Dean Delaplain

Dean Ellis Delaplain, 75, Iola, died Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012, at Moran Manor.

Dean was born July 30, 1937, in Elsmore, the only child of Glenn and Hazel (Perkins) Delaplain. He grew up in Elsmore until the family moved to Iola when he was 11. He graduated from Iola High School and served in the U.S. Air Force from 1956 to 1960.

On June 4, 1961, Dean married Dorothy Haen in Piqua. They made their home in Pamona, Calif., where Dean worked as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service. They returned to the area in 1993 after he retired. Dorothy preceded him in death on Nov. 27, 2008.

He is surviived by three daughters, Debbie Muhl and her husband, Rick, Iola, DeAnne Delaplain, Iola, and Denise Butler, Iola; and four grandchildren, Michael and John Muhl and Roseanne and Josh Butler

According to his wishes, his body was donated to the University of Kansas School of Medicine for research. No services will be held.

Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer’s Association and may be left with Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel of Iola, which is in charge of arrangements.

Online condolences for the family may be left at www.iolafuneral.com.

George Ensminger

George William Ensminger Jr., 85, Emporia, died on Sept. 9, 2012, at the Emporia Presbyterian Manor.

George was born Nov. 4, 1926, in LaHarpe, the son of George William Sr. and Pauline Ruth Phillips Ensminger. He married Carol Remsberg on May 24, 1947, in Iola. She survives.

He also is survived by a son, John R. Ensminger, Augusta, Ga.; daughters, Linda Ensminger, Fredonia, and Cheryl and husband Bob Protheroe, Emporia; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Ernest (Corky) Ensminger.

George was an electrician at Dolly Madison for 15 years, then worked at Mark II Lumber for 11 years before retiring. He was a member of First United Methodist Church, Emporia. From 1944 to 1946 he served in the U.S. Army, and was a member of the Ball-McColm Post No. 5 American Legion, Emporia.

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home. The service will be conducted by Pastor Jeannie Jensen of First United Methodist Church with military honors by Ball-McColm Post No. 5 American Legion. Cremation will follow the service. Memorial contributions to the First United Methodist Church or Friendship Meals can be sent in care of Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home. Condolences may be left at robertsblue.com. 

John Siefker

John A. Siefker, 89, formerly of Moran, passed away Thursday, Sept. 6, at Salina Regional Health Center.
John was born in Keswick, Iowa, on April 20, 1923, to the late Hilda M. (Tanke) and August W. Siefker.
He retired from Premier Pneumatic and was a member of First Southern Baptist Church.
John married Alice Albaugh on April 29, 1948. She preceded him in death.
John is survived by sons Dwight Siefker and his wife, Elaine, Salina, and David Siefker, Lahaina, Hawaii; and grandsons Jonathan Siefker and Michael Vallis.
He was preceded in death by parents and wife, Alice.
Visitation will be from 6 to 7 p.m. today at Waugh-Yokum and Friskel Memorial Chapel.
Burial will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Moran Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to First Southern Baptist Church, 2401 S. Ohio St., Salina, KS 67401.

In growing US costs will rise. Who will pay?

About a million jobs in America’s cities, counties and schools could be created within months if Congress would pass legislation President Obama has proposed.
But that is not a good reason to ship billions of dollars to state and local governments from Washington. Teachers shouldn’t be hired to boost the economy. They must be needed in classrooms before they are put on the payroll. Ditto for firemen and law enforcement officers.
There is no disputing that the worst recession since the Great Depression has hit states and local governments hard. Tax revenues have fallen. Budgets have been slashed. Public sector jobs have evaporated. It is also obvious that those job losses make up a substantial chunk of the 8.1 percent of the nation’s workforce, which is unemployed. Federal grants to the states could restore those jobs and lift the nation’s economy.
That may be, say congressional Republicans, but the money would have to be borrowed because we aren’t about to raise taxes — especially just now, when the primary effect would be to give the president a political boost. And that brings us back to the matter of need and responsibility. Are those teachers, firemen and policemen and other public workers really needed? If they are, who should pay their salaries?
These questions aren’t being addressed frankly and honestly on the campaign trail. Voters should demand straight talk about them.

