Obituaries

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.

William “Bill” Mainz, 84, passed away on Saturday, July 12, 2025, in Wichita. He was born on May 24, 1941, in St. Marks, to Marcus and Lucille (Girrens) Mainz.
Bill was born and raised in St. Marks, and graduated from Andale High School. He was the owner and operator of Mainz and Associates. He was a loving husband and father who taught his children the value of hard work, honesty, and truth. Bill was an active member of “The Breakfast Club” and will be missed by all who knew him.

Raneé Marie Phye came into this world on Oct. 29,1946, in Riley, Kan., to Alwin and Roberta (Heintz) Trumpp. She joined her heavenly father on July 10, 2025, after a brief but fierce battle with cancer. 

She spent her childhood in Kansas and Iowa, and married Jerry Graves in 1964. To this union two children were born, Scot and Fonda. In 1992, Raneé married Larry Phye and gained two more children, Tamara and Bryant. 

Phyllis Diann Butherus, 82 of Wichita, was born on Dec. 29, 1942, in Coffeyville to Ruby (King) Goodman and Francis Goodman. She passed peacefully at Harry Hynes Hospice on July 9, 2025.

Rosary service will be at 10 a.m. Monday, July 14, and funeral service will follow at 10:30 a.m., both at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, 11000 SW Blvd,, Wichita.

Robert Glen Wall was born Jan. 29, 1946, to Elmer and Frieda (Bartel) Wall in Hillsboro. He was the oldest of three siblings. His brother, Richard, was four years younger, and his sister, Sandra, was 10 years younger. They were raised on the family farm, which was one mile west of Hillsboro.