Connie Milliken, age 77, of Clearwater, passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21, at First Baptist Church, Clearwater.
Connie was born on Friday, June 7, 1946, in Ypsilanti, Mich., to her parents, Roy and Doris (Fiele) Holtzman. She was united in marriage to Gilbert Richard Milliken on Nov. 11, 1977, at First Baptist Church in Michigan.
Kenneth C. Maechtlen, age 95, peacefully passed away on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. He was born on Oct. 1, 1928, to Herman and Adelene Maechtlen, the third of four children.
Ken’s early years were shaped by the simplicity of life on the family homestead east of Clearwater.
Thomas Coyne Taylor, 77, passed away October 14, 2023 in Monroe, LA. He was born on March 20, 1946 in Wichita, KS to Robert E. and Mary E. Coyne Taylor. He graduated from Cheney High School in 1964 and attended Southwestern College, Winfield, KS. Tom proudly served in the Air National Guard from 1965-1970 and was on active duty for a year stationed in South Korea. He operated Pizza Huts in Scottsbluff, NE, Bismarck, ND, and Northeast Louisiana. He retired in 2003 in Monroe, LA after the sale of Pizza Hut to Pepsico. In retirement, he enjoyed boating and woodworking.
Eugene (Gene) Greenlee, a former mayor of Clearwater, passed away peacefully at his home in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Thursday, Nov. 9, with his family by his side.
Robert C. (Bob) Mercer, 83, of Conway Springs, passed away Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023, at Spring View Manor, Conway Springs.
Bob was born Dec. 10, 1939, southwest of Conway Springs to Ralph Virgil Mercer and Mary Elsie (McGee) Mercer. He moved with his family to the Mercer family farm at the age of 2. He attended the Argonia public schools and graduated from Argonia High School with the class of 1957. He continued his education at Friends University in Wichita.
Shirley Ellen Smith, 92, entered her heavenly home on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. Shirley was born on July 5, 1931, in Burdette, Kan., the daughter of Johnnie and Ina (McElwain) Johnson.
Visitation will be on Thursday, Nov. 16, from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Wulf-Ast Mortuary-Garden Plain Chapel, with the family present from 5-7 p.m.. A celebration of Shirley's life will be 10 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 17, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Cheney.
Gregory Lee Richardson, 58, of Winfield, passed away Monday morning, Nov. 6, 2023, at the Harry Hynes Hospice Center in Via Christi St. Francis in Wichita.
Ronald Lynn Work died Nov. 11, 2022, at his home in Lamont, Okla.
Ron was born June 9, 1951, in Alva, Okla., to Robert and Ruth Work of Carmen, Okla. He graduated from Ashland (Kansas) High School in 1969. In high school, Ron participated in band and track, and was the basketball and football manager in ‘68-’69. Ron graduated from Northwestern Oklahoma State University in 1974. While in college, he participated in marching band and track and was a member of Blue Key National Honor Fraternity.