LET US FIRST agree that in a growing nation like the United States, government’s payroll will increase or government services will decline. It is not reasonable to expect  public schools to do a better job of teaching a growing number of students with fewer teachers who are paid lower wages. Bigger cities also require more first responders — or public safety will decline.
If these basics can be agreed upon, then the question becomes who pays.
Over U.S. history, responsibility for paying the bill for government — for the things Americans do for each other through public agencies — has shifted from local government to the state and national government. Cities, counties, school districts and states still raise and spend a great deal of money every year, to be sure. But Uncle Sam has also picked up a significant share of local government budgets.
The explanation for the shift has been that most of us agree that government should be an equalizer. Every kid should get a good education, every citizen should be protected from crime and given help when afflicted by disaster, have health care, clothing and a roof over his head and given a fair shot at a good life, etc., etc., etc.
Because wealth is not apportioned equally among states or within states it was natural that the nation’s lawmakers and administrators agreed to apportion government services according to need and to get the resources to pay for those services from those areas which were most prosperous.

THIS PHILOSOPHY is under direct assault by the Republican Party in this election. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are pledged to reduce the amount of money the federal government gives to states, cities, counties and schools and are calling upon states and local units, such as schools, community colleges and universities, to pay more or agree to cut their budgets. If adopted, this approach will devastate the nation’s poorest states, poorest cities and school districts — and the poorest citizens.
Kansans in general and Iolans in particular can understand how the Romney/Ryan creed will hammer areas like ours. Before the state took over the financing of the public schools about 20 years ago, the Iola school district was forced to pay a property tax levy about three times that of wealthy Johnson County and still had far less to spend to educate an Iola student than did its big city counterparts. When the state took over and the public schools were supported with statewide taxes, USD 257 property owners saw their school taxes drop like a stone.
Shifting more of the education, Medicare and Medicaid budgets to states and individual citizens — as Romney and Ryan are pledged to do — will hurt poor states and poor individuals the most. And refusing to raise taxes on those most able to bear the increase will keep the deficit growing while government services shrink.
This isn’t political rhetoric. It is plain, 2+2=4 arithmetic. Do the homework, then decide.

— Emerson Lynn, jr.

Freshmen take fifth

LACYGNE — Iola High’s freshman volleyball team placed fifth at the Prairie View High Freshman Invitational Saturday.
The Fillies lost to Jayhawk-Linn 25-14, 25-14 and to Paola 25-12, 25-10. They came back to defeat Prairie View 25-12, 25-20 to finish pool play.
Taking on the third-place team from the other pool, Iola defeated Anderson County 25-10, 25-14. The Fillies ended up 2-2 for the day.
Paola won the tournament going 5-0.
Taylor Sell and Emily Mc-Karnin were the top servers for the Fillies during the tournament. Mikaela Platt led the net attack with the most kills. Taylor Heslop led the team in set assists.
The Fillies host the Iola High Freshman Invitational this Saturday.

Helen Smith

Helen Marie Smith, 87, Moran, died Monday, Sept. 3, 2012, at Allen County Hospital. She was born July 8, 1925, in Bourbon County, the daughter of William Elmer and Zaida Marie (Worden) Ross. She married James Willis Smith May 29, 1948, in Syracuse. He survives of the home.

In addition to her husband Jim, Helen is survived by her children, P.J. Smith of Kansas City, Kan., Jimmy Ross Smith of Iola and Alan L. Smith of Wichita; three brothers, Lawrence Ray Ross, Paul Dean Ross and Maurice Gale Ross; two sisters, Marjorie Joan Logsdon and Verl Annette Ross; four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Mary Ann Smith; two sisters, Lois Irene Kershner and Doris Elma Ross; and three brothers, William George Ross, James Albert Ross and Russell Lee Ross.

