas.&nbsp; He was born on October 27, 1965, in Ransom, the son of 
Joseph and Mary Frances (Friess) Flax.

Dennis was a member of the St. Aloysius Church and the Knights of 
Columbus of Ransom.&nbsp; He worked as a parts manager for many years and 
also worked for South Fork Meat Processing. Dennis was an avid sports 
fan and loved cheering on his Michigan Wolverines.

Being an uncle was Dennis’ highlight in life.&nbsp; He is survived by his 
25 nieces and nephews and many great nieces and nephews; he took pride 
in each and every one of them.&nbsp; He is also survived by his mother, Mary 
Frances Flax, of Ransom, five brothers, Raymond (Sondra) Simon of 
Rantoul, Robert (Deborah) Simon of Garden City, Stephen (Debra) Simon of
 Goodland, Lewis (Crystal) Flax of Dodge City, Peter (Janetta) Flax of 
Ransom and two sisers, Rose Marie (Steve) Amerine of Rush Center and 
Catherine (John ) Blair of Hays.

Rosary and Parish Vigil will be held at St. Aloysius Church, Ransom 
on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be
 held at the church on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. followed 
by burial in the St. Aloysius Cemetery, Ransom.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be given to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or St. Aloysius Church.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678726232729.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Dennis Francis Flax, age 57, died on March 11, 2023, at his home in 
Ransom, Kansas.&nbsp; He was born on October 27, 1965, in Ransom, the son of 
Joseph and Mary Frances (Friess) Flax.Dennis was a member of the St. Aloysius Church and the Knights of 
Columbus of Ransom.&nbsp; He worked as a parts manager for many years and 
also worked for South Fork Meat Processing. Dennis was an avid sports 
fan and loved cheering on his Michigan Wolverines.Being an uncle was Dennis’ highlight in life.&nbsp; He is survived by his 
25 nieces and nephews and many great nieces and nephews; he took pride 
in each and every one of them.&nbsp; He is also survived by his mother, Mary 
Frances Flax, of Ransom, five brothers, Raymond (Sondra) Simon of 
Rantoul, Robert (Deborah) Simon of Garden City, Stephen (Debra) Simon of
 Goodland, Lewis (Crystal) Flax of Dodge City, Peter (Janetta) Flax of 
Ransom and two sisers, Rose Marie (Steve) Amerine of Rush Center and 
Catherine (John ) Blair of Hays.Rosary and Parish Vigil will be held at St. Aloysius Church, Ransom 
on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be
 held at the church on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. followed 
by burial in the St. Aloysius Cemetery, Ransom.In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be given to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or St. Aloysius Church.

Dennis Francis Flax

Decades&nbsp;ago, we bought a little bungalow on two acres outside of Ellis. This starter home had many charms,&nbsp;but&nbsp;my favorite&nbsp;was&nbsp;the&nbsp;fenced&nbsp;garden spot behind the old barn.&nbsp;It&nbsp;planted&nbsp;a lifelong&nbsp;love for growing food&nbsp;and flowers&nbsp;in yours truly. Since&nbsp;then,&nbsp;I’ve&nbsp;learned a thing or two, including what I wish I’d known then—horseradish&nbsp;is a top-shelf&nbsp;condiment&nbsp;with the added bonus of&nbsp;clearing&nbsp;sinuses better than&nbsp;a&nbsp;saline rinse.&nbsp;You can also companion plant&nbsp;its&nbsp;interesting leaves&nbsp;near fruiting trees and&nbsp;bushes&nbsp;to&nbsp;deter&nbsp;pests.

​That&nbsp;home&nbsp;had long&nbsp;stood&nbsp;empty&nbsp;before&nbsp;we&nbsp;took possession&nbsp;in October.&nbsp;Not surprisingly, chest-high&nbsp;weeds&nbsp;had overtaken&nbsp;the garden. I spent weeks&nbsp;pulling deep-rooted pigweed and other noxious&nbsp;growth&nbsp;from the barb-wire enclosed&nbsp;site.&nbsp;As I filled&nbsp;towering burn piles with my efforts, I&nbsp;spied a corner filled with&nbsp;large,&nbsp;wrinkly, saw-tooth leaves&nbsp;surrounding a fence post. Tangled roots&nbsp;delayed&nbsp;removal,&nbsp;and&nbsp;I noted&nbsp;a pungent odor. &nbsp;I asked an experienced green thumb to identify this mystery plant before I&nbsp;dug into the mess. She called it horseradish and told me to leave it.&nbsp;At that time, I’d only smelled horseradish&nbsp;but&nbsp;never tasted it, and since&nbsp;those plants occupied such&nbsp;a small portion of our big garden, I&nbsp;followed her advice.

​Our cottage sat near Big Creek&nbsp;on&nbsp;flood plain-enriched soil. Year after year, we grew&nbsp;an&nbsp;abundance of&nbsp;tomatoes, peppers, melons, corn, cucumbers, okra, potatoes, onions, spinach, and other veggies.&nbsp;Planting&nbsp;a seed or tucking&nbsp;a tomato&nbsp;or pepper&nbsp;plant in that rich, dark&nbsp;loam guaranteed rooting. Our toughest job&nbsp;required&nbsp;pick off&nbsp;horn worms&nbsp;and&nbsp;beetles&nbsp;before the&nbsp;bugs destroyed our plants.&nbsp;

​As predictable as the calendar, that corner of horseradish returned&nbsp;every year. Oddly,&nbsp;I never thought&nbsp;to&nbsp;learn&nbsp;how to use it. Keep in mind,&nbsp;I&nbsp;couldn’t look something up on&nbsp;a&nbsp;phone with the click of a button,&nbsp;I saw no fruit&nbsp;on the plant,&nbsp;and&nbsp;no one I knew&nbsp;used these roots.

​Fast forward 42 years. We went to&nbsp;a&nbsp;restaurant that served prime beef with&nbsp;a&nbsp;side-dollop of&nbsp;freshly grated horseradish. Despite its spicy-hot scent, my husband and I&nbsp;curiously&nbsp;dabbed some&nbsp;on a bite of meat.&nbsp;Oh,&nbsp;my goodness, what had&nbsp;we&nbsp;missed out on all those years!&nbsp;That little dip of grated root added intense flavor&nbsp;and a sinus cleaning at the same time.&nbsp;Not long afterward,&nbsp;a foodie friend gave us a jar of Porubsky&nbsp;pickles&nbsp;processed&nbsp;with horseradish.&nbsp;What a rush of&nbsp;sensory overload&nbsp;followed by unstuffed nasal passages!

​Several decades and houses later, we will plant our first horseradish roots&nbsp;this spring.&nbsp;I found several&nbsp;internet&nbsp;sites offering guidance&nbsp;for&nbsp;first growing and then&nbsp;grinding this spicy mustard-family root.&nbsp;These experienced horseradish users recommend&nbsp;processing&nbsp;in&nbsp;a well-ventilated area&nbsp;while&nbsp;wearing&nbsp;protective&nbsp;gloves&nbsp;and eye gear.&nbsp;After&nbsp;irritating&nbsp;my fingers processing jalapeños, I’ll follow their&nbsp;directions.&nbsp;The stunner with horseradish is that once you grate or grind peeled roots, you&nbsp;simply&nbsp;add vinegar to preserve it.&nbsp;

​Come late fall, we’ll&nbsp;enjoy&nbsp;a&nbsp;batch&nbsp;of&nbsp;freshly&nbsp;ground horseradish and the clearest sinuses in town.&nbsp;I’m&nbsp;guessing I’ll add a little to a jar of okra pickles just for kicks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678468053000.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>​By KAREN MADORINDecades&nbsp;ago, we bought a little bungalow on two acres outside of Ellis. This starter home had many charms,&nbsp;but&nbsp;my favorite&nbsp;was&nbsp;the&nbsp;fenced&nbsp;garden spot behind the old barn.&nbsp;It&nbsp;planted&nbsp;a lifelong&nbsp;love for growing food&nbsp;and flowers&nbsp;in yours truly. Since&nbsp;then,&nbsp;I’ve&nbsp;learned a thing or two, including what I wish I’d known then—horseradish&nbsp;is a top-shelf&nbsp;condiment&nbsp;with the added bonus of&nbsp;clearing&nbsp;sinuses better than&nbsp;a&nbsp;saline rinse.&nbsp;You can also companion plant&nbsp;its&nbsp;interesting leaves&nbsp;near fruiting trees and&nbsp;bushes&nbsp;to&nbsp;deter&nbsp;pests.​That&nbsp;home&nbsp;had long&nbsp;stood&nbsp;empty&nbsp;before&nbsp;we&nbsp;took possession&nbsp;in October.&nbsp;Not surprisingly, chest-high&nbsp;weeds&nbsp;had overtaken&nbsp;the garden. I spent weeks&nbsp;pulling deep-rooted pigweed and other noxious&nbsp;growth&nbsp;from the barb-wire enclosed&nbsp;site.&nbsp;As I filled&nbsp;towering burn piles with my efforts, I&nbsp;spied a corner filled with&nbsp;large,&nbsp;wrinkly, saw-tooth leaves&nbsp;surrounding a fence post. Tangled roots&nbsp;delayed&nbsp;removal,&nbsp;and&nbsp;I noted&nbsp;a pungent odor. &nbsp;I asked an experienced green thumb to identify this mystery plant before I&nbsp;dug into the mess. She called it horseradish and told me to leave it.&nbsp;At that time, I’d only smelled horseradish&nbsp;but&nbsp;never tasted it, and since&nbsp;those plants occupied such&nbsp;a small portion of our big garden, I&nbsp;followed her advice.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658158605319.jpeg" alt="Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>​Our cottage sat near Big Creek&nbsp;on&nbsp;flood plain-enriched soil. Year after year, we grew&nbsp;an&nbsp;abundance of&nbsp;tomatoes, peppers, melons, corn, cucumbers, okra, potatoes, onions, spinach, and other veggies.&nbsp;Planting&nbsp;a seed or tucking&nbsp;a tomato&nbsp;or pepper&nbsp;plant in that rich, dark&nbsp;loam guaranteed rooting. Our toughest job&nbsp;required&nbsp;pick off&nbsp;horn worms&nbsp;and&nbsp;beetles&nbsp;before the&nbsp;bugs destroyed our plants.&nbsp;​As predictable as the calendar, that corner of horseradish returned&nbsp;every year. Oddly,&nbsp;I never thought&nbsp;to&nbsp;learn&nbsp;how to use it. Keep in mind,&nbsp;I&nbsp;couldn’t look something up on&nbsp;a&nbsp;phone with the click of a button,&nbsp;I saw no fruit&nbsp;on the plant,&nbsp;and&nbsp;no one I knew&nbsp;used these roots.​Fast forward 42 years. We went to&nbsp;a&nbsp;restaurant that served prime beef with&nbsp;a&nbsp;side-dollop of&nbsp;freshly grated horseradish. Despite its spicy-hot scent, my husband and I&nbsp;curiously&nbsp;dabbed some&nbsp;on a bite of meat.&nbsp;Oh,&nbsp;my goodness, what had&nbsp;we&nbsp;missed out on all those years!&nbsp;That little dip of grated root added intense flavor&nbsp;and a sinus cleaning at the same time.&nbsp;Not long afterward,&nbsp;a foodie friend gave us a jar of Porubsky&nbsp;pickles&nbsp;processed&nbsp;with horseradish.&nbsp;What a rush of&nbsp;sensory overload&nbsp;followed by unstuffed nasal passages!​Several decades and houses later, we will plant our first horseradish roots&nbsp;this spring.&nbsp;I found several&nbsp;internet&nbsp;sites offering guidance&nbsp;for&nbsp;first growing and then&nbsp;grinding this spicy mustard-family root.&nbsp;These experienced horseradish users recommend&nbsp;processing&nbsp;in&nbsp;a well-ventilated area&nbsp;while&nbsp;wearing&nbsp;protective&nbsp;gloves&nbsp;and eye gear.&nbsp;After&nbsp;irritating&nbsp;my fingers processing jalapeños, I’ll follow their&nbsp;directions.&nbsp;The stunner with horseradish is that once you grate or grind peeled roots, you&nbsp;simply&nbsp;add vinegar to preserve it.&nbsp;​Come late fall, we’ll&nbsp;enjoy&nbsp;a&nbsp;batch&nbsp;of&nbsp;freshly&nbsp;ground horseradish and the clearest sinuses in town.&nbsp;I’m&nbsp;guessing I’ll add a little to a jar of okra pickles just for kicks.

