Obituaries

LaVaughn Ruth Urban, 78, of Ellsworth, passed away on Friday, July 18, 2025, at Ellsworth County Medical Center. 

Ed J. Albers, 82, loving husband, father, and “grumpa” passed away on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, surrounded by his family.

Ed was a farmer, carpenter and propane salesman, and a life long member of St. Rose Parish and a 4th Degree Knight in the Knights of Columbus. He was a proud U.S. veteran, serving in the Kansas Air National Guard. 

Homer Dale Compton was born Dec. 21, 1928, on a farm near Anness, Kan., the son of Alson Streeter Compton and Zama Zoe Schammehorn Compton. He departed this life July 29, 2025, at the age of 96 years, 7 months.
Homer grew up in the Milton community, where he attended Milton schools. He graduated from Milton High School with the class of 1948, where he was the sole surviving member.
Homer was united in marriage to Helen Pat Vosburgh on July 30, 1950, in Wichita. They moved to Cheney in 1952, where they made their home and raised their family of five children.

Alvena Halsey King, 92, of Conway Springs, passed away Friday, August 1, 2025 at Spring View Manor, Conway Springs.

Leon F. Seidl, 77, retired Cessna Aircraft employee, passed away Tuesday, July 29, 2025. He was born to Valentine and Marie Seidl on Nov. 4, 1947, in Wichita. He was an Army veteran who served in Vietnam. 

He is survived by his brothers, Ray Seidl, Kenny (Carmen) Seidl and Virgil Seidl; nephew, Sam (Ashley) Seidl; niece, Heather (Devin Tarrant) Seidl; and loving caregiver, Michelle Fouquet. Besides his parents, he also was preceded in death by his brother, Richard. 

Shannon Marie Strunk (Wiseman), born on April 4, 1965, in Wichita, was sent to join our Lord in Heaven on July 28, 2025, in Garden Plain, after a nine-month battle with cancer.

Shannon is survived by her loving husband of 27 years, Joseph Strunk; children, Jacqueline Standley (Nathaniel) and Jason Strunk; brother, Mark Wiseman; and leaves behind many nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers and sisters-in-law, aunts, and uncles. Shannon is preceded in death by her mother, Pamela Pavey, and father, Richard Wiseman.

Helen Klinell (Wells) Hey Proctor passed away peacefully May 13, 2025. Klinell was the daughter of John Kline and Helen Elizabeth Wells. Klinell was born Aug. 8, 1934 in Neodasha. Klinell married French Hey on Nov. 30, 1951. To this union, the happy couple had two daughters, Deborah (Debby) and Angela (Angie).

Elizabeth ‘Liz’ (Walline) Johnson passed away peacefully on July 22, 2025, after struggling these past five years with dementia.

Born Dec. 29, 1946, in McPherson to Ruby and Daniel Walline, Liz graduated from McPherson High School in 1964 and then from Wesley School of Nursing in Wichita in 1967.

Gary John Thome, 79, of Clearwater, passed away on Saturday, July 19, 2025.

The holy rosary will be prayed at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 24, and funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 25, both St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, 11000 W. Southwest Blvd., Wichita.

Gary was born Jan. 4, 1946, the first of seven children to Roman and Helen Thome. In 1960, at the age of 15, he left for Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis for a year, and returned to graduate from Kapaun-Mt. Carmel Catholic High School in 1964. 

Frances Elaine (Graber) Baker passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus on July 15, 2025, surrounded by her beloved family and friends.

Elaine was born April 11, 1945, in Kingman. She grew up on a farm in nearby Belmont and graduated from Kingman High School, Class of 1963. On April 3, 1970, she married Paul Baker at Kingman Christian Church. They moved to Maple Hill, Kan., and raised two daughters. After a career in banking and selling Avon, the couple retired back to the Graber family farm. She found so much joy being home again.