Obituaries

Shirley Nadine (Smith) Banks was born on March 16, 1928 on a farm near New Lancaster, Miami County, Kansas. She married Robert E Banks, MD on August 6, 1950 in the New Lancaster Methodist Church. She died August 28, 2024 at the age of 96 in Paola. Shirley was a wife, mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother and spent her years cooking and making a home for her entire family. She was a life long member of the United Methodist Church and was active in the Paola community on many boards and with local theater She and her husband had a strong emphasis on education in the family and the community.

Dorothy (Cortner) Heckart Falls, age 93, resident of the Healthcare Resort of Olathe, Kansas formerly of Osawatomie, Kansas passed away August 31, 2024. Dorothy was born Septemb er 20, 1930, in Osawatomie the seventh of eight children to Alexander and Minnie Cortner. She lived most of her life in Osawatomie and was a proud graduate of Osawatomie High School class of 1948. On November 9, 1950, she was united in marriage to Charles R. “Chic” Heckart. They were happily married for 48 years with Chic preceding her in death on January 15, 1999. They were blessed with two daughters, Barbara Ginavan, Olathe, KS and Jane McGraw, Shawnee, KS. Dorothy married Kenneth Falls on October 11, 2006. He passed away on November 1, 2013. Dorothy was a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church. Her hobbies included reading and playing bridge and Rummikub with her friends at the Towers apartments. Dorothy was employed by First Option Bank for 23 years. Dorothy was a loving and devoted wife, mother and doting grandmother and great grandmother. She will forever be cherished by her daughters and their spouses, Robert Ginavan and Tim McGraw, her seven grandchildren; Tyler, Kelsi (Cody) Kennedy, Kyson (Alyssa) Ginavan, Tanner (Emily) Ginavan, Max (Kara) McGraw, Shannon (Derrick) Grass and Kevin McGraw, nine great grandchildren. Visitation was at Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home on September 3, 2024. Memorial contributions can be made to the First United Methodist Church, Osawatomie.

1935 - 2024 Virginia Ellen Morgan was born August 13, 1935 in the tiny border town of West Line, MO, the youngest of six children of James Leary Morgan and Julia Fischell Morgan. A few years later the family moved back to Miami Co. KS to her Fi schel l grandparents farm, east of Paola. In the mid 1940s they moved into Paola. Virginia graduated from Paola High School in 1952 and on Nov. 16, 1952 she was married at the Methodist parsonage in Paola to Gerald Arthur Ellis, son of Loren Claude Ellis and Esther Bratton Ellis. They lived on Loren Ellis’s dairy farm west of Paola and then moved into Paola in 1957. In 1958 they built a new house on Grandview Drive. Between 1953 and 1958 they had three children, Michael, Susan and Mark. In 1961 they moved to Garnett, KS and established the ANCO Cheese Co., the largest cheese factory in Kansas, located at the corner of Park Rd. and Hwy 59 on the north edge of Garnett, producing cheese for the Kraft company. In 1968 they built a large brick home on Hwy 59 one mile north of Garnett. About 1970 they built an addition to the factory and opened the Anco Cheese, Plate & Stein shop which specialized in imported gift items. During the 1970s they acquired cheese factories in Hoisington and Mound Ridge KS. In the 1970s they traveled to many classic car shows and started a collection of classic cars. Jerry died in 1980. Virginia then attended Allen County Community Junior College in Iola and Kansas University Medical School in Kansas City, receiving a degree in Medical Records Administration. She worked for the Anderson County Hospital in Garnett KS and for Ransom Memorial Hospital in Ottawa KS. In 1987 she was married to William Eddy of Lawrence KS. They built a home on a 15 acre lakeside property south of Lawrence. Virginia became a Kansas City Royals Lancer, handling season ticket sales for the Lawrence area for many years. She and Bill traveled all over the world, including many trips with the Royals. She was an avid bridge player

LYBARGER Sharon Leigh Craig Lybarger, 83, formerly of Paola, Kansas, went home to be with her Lord on Monday, August 19, 2024, in Tucson, Arizona. Sharon was born February 18, 1941, in Kansas City, Missouri.

Robert Lavern Smith age 94 of Paola passed away on August 29, 2024 at Delmar Gardens of Overland Park. Bob was born August 15, 1930 in Kansas City, Kanas to Henry Logan and Iva Ray Smith. He was raised in Kansas City, Kansas and attended Kansas City Public Schools. He married Dorothy Pennington in 1949 and they had a son Steven Lavern. The marriage ended in divorce. In 1961 he married Louise Leonard and they had two sons, Kevin Wayne and Charles Lynn. They made their home in Kearney, Missouri until 1966 when they moved to a farm west of Paola where they spent most of their married life and raised their sons and later helped raise their granddaughter. Bob raced motorcycles from 1949 to 1955 earning a pro ranking. He worked in the printing industry and was a member of the Graphic Arts Union. He later had his own excavating business, building ponds, doing farm work and working in the oil fields. He enjoyed spending time with family, tinkering around the farm, riding his 4-wheeler, hunting morel mushrooms and watching the Kansas City Royals. He was proceeded in death by his wife Louise in 2023, his parents, a brother James Henry, grandson James Lee and daughter in law Sherry Berglund Smith. He is survived by his sons Steven (Kathy) of Basehor, Kevin (Melanie) of Paola and Charles (Ria) of Lead, South Dakota, brother Kenny (Margaret) of Tonganoxie, sister Janice Ficke (Stephen) of Topeka, sister in law Sue Smith of Wichita, granddaughter Mallory Crowl (Casey) of Olathe, grandsons Timothy (Amy) of Berthoud, Colorado, Eric of Olathe, Austin (Maikla) of Olathe and Dennis of Liberty, Missouri, 4 great grandchildren Cali, Tyler, Silas, and Asa and many nieces and nephews.Cremation no services planned. arrangements by Dengel and Son Paola Chapel.

Shirley Arleen Hubbard age 84 of Paola passed away on August 30th at Northpoint Nursing home. She was born on August 1, 1940 in Branson Missouri to Ralph and Alta Belle Keeler English. On September 3, 1961 she was united in marriage to Jesse Eugene Hubbard in Reed Springs, Missouri. Shirley worked as a hairdresser for many years also she worked as a clerk at Paola Hardware Store. She enjoyed spending time with family, cooking, quilting and singing in the church choir, where she was very active at the Trinity Lutheran Church. She was preceded in death by her parents, and one son Kenneth. Surviving is her husband Eugene, her sons Nathan Alan Hubbard (Christy) and Anthony Hubbard (Jennifer), sister Betty McGinnis, 6 grandchildren, and 8 great grandchildren. She will be dearly missed by family and friends. Visitation will be 6 to 8pm Friday September 6th at Dengel and Son Mortuary 305 N. Pearl St. Paola. Funeral Services will be Saturday September 7th at 11am at the Trinity Lutheran Church of the Block Community. Memorials may be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church Choir.

Patricia Rae Fox, aged 88, passed away peacefully on August 27, 2024, in Olathe, Kansas. Born on January 5, 1936, in Overland Park, Kansas, Patricia led a life marked by dedication to her family, community, faith and numerous passions.