Obituary - Richard Kenneth Wade

Richard Kenneth Wade, age 87, Fontana, Kansas passed away Friday, January 7, 2022.

Graveside funeral service will be 2 pm Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at the Riverview Cemetery, La Cygne, Kansas. Individual respects and guest registry can be made Monday January 10 from 9 am to 4 pm at the Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, La Cygne Chapel.

Contributions are suggested to La Cygne Good Samaritan or the Parkinson's Foundation, c/o Schneider Funeral Home, P.O. Box 304, La Cygne, KS 66040. Online condolences can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com.

Obituary - Doris Ann Lefevre

Doris Ann Lefevre, age 80 of Butler, Missouri died Thursday, January 6, 2022, at Bates County Memorial Hospital, Butler, Missouri. She was born January 20, 1941, to Orville Chris and Viola Ruth Enos Dall in Harrisonville, Missouri. Doris, one of two children, moved at an early age to Butler, Missouri where she attended school. On February 18, 1961, she was united in marriage to Samuel Ulysses Lefevre and to this union there were three children. Doris survived numerous health issues ranging from her early childhood to later in her life, but she never shied away from the pain or healing process. She survived bone issues, numerous skin cancers, and the devastating stroke in 2013. In her normal style, she continued to worry about everyone else, while her family worked to provide her the best life possible during this time. After struggling with being stuck in the nursing facility, Doris requested, shopped, and decided to purchase an electric wheelchair and van so her family could take her on rides. If she was not at the nursing facility, she was going for rides, getting ice cream, visiting family members, and attending tractor pulls. Her greatest joy was driving the back roads, as she would point out who lived on the farms, what Massey Ferguson tractors they owned and the pride she had for her ability to help the farmers with breakdowns by finding the parts they needed with them just describing the issues/broken parts to her on the phone and she could immediately state if the part was in stock or searching other location dealerships for the parts. Also, if your Massey Ferguson tractor required a special filter type/oil, she keep this information as well, so when the farmers called for filters and supplies, she had it stacked and ready for them to drive up to the door, sign a ticket and load the supplies. If you know the farming industry, you understand the time savings this was for the local farmers. For all the farmers in the area that visited with Doris, realize she remembered you and your families fondly up to her last days. Doris protected all her children at times putting her life in the balance. She always gave her children space to live their lives and make their mistakes, but was always there to give advice, opinions, and potential questions to help her children make the best decisions for them. So when she needed help, her children always stepped up to help. She was extremely proud of her children. Doris was an organizer of numerous things, 4-H activities and trips, including a float trip that resulted in collapsed tents, canoe tipping and other shenanigans. She also taught her children to cook and was known for her excellent cooking skills. She enjoyed her Monday night bowling league as well as traveling to bowling tournaments with her team and daughter. Doris loved shopping and visiting the casinos when time allowed. She organized numerous family gathers including the 25 years of family reunions hosted by the family. Never doubt that she was in charge despite her calm demeanor and laborious task of getting items together as well cooking all the meat for the gatherings. She was famous for her BBQ meatballs. Doris worked at Bailey’s Café, and Lens Plant prior to starting her parts counter work at Doll Implement. Upon her parents selling the Doll Implement business, Doris worked for Bob and Glenn’s Implement as the integral and continued parts counter salesman. Doris also a proud member of the National American Angus Association for over 50 years as well as the local secretary to the Mid-America Angus Association, to promote Black Angus in the county, state and national levels. During her early retirement, Doris would break calves to lead, get them ready to show and had a set up at the house to train the calves to be ready for fair showing/stalls during the fair. One of her early trips to the Missouri State Fair, she was exhausted from keeping the cattle at the fair by herself while her husband worked, and everything that could go wrong at the fair, happened. Cheryl arrived late in the day to assist and she had tickets to a State Fair concert that evening. Being exhausted, she still decided to attend the concert despite being on the very top row of the concert. The concert was opened by Alan Jackson with Garth Brooks as the headliner. She started to relax and get revived from the exhausting day while enjoyed the first show. Then Garth Brooks took the stage and started climbing on the scaffolding, she never sat down again the entire evening. This love of country music was a lifelong love and she loved to this day waltzing, two stepping and western swing with her husband. You could not keep her seated during a dance. She also took on the Bates County Water District #1 as secretary/treasurer after the original secretary’s health failed. She continued until the Board hired a service to continue the important work. She also organized her life and last wishes to include all her children equally despite several family members not being involved heavily in the planning due to their other duties. She was never shy about announcing what she wanted completed if you listened. Doris enjoyed wintering in southern Texas and would never be seen walking the travel park without her two beloved dogs. She enjoyed meeting new people, potluck dinners and playing cards/games. Doris played a lot of video poker with a username of DALEFEVRE. Doris would laugh when the other players would ask her if she was a professional player and call her Dale Fevre. She was once invited to Las Vegas to participate in a Video Poker contest but declined. She also had the ability to grab a handful of coins and without seeing the coins could tell you how much she was holding within seconds. Doris was a fantastic caregiver to her family showing the care given to her parents during their aging years, recovery from their health problems and selling out a business so they could enjoy their retirement. Doris always was a call away for babysitting the grandchildren as needed. When her grandson was in the hospital out of town, she would offer to go stay with that grandchild so the parents could continue to make a living and not leave the grandchild alone. Doris also nursed her Daughter-in-law back to health while fighting cancer, keeping the household running, doing household chores, and cooking fantastic meals for the family in need. She always put others before herself. Doris is survived by her husband, Sam Lefevre of Butler, Missouri; two sons, Randy Lefevre of Bronaugh, Missouri and Mike Lefevre and wife Johnna of Butler, Missouri; one daughter, Cheryl Baker and husband Gary of Odessa, Missouri; six grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren; and numerous extended family members. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Dale Doll.