MADORIN: Clearest sinuses in town

Allen A. Windholz, age 81, of Victoria, Kansas, passed away on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at the Good Samaritan Society of Hays Care Center.

He was born May 10, 1941, in Hays, Kansas, to Anton and Philomena Hilda (Hammerschmidt) Windholz. &nbsp;He married Eileen C. (Wagner)&nbsp;on October 24, 1964, at Emmeram, Kansas.

Allen was a custodian at the Victoria Grade School and Victoria High School for 24 years. &nbsp;He also was a bus driver for the USD #432&nbsp;School&nbsp;District. &nbsp;He grew up on the family farm at Emmeram, attended grade school at Emmeram, and was a 1960 graduate of Victoria High School. &nbsp;In his earlier years Allen was a farm hand and worked on area farms. &nbsp;He always enjoyed his farm animals of pigs, fainting goats, guineas, peacocks, and some cattle. &nbsp;

He was&nbsp;US Army veteran,&nbsp;a member of The Basilica of St. Fidelis, the Catharine Knights of Columbus, the Hays American&nbsp;Legion, and a former member of the Sunflower Polka Club.&nbsp;

His survivors include his wife, Eileen Windholz, of the home; his children, Mark Windholz and wife, Brenda, Hays, KS; Theresa Meis and husband, Paul, Catharine, KS; Matthew Windholz and wife, Michelle, Ellis, KS; his sister, Altarena&nbsp;Basgall and husband, Leon, Yocemento, KS; his grandchildren, Michael Windholz (Nicole); Karl Meis, Kathleen Windholz&nbsp;and Coady Morris; Jacob Meis; his great grandchildren, Brooklynn and Mason Windholz.

Allen was preceded in &nbsp;death by his parents, Anton and&nbsp;Philomena Windholz; and his granddaughter, Julie Windholz.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 A.M. Thursday, March 16, 2023, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas with Father James Moster O.F.M. Cap. officiating. &nbsp;

Burial will be in the St. Fidelis Cemetery, Victoria Kansas with military honors conducted by the Victoria V.F.W. Post #1751.

A Catharine Knights of Columbus rosary will be at 6:30 P.M. Wednesday, followed by a vigil service at 7:00 P.M. Wednesday, both at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, 412 Main Street, Victoria, Kansas 67671. &nbsp;

Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Wednesday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, Victoria, Kansas, and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Thursday, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis

The family suggests memorials made payable to: St. Fidelis Cemetery or Hospice of Hays Medical Center in care of the mortuary.&nbsp;

Condolences can be sent via e-mail to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:clinesmortuary@eaglecom.net">clinesmortuary@eaglecom.net</a>&nbsp;or can be left at guestbook at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678663872441.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Allen A. Windholz, age 81, of Victoria, Kansas, passed away on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at the Good Samaritan Society of Hays Care Center.He was born May 10, 1941, in Hays, Kansas, to Anton and Philomena Hilda (Hammerschmidt) Windholz. &nbsp;He married Eileen C. (Wagner)&nbsp;on October 24, 1964, at Emmeram, Kansas.Allen was a custodian at the Victoria Grade School and Victoria High School for 24 years. &nbsp;He also was a bus driver for the USD #432&nbsp;School&nbsp;District. &nbsp;He grew up on the family farm at Emmeram, attended grade school at Emmeram, and was a 1960 graduate of Victoria High School. &nbsp;In his earlier years Allen was a farm hand and worked on area farms. &nbsp;He always enjoyed his farm animals of pigs, fainting goats, guineas, peacocks, and some cattle. &nbsp;He was&nbsp;US Army veteran,&nbsp;a member of The Basilica of St. Fidelis, the Catharine Knights of Columbus, the Hays American&nbsp;Legion, and a former member of the Sunflower Polka Club.&nbsp;His survivors include his wife, Eileen Windholz, of the home; his children, Mark Windholz and wife, Brenda, Hays, KS; Theresa Meis and husband, Paul, Catharine, KS; Matthew Windholz and wife, Michelle, Ellis, KS; his sister, Altarena&nbsp;Basgall and husband, Leon, Yocemento, KS; his grandchildren, Michael Windholz (Nicole); Karl Meis, Kathleen Windholz&nbsp;and Coady Morris; Jacob Meis; his great grandchildren, Brooklynn and Mason Windholz.Allen was preceded in &nbsp;death by his parents, Anton and&nbsp;Philomena Windholz; and his granddaughter, Julie Windholz.Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 A.M. Thursday, March 16, 2023, at The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria, Kansas with Father James Moster O.F.M. Cap. officiating. &nbsp;Burial will be in the St. Fidelis Cemetery, Victoria Kansas with military honors conducted by the Victoria V.F.W. Post #1751.A Catharine Knights of Columbus rosary will be at 6:30 P.M. Wednesday, followed by a vigil service at 7:00 P.M. Wednesday, both at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, 412 Main Street, Victoria, Kansas 67671. &nbsp;Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Wednesday, at Cline’s-Keithley Mortuary, Victoria, Kansas, and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. Thursday, at The Basilica of St. FidelisThe family suggests memorials made payable to: St. Fidelis Cemetery or Hospice of Hays Medical Center in care of the mortuary.&nbsp;Condolences can be sent via e-mail to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:clinesmortuary@eaglecom.net">clinesmortuary@eaglecom.net</a>&nbsp;or can be left at guestbook at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com/">www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com</a>&nbsp;

Allen A. Windholz

VATICAN CITY (AP) — So much for a short pontificate.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;celebrates the 10th anniversary of his election Monday, far outpacing the “two or three” years he once envisioned for his papacy and showing no signs of slowing down.

On the contrary, with an agenda full of problems and plans and no longer encumbered by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-retirement-papacy-dcca464e7c1fd910568d07d6bf4d9994">the shadow of Pope Benedict XVI</a>, Francis, 86, has backed off from talking about retiring and recently described the papacy as a job for life.

History’s first Latin American pope already has made his mark and could have even more impact in the years to come. Yet a decade ago, the Argentine Jesuit was so convinced he wouldn’t be elected as pope that he nearly missed the final vote as he chatted with a fellow cardinal outside the Sistine Chapel.

“The master of ceremonies came out and said ‘Are you going in or not?’” Francis recalled in a recent interview with The Associated Press. “I realized afterward that it was my unconscious resistance to going in.”

He was elected the 266th pope on the next ballot.

Francis had a big learning curve on clergy sex abuse, initially downplaying the problem in ways that made survivors question whether he “got it.” He had his wake-up call five years into his pontificate after a problematic visit to Chile.

During the trip, he discovered a serious disconnect between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2018-the-year-in-review-pope-francis-ap-top-news-chile-international-news-1d175bccdb364e5387956fc0e0672bf2">what Chilean bishops had told him</a>&nbsp;about a notorious case and the reality: Hundreds or thousands of Chilean faithful had been raped and molested by Catholic priests over decades.

“That was my conversion,” he told the AP. “That’s when the bomb went off, when I saw the corruption of many bishops in this.”

Francis has passed a series of measures since then aimed at holding the church hierarchy accountable, but the results have been mixed. Benedict removed some 800 priests, but Francis seems far less eager to defrock abusers, reflecting resistance within the hierarchy to efforts to permanently remove predators from the priesthood.

The next frontier in the crisis has already reared its head: the sexual, spiritual and psychological abuse of adults by clergy. Francis is aware of the problem — a new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-vatican-city-736fadac67811722f2a33ef94d1e789a">case concerns one of his fellow Jesuits</a>&nbsp;— but there seems to be no will to take firm action

When the history of the Francis pontificate is written, entire chapters might well be devoted to his emphasis on “synodality,” a term that has little meaning outside Catholic circles but could go down as one of Francis’ most important church contributions.

