Donald Allen Smischny, 97, of Salina, Kansas passed peacefully on November 29, 2025 after a brief illness. Don was born in Ellsworth, Kansas on August 17, 1928 to Rudy and Ruby (Allen) Smischny. He graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1946, and attended Kansas State University in Manhattan for one year before returning to Ellsworth. He worked with his father on the family farm and also held sev...

Kay Yvonne Gibson, 89, died November 29, 2025, at The Cedars Retirement Community in McPherson, Kansas. She was born November 27, 1936, in Minneapolis, Kansas, the youngest of three daughters of Ernest and Ima (Merryfield) Pogue. After graduating from Minneapolis High School, Kay attended Kansas State Teachers College (now known as Emporia State University), Emporia, Kansas, where she met her f...

Bernice L. Whispell, 96, of Salina, passed away Monday, November 24, 2025.  She was born in Oneonta, New York, on May 1, 1929 to William and Beatrice (Kelly) Reihl. Survivors include her daughter, Shannon Utley (Joseph), of Salina; grandchildren, Charity Palmer and Shanya Rifenburg; great-grandchildren, Chantea, Quinleslie, Breanna, Karon, Alisha, Ozzie, and Lemy; sisters, Kathryn Drawdy and S...

Jean E. Campbell, 93, of Ellsworth, Kansas, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 18, 2025. Born on October 24, 1932, in Ellsworth, Jean was the daughter of Eleanor (Herzig) Rathburn and William Dale Trump, Sr. Jean devoted herself to her family and home. She found joy in the simple pleasures of life—especially her love of golf—and shared her enthusiasm for wellness by teaching racque...

Wayne Earl Watts, 78, of Minneapolis, Kansas, passed away on Tuesday, November 25, 2025. Wayne was born on October 15, 1947, in Ada, Oklahoma, the son of Evelyn (Moore) and Earl Watts. He grew up in Konawa,Oklahoma and graduated from Konawa High School and East Central State College in 1968. Following graduation, Wayne worked alongside his father at Watts Funeral Home before moving to Libera...

Gerold Dean Jilka, 79 of Mission, passed away November 25, 2025, in Salina Kansas. He was born December 12, 1946, in Leavenworth Kansas, to Edward Jr. and Celestial Elisabeth (West) Jilka. Gerold graduated from Salina High in 1964. After high school he attended Kansas State University and graduated in 1968. Gerold joined the Air Force after graduation, serving in Vietnam and received a purple h...

Verona Jean (Collette) Perret, age 96, of Concordia, KS, passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at Park Villa Nursing Home, Clyde, KS. She was born on April 20,1929 at the St. Joseph Hospital to Albert & Jardine (Courville) Collette. Verona attended catholic schools in Concordia and graduated in 1947.  She then attended Marymount School of Nursing and received her diploma ...

David Warren Bernard VanWagner was released from this mortal life on Thursday, November 20th, 2025. He leaves behind his wife, Kimberly and daughter Kara both of Salina, daughters Chelsea Armbrister (grandsons Ayden and Noah and granddaughter Alice), Christa Armbrister (grandsons Braeden and Jaxson) all of McPherson, as well as sister Karen of New York, brother Chap and sister Penny, both of Sout...

Dr. Ted Allen Nickell, PhD, age 87, of Salina, Kansas, passed away on Thursday, November 20, 2025. Born on August 3, 1938, in Dodge City, Kansas, Ted was the son of Doris Margaret (Rabourn) and Virdie Allen Nickell. He proudly served in the United States Navy, then the Army Reserves, and later earned his doctorate from Missouri University. Throughout his career, Ted held leadership roles a...

Virginia Lou (Davis) Taylor died November 20, 2025, in Abilene, Kansas, having reached the age of 92. She was born March 11, 1933 on a farm to Willard Lee and Mayme Isabelle (Schulz) Davis. Along with her loving siblings (who affectionately called her ‘Susie’), Virginia grew up four miles south of Sand Springs and was a farm girl at heart. She attended the Pearl and Independence County Sch...