Riley County Obits
"W" Surnames
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. Abbraviations after each obituary denote from which newspaper it came: "MM"= Manhattan Mercury, "CCT"= Clay Center Times, "JCU"= Junction City Union.
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Walker, Benjamin D., was born Oct. 28, 1926, at Muscatine, Iowa, the son of Arthur and Permelia (Davidson) Walker; he died Sunday, Feb. 6, 2000, at the home of his daughter in Leonardville; married Yasuko "Betty" Mizota Oct. 25, 1954, and she preceded him in death Aug. 14, 1990; survived by a son, D. Walker of Manhattan; three daughters, B. Glover of St. George, K. Robertson of Manhattan and N. Nanninga of Leonardville; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren; burial in Leonardville Cemetery (abstract CCT)
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Walstrom, Virgie E., was born Aug. 14, 1909, in the Grandview community east of Riley, the daughter of William and Augusta (Toburen) Busher; she died Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2000, in Manhattan; married Leonard Walstrom Dec. 20, 1927, and he preceded her in death Sept. 28, 1991; also preceded by a daughter, a brother and two sisters; survived by a daughter, L. Oman and husband of Leonardville; three grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren; burial in Grandview Cemetery east of Riley (CCT)
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Orpha Wannett (Hoch) Wesche, 95, Manhattan, died Sept. 2, 2004; born on April 2, 1909 in El Dorado, the daughter of Rev. August and Hulda (Rux) Hoch; married Glen Stewart on May 27, 1920; they had one daughter, Jacqueline Sue; later was married to D.C. Wesche on January 21, 1963 in Pittsburgh, Pa.; he preceded her in death on May 27, 1981; also preceded in death by her daughter, Jacqueline Sue Fatzer on Aug. 21, 1998, by one sister, Lucille Manning on March 25, 1987, and by one grandson, Marc Fatzer.Survivors include one brother, Homer Hoch of Shawnee Mission; two step daughters, Pam Warner of Landum S.C. and Linda Hanna of Topeka; three grandchildren, Brian Fatzer, Karen Humble and Cheryl Fatzer; and numerous other family and friends; graveside services Sept. 4 at Sunset Cemetery(abstract MM)
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Fred Weider 1884-1965 (see funeral card)
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William Weider 1878-1968 (see funeral card)
William Weider, better known as Will, was born March 14, 1878 at Leonardville, Kansas in the Crooked Creek neighborhood. He had lived his entire life in this neighborhood where he was engaged in farming until the last few years. He passed away October 14 after a short illness at the age of 90 years. He attended school at Crooked Creek. On September 23, 1936 he was married to Goldie De Graff. They had just recently celebrated their 32nd anniversary.
Will is survived by his wife, Goldie. One sister, Sophie Flehr, a number of nieces and nephews and friends.
Memorial services were held Thursday, October 17 at the Alert Covenant Church with Rev. Bowman in charge. Ed Nord was the soloist and Mrs. Rosenow was at the organ.
Pallbearers were nephews, Henry Norris, Lyle Peterson, Chester Stone, Raymond Nelson, Warren Peterson and Raymond Peterson.
Holmes Funeral Home of Riley was in charge of arrangements.
(unknown paper)
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Williams, Frank T., was born June 19, 1914, on a farm near Bala, the son of Frank and Rosina (Esslinger) Williams; he died Monday, Jan. 10, 2000 in Manhattan; married Evelyn Sprecher April 29, 1940; preceded in death by six brothers and a sister; survived by three sons, F. R. Williams and wife of Sabetha, R. Williams and wife, of Manhattan and R. Williams and wife of Junction City; a sister, F. Wertenberger of Sabetha; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren; burial in Bala Cemetery (CCT)
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Williams, Melinda I., was born May 24, 1911, at Bala, the daughter of John and Ida (Bohnenblust) Sprecker; she died Wednesday, Sept. 1, 1999, at Leonardville; married Clarence H. Williams June 25, 1936; she was preceded in death by her husband Nov. 5, 1996, and also by by two brothers; survived by a brother, M. Sprecker of Leonardville, and a sister, P. Hayes of Phillipsburg; burial in Leonardville United Methodist Church Cemetery (abstract CCT)
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Wohler, Virgil A. was born Oct. 20, 1912, at Leonardville, the son of Albert and Martha (Greenfield) Wohler; he died Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2000, at Leonardville; married Eva Nelson June 14, 1932, and she preceded him in death June 27, 1999 ; survived by a son, V. Wohler Jr. of Riley; two daughters, R. Grater of Green and K. Johnson of
Brownstown, Ind.; a sister, V. Thornburn of Manhattan; seven grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren; burial in Milford Cemetery (CCT)
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Mary Margaret "Peggy" Wood, 75, of Manhattan, died, Sept. 4,; born Jan. 27, 1929, in Rosalia, Kan., the daughter of Bert and Nellie Smith Noble; married Howard C. Wood on Aug. 21, 1949, in El Dorado; he preceded her in death in 2001; survived by her daughters, Dr. Kathy Grandison of Colrain, Mass., Margie Dyck of Overland Park, Jeanne Mann of Lawrence, and Mary Crane of Ackley, Iowa; and 10 grandchildren; she donated her body to the K.U. Medical School.(abstract MM)
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Woodard, Jack A., 81, died Saturday, June 5, 2004, in Manhattan; born June 22, 1922, in Oskaloosa, the son of Merritt and Maude (Teeple) Woodard; married Lola Parrick on Oct. 2, 1944; she preceded him in death on Feb. 24, 1998; survived by three sons and one daughter, eight grandchildren; and 10 great grandchildren; burial June 10 in the Riley Cemetery in Riley (abstract MM)
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(c) 2003 Sheryl McClure
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