A synod is a gathering of bishops, and Francis’ philosophy that bishops must listen to one another and the laity has come to define his vision for the Catholic Church: He wants it to be a place where the faithful are welcomed, accompanied and heard.

The synods held during his first 10 years produced some of the most significant, and controversial, moments of his papacy.

After listening to the plight of divorced Catholics during a 2014-2015 synod on the family, for instance, Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b67e0b339b9d46fab29cb0ef642d5ed7">opened the door</a>&nbsp;to letting divorced and civilly remarried couples receive Communion. Calls to allow married priests marked his 2019 synod on the Amazon, although Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-international-news-pope-francis-latin-america-europe-c7f3dd10f458cb02fa9fa725c096d7db">ultimately rejected the idea</a>.

His October synod has involved an unprecedented canvassing of the Catholic faithful about their hopes for the church and problems they have encountered, eliciting demands from women for greater leadership roles, including ordination.

Catholic traditionalists were wary when Francis emerged as pope for the first time on the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica without the red cape that his predecessors had worn for formal events. Yet they never expected him to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/latin-mass-pope-francis-restrictions-benedict-6f50b9bc219d423f99267fddcdf23cf6">reverse one of Benedict’s signature decisions</a>&nbsp;by reimposing restrictions on the old Latin Mass, including where and who can celebrate it,.

While the decision directly affected only a fraction of Catholic Mass-goers, his crackdown on the Tridentine Rite became the call to arms for the anti-Francis conservative opposition.

Francis justified his move by saying Benedict’s decision to liberalize the celebration of the old Mass had become a source of division in parishes. But traditionalists took the renewed restrictions as an attack on orthodoxy, one that they saw as contradicting Francis’ “all are welcome” mantra.

“Instead of integrating them into parish life, the restriction on the use of parish churches will marginalize and push to the peripheries faithful Catholics who wish only to worship,” lamented Joseph Shaw of the Latin Mass Society’s U.K. branch.

While the short-term prospects for Francis relenting are not great, the traditionalists do have time on their side, knowing that in a 2,000-year-old institution, another pope might come along who is more friendly to the old rite.

Francis’ quips about the “female genius” have long made women cringe. Women theologians are the “strawberries on the cake,” he once said. Nuns shouldn’t be “old maids,” he said. Europe shouldn’t be a barren, infertile “grandmother,” he told European Union lawmakers — a remark that got him an angry phone call from then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

But, it’s also true that Francis has done more to promote women in the church than any pope before him, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-news-voting-rights-pope-francis-f89395f9d9a5e721d6b56af7b7f6116b">naming several women to high-profile positions in the Vatican</a>.

That’s not saying much given only one in four Holy See employees is female, no woman heads a dicastery, or department, and Francis has upheld church doctrine forbidding women from the priesthood.

But the trend is there and “there is no possibility of going back,” said María Lía Zervino, one of the first three women named to the Vatican office that helps the pope select bishops around the world.

Francis' insistence that long-marginalized LGBTQ Catholics can find a welcome home in the church can be summed up by two pronouncements that have book-ended his papacy to date:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/archive-pope-benedict-xvi-pope-francis-7b465b60945f40deb3a68b3de742f84a">“Who am I to judge?”</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">“Being homosexual is not a crime.”</a>

In between making those historic statements, Francis made outreach to LGBTQ people a hallmark of his papacy more than any pope before him.

He ministers to members of a transgender community in Rome. He has counseled gay couples seeking to raise their children Catholic. During a 2015 visit to the U.S., he publicized a private meeting with a gay former student and the man's partner&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f27eb8dd7bf744aa9fb11572c15748f4">to counter the conservative narrative</a>&nbsp;that he had received an anti-same-sex marriage activist.

“The pope is reminding the church that the way people treat one another in the social world is of much greater moral importance that what people may possibly do in the privacy of a bedroom,” said Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which advocates for greater acceptance of LGBTQ Catholics.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603292366279.png" alt="Pope Francis image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Pope Francis image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) — So much for a short pontificate.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;celebrates the 10th anniversary of his election Monday, far outpacing the “two or three” years he once envisioned for his papacy and showing no signs of slowing down.On the contrary, with an agenda full of problems and plans and no longer encumbered by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-retirement-papacy-dcca464e7c1fd910568d07d6bf4d9994">the shadow of Pope Benedict XVI</a>, Francis, 86, has backed off from talking about retiring and recently described the papacy as a job for life.History’s first Latin American pope already has made his mark and could have even more impact in the years to come. Yet a decade ago, the Argentine Jesuit was so convinced he wouldn’t be elected as pope that he nearly missed the final vote as he chatted with a fellow cardinal outside the Sistine Chapel.“The master of ceremonies came out and said ‘Are you going in or not?’” Francis recalled in a recent interview with The Associated Press. “I realized afterward that it was my unconscious resistance to going in.”He was elected the 266th pope on the next ballot.SEX ABUSEFrancis had a big learning curve on clergy sex abuse, initially downplaying the problem in ways that made survivors question whether he “got it.” He had his wake-up call five years into his pontificate after a problematic visit to Chile.During the trip, he discovered a serious disconnect between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2018-the-year-in-review-pope-francis-ap-top-news-chile-international-news-1d175bccdb364e5387956fc0e0672bf2">what Chilean bishops had told him</a>&nbsp;about a notorious case and the reality: Hundreds or thousands of Chilean faithful had been raped and molested by Catholic priests over decades.“That was my conversion,” he told the AP. “That’s when the bomb went off, when I saw the corruption of many bishops in this.”Francis has passed a series of measures since then aimed at holding the church hierarchy accountable, but the results have been mixed. Benedict removed some 800 priests, but Francis seems far less eager to defrock abusers, reflecting resistance within the hierarchy to efforts to permanently remove predators from the priesthood.The next frontier in the crisis has already reared its head: the sexual, spiritual and psychological abuse of adults by clergy. Francis is aware of the problem — a new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-vatican-city-736fadac67811722f2a33ef94d1e789a">case concerns one of his fellow Jesuits</a>&nbsp;— but there seems to be no will to take firm actionSIGNIFICANCE OF SYNODSWhen the history of the Francis pontificate is written, entire chapters might well be devoted to his emphasis on “synodality,” a term that has little meaning outside Catholic circles but could go down as one of Francis’ most important church contributions.A synod is a gathering of bishops, and Francis’ philosophy that bishops must listen to one another and the laity has come to define his vision for the Catholic Church: He wants it to be a place where the faithful are welcomed, accompanied and heard.The synods held during his first 10 years produced some of the most significant, and controversial, moments of his papacy.After listening to the plight of divorced Catholics during a 2014-2015 synod on the family, for instance, Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b67e0b339b9d46fab29cb0ef642d5ed7">opened the door</a>&nbsp;to letting divorced and civilly remarried couples receive Communion. Calls to allow married priests marked his 2019 synod on the Amazon, although Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-international-news-pope-francis-latin-america-europe-c7f3dd10f458cb02fa9fa725c096d7db">ultimately rejected the idea</a>.His October synod has involved an unprecedented canvassing of the Catholic faithful about their hopes for the church and problems they have encountered, eliciting demands from women for greater leadership roles, including ordination.LATIN MASSCatholic traditionalists were wary when Francis emerged as pope for the first time on the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica without the red cape that his predecessors had worn for formal events. Yet they never expected him to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/latin-mass-pope-francis-restrictions-benedict-6f50b9bc219d423f99267fddcdf23cf6">reverse one of Benedict’s signature decisions</a>&nbsp;by reimposing restrictions on the old Latin Mass, including where and who can celebrate it,.While the decision directly affected only a fraction of Catholic Mass-goers, his crackdown on the Tridentine Rite became the call to arms for the anti-Francis conservative opposition.Francis justified his move by saying Benedict’s decision to liberalize the celebration of the old Mass had become a source of division in parishes. But traditionalists took the renewed restrictions as an attack on orthodoxy, one that they saw as contradicting Francis’ “all are welcome” mantra.“Instead of integrating them into parish life, the restriction on the use of parish churches will marginalize and push to the peripheries faithful Catholics who wish only to worship,” lamented Joseph Shaw of the Latin Mass Society’s U.K. branch.While the short-term prospects for Francis relenting are not great, the traditionalists do have time on their side, knowing that in a 2,000-year-old institution, another pope might come along who is more friendly to the old rite.ROLE OF WOMENFrancis’ quips about the “female genius” have long made women cringe. Women theologians are the “strawberries on the cake,” he once said. Nuns shouldn’t be “old maids,” he said. Europe shouldn’t be a barren, infertile “grandmother,” he told European Union lawmakers — a remark that got him an angry phone call from then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel.But, it’s also true that Francis has done more to promote women in the church than any pope before him, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-news-voting-rights-pope-francis-f89395f9d9a5e721d6b56af7b7f6116b">naming several women to high-profile positions in the Vatican</a>.That’s not saying much given only one in four Holy See employees is female, no woman heads a dicastery, or department, and Francis has upheld church doctrine forbidding women from the priesthood.But the trend is there and “there is no possibility of going back,” said María Lía Zervino, one of the first three women named to the Vatican office that helps the pope select bishops around the world.LGBTQ FAITHFULFrancis' insistence that long-marginalized LGBTQ Catholics can find a welcome home in the church can be summed up by two pronouncements that have book-ended his papacy to date:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/archive-pope-benedict-xvi-pope-francis-7b465b60945f40deb3a68b3de742f84a">“Who am I to judge?”</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">“Being homosexual is not a crime.”</a>In between making those historic statements, Francis made outreach to LGBTQ people a hallmark of his papacy more than any pope before him.He ministers to members of a transgender community in Rome. He has counseled gay couples seeking to raise their children Catholic. During a 2015 visit to the U.S., he publicized a private meeting with a gay former student and the man's partner&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f27eb8dd7bf744aa9fb11572c15748f4">to counter the conservative narrative</a>&nbsp;that he had received an anti-same-sex marriage activist.“The pope is reminding the church that the way people treat one another in the social world is of much greater moral importance that what people may possibly do in the privacy of a bedroom,” said Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which advocates for greater acceptance of LGBTQ Catholics.

