Obituaries

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Aileen Hutchinson, 95, well-loved mom, grandma, great-grandma, sister, and aunt, passed away on Sept. 5, 2023, in Cheney. She was born Aug. 28, 1928, in Lone Star, Kan., to the late Donald and Lily (Johnson) Anderson.

Gerald Dean Blomstedt, 79, passed away on Sept. 4, 2023. Gerald was honorably discharged from the United States Air Force and then worked for Cessna as a superintendent of the flight line in Wichita. Gerald was married to Maria Blomstedt and had three children, Eva, Christopher and Ryan.

Barbara Ellen Chard, longtime resident of Newton, died on Aug. 31, 2023, at the age of 89. She was born on Dec. 19, 1933, in Whitewater, the daughter of James and Helen (Hunt) Alexander. Barbara married Bill Chard on Nov. 14, 1953, and was a stay-at-home mom until her children left home.