Chance for freezing drizzle this morning

If you plan on traveling this morning, give yourself extra time! Freezing drizzle may leave a glazing of ice this morning, making for hazardous traveling conditions for any untreated roads and surfaces, including elevated surfaces and bridges.

Sheldon R-8 School District Homecoming Royalty

Another successful Sheldon R-8 School District homecoming in the books! Both boys and girls teams defeated Ballard this evening….well done, athletes!!

Congratulations to all of the homecoming royalty candidates and to the 2022 Homecoming Queen Deborah Lamb and her escort Hiro Ishihara!!

Obituary - Patty Ellen Alewel

Patty Alewel, 85, of Raymore, Missouri, passed away on January 5, 2022 at Belton Research Hospital.

Patty was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and served as a second mother and grandmother to many.

Patty was born in 1936 in Oakland, Illinois, to Russell and Mildred Galbreath.

She was preceded in death by her parents, first husband, Donald Newell, eldest son, Randy Newell, daughter, Vickie Drehle, brother, Max Galbreath, sister, Barbara Newell, and just hours before her death, she was preceded in death by her youngest son, Scott Newell.

Patty is survived by her husband, Ralph Alewel, daughter, Sheri Higinbotham (Mike), son, Jay Alewel (Terri), many grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren.

Patty will have a private, family burial in Charleston, Illinois, and a memorial service will be held in Raymore at a later date.

Arrangements: Cullen Funeral Home, Raymore, Missouri 816.322.5278

Henry County Sheriff's Office completes first full year of operations with our Drone Project

The Henry County Sheriff's Office just completed our first full year of operations with our Drone Project. Pilots Cpl. Detective Kubilus and Cpl. Dody have been flying the Mavic 2 Pro in several operations throughout the year as well as many training exercises. Our Drone Project was made possible through a grant from the Truman Lake Foundation.

This project is just one of several grants that the Sheriff's Office has received from the Truman Lake Foundation and without their assistance, equipment like this would not be available for our staff and community.

To be licensed, our pilots went through several hours of training and were required to pass a test with the FAA. Thank you Truman Lake Foundation for helping with this project.

Obituary - John LeRoy Rodabaugh

John L. Rodabaugh, age 74, a former resident of Pittsburg, Kansas and more recently of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away Thursday, January 6, 2022, at the Freeman West Hospital in Joplin, Missouri. 

He was born February 17, 1947, in Pittsburg, the son of Roy Rodabaugh and Anna Mae Westerlin Rodabaugh. John graduated from the Pittsburg High School and then served with the United States Army during the Vietnam War. 

He had worked for the Union Pacific Railroad as a track foreman for thirty years. John married Hope Hall Gage on July 6, 1996, at Ft. Scott. He was a member of the Marvin Armstrong Masonic Lodge #187 of Pittsburg, the Scottish Rite and the Mirza Shrine. John enjoyed coon hunting, fishing and raising fighting roosters. He attended the Open Door Church in Pittsburg.

Survivors include his wife, Hope, of the home; a daughter, Johanna Strum (Joshua) of Walnut, Kansas; two step-sons, Troy Gage (Barbara) of Columbus, Kansas and Jason Gage (Melissa) of Louisburg, Kansas and ten grandchildren, Tommy, Pixie, Brayden, Danielle, Johnathan, Bryce, Devin, Brock, Danny and Deacon. John was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Roberta Hurlbert and a step-son, Tom Gage II.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, January 12th at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial with military honors will follow in the Centerville Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 P.M. Tuesday at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Shrine Transportation Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com. 

Obituary - Jeremiah Randall Sandlin

Jeremiah Randall Sandlin, 30, Harrisonville, Missouri departed this life on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 at St. Luke's Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri.

He is survived by his wife, Amanda Sandlin and daughter, Abigale Sandlin both of the home; his father, Mark Sandlin, Gainesville, Missouri and a brother, Joshua Sandlin both of Gainesville, Missouri; a niece, Ayla Sandlin; a nephew, Silus Sandlin; his maternal Oma, Christa Heckler, Buffalo, New York; other relatives and many friends.

Cremation. A Celebration of Life Visitation will be Saturday, January 15, 2022 at the Dickey Funeral Home, Harrisonville, Missouri.

Family suggests memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Hosptial.

A complete obituary will be posted when it becomes available.