Pope Francis at 10 years: A reformer's learning curve, plans

As one of only 13 states that does not legally allow the medical use of cannabis, Kansas will likely continue to face growing calls to rethink its approach.&nbsp;

In her 2023 State of the State Address, Governor Laura Kelly&nbsp;urged&nbsp;the Kansas&nbsp;Legislature&nbsp;to legalize the medical use of cannabis.&nbsp;

Using&nbsp;the&nbsp;personal stories of two Kansans, Kelly argued that this move could reduce suffering for those with&nbsp;chronic pain, seizure disorders, and&nbsp;Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).&nbsp;

This&nbsp;call to action, however, faces&nbsp;uncertainty&nbsp;in the&nbsp;legislature.&nbsp;

A bipartisan group of Kansas Senators, including seven Democrats and one Republican, introduced Senate Bill No. 171, also known as the Veterans First Medical Cannabis Act.&nbsp;

This Act calls for the “regulation of the cultivation, distribution, sale and use of medical cannabis.” If enacted, the bill would prioritize eligibility of those individuals currently serving in the military, as well as those separated from military service by honorable discharge during the first 60 days.&nbsp;

Similar to other state’s legislation, the bill also calls for the implementation of an excise tax on the cultivation and sale of cannabis.&nbsp;

Last week, the&nbsp;Kansas Committee on Federal and State Affairs&nbsp;held hearings&nbsp;on&nbsp;legislation (Senate Bill No. 135) that would legalize medical marijuana distribution, use, and regulation for patients diagnosed with one of 21 different health conditions.&nbsp;

The House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee also heard testimony related to state marijuana policy.

During the hearings, opponents criticized the use of veterans as the face of medical cannabis&nbsp;and&nbsp;warned of&nbsp;criminal activity that may result from legalization.

They also&nbsp;argued it was a slippery slope to full legalization for recreational use.

Proponents, on the other hand, argued it was time for Kansas to move on this issue.

The&nbsp;federal nature of the U.S. system has created a complicated patchwork of state policies with regard to controlled substances, such as marijuana.

Marijuana and marijuana products are illegal under federal law, but this has not stopped states from adopting their own approaches.

In recent years, many states have liberalized their laws on the regulation&nbsp;of marijuana&nbsp;sale and&nbsp;use.

Currently,&nbsp;37 states&nbsp;and the District of Columbia allow the use of cannabis for&nbsp;medically&nbsp;qualified individuals, leaving Kansas in the minority.&nbsp;

States that&nbsp;allow&nbsp;the sale&nbsp;and use of marijuana&nbsp;collect&nbsp;tax revenue that goes&nbsp;to a variety of sources from education funds to public safety and corrections departments.&nbsp;

In addition, public support&nbsp;for&nbsp;legalizing marijuana for medicinal and recreational&nbsp;use&nbsp;has increased in recent years. An October 2022 Pew Research&nbsp;survey&nbsp;indicates that 89% of Americans think marijuana should be legal for medical use.&nbsp;

Kansas may feel pressure&nbsp;from growing public&nbsp;support&nbsp;to legalize&nbsp;marijuana for&nbsp;medicinal and recreational use, as well as&nbsp;from neighboring states&nbsp;changing their policies.

This year,&nbsp;Missouri&nbsp;legalized&nbsp;recreational sale and use of cannabis and estimates suggest&nbsp;individuals spent nearly $13 million on cannabis products during the first weekend of sales alone.&nbsp;

Kansas border cities could face unique challenges as dispensaries open up on the other side of the Kansas-Missouri line.&nbsp;

Conversely,&nbsp;Oklahoma voters, who previously approved of a medical marijuana system in 2018,&nbsp;voted against the legalizations of&nbsp;recreational use on Tuesday, March 7.

With the politics of marijuana continually changing, the question remains, what will Kansas do on medical cannabis?

Brianne Heidbreder is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Kansas State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678373196929.jpeg" alt="Brianne Heidbreder is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Kansas State University." />
 <figcaption>Brianne Heidbreder is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Kansas State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>As one of only 13 states that does not legally allow the medical use of cannabis, Kansas will likely continue to face growing calls to rethink its approach.&nbsp;In her 2023 State of the State Address, Governor Laura Kelly&nbsp;urged&nbsp;the Kansas&nbsp;Legislature&nbsp;to legalize the medical use of cannabis.&nbsp;Using&nbsp;the&nbsp;personal stories of two Kansans, Kelly argued that this move could reduce suffering for those with&nbsp;chronic pain, seizure disorders, and&nbsp;Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).&nbsp;This&nbsp;call to action, however, faces&nbsp;uncertainty&nbsp;in the&nbsp;legislature.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A bipartisan group of Kansas Senators, including seven Democrats and one Republican, introduced Senate Bill No. 171, also known as the Veterans First Medical Cannabis Act.&nbsp;This Act calls for the “regulation of the cultivation, distribution, sale and use of medical cannabis.” If enacted, the bill would prioritize eligibility of those individuals currently serving in the military, as well as those separated from military service by honorable discharge during the first 60 days.&nbsp;Similar to other state’s legislation, the bill also calls for the implementation of an excise tax on the cultivation and sale of cannabis.&nbsp;Last week, the&nbsp;Kansas Committee on Federal and State Affairs&nbsp;held hearings&nbsp;on&nbsp;legislation (Senate Bill No. 135) that would legalize medical marijuana distribution, use, and regulation for patients diagnosed with one of 21 different health conditions.&nbsp;The House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee also heard testimony related to state marijuana policy.During the hearings, opponents criticized the use of veterans as the face of medical cannabis&nbsp;and&nbsp;warned of&nbsp;criminal activity that may result from legalization.They also&nbsp;argued it was a slippery slope to full legalization for recreational use.Proponents, on the other hand, argued it was time for Kansas to move on this issue.The&nbsp;federal nature of the U.S. system has created a complicated patchwork of state policies with regard to controlled substances, such as marijuana.Marijuana and marijuana products are illegal under federal law, but this has not stopped states from adopting their own approaches.In recent years, many states have liberalized their laws on the regulation&nbsp;of marijuana&nbsp;sale and&nbsp;use.Currently,&nbsp;37 states&nbsp;and the District of Columbia allow the use of cannabis for&nbsp;medically&nbsp;qualified individuals, leaving Kansas in the minority.&nbsp;States that&nbsp;allow&nbsp;the sale&nbsp;and use of marijuana&nbsp;collect&nbsp;tax revenue that goes&nbsp;to a variety of sources from education funds to public safety and corrections departments.&nbsp;In addition, public support&nbsp;for&nbsp;legalizing marijuana for medicinal and recreational&nbsp;use&nbsp;has increased in recent years. An October 2022 Pew Research&nbsp;survey&nbsp;indicates that 89% of Americans think marijuana should be legal for medical use.&nbsp;Kansas may feel pressure&nbsp;from growing public&nbsp;support&nbsp;to legalize&nbsp;marijuana for&nbsp;medicinal and recreational use, as well as&nbsp;from neighboring states&nbsp;changing their policies.This year,&nbsp;Missouri&nbsp;legalized&nbsp;recreational sale and use of cannabis and estimates suggest&nbsp;individuals spent nearly $13 million on cannabis products during the first weekend of sales alone.&nbsp;Kansas border cities could face unique challenges as dispensaries open up on the other side of the Kansas-Missouri line.&nbsp;Conversely,&nbsp;Oklahoma voters, who previously approved of a medical marijuana system in 2018,&nbsp;voted against the legalizations of&nbsp;recreational use on Tuesday, March 7.With the politics of marijuana continually changing, the question remains, what will Kansas do on medical cannabis?Brianne Heidbreder is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Kansas State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Kansas an outlier on medical cannabis

KANSAS CITY —A jury this week convicted a Kansas City woman for severely beating a child while the child was in her care in a Kansas City residence, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Nancy Russell, 41,&nbsp; was found guilty of four Class B felonies of Domstic Assault 1st Degree and four counts of Armed Criminal Action.&nbsp;

According to court records, in October 2017, police in Kansas City were alerted by Arkansas police of possible child abuse. A family member had come forward to say that one of the children had been abused at a home in Kansas City in the area of 53rd and Hardesty. 

The child was reportedly walking with a limp and had gashes on the head. Forensic interviews in Arkansas disclosed the defendant struck the child with a cord and metal pipe. Russell will be sentenced at a future hearing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678322605798.png" alt="Russell-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Russell-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A jury this week convicted a Kansas City woman for severely beating a child while the child was in her care in a Kansas City residence, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Nancy Russell, 41,&nbsp; was found guilty of four Class B felonies of Domstic Assault 1st Degree and four counts of Armed Criminal Action.&nbsp;According to court records, in October 2017, police in Kansas City were alerted by Arkansas police of possible child abuse. A family member had come forward to say that one of the children had been abused at a home in Kansas City in the area of 53rd and Hardesty. The child was reportedly walking with a limp and had gashes on the head. Forensic interviews in Arkansas disclosed the defendant struck the child with a cord and metal pipe. Russell will be sentenced at a future hearing.

Jury: Kansas City woman guilty of using metal pipe to beat child

Bonnie Jean Cram was born on October 22, 1926, at the farm of her 
parents, Lloyd and Ione Waters, nine miles south of St. Francis. She 
grew up there with her 2 older sisters, Janetta and Jeneva, her younger 
sister Dolly, and younger brother Fred. She attended Sunny Ridge rural 
country school and graduated from St. Francis High School in 1944. 
Earning money for college while working after high school, she attended 
Kansas State University during 1945-1946. 

