Lucas John (Duke) Wellen, born on May 24, 1963, in Elkhart, Kansas, to Gordon Eugene and Carolea Virgil (Griffin) Wellen, passed away peacefully on August 4, 2025, in Liberal, Kansas. A lifelong cowboy, Duke embraced a life spent outdoors and among livestock, reflecting his deep passion for the natural world and its animals. His journey came to a close as it was filled with the simple joys that he...

Charles "Chuck" Gates, 77, of Liberal, passed away on Tuesday August 5, 2025 at Wheatridge Care Park in Liberal. He was born on December 3, 1947 to Allen and Ida (Manthe) Gates at Leavenworth, KS. Chuck was a graduate of De Soto High School in De Soto, KS; Class of 1965. Chuck worked as a Carni for the Pride of Texas Traveling Carnival for 10 years and was also a Cook for many years. He enjoye...

Rick Talmadge, age 78, died Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at his home in Ulysses, Kansas. He was born on December 23, 1946, to Earl Ray and Betty Jane (Bond) Talmadge. Rick grew up in Detroit and graduated from Wayne High School. He married Linda Mason on November 25, 1978. Even though they later divorced, they remained life-long friends. After serving honorably in the United States Army, he returne...

Keith Sherman Polacek, age 62, died on Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Wichita, Kansas. He was born on July 13, 1963, in Red Bud, Illinois, to Robert and Patsy Jean (Pickering) Polacek. Keith graduated from Chester High School in Chester, Illinois in 1984. He was united in marriage to Sharla Embry on November 7, 1987, in Shreveport, Louisiana. She preceded him in death in May 2003. Keith was a ...

Everett Leroy “Lee” Killough, son of the late Joseph Leon Killough and Estella Fern (MacDonald) Killough, was born on November 18, 1948, in Texas County, Oklahoma, and passed on from this life on July 6, 2025, at his home near Mountain Grove, Missouri. He was 76 years old. Lee was born in a small farmhouse on the way to the hospital in Texas County, Oklahoma, and raised for all of his young...

Jay Carl Hauser, 73, of Liberal, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at his home in Liberal, KS, surrounded by loved ones. He was born on August 27, 1951, to Roy and Wanda (Froelich) Hauser in Nowata, OK. On July 18, 1976, he married Nicki Weaver in Stillwater, OK. Jay was very proud of his military service as an E-4 Sergeant Weapons Specialist in the US Air Force, serving i...

Jodella "Jody" Holt, 67, of Liberal Kansas and Creede Colorado, passed away peacefully on July 24th. Jody spent her last days in her Dream Home nestled within the mountains of Colorado, surrounded by her immediate family. Jody was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, daughter-in-law, and many more things to many more people. Above all else, Jody was a devoted follower of Christ, and we rest comfor...

Gloria Garcia Martinez de Gallo, 52, of Liberal, passed away on Wednesday July 23, 2025 in Amarillo, TX. She was born on October 23, 1972 to Fransico Garcia Gonzalez and Emilia Martinez Barrera at Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. On March 3, 1990 she married Jose Raul Gallo Barajas in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico; Jose preceded her in death on December 21, 2019. She was a super creative pers...

Beloved Rosanne (Jones) Panter, age 94, entered into eternal peace on July 29, 2025. Rosanne was born south of Plainville in Rooks County, Kansas on January 27, 1931. She was the youngest of six children, being the only girl, born to Boyd and Naomi Irene (Yohe) Jones. While attending Athol High School, Rosanne worked for Bell Telephone in Smith Center, Kansas as a phone operator and continued ...

Randy Dale Schmitzer, age 72, died on Sunday, July 27, 2025, in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He was born on June 10, 1953, in Liberal, Kansas to Frank and Carol (Clark) Schmitzer. Randy graduated from Liberal High School and for 37 years, he devoted himself to the role of Refrigeration Technician at Kroger. Randy ensured that everything was running smoothly for his customers and coworkers alike....