Obituaries

Body Dale W. Atkeson, 86, of Wichita, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. He was born Dec. 25, 1936, to Jesse and Adella Atkeson in Ashland, Kan. Dale was a retired music teacher for 39 years in the Chase, Garfield, Macksville and Haysville school systems. Mr.

Body Olena Maxine (Penland) Holden, 90, passed away Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, at her residence near Argonia.

Body Lauren B. (Branson) Johnson, age 72, born on Sept. 14, 1951, in Wichita, passed away on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023, in Clearwater. Visitation will be noon-7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, with family present, 5:30-7 p.m., at Webb-Shinkle Mortuary. Graveside service will be at 10 a.m.

Body Leslie L. Symes was born on July 8, 1937, to Burrell and Marcella Hopper Symes in Fairview, Okla. He passed away on Sept. 13, 2023. Visitation with family present was held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 18, at the Wulf-Ast Chapel in Garden Plain. Service was held at 10 a.m.

Body Ruth Etheridge, 73, of Conway Springs, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, at Spring View Manor, Conway Springs. Visitation with family will be 5 to 7 pm, Tuesday, Sept. 19, at Resthaven Mortuary.

Body Kade Jared Ralstin, 17, of Cheney, entered his Eternal Life with our Lord on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, at home. Kade was born Nov. 16, 2005, in Wichita. He was the son of Jerry A. Ralstin of Cheney, and Tracy Lee Blackwell of Deming, N.M.

Body Elizabeth “Liz” C. Welch passed away on Sept. 3, 2023, in Wichita. Liz was born in rural Garden Plain on May 5, 1929, to Dick and Erna Wulf. Liz moved to Winfield in 1967, then to Arkansas City in 1975 and back to Wichita in 2001, where she remained until her death.

Body George L. Erker, 95, of Conway Springs, retired farmer, died Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, at Ascension Via Christi-St. Francis, Wichita. George was born April 6, 1928, at Ost, Kan., to George Joseph Erker and Mary (Helten) Erker.

Body Donald D. “Judge” Riggs, 90, of Conway Springs, passed away Friday, Sept. 8, 2023, at Spring View Manor, Conway Springs. Don was born June 18, 1933, west of Conway Springs to Charley Ruben Riggs and Ethel Viola (Gibson) Riggs.

Body Peggy Jean Strong, the daughter and only child of Lloyd and Cassie (Harvey) Kennedy, was born in the home of Bert and Susie Harvey, her grandparents, in the Greenwood community near Fargo, Okla., on Jan. 3, 1930. She passed from this life on Sept.