She married Ernest R. Cram, 
known affectionately as Dick, on August 29, 1948, at the Methodist Church
 in St. Francis. They lived in Lawrence and Kansas City while Dick 
completed medical school at the University of Kansas in 1952. Bonnie 
attended Kansas City Art Institute during that time, until Richard, 
their first child, was born in 1953. The family moved to Denver, 
Colorado where daughter Ione was born in 1953. After Dick completed his 
military service at Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts, the family
 moved back to St. Francis in 1954 where Dick started his medical 
practice. Bonnie and Dick had three more children in St. Francis: 
daughter Claudia born in 1955, son Ole born in 1962, and daughter Adele 
born in 1971.&nbsp;

Bonnie loved her life, family, faith, and community in St. Francis. 
She painted, sculpted, sang, acted, and wrote. She and Dick starred in 
several community theater productions, including Music Man, Dust on the 
Sunflowers, Hello Dolly, Taming of the Shrew, and Fiddler on the Roof. 
She encouraged all of her children to pursue their artistic passions, 
taking them to art, piano, and dance lessons. She saw St. Francis as a 
city of light. She became a founding member of the local arts 
organization, CC4C, supporting its many activities and exhibits.&nbsp;

Bonnie enjoyed many gourmet and international cooking, putting on 
elaborate dinners for her family and many friends. Sitting down to one 
of Bonnie's dinners in the "Green Room" was always a sublime experience.
 She always had cappuccino and freshly baked cinnamon rolls or scones 
ready in her kitchen for her many friends dropping by.&nbsp;

Bonnie and Dick loved flying in their Beechcraft airplane "Love Baby"
 on Wednesday afternoons. Bonnie enthusiastically signed up for flying 
lessons and even soloed, taking her co-pilot duties with Dick seriously.
 After their flying duties were over, Bonnie and Dick became dedicated 
golfers, hitting Riverside Golf Course almost daily.&nbsp;

Always interested in politics, Bonnie worked very actively in the 
Republican Party for many decades, beginning as Bob Dole's Cheyenne 
County campaign chair in 1960 for his first race for Congress and 
continuing through his political career. She arranged countless coffees 
for visiting Republican office seekers and elected officials.&nbsp;

Bonnie's faith could move mountains. She read the Bible daily, 
memorized scriptures, prayed, and enjoyed hosting a weekly Bible study 
group in her home. As a young girl, her dream was to become a missionary
 to China. Although she never made it to China, Bonnie served as a 
wonderful missionary to all who were fortunate enough to know her and 
experience her warmth.&nbsp;

Bonnie Cram passed away peacefully on March 8, 2023 in Ellis, Kansas 
surrounded by family. She is survived by her five children: Richard 
Lloyd Cram; Ione Beth Slattery and spouse Mike; Claudia Ray Bunker; Ole 
Robert Cram III and spouse Elinor; and Adele Elizabeth DeGood and spouse
 Darris. She is also survived by thirteen grandchildren: Megan Elizabeth
 Comfoltey and spouse Nick; Julian Robert Bunker and spouse Maryah; Joel
 Michael Bunker; Shannon Michelle Moore and spouse Marissa; Hope Elena 
Cram; Grace Amelia Cram; Issac Richard Cram; Katy Jean Cram; Nya Joy 
Cram; Micah Robert Cram; Paige Elizabeth DeGood; Dawsen Dean DeGood; and
 Cora Jean DeGood. She has three great-grandchildren: Cyprian Michael 
Bunker, Lyla Elizabeth Comfoltey, and Edward Arche Comfoltey.&nbsp;

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the St. Francis United 
Methodist Church in St. Francis, Kansas; 202 on Washington Events 
Center; or&nbsp; Ellis Good Samaritan Society.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678550132300.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Bonnie Jean Cram was born on October 22, 1926, at the farm of her 
parents, Lloyd and Ione Waters, nine miles south of St. Francis. She 
grew up there with her 2 older sisters, Janetta and Jeneva, her younger 
sister Dolly, and younger brother Fred. She attended Sunny Ridge rural 
country school and graduated from St. Francis High School in 1944. 
Earning money for college while working after high school, she attended 
Kansas State University during 1945-1946. She married Ernest R. Cram, 
known affectionately as Dick, on August 29, 1948, at the Methodist Church
 in St. Francis. They lived in Lawrence and Kansas City while Dick 
completed medical school at the University of Kansas in 1952. Bonnie 
attended Kansas City Art Institute during that time, until Richard, 
their first child, was born in 1953. The family moved to Denver, 
Colorado where daughter Ione was born in 1953. After Dick completed his 
military service at Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts, the family
 moved back to St. Francis in 1954 where Dick started his medical 
practice. Bonnie and Dick had three more children in St. Francis: 
daughter Claudia born in 1955, son Ole born in 1962, and daughter Adele 
born in 1971.&nbsp;Bonnie loved her life, family, faith, and community in St. Francis. 
She painted, sculpted, sang, acted, and wrote. She and Dick starred in 
several community theater productions, including Music Man, Dust on the 
Sunflowers, Hello Dolly, Taming of the Shrew, and Fiddler on the Roof. 
She encouraged all of her children to pursue their artistic passions, 
taking them to art, piano, and dance lessons. She saw St. Francis as a 
city of light. She became a founding member of the local arts 
organization, CC4C, supporting its many activities and exhibits.&nbsp;Bonnie enjoyed many gourmet and international cooking, putting on 
elaborate dinners for her family and many friends. Sitting down to one 
of Bonnie's dinners in the "Green Room" was always a sublime experience.
 She always had cappuccino and freshly baked cinnamon rolls or scones 
ready in her kitchen for her many friends dropping by.&nbsp;Bonnie and Dick loved flying in their Beechcraft airplane "Love Baby"
 on Wednesday afternoons. Bonnie enthusiastically signed up for flying 
lessons and even soloed, taking her co-pilot duties with Dick seriously.
 After their flying duties were over, Bonnie and Dick became dedicated 
golfers, hitting Riverside Golf Course almost daily.&nbsp;Always interested in politics, Bonnie worked very actively in the 
Republican Party for many decades, beginning as Bob Dole's Cheyenne 
County campaign chair in 1960 for his first race for Congress and 
continuing through his political career. She arranged countless coffees 
for visiting Republican office seekers and elected officials.&nbsp;Bonnie's faith could move mountains. She read the Bible daily, 
memorized scriptures, prayed, and enjoyed hosting a weekly Bible study 
group in her home. As a young girl, her dream was to become a missionary
 to China. Although she never made it to China, Bonnie served as a 
wonderful missionary to all who were fortunate enough to know her and 
experience her warmth.&nbsp;Bonnie Cram passed away peacefully on March 8, 2023 in Ellis, Kansas 
surrounded by family. She is survived by her five children: Richard 
Lloyd Cram; Ione Beth Slattery and spouse Mike; Claudia Ray Bunker; Ole 
Robert Cram III and spouse Elinor; and Adele Elizabeth DeGood and spouse
 Darris. She is also survived by thirteen grandchildren: Megan Elizabeth
 Comfoltey and spouse Nick; Julian Robert Bunker and spouse Maryah; Joel
 Michael Bunker; Shannon Michelle Moore and spouse Marissa; Hope Elena 
Cram; Grace Amelia Cram; Issac Richard Cram; Katy Jean Cram; Nya Joy 
Cram; Micah Robert Cram; Paige Elizabeth DeGood; Dawsen Dean DeGood; and
 Cora Jean DeGood. She has three great-grandchildren: Cyprian Michael 
Bunker, Lyla Elizabeth Comfoltey, and Edward Arche Comfoltey.&nbsp;In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the St. Francis United 
Methodist Church in St. Francis, Kansas; 202 on Washington Events 
Center; or&nbsp; Ellis Good Samaritan Society.

Bonnie Jean Cram

Frank Joseph Leibham passed away in Arlington, TX on 7 March 2023, 
taking his last ambulance ride as a retired EMT. Viewing services will 
be held on Friday, March 17 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Schmitt Funeral Home 
in Quinter, KS. Funeral mass will be held at St. Michael’s Catholic 
Chuch in Collyer, KS, Father Charlie Steiner presiding on Saturday, 
March 18 at 10:30 a.m with interment following at St. Michael’s Catholic
 Cemetery.

Frank Leibham was the first child of three, born on 29th 
November 1935 in the Catholic village of Selz, South Russia (present day
 Limanskoje, Ukraine) to ethnic German parents, Josef and Emma (Scherr) 
Leibham. He spent his first 8 years growing up along the Black Sea in 
this German-Russian community before emigrating to West Germany.

Caught in the outbreak of WWII, Frank Leibham trekked with
 his family by covered wagon to Warthegau, German occupied Poland on 
25th March 1944. In September 1944 Frank’s father, Josef Leibham was 
drafted into the German Army and ended up a prisoner of war (POW) in 
Siberia, Russia. In February 1945 Frank emigrated with his mother, 
brother, Peter and aunt, Helena Leibham from Poland to Weenzen, 
Niedersachsen, Germany. While living in Germany, he attended school; 
delivered ice blocks by bicycle in exchange for cigarettes and ice 
cream; helped his mother in the sugar beet fields; and worked as a 
bricklayer apprentice.

Frank’s family could not afford to come on their own to 
the U.S., so the Catholic Church and family helped them. At the age of 
16 he immigrated with his mother and brother, Peter, on 26th December 
1951 aboard the General S. D. Sturgis traveled from Bremerhaven, Germany
 and arrived in New Orleans, LA. They traveled by train to Collyer, KS 
where they lived with his mother’s cousins, Bernard &amp; Edith Scherr, 
as indentured servants working on the Scherr farm. He attended the 2nd 
semester of 8th grade and his freshman year of high school in Collyer, 
KS before dropping out to help support his family.

