Clay County Obits "D"
If you have any obituaries published before 1923 that you would like to contribute to the page, please send them to me and I will add them. Obituaries published after 1922 will be abstracted to avoid copyright violations. All obits below are abstracted from the Clay Center Dispatch, unless otherwise noted. Other obituaries may be found in extractions from the Wakefield (part 1), Wakefield (part 2),
Industry and Morganville newspapers found elsewhere on this site.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Donna Rexanne Davidson, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Merwin Davidson of Oak Hill died Saturday in a Salina hospital. She had been born prematurely three days earlier. She is survived by her parents and her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Rex Riley and Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Davidson, all of Oak Hill. Burial was at Rose Meron Cemetery on Tuesday.
unknown paper, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 1959
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marvis Davies, 79, died Sunday, Jan. 20,
2008 in Clay Center; born April 29, 1928, at Clay Center, the
daughter of James and Elsa (Carlson) Hess; married Clinton Davies on April 1, 1944; preceded in
death by three brothers and four sisters; survived by \ her husband, Clinton "Sonny" Davies; three
sons, Clinton Davies, Jr., Jerry and wife Mavis Davies, and
Gary Davies, all of Clay Center; and one brother Cyril Hess
of Clay Center; 13 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren; burial at Greenwood Cemetery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The funeral for Emmette Davis, 73, will be Saturday at 10:30 a. m. in Clay Center, with burial in Mexico, Mo. He was born in Audrain Co., Mo. and died at the Clay Center hospital. He is survived by two brothers, Dr. K. A. Davis of Kansas City, Mo. and R. T. Davis, Kansas City Kansas, and three sisters, Mrs. S. A. Anderson of Clay Center, Mrs. John Fairchild of Mexico, Mo. and Mrs. M. G. Canfield of Kansas City, Mo. unknown paper Oct. 5, 1956
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Johnny Deetjen, 89, died Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2006, in Clay
Center; born May 8, 1917, at Morganville, the
son of George Christel and Lillie Mae (Wilkerson)
Deetjen;married Fern Marie Rook Jan. 26, 1943; she preceded him in death Dec. 7, 1998;
survivors include one son, Chris Deetjen and wife Carol
of Manhattan; two daughters, Barbara Bromby and husband
Russell of Lakewood, Colo. and Sally Porter and husband
James W. of Overland Park; two sisters, Gladys Rinker of
Omaha, Neb. and Mary Ellen Bennington of Manhattan; six
grandchildren; and one great-grandchild; burial in Greenwood Cemetery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wilma Dennis, 77, died Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2003,
in Morganville; born Sept. 1, 1925, the daughter of Albert
and Vena (Palmateer) Siebold; married Loren Dennis, on Oct. 5, 1946; preceded in death by
one daughter, Carole, three brothers and two sisters; survivors include her husband; two sons, Roger and wife Becky
Dennis, Bennington, and Charles Dennis, Morganville; a
daughter, Judith Williams, Topeka; a step-son, Larry and wife
Judy Dennis, Springfield, Mo.; a brother, Wilbur Siebold,
Clay Center; four sisters, Alberta Gregory, Manhattan, Helen
Davis, Hutchinson, Mary Fowler, Leonardville, and Pat Bowman,
Manhattan; and five grandchildren; burial in Greenwood Cemetery
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Garry Jay DeVore, 57, died Monday,
October 6, 2003, in Clay Center; born October 1, 1946, at Clay Center,
the son of Ernest "Tex" and Gladys (Sebring) DeVore; married Deana "Dee"
Rosenkranz February 14, 1997; he is survived by his wife, Dee; his mother, Gladys DeVore, Clay
Center; one son, Roger DeVore, Minneapolis, Minn.; two
daughters, Rondeana "De" and husband Arnold Sandbeck,
Baldwin City, Kan., and Rebecca Kelley, Minneapolis,
Minn.; one brother, Bruce and wife Debbie DeVore, Olney
Springs, Colo.; and two grandsons; no burial information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Barbara Berger Dieter, 76, died Sunday, Feb. 19,
2006, in Houston; born July 5, 1929, at Lawrence, the daughter of