Pastor Leslie Jackson and Lloyd Houk will conduct funeral services for Helen at 10:30 a.m. today at Trinity United Methodist Church, Iola. Burial will follow at the Fairview Cemetery near Mildred, under the direction of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home. 

Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church or charity of choice and left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral home, 15 W. Wall St., P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, KS 66701. 

Online condolences may be e-mailed to expressions@konantz-cheney.com.


Hazel Howarter

Hazel Irene Howarter, 93, Escondido, Calif., passed away Monday, Sept. 3, 2012, at Family Residential Care in San Diego.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel, Garnett. Burial will follow in the Lone Elm Cemetery.

The family will greet friends at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday prior to the service.

Online condolences may be sent to www.feuerbornfuneral.com.


Tillie Nilges

Alfred G. “Tillie” Nilges, 87, Richmond, father of Iolan Becky Nilges and Deb Catron, Gas, died Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012, at Richmond Healthcare.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Therese Catholic Church, Richmond. Interment will follow in the St. Boniface Cemetery, Scipio. The family will greet friends following rosary at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, 219 S. Oak, Garnett, KS 66032.  

Memorial contributions may be made to Pennies for Heaven or to Richmond Area Community Museum and left in care of the funeral home. Condolences to the family may be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.

Alene Gardner

Alene May Gardner, 91, Iola, went to be with the Lord Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, at Iola Nursing Center. Her husband, Robert L. Gardner, and nephews Richard M. Eldridge Sr. and Richard M. Eldridge Jr., preceded her in death.

Alene was born Oct. 24, 1920, in Iola, the only child of Carl and Bessie (Jackman) McFann. She grew up in Iola where she graduated from high school in 1938. She graduated from Iola Junior College in 1940 and then attended Pittsburg State Teacher’s College. She taught at Lincoln Elementary until she married the love of her life, Robert Gardner, on Oct. 11, 1942, in Palmyra, Mo.

They made their home in Iola after he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. She worked for Ableson Cleaners in the front office as a button maker and in the office of J.C. Penney before working at Bunt Warren Agency. She became a broker and agent before retiring from the agency. Mr. Gardner preceded her in death on May 7, 1997.

Alene was an active member of Trinity United Methodist Church, where she served as the lay member to Annual Conference and was UMW Conference chairperson. She was lay leader and belonged to United Methodist Women and served as past president and member of the Iola Jaycee Jaynes. She also was past president of the Iola BPW.

Survivors include her nephew and nieces, Larry Mark and his wife, Anna, Tulsa,  and their children, Larry and his wife, Sheley, and Sueann; Linda Cotner and her husband, Richard, Broken Arrow, Okla., and their children Mark and his wife, Tami, Mike and Kevin and his wife, Crystal; Nellene Eldridge, wife of the late Richard Mark Eldridge Sr., Tulsa, and her children Richard Mark Jr., Chris and his wife, Amanda, Ryan and his wife, Ashley, and Michael; and dearest friend Sandy Zornes and her husband, Terry, Iola.

She also is survived by her great-nieces and great-nephews, Rick, Danielle, Taylor, Ashley, Austin, Connor, Elise, Marcus, Robert and Dakota, and many other beloved family members.

Funeral services were Thursday at Trinity United Methodist Church, Iola. She was laid to rest in Highland Cemetery, Iola.

Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or Allen County Animal Rescue Facility and left with Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel, Iola.

Online condolences may be sent to www.iolafuneral.com. 


[ENGAGEMENT] Crystal McMurray and Shane Sicka

Crystal McMurray and Shane Sicka will be married Sept. 15, 2012, at his parents’ home. The reception will be at the North Community Building. 

Crystal is the daughter of Tonnie Bryan and Jim and Shelly McMurray, Iola. 

Shane is the son of David and Vicky Morris and Mike and Carla Sicka, Stotsville, Ohio. 

Shane graduated from Altoona Midway in 2004 and Crystal from Iola High School in 2000. Crystal works at Super 8 in Chanute.