Frank moved with his mother and brother to Quinter, KS in 
October 1954. He was drafted into the U.S. Armed Forces on 13th February
 1960 where he proudly served in the 4th Infantry Division while in boot
 camp and the 3rd Infantry Division during the remainder of the two 
years he served his country. He attained the rank of E-4 corporal and 
received an honorable discharge on 13 February 1962. On 12th March 1968 
he became a naturalized American citizen.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Frank was a car lover, who accelerated into adulthood 
racing them. His 1st car was a 1931 Ford Model A, which he bought for 
$25 in 1954. On 9th September 1961 in Collyer, KS he was united in 
marriage to Martha Ziegler at St. Michael’s Catholic Church. He welcomed
 four children and celebrated 61 years of marriage with his wife.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Frank had many professions during his life. In 1961 Frank 
Leibham began a career with Midwest Energy, after 36 years he retired as
 lineman in Quinter, KS. He was one of the original members of the 
Quinter Volunteer Ambulance Service formed in 1972 and was an active 
member until 2008. He served on the Quinter School Board for 8 years and
 the Quinter Volunteer Fire Department for 30 years, being Fire Chief 
from 1987 to 1991. He served on the Quinter City Council from 1995 to 
2001. He was named Quinter, KS Citizen of the Year in March 2000. In 
July 2008 Frank and his wife, Martha relocated to Arlington, TX to be 
near family.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Wendelin Josef 
Leibham (1942), maternal grandmother, Elisabeth (Schumacher) Scherr 
(1945), father, Josef Leibham (1985), mother, Emma (Scherr) Leibham 
(1996), and brother, Peter Joseph Leibham (2020).

He is survived by his wife, Martha; four children, Joseph 
(Linda) Leibham, Medicine Lodge, KS; James (Patricia) Leibham, 
Mansfield, TX; Judy (Doug) Ehrhardt, Arlington, TX; and Jeff (Janella) 
Leibham, Salina, KS. Thirteen grandchildren, J.J. Blackwill, Carroll, 
IA; Clancy Leibham, Garden Plains, KS; Roxie Ayres, Galva, KS; Kendra 
Rouse, Frisco, TX; Kristina Pavlovic, Salt Lake City, UT; Marty Leibham,
 Medicine Lodge, KS; Katie Kasdorf, Nashville, TN; Daniel Ehrhardt, 
stationed in Japan; Caleb Ayres, Salina, KS; Laura Landwehr, Sharon, KS;
 Nicole Johnson, Arlington, TX; Nathan Leibham, Medicine Lodge, KS; and 
James Leibham II, Mansfield, TX; and 20 (soon to be 23) great 
grandchildren as well as many nieces and nephews. All held him in the 
highest regard and loved him dearly.

Memorial contributions may be made to Heritage of Our 
Forefathers (St. Michael’s Church, Collyer, KS) or the Quinter Ambulance
 Service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678488488325.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Frank Joseph Leibham passed away in Arlington, TX on 7 March 2023, 
taking his last ambulance ride as a retired EMT. Viewing services will 
be held on Friday, March 17 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Schmitt Funeral Home 
in Quinter, KS. Funeral mass will be held at St. Michael’s Catholic 
Chuch in Collyer, KS, Father Charlie Steiner presiding on Saturday, 
March 18 at 10:30 a.m with interment following at St. Michael’s Catholic
 Cemetery.Frank Leibham was the first child of three, born on 29th 
November 1935 in the Catholic village of Selz, South Russia (present day
 Limanskoje, Ukraine) to ethnic German parents, Josef and Emma (Scherr) 
Leibham. He spent his first 8 years growing up along the Black Sea in 
this German-Russian community before emigrating to West Germany.Caught in the outbreak of WWII, Frank Leibham trekked with
 his family by covered wagon to Warthegau, German occupied Poland on 
25th March 1944. In September 1944 Frank’s father, Josef Leibham was 
drafted into the German Army and ended up a prisoner of war (POW) in 
Siberia, Russia. In February 1945 Frank emigrated with his mother, 
brother, Peter and aunt, Helena Leibham from Poland to Weenzen, 
Niedersachsen, Germany. While living in Germany, he attended school; 
delivered ice blocks by bicycle in exchange for cigarettes and ice 
cream; helped his mother in the sugar beet fields; and worked as a 
bricklayer apprentice.Frank’s family could not afford to come on their own to 
the U.S., so the Catholic Church and family helped them. At the age of 
16 he immigrated with his mother and brother, Peter, on 26th December 
1951 aboard the General S. D. Sturgis traveled from Bremerhaven, Germany
 and arrived in New Orleans, LA. They traveled by train to Collyer, KS 
where they lived with his mother’s cousins, Bernard &amp; Edith Scherr, 
as indentured servants working on the Scherr farm. He attended the 2nd 
semester of 8th grade and his freshman year of high school in Collyer, 
KS before dropping out to help support his family.Frank moved with his mother and brother to Quinter, KS in 
October 1954. He was drafted into the U.S. Armed Forces on 13th February
 1960 where he proudly served in the 4th Infantry Division while in boot
 camp and the 3rd Infantry Division during the remainder of the two 
years he served his country. He attained the rank of E-4 corporal and 
received an honorable discharge on 13 February 1962. On 12th March 1968 
he became a naturalized American citizen.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Frank was a car lover, who accelerated into adulthood 
racing them. His 1st car was a 1931 Ford Model A, which he bought for 
$25 in 1954. On 9th September 1961 in Collyer, KS he was united in 
marriage to Martha Ziegler at St. Michael’s Catholic Church. He welcomed
 four children and celebrated 61 years of marriage with his wife.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Frank had many professions during his life. In 1961 Frank 
Leibham began a career with Midwest Energy, after 36 years he retired as
 lineman in Quinter, KS. He was one of the original members of the 
Quinter Volunteer Ambulance Service formed in 1972 and was an active 
member until 2008. He served on the Quinter School Board for 8 years and
 the Quinter Volunteer Fire Department for 30 years, being Fire Chief 
from 1987 to 1991. He served on the Quinter City Council from 1995 to 
2001. He was named Quinter, KS Citizen of the Year in March 2000. In 
July 2008 Frank and his wife, Martha relocated to Arlington, TX to be 
near family.He was preceded in death by his brother, Wendelin Josef 
Leibham (1942), maternal grandmother, Elisabeth (Schumacher) Scherr 
(1945), father, Josef Leibham (1985), mother, Emma (Scherr) Leibham 
(1996), and brother, Peter Joseph Leibham (2020).He is survived by his wife, Martha; four children, Joseph 
(Linda) Leibham, Medicine Lodge, KS; James (Patricia) Leibham, 
Mansfield, TX; Judy (Doug) Ehrhardt, Arlington, TX; and Jeff (Janella) 
Leibham, Salina, KS. Thirteen grandchildren, J.J. Blackwill, Carroll, 
IA; Clancy Leibham, Garden Plains, KS; Roxie Ayres, Galva, KS; Kendra 
Rouse, Frisco, TX; Kristina Pavlovic, Salt Lake City, UT; Marty Leibham,
 Medicine Lodge, KS; Katie Kasdorf, Nashville, TN; Daniel Ehrhardt, 
stationed in Japan; Caleb Ayres, Salina, KS; Laura Landwehr, Sharon, KS;
 Nicole Johnson, Arlington, TX; Nathan Leibham, Medicine Lodge, KS; and 
James Leibham II, Mansfield, TX; and 20 (soon to be 23) great 
grandchildren as well as many nieces and nephews. All held him in the 
highest regard and loved him dearly.Memorial contributions may be made to Heritage of Our 
Forefathers (St. Michael’s Church, Collyer, KS) or the Quinter Ambulance
 Service.

Frank Joseph Leibham

Merlyn Fay Henning, 94, passed away March 8, 2023, at Azria Health 
Woodhaven, Great Bend, Kan. She was born on September 6, 1928, to Hal 
and Agnes (Luther) Byers in Great Bend, Kan. On June 6, 1954, she 
married Robert Lee “Bob” Henning in Great Bend, Kan. He passed on 
October 8, 2016.

A lifetime Great Bend resident, Merlyn spent the majority of her 
working years as the secretary for First Assembly of God (Encounter) 
Church. She was a member there, as well as attended services at Faith 
Community Church, and a member at Lake Barton Club. Merlyn enjoyed 
puzzles and word searches, gardening, spending time with family and 
spending time with God, both in prayer and studying the Bible. &nbsp;Much of 
her life with Bob was spent planting the seed of faith and ministering 
to others.

Survivors include a son, Terry Henning of Eskridge, Kan.; a daughter,
 Nancy Ritter of Great Bend, Kan.; three grandchildren, Jessica (Wyatt 
Huslig) Milsap, Shane (Skylar) Meeker, and Tonya (Trevor) Olsen, all of 
Great Bend, Kan.; six great-grandchildren, Samantha (Austin) Drake of 
Wichita, Kan., Taylor Hommertzheim of Lawrence, Kan., Darius, Adalynn, 
and Leighton Meeker and Hadley Olsen, all of Great Bend, Kan.; one 
great-great-grandson, Braxton Drake of Wichita, Kan.; and honorary 
granddaughter, Christy Huslig of Great Bend, Kan. She is preceded in 
death by her husband; her parents; and two sisters, Haldine Smith and 
Dorothy Broughman.

Visitation will take place from noon to 8:00 p.m. Sunday, March 12, 
2023, with family receiving guests from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Bryant
 Funeral Home. Funeral service will take place at 10:30 a.m. Monday, 
March 13, 2023, at Faith Community Church, with Pastor Sandy Kennedy 
presiding. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park. 