Robert A. and Ione (Runkle) Berger; married James G. Dieter July 18, 1950; survivors include her husband, James Dieter of the home; one
daughter, Diane Hughes of Houston; one son, Douglas Dieter of
Pensacola, Fla.; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren; burial in Rose Meron
Cemetery, Oakhill.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bertha Ladene Dodds, 78, died Thursday, Sept. 27, 2007, at Clay Center; born Dec. 10, 1928, in Clay County, the daughter of
Dean and Eva (Chestnut) James; married Gene Dodds on May 31, 1947; survived by her husband, Gene Dodds of Clay Center; two
daughters, Diana Shaner and husband Finis of Green and Wanda Gunn
and husband Gary of Presson, Tex.; two sons, Bruce Dodds and wife
Barbara of Clay Center and Phillip Dodds and wife Carolyn of Green;
six brothers, Wayne James of Atlanta, Ga., Leo James of Clay Center,
Arlo James of Denver, Colo., Ralph James of St. Louis, Mo., Milo
James of Clay Center and Russell James of Clay Center; four sisters,
Genevieve Lindberg of Clay Center, Vesta Lee Lyne of Miltonvale,
Velda Mailen-Wiechman of Clay Center and Alta Olson of Morganville;
five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and one step-great-
grandchild; burial in
Greenwood Cemetery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Norma K. Dopp, 59, died Friday, June 13, 2008,
at Clay Center; born March 9, 1949, at Viroqua, Wis., the
daughter of George W. and Lois (Smith) Miller; married Donald Dopp on Sept. 7, 1968; he preceded her in
death on Jan. 16, 2008; also
preceded in death by one sister and an infant brother; survived by one daughter, Brenda Dopp and husband Jim
Cooper of Abilene; two sisters, Aleda Marino of Belview, Wis.
and Geneva Serna of San Antonio, Tex.; three brothers, Norval
Miller of Viroqua, Wis., Anthony Miller of Baraboo, Wis. and
Joseph Miller of Crestview, Fla.; and three grandchildren; burial in Greenwood Cemetery, Clay
Center.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alan S. Downs, 31, was killed Tuesday near Hutchinson as his truck burst into flames after running off K14 into the Salt Creek bridge. A lifelong resident of Wichita, and a a graduate of West High School, Down is survived by his father and stepmother, Mr. and Mrs. Ira J. Downs, Bedford, Tex., and a sister, Mrs. Laura Shaffer, Seattle, Wash. Burial will be in White Chapel Memorial Gardens.(abstract Wichita Eagle, unknown date)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Downs, Catherine died January 6, 1974 in Abilene; she was born June 25, 1877 in Marseilles, Illinois to Mr. and Mrs. William Sigler and came to Clay County as a girl. She married Albert Milton Downs on April 4, 1900 and they lived in the Buckeye Communty; preced in death by her husband and two granchildren, she is survived by two sones, Francis Downs of Abilene and Jess Downs of Salem, OR, four grandchildren, four g-grandchildren and three gg-grandchildren. Burial January 8, 1975 in the Greenridge Cemetery, (abstract, Abilene Reflector Chronicle 1/6/1975)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Downs, Charles Edwin died July 25, 1935 at his home at 929 Lincoln Ave.; born January 27, 1877 in Gill Twp. to William and Margaret (Ashlock) Downs; married Ida Robinett Dec. 9, 1903 in Clay Center; preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Etta Downs Ray and Margaret LaFavor Downs, and a brother in infancy; survived by his wife, children, Earl Downs of Wakefield, Fern Downs of Clay Center and Ruby Downs Keener of Clay Center; three brothers, James Downs of Longford, Ira Downs of Leoti, Milton Downs of Talmage and two sisters, Mrs. Loie Wood of Oak Hill and Mrs. Mabel Whittenburg of Eckley, Colo. Burial in Greenridge Cemetery. (abtract Clay County Times, unknown date)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Downs, Cora Edna died July 29, 1987 in Chapman; she was born July 28, 1895 near Industry, the daughter of Howard L. and Cora Peters Knisely; married Francis E. Downs Aug. 22, 1920 and they farmed until 1975, when they moved to Abilene; he preceded her in death on Jan. 17, 1976; also preceded by two sons, Ray Eldon in 1954, and Francis Elbert in 1956, three sisters and one brother; survived by a daughter, Mrs. Vera (Curtis) Garver of Abilene, four grandchildren, Stanley Downs, Gene Downs, Carolyn Englebach and Murl Garver, and a sister, Grace Knisely of Abilene. Burial in the Bethel Cemetey, north of Detroit, Oct. 31, 1987. (abstract, Abilene Reflector Chronicle, 8-10-1987)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Edith Downs, age 57, died Tuesday Jan. 25; graveside service at White Chapel Memorial Gardens Friday Jan. 28.