James L. “Sam” Abbott, age 65, died July 9, 2011 at Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, KS. He was born December 8, 1945 in Cordell, Oklahoma, the son of Mabel Abbott. He attended Liberal High School and had been a longtime Liberal resident. He worked at Koochel’s Parts Plus and had worked for Wettstein Farms for 10 years. He retired in April 2010. He enjoyed car racing, being a me...

Benjamin Lee “Bennie” Witzke, age 81, died Friday, July 8, 2011 at Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, KS. He was born January 28, 1930 at Bessie, OK, the son of Leonard and Miriam (Kiehn) Witzke. He was a 1947 graduate of Turpin High School , Turpin, OK . He continued his education with a Bachelors degree from Southwestern State in Weatherford, OK , and then a Masters in Health Care Admin...

Abel Hernandez, age 63, of Ulysses, Kansas died Tuesday, July 5, 2011 at Via Christi Regional Medical Center / St. Francis in Wichita, Kansas. He was born December 15, 1947 in Chihuahua, Mexico, the son of Ramon and Amelia (Franco) Hernandez. Abel married Ramona Arrieta on June 5, 1967. They moved to Johnson in 1988, also living in Garden City, Kansas and moved to Ulysses in 2006. He worked a...

Cecilia Hidalgo, 83, of Hooker passed away July 5, 2011 at Oklahoma Heart Hospital in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Cecilia was born April 16, 1928 in Conlen, Texas the daughter of Adelaido and Rebecca Garcia Vigil. She grew up and attended school in Conlen graduating from High School there. On October 27, 1945 in Langtry, Texas, Cecilia was united in marriage to Paulo Hidalgo. They made...

Gary L. Zortman, age 66, died early Saturday morning, July 2, 2011, at the Promise Regional Medical Center , Hutchinson, Kansas . He was born September 18, 1944, at Dodge City, Kansas, the son of Herbert and Gladys (Newell) Zortman. A resident of La Crosse for sixteen years, he was a truck driver. He enjoyed sewing, gardening, trains, airplanes, and spending time with his family and frien...

Leon H. Bortz, age 88, died late Monday evening, May 23, 2011, at the Western Plains Regional Medical Center , Dodge City, Kansas . He was born September 15, 1922, at Burton, Kansas , the son of Herman and Matilda (Feldhutt) Bortz. As a young boy he attended school in Preston, Kansas . In 1942, he joined the United States Army, serving in the European Theater of operation. In 1945 ...

Visitation: 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM, Friday, July 08, 2011 at Garnand Funeral Home in Ulysses, Kansas. Funeral Service: 2:00 PM, Saturday, July 09, 2011 at Garnand Funeral Home Chapel in Ulysses, Kansas with Reverend Wayne Flanders officiating. Interment: Ulysses Cemetery with Military Rites by Dexter D. Harbour American Legion Post #79. Memorial contributions may be given to the Loaves and Fishe...

Genevieve Corbin Renschler, 97, of Ponca City, Oklahoma passed away July 4, 2011 at Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, Kansas On October 8, 1913, Genevieve, the daughter of James Richard and Nira Fern Corbin, was born in rural Butler County near Augusta, Kansas. She was baptized at Central Baptist Church also near Augusta. She graduated high school in Towanda, Kansas and attended Bus...

Cindy L. Harrold, age 59, of Ulysses, Kansas died Saturday, July 2, 2011 at Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital in Ulysses, Kansas.  She was born March 7, 1952 in Winfield, Kansas, the daughter of Donald and Lois (Keely) Holt.   Cindy graduated from Harper High School and then attended Manhattan Christian College.  Cindy moved to Ulysses, Kansas in 1988 with her husband, Pastor Bill ...

Viola E. Grounds, 92, of Hooker passed away Thursday June 20, 2011 at Southwest Medical Center in Liberal, Kansas. Viola Ella Lundgrin was born on her family farm south of Hooker, December 23, 1918 to George and Mary Kathrine Herbel Lundgrin. Her parents immigrated to this area from a small village in Russia, as did many Hooker residents. She had three brothers, George, Alexander and Rayn...