Memorials 
have been designated to Live Like Jesus Today Ministries, in care of 
Bryant Funeral Home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678396286636.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Merlyn Fay Henning, 94, passed away March 8, 2023, at Azria Health 
Woodhaven, Great Bend, Kan. She was born on September 6, 1928, to Hal 
and Agnes (Luther) Byers in Great Bend, Kan. On June 6, 1954, she 
married Robert Lee “Bob” Henning in Great Bend, Kan. He passed on 
October 8, 2016.A lifetime Great Bend resident, Merlyn spent the majority of her 
working years as the secretary for First Assembly of God (Encounter) 
Church. She was a member there, as well as attended services at Faith 
Community Church, and a member at Lake Barton Club. Merlyn enjoyed 
puzzles and word searches, gardening, spending time with family and 
spending time with God, both in prayer and studying the Bible. &nbsp;Much of 
her life with Bob was spent planting the seed of faith and ministering 
to others.Survivors include a son, Terry Henning of Eskridge, Kan.; a daughter,
 Nancy Ritter of Great Bend, Kan.; three grandchildren, Jessica (Wyatt 
Huslig) Milsap, Shane (Skylar) Meeker, and Tonya (Trevor) Olsen, all of 
Great Bend, Kan.; six great-grandchildren, Samantha (Austin) Drake of 
Wichita, Kan., Taylor Hommertzheim of Lawrence, Kan., Darius, Adalynn, 
and Leighton Meeker and Hadley Olsen, all of Great Bend, Kan.; one 
great-great-grandson, Braxton Drake of Wichita, Kan.; and honorary 
granddaughter, Christy Huslig of Great Bend, Kan. She is preceded in 
death by her husband; her parents; and two sisters, Haldine Smith and 
Dorothy Broughman.Visitation will take place from noon to 8:00 p.m. Sunday, March 12, 
2023, with family receiving guests from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Bryant
 Funeral Home. Funeral service will take place at 10:30 a.m. Monday, 
March 13, 2023, at Faith Community Church, with Pastor Sandy Kennedy 
presiding. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park. Memorials 
have been designated to Live Like Jesus Today Ministries, in care of 
Bryant Funeral Home.

Merlyn Fay Henning

Clarence E. Niermeier was born on Friday the 13th of October 1949, in 
Colby, KS. The was the fifth of six children and only son born to Erich 
and Mildred (Dankert) Niermeier. He passed on to his Heavenly Home and 
ultimate life goal on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, in Oberlin, KS. 
On New Years Eve 1972, Clarence ventured to Herndon, KS, where he met 
his soul mate, Margaret Stoney. They were married June 3, 1972, and 
shared almost 51 years. This union was blessed with three sons: Bryan 
(Tanya), of Edmond, OK, Jayme (Jill), of Ludell and Chris (Kayla) of 
Ludell; ten grandchildren and four great grandchildren. 
Clarence enlisted in the United States Army and proudly served his country for two and a half years. 
Clarence was a very hard-working man and loved working beside his wife 
and sons. His favorite farm chore was fixing fence and watching baby 
calves play about. 
Clarence had great pride in the years that he worked for Atwood Township
 where, with the help of Norton Correctional Inmates, he built up Lake 
Atwood again to the beautiful feature it is today. They planted many 
trees and spent uncountable hours on a mower landscaping the grass. 
Clarence’s final request is that everyone learn to live their lives with love of each other and lots of laughter. 
A Funeral Service will take place at 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 13, 2023, 
at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Atwood, KS.

Memorials may be made to God’s 
Little Saints Preschool, Burning Bush Ministries or St. Jude Children’s 
Research Hospital and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, 
Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit 
www.baalmannmortuary.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678396167587.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Clarence E. Niermeier was born on Friday the 13th of October 1949, in 
Colby, KS. The was the fifth of six children and only son born to Erich 
and Mildred (Dankert) Niermeier. He passed on to his Heavenly Home and 
ultimate life goal on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, in Oberlin, KS. 
On New Years Eve 1972, Clarence ventured to Herndon, KS, where he met 
his soul mate, Margaret Stoney. They were married June 3, 1972, and 
shared almost 51 years. This union was blessed with three sons: Bryan 
(Tanya), of Edmond, OK, Jayme (Jill), of Ludell and Chris (Kayla) of 
Ludell; ten grandchildren and four great grandchildren. 
Clarence enlisted in the United States Army and proudly served his country for two and a half years. 
Clarence was a very hard-working man and loved working beside his wife 
and sons. His favorite farm chore was fixing fence and watching baby 
calves play about. 
Clarence had great pride in the years that he worked for Atwood Township
 where, with the help of Norton Correctional Inmates, he built up Lake 
Atwood again to the beautiful feature it is today. They planted many 
trees and spent uncountable hours on a mower landscaping the grass. 
Clarence’s final request is that everyone learn to live their lives with love of each other and lots of laughter. 
A Funeral Service will take place at 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 13, 2023, 
at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Atwood, KS. Memorials may be made to God’s 
Little Saints Preschool, Burning Bush Ministries or St. Jude Children’s 
Research Hospital and sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, 
Colby, KS 67701. For information or condolences visit 
www.baalmannmortuary.com&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Clarence Erich Niermeier

Lester E. Look passed away at the Sabetha Community Hospital in 
Sabetha at the age of 92.&nbsp; He was born on October 6, 1930, to Bryan and 
Mary Ethel (Birdwell) Look in Stockton, Kansas.

Celebration
 of life services are planned for 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 11, 2023, at
 the United Methodist Church in Stockton.&nbsp; Burial will follow in 
Stockton City Cemetery with Military Honors by the United States Army 
and V.F.W. Post #8873.&nbsp; There will be no public visitation.

Memorials
 are suggested to Kansas Honor Flight and may be sent in care of 
Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, 723 N. 1st St., Stockton, Kansas 67669.

A full obituary is pending with&nbsp;Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678370234536.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Lester E. Look passed away at the Sabetha Community Hospital in 
Sabetha at the age of 92.&nbsp; He was born on October 6, 1930, to Bryan and 
Mary Ethel (Birdwell) Look in Stockton, Kansas.Celebration
 of life services are planned for 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 11, 2023, at
 the United Methodist Church in Stockton.&nbsp; Burial will follow in 
Stockton City Cemetery with Military Honors by the United States Army 
and V.F.W. Post #8873.&nbsp; There will be no public visitation.Memorials
 are suggested to Kansas Honor Flight and may be sent in care of 
Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, 723 N. 1st St., Stockton, Kansas 67669.A full obituary is pending with&nbsp;Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home.

Lester E. Look

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A jury found UPS Inc. must pay a family $75 million, after a company driver with a known history of drug abuse collided with a pregnant woman's car, causing her baby to be born with permanent brain damage.

In May 2018, Steven Ray Miller was driving a UPS truck and ran a red light, hitting a car driven by Jodi Pannell, who was 13 weeks pregnant, according to trial testimony.

Pannell sought emergency medical treatment and began physical therapy. Her son was born in October 2018 with hypotonia, which is low muscle tone, and was later found to have a permanent brain condition called schizencephaly, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article272890890.html#storylink=cpy">reported</a>.

A Clay County jury on Monday found that UPS should pay the family $65 million in damages and $10.3 million in interest.

Miller, 63, testified that he was speeding before the collision. He also said the company was aware that he had been charged with possession of crack cocaine before he was hired in 2010.

Miller also testified the company knew he had gone into a drug rehabilitation program after using crack cocaine in February 2018. He completed the program and returned to his job as a driver on May 3, five days before the crash.

Miller said he didn't drive while under the influence of drugs but acknowledged that he would have symptoms similar to a hangover after using crack cocaine.

The company did not test him for drugs after the crash, according to trial testimony.

UPS has not determined whether it will appeal the verdict, according to a company spokesman.

"We have apologized to the family and taken full responsibility for this unfortunate incident,” spokesman Matthew O’Connor wrote. “We want the family to be able to provide the ongoing therapy and support for their son, but medical professionals have said that the cause of the child’s Schizencephaly is unknown.”

Babies with the condition have developmental delays in speech and language skills. Injuries to the brain during pregnancy can cause its onset, but so can genetics, infections and other factors.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A jury found UPS Inc. must pay a family $75 million, after a company driver with a known history of drug abuse collided with a pregnant woman's car, causing her baby to be born with permanent brain damage.In May 2018, Steven Ray Miller was driving a UPS truck and ran a red light, hitting a car driven by Jodi Pannell, who was 13 weeks pregnant, according to trial testimony.Pannell sought emergency medical treatment and began physical therapy. Her son was born in October 2018 with hypotonia, which is low muscle tone, and was later found to have a permanent brain condition called schizencephaly, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article272890890.html#storylink=cpy">reported</a>.A Clay County jury on Monday found that UPS should pay the family $65 million in damages and $10.3 million in interest.Miller, 63, testified that he was speeding before the collision. He also said the company was aware that he had been charged with possession of crack cocaine before he was hired in 2010.Miller also testified the company knew he had gone into a drug rehabilitation program after using crack cocaine in February 2018. He completed the program and returned to his job as a driver on May 3, five days before the crash.Miller said he didn't drive while under the influence of drugs but acknowledged that he would have symptoms similar to a hangover after using crack cocaine.The company did not test him for drugs after the crash, according to trial testimony.UPS has not determined whether it will appeal the verdict, according to a company spokesman."We have apologized to the family and taken full responsibility for this unfortunate incident,” spokesman Matthew O’Connor wrote. “We want the family to be able to provide the ongoing therapy and support for their son, but medical professionals have said that the cause of the child’s Schizencephaly is unknown.”Babies with the condition have developmental delays in speech and language skills. Injuries to the brain during pregnancy can cause its onset, but so can genetics, infections and other factors.

Jury: UPS must pay KC-area family hit by truck $75 million

Robert Lewis Alberts, 74, died March 5, 2023, at Medicalodges of 
Great Bend. He was born June 18, 1949, in Greeley, Colorado, the son of 
Lewis E. and Arlene E. (Shore) Alberts.&nbsp;

On June 17, 1980, he married Wilma Smith in Adams County, Colorado, she preceded him in death on October 29, 2018.

Robert was a longtime resident of Colorado, moving to Hoisington 
after his retirement. He worked in the construction business as a heavy
 equipment operator and in hazmat tank testing in Colorado. Robert was a
 good mechanic who loved kids and enjoyed tinkering, so found himself 
fixing up old bikes for children in his spare time.&nbsp; He was known as a 
big kid himself that enjoyed giving those around him a good-natured hard
 time.