(abract Wichita Eagle, unknown date)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Francis E. Downs, 75, died Saturday at an Abilene hospital. He was born Jan. 3, 1901 in Industry and lived in that area most of his life. He moved to Abilene last fall. He is survived by his widow, Edna; a daughter, Mrs. Vera Garver of Abilene; a brother, Jesse, of Salem, Ore., four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. The funeral will be at 10 am Tuesday, with burial in the Bethel Cemetery north of Detroit. unknown paper, Sunday, Jan. 18, 1976
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unknown newspaper and date:
Memorial service for former Leoti resident Ira J. 'Jack' Downs, 82, Arlington, Texas, was held at 2:30 p.m. Friday at the First Presbyterian Church, Leoti. The Rev. Dave Smith officiating. Burial at Fairview Cemetery, north Kearny County. Born Nov. 25, 1905, in Wakefield, he married Elsie E. Brown July 14, 1934. She died Oct. 28, 1960. He married Dorothy Johnson Oct. 1, 1966 in Texas. Mr. Downs was a retired carpenter and machinist, and had been a Texas resident since 1963, moving from Wichita and was a former Leoti resident. He was a member of the Elks Lodge, Arlington. Survivors include his wife of the home; a daughter, Laura L. Shaffer, Grand Lake, Colo., a stepson, Robert Johnson, San Antonio, Texas; two brothers, Emil Downs, Plains, and Horace Downs, Leoti; two sisters, Laura Hahn and Vardie Buck, both of Leoti, and four grandchildren.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeremiah Downs, a farmer 64 years old, living west of the city, died of pneumonia last Thursday at his home. He is survived by his wife and several grown children. Burial was in Turner (Wyandotte Co.) Friday afternoon.[Jeremiah Downs formerly lived in Gill Township]. (Argentine Republic, March 23, 1911)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Downs, James was born Octl 3, 1870 in Johnson Co., KS, the son of William and Margaret (Ashlock) Downs) and died January 10, 1952 in Abilene; married Maria Miller Dec. 22, 1897; preceded in death by his wife in 1949, amd one daughter, Nora, in infancy; survived by four daughters Mrs. Edna Pesnell, Mrs. Alma Wolf, Mrs. Irene Lahr, and Mrs. Mildred Ward, all of Abilene, two brothers, A. M. Downs of Talmage and Ira Downs of Leoti, two sisters, Mrs. Loie Wood of Clay Center and Mrs. Mabel Whittenburg of Eckley CO. Burial January 13, 1952 in the Greenridge Cemetery. (abstract Abilene Reflector Chronicle, 1/19/1952)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wichita Eagle:
Lloyd Downs, 64, died Saturday in St. Joseph Hospital and Rehabiliation Center; services 10 a.m. Tuesday at White Chapel Memorial Gardens. DeVorss-Gard Mortuary. (abstract Wichita Eagle, unknown date)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Downs, Margaret Emeline Ashlock---Wakefield Advertiser, July 31, 1913
Margaret Emeline Downs, nee Ashlock, was born in Polk Co., Missouri, May 30, 1846. She died at her home in Clay County, Kansas, Monday, July 28, 1913, at the age of 67 years, 2 months and 28 days. She was united in marriage to William Downs on June 10, 1866 at Thomasville, Mo., where they resided until 1871 at which time they moved to Johnson County, Kansas. They remained there until the year 1873 when they moved to their present home near Industry, Kas., where they have resided until the time of her death. To this union were born five sons and four daughters. One son and one daughter preceded her in death. Besides her children she leaves 28 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. She was converted a number of years ago and united with the Evangelical Association of Industry, Kas. She was a dutiful wife, loving mother and conscientious christian.
The funeral was held at the house at 2 p.m. Tuesday, preaching at Industry with interment in Greenridge Cemetery. Text: Phil., 1:21. Funeral in charge of William Ed Potterger, pastor of the Clay County United Evangelical Churches. Undertaker Avery of Wakefield had charge of the body.