He is survived by his four daughters, Jennifer Vance of Hoisington, 
Tammy Kite (Geoff) of Louisiana, Terri Madrid of Wichita, and Jacqueline
 Rollins of Evergreen, Colorado; a sister, Gerry Cutler of California; 
his best friend, Rod Dilker of Hoisington; twelve grandchildren, &nbsp;Sasha 
Riedel, Passion Snyder, Trinity Vance, Memphis Vance, Travis Rollins, 
Carley Rollins, Amanda Kite, Tasha Kite, Geoff Kite, Jr., Marci Madrid, 
Talia Madrid, and Joseph Madrid; six great grandchildren, Bentlee 
Riedel, Carson Riedel, Arabella Snyder, Nicholas Snyder, Abby Kite, and 
one more on the way, Baby Riedel.

He was preceded in death by his wife, parents, and two brothers, Shawn, and Ted Alberts.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date.

Memorials may be made to Kans for Kids, in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678313091001.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Robert Lewis Alberts, 74, died March 5, 2023, at Medicalodges of 
Great Bend. He was born June 18, 1949, in Greeley, Colorado, the son of 
Lewis E. and Arlene E. (Shore) Alberts.&nbsp;On June 17, 1980, he married Wilma Smith in Adams County, Colorado, she preceded him in death on October 29, 2018.Robert was a longtime resident of Colorado, moving to Hoisington 
after his retirement. He worked in the construction business as a heavy
 equipment operator and in hazmat tank testing in Colorado. Robert was a
 good mechanic who loved kids and enjoyed tinkering, so found himself 
fixing up old bikes for children in his spare time.&nbsp; He was known as a 
big kid himself that enjoyed giving those around him a good-natured hard
 time.He is survived by his four daughters, Jennifer Vance of Hoisington, 
Tammy Kite (Geoff) of Louisiana, Terri Madrid of Wichita, and Jacqueline
 Rollins of Evergreen, Colorado; a sister, Gerry Cutler of California; 
his best friend, Rod Dilker of Hoisington; twelve grandchildren, &nbsp;Sasha 
Riedel, Passion Snyder, Trinity Vance, Memphis Vance, Travis Rollins, 
Carley Rollins, Amanda Kite, Tasha Kite, Geoff Kite, Jr., Marci Madrid, 
Talia Madrid, and Joseph Madrid; six great grandchildren, Bentlee 
Riedel, Carson Riedel, Arabella Snyder, Nicholas Snyder, Abby Kite, and 
one more on the way, Baby Riedel.He was preceded in death by his wife, parents, and two brothers, Shawn, and Ted Alberts.A Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date.Memorials may be made to Kans for Kids, in care of Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home, PO Box 146, Hoisington, KS 67544.

Robert Lewis Alberts

Wanda Lee Viola (Monroe) Gano, born in Graham County, Kansas, May 30, 
1933, passed away peacefully into the loving arms of Jesus on the 
morning of March 3, 2023, at the age of 89 years old.

Wanda
 spent her early childhood in Graham County. Then she moved with her 
mother Viola, and stepdad, Hobart Goff, to Tacoma, Washington in the 
midst of World War II where Hobart served as a welder building ships for
 the US Navy and Viola served in areas of support work for the Navy. 
While in Tacoma, Wanda recalled that she and her sister, Wilma, would 
often go to movies on Saturdays. At the close of World War II, the 
family moved back to Graham County Kansas where Wanda continued her 
education in local schools.

At the age of 14, while
 attending church services in Morland, Kansas, she felt someone was 
watching her. It just so happened to be the young man that she would 
marry someday. His name? Gordon Gano. A short time later the pastor of 
the church asked Gordon if he would give Wanda a ride home after one of 
the church services. He gladly obliged. Love blossomed and grew into a 
loving, lasting relationship of marriage and family.

October 
3, 1950, Gordon and Wanda were united in marriage and ultimately 
celebrated 64 years of marriage before Gordon passed away March 20, 
2015. They began married life by building a home in southwest Graham 
County and farmed with Gordon’s family.

Their first of 
four children, Jerry Gordon Gano, was born the first summer of their 
married life. Three years later on the same summer date, a second boy, 
Gary Jordon Gano, was born into the family. Then, some 15 months later 
brother Larry Dwayne Gano joined the family. And finally, about four 
years later, Clifford Kerry Gano, was delivered into the family to make 
it complete.

Some of the highlights of family life 
over the years included: annual summer vacations; fishing trips to local
 creeks, ponds, and lakes; going to church whenever the doors were open;
 and working together on the family farm.

In earlier years of 
family life, Gordon and Wanda worked to raise large gardens, as well as 
care for some rabbits, chickens, pigs, and cattle. Wanda was always busy
 baking, cooking, and sewing, not only to adequately provide for her 
family, but to be a blessing to others as much as possible. Her homemade
 breads were the best in the world (at least in our humble opinion). She
 also enjoyed reading, and when done with books she had purchased, she 
would delightfully pass them along to others, to enjoy reading.  
She always saw to it that her boys were taken to the library in hopes 
they would acquire a love for reading. In later years, Wanda and Gordon 
had the opportunity and privilege to take extended trips to places such 
as: The Holy Lands, Mexico, Hawaii, Aruba, and a Caribbean cruise.

In
 Wanda’s most recent years, she became a regular contributor to the Hill
 City Times newspaper, submitting personal stories from her life and 
faith. Many in the community truly enjoyed reading them and always 
looked forward to more. Wanda also continued to live out her strong 
faith and prayer ministry. She was a prayer warrior by no stretch of the
 imagination. Something special she did, as led by the Lord, was to 
organize prayer cloths that were sent to family members in great need. 
This act of faith and prayers did, in fact, bring about healing and 
encouragement to those specific needs. Praise the Lord!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678313019739.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Wanda Lee Viola (Monroe) Gano, born in Graham County, Kansas, May 30, 
1933, passed away peacefully into the loving arms of Jesus on the 
morning of March 3, 2023, at the age of 89 years old.Wanda
 spent her early childhood in Graham County. Then she moved with her 
mother Viola, and stepdad, Hobart Goff, to Tacoma, Washington in the 
midst of World War II where Hobart served as a welder building ships for
 the US Navy and Viola served in areas of support work for the Navy. 
While in Tacoma, Wanda recalled that she and her sister, Wilma, would 
often go to movies on Saturdays. At the close of World War II, the 
family moved back to Graham County Kansas where Wanda continued her 
education in local schools. At the age of 14, while
 attending church services in Morland, Kansas, she felt someone was 
watching her. It just so happened to be the young man that she would 
marry someday. His name? Gordon Gano. A short time later the pastor of 
the church asked Gordon if he would give Wanda a ride home after one of 
the church services. He gladly obliged. Love blossomed and grew into a 
loving, lasting relationship of marriage and family. October 
3, 1950, Gordon and Wanda were united in marriage and ultimately 
celebrated 64 years of marriage before Gordon passed away March 20, 
2015. They began married life by building a home in southwest Graham 
County and farmed with Gordon’s family.Their first of 
four children, Jerry Gordon Gano, was born the first summer of their 
married life. Three years later on the same summer date, a second boy, 
Gary Jordon Gano, was born into the family. Then, some 15 months later 
brother Larry Dwayne Gano joined the family. And finally, about four 
years later, Clifford Kerry Gano, was delivered into the family to make 
it complete. Some of the highlights of family life 
over the years included: annual summer vacations; fishing trips to local
 creeks, ponds, and lakes; going to church whenever the doors were open;
 and working together on the family farm. In earlier years of 
family life, Gordon and Wanda worked to raise large gardens, as well as 
care for some rabbits, chickens, pigs, and cattle. Wanda was always busy
 baking, cooking, and sewing, not only to adequately provide for her 
family, but to be a blessing to others as much as possible. Her homemade
 breads were the best in the world (at least in our humble opinion). She
 also enjoyed reading, and when done with books she had purchased, she 
would delightfully pass them along to others, to enjoy reading. 
She always saw to it that her boys were taken to the library in hopes 
they would acquire a love for reading. In later years, Wanda and Gordon 
had the opportunity and privilege to take extended trips to places such 
as: The Holy Lands, Mexico, Hawaii, Aruba, and a Caribbean cruise.In
 Wanda’s most recent years, she became a regular contributor to the Hill
 City Times newspaper, submitting personal stories from her life and 
faith. Many in the community truly enjoyed reading them and always 
looked forward to more. Wanda also continued to live out her strong 
faith and prayer ministry. She was a prayer warrior by no stretch of the
 imagination. Something special she did, as led by the Lord, was to 
organize prayer cloths that were sent to family members in great need. 
This act of faith and prayers did, in fact, bring about healing and 
encouragement to those specific needs. Praise the Lord! Wanda
 loved her family. But more importantly, she loved the Lord and the 
Lord’s Church. She exemplified a Proverbs 31 woman, lived and served her
 life as unto the Lord, and was faithful and generous with what the Lord
 blessed her with. Her faith and relationship with God certainly would 
have inspired untold people. Wanda has entered her well-deserved eternal
 rest, and now stands before her Lord hearing the kind, gentle, loving 
words spoken to her, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”Wanda
 is preceded in death by her mother and stepfather, Viola and Hobart; 
her husband, Gordon; a daughter-in-law, LaDonna; a sister, Wilma; a 
brother, Tom; four baby great-grandchildren: twins: Tamika Sue Sanders 
and Camille Ann Sanders, Blake Lee Gano and Andy Gene Gano; and in 
addition, numerous other extended family members. Surviving family 
members include four sons: Jerry of Hill City, Kansas; Gary (Vickie) 
Gano of Hays, Kansas; Larry (Anita) Gano of Colbert, Washington; and 
Clifford (Janet) Gano of Jasonville, Indiana; 13 grandchildren; 40 
great-grandchildren; and in addition, numerous other extended family 
members. Wanda leaves behind her family and friends.We pray God’s 
comfort over each of them. Her stay at Dawson Place of Hill City was a 
blessing and a place where she appreciated the love and care of staff 
and fellow residents.Click <a href="https://www.stinemetzfh.com/obituaries/Wanda-Lee-Viola-Gano?obId=27436446#/obituaryInfo">HERE</a> for service details.