-------------------
Clay Center Times. Aug.14, 1913
CARD OF THANKS
We wish to thank the friends and neighbors for their many kindnesses and assistance during the illness and death of our wife and mother--William Downs and Family
-------------------
Industry, July 30.-- Mrs. W. W. Downs' died at 12 o'clock Sunday night. She had long been suffering intensely. Her end was peace. The funeral was held at Industry Evangelical church, services conducted by Rev. Ed Potteiger Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Mrs. Downs was one of the best known of the older settlers; had grown with the country; raised a large family of good children, all doing well and all around her when she died. She was one who will be greatly missed among her friends. Aloving wife, loving mother, good Christian and neighbor beloved by the entire community. Her work on earth was well done and the Master called her home. Symnpathy and love go out to the dear ones in the great sorrow. The remains were borne by loving hands to their last resting place in Greenridge cemetery where she was laid away by the side of a dearly loved daughter who proceded her some years ago. A great crowd attended the services showing the respect in
which the dear mother was held by the whole community. (Clay Center Dispatch, Clay Center, Clay County, Kansas Wednesday July 30, 1913)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Downs, Margaret LaFavor--died at her home in Gill township, on Saturday morning, Nov. 4, Favor, daughter of William and Maggie Downs. The deceased was 12 years, 6 months and 19 days, and was sick but 4 days. She will be gratly missed in her home and among he assiciates. No funeral services were held on account of sickness and the remains were laid to rest at 3 o'clock p.m. in the Greenridge cemetery. (Clay Center Times, Nov. 9, 1893)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Downs, Robert Edwin died Dec. 28, 1943 at Clay Center after a brief illness; born May 1, 1934 near Industry to Earl and Eugenia (Read) Downs; moved with his family to Longford where he attended Pleasant Prairie school; survived by his parents of Oak Hill, his grandmother Ida Downs of Clay Center, aunt, Bertha Eisle of Silver Lake, Mrs. Fitzhugh Keener of JC, and Miss Fern Downs of Clay Center; uncles Robert Read and Lyman Read of Colorado Springs, Joe Read of Evans CO., Frank Read of Oak Hill, and C. T. Read of Pueblo, CO. Burial Dec. 29, 1943 at the Wesleyan Cemetery east of Oak Hill (abstract, Clay Center Dispatch, Jan 3, 1944)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ruby R. Downs, 86, died April 16, 1999, at Leoti; born Jan. 13, 1913, at Pretty Prairie, the daughter of Jess R. and Nancy M. Shockley McCowan; a teacher and former superintendent of schools in Wichita County and was a homemaker, active in the migrant program and belonged to First Presbyterian Church, serving on both presbyterial and synodial committees; former 4-H leader, and was the first president of the Omiyage Club, all at Leoti; veteran of World War II, serving in the WACs; Sept. 20, 1942, she married Horace Downs at Leoti; he died Jan. 5, 1993; survived by two sons, Ronald, Mesilla Park, N.M., and Charles, Leoti; two brothers, Art McCowan and Ross McCowan, both of Leoti; a sister, Leota Malleck, Denver; and four grandchildren; preceded in death by a brother and two sisters. Funeral will be at 2:30 p.m. Monday at First Presbyterian Church, Leoti. Burial will be in Leoti Cemetery. (abstract Hutchinson News; undated)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Downs, William W.---Clay County Times, June 8, 1922
Downs:--William Downs was born in Knox County, Ohio, July 23, 1938, and passed away at his home near Longford, Kansas, May 23, 1922 at the age of 83 years, 9 months and 28 days. When quite young he moved with his parents to Lancaster, Missouri, where he grew to manhood. On the third day of December, 1861, he enlisted in the Civil War, in Company K, 21 Missouri Infantry, where he served three years and was discharged with honor December 31, 1863. He reinlisted on January 1, 1864, for three years longer or until the end of the war.
On January 10, 1866, he was united in marriage to Margaret E. Ashlock, when he and his wife left immediately for Kansas City, where they lived for seven years. From there he moved West and located on a homestead near Industry, where he lived for 44 years; then he moved to the home where he lived until his death.To this union were born nine children, five sons and four daughters, three having passed into the Great Beyond. The surviving children are: James Downs of Longford, Charles Downs of Oak Hill, Ira T. Downs of Leoti, A. M. Downs of Industry, Mrs. Geo. Woods (sic) of Oak Hill and Mrs. Thomas Whittenburg of Ackley, Colo. He is also survived by 34 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, one brother at Ft. Madison, Ia., and one sister, Mrs. Mefford, of Industry.
He was a very kind and loving father and will be kindly remembered by all his friends and neighbors. It can be truthfully said of Grandpa Downs "that he was always kindly loved and respected by all who knew him." The funeral service was held at the Evangelical Church at Industry, by Rev. S. L. Curry, pastor of the Wesleyan church, interment in Greenridge cemetery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~