Mid America Live

Friday, February 28, 2025

Obituary - Norma Jean Harvey

Norma Jean Harvey, age 89, of Mound City, Kansas, passed away Friday, February 21, 2025. She was born on September 26, 1935, in Kansas City, Kansas, the daughter of William and Alta Pemberton Keener. She graduated from Turner High School. She then attended KCK Community College and later completed her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Saint Mary. Jean was united in marriage to Donald Harvey on August 6, 1972 in Las Vegas at the Little White Chapel. Jean retired from the PQ Chemical Corporation where she held a customer service position While living in Mound City, Jean was active in the Mound City First Baptist Church. She served on the board of Sugar Valley Lake, and with Concern. Jean also enjoyed volunteering at the Good Buy thrift store. Jean was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Donald Harvey, and a daughter, Vicky Bates. Jean is survived by a sister Beverly Krum (Bud), a daughter Ann Brumley (Ralph), a son Bill Oyer (Rhonda), a daughter Debbie Raines (Tom), 10 grandchildren, and several great grandchildren with one great great grandchild on the way.

Memorial service will be 11 am Thursday, March 13, 2025 at the Mound City First Baptist Church. Visitation will be from 10 am to service time at the Church. Interment service will be 1:30 pm Thursday, March 13, at Fort Scott National Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be made to First Baptist Church or Concern. Online condolences can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com.

Obituary - Raymond “Mark” Nitchals

Raymond “Mark” Nitchals, son of Raymond Nitchals and Eunice (Sargeant) Nitchals, was born July 21, 1955, in Kansas City, MO. Mark grew up in Lenexa, Kansas where he attended Holy Trinity Catholic School for 8 years. He then moved to the Pleasant Gap area and attended Appleton City High School graduating as salutatorian in 1973. He attended college at Central Missouri State University, running cross country and obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education with a minor in History. While attending college he met Denice Heiserman, and they were married on August 28, 1976. To this marriage three children were born Ryan, Stacie, and Rachel.

Mark had his first coaching and teaching position in Stover, MO. He then had an opportunity to sell health and life insurance before moving out to the farm to raise hogs and cattle. In 1987, Mark started what would be his lifelong career as an agriculture businessman from operating a feed store, grain elevator, and fertilizer-chemical plant. He continued to be in the fertilizer-chemical business until his death, employing majority of his family at one point or another.

Mark was an active member of the United Methodist Church in Appleton City. Mark was a hard-working man who loved his family and would help anybody he knew. He instilled a very good work ethic and honesty in his children. He enjoyed spending time with his kids and grandchildren. Their favorite past times were fishing, weenie roasts, checking cows, bottle feeding calves, riding in the gator, and picking up walnuts. He enjoyed attending their sporting events or watching cartoons with them. He always had a story to tell and loved talking shop with farmers. He was a very smart man who knew a lot about anything and everything. His children joked he would be their “phone a friend” lifeline if they ever made it on any game show. He was your go-to man for homework help. You could always catch him on the couch either yelling at the tv during a Chiefs, Royals, or Jayhawks game or having an afternoon nap. He has always been an avid card player and on the slow days you could find them playing pitch at the office. Mark and Denice enjoyed various vacations together from traveling to Switzerland, Canada, Hawaii, skiing in Colorado, Caribbean cruises, and many more trips. They experienced a life blessed with faith, family, and good friends.

Preceding Mark in death were his parents, Eunice and Ray Nitchals; and one great grandson, Rowan Alexander. He leaves behind his wife of 48 years Denice and their 3 children Ryan (Kadeena) Nitchals, Stacie (Blayne) Varns, and Rachel (Daniel) Hooper; 10 grandchildren, Mikayla and Kyra Jacks, Owen McElwain, Natalie and Jackson Nitchals, Nolan, Melanie, and Eli Varns, Ellie and Bennett Hooper; 2 great-grandsons Rhett and Ryker Jacks; his 3 brothers Al and wife Janet, Charlie, and Harry Nitchals; multiple nieces and nephews; and other family and friends. Mark will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

The family suggests MEMORIAL donations be made to Trinity UMC or Appleton City Cemetery Association and they may be left at the funeral home.

-Courtesy Hill & Son Funeral Home

Obituary - Robert Henry Eisel

Robert Henry Eisel, Jr., of Harrisonville, MO, was born on June 28, 1950, to Robert Henry Eisel, Sr. and Genevia Lousie (Holt) Eisel. He departed this life on Monday, February 24, 2025, at Cass Medical Center, surrounded by his loved ones at the age of 74.

Robert married the love of his life and teammate, Kay, on June 10, 1968. A devoted and proud dad to his two children Michael and Lynnie, he was a family man. Some of his grandkids’ favorite memories of him are floating down the river during summertime adventures and gathering around the dining room table for his famous chocolate chip pancakes.

Robert was a well known and respected home builder and remodeler for over 53 years. He had an incredible artistic ability and was a lover of learning, whose curiosity never faded. He was a graduate of Harrisonville High School.

Robert was preceded in death by both his parents and his three sisters; Emma Jean Smith, Alice Bearce and Dorothy Marie Burns.

Robert is survived by his wife, Kay Lyn (Thompson) Eisel, of the home; a son, Michael Eisel and wife Karen, of Harrisonville, MO; a daughter Lyn (Eisel) Adams and husband Corby, of Kansas City, MO; four grandchildren, Mackenzie (Eisel) Booth and her husband Cameron, of Butler, MO, Dillon Eisel, of Grandview, MO, Mikala Adams, of Kansas City, MO, and Callan Adams, of Grandview, MO; two great grandchildren, Henry and Charlie Booth; other relatives and many, many friends.

Cremation with no services scheduled.

-Courtesy Dickey Funeral Home

Obituary - Thelma Jewel Frazier

Thelma Jewel Frazier, 81, of Archie, Missouri, passed away Tuesday, February 25, 2025 at Belton Regional Medical Center in Belton, MO. A visitation will be held from 12:00-1:00pm on Monday, March 3, 2025 at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Harrisonville, MO, followed by a graveside at Crescent Hill Cemetery in Adrian, MO.

Thelma was born May 18, 1943 in Nevada, Missouri, a daughter of Theodore Jackson and Lucy Virginia (Pulliam) Justice. She was a lifelong Archie resident and a 1961 graduate of Archie High School. Thelma was united in marriage to Wesley M. Frazier, June 17, 1960 in Archie.

Thelma was preceded in death by her parents, and a brother, Jack Justice. She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Wesley M. Frazier, a son, Brian Frazier, Lawton, Oklahoma; a daughter, Karen Templeton, Belton, MO; three grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

Celebrate Agriculture: Thank a Farmer Week

Recently at the Missouri Capitol, MO State Representatives Sherri Gallick and Dane Diehl presented Bates County Farm Bureau members with a resolution for “Thank a Farmer Week”. The resolution highlighted the impact that farmers and ranchers have in providing the food, feed, fuel and fiber that serve consumers in Missouri and around the globe. Pictured are (L to R) Missouri Farm Bureau District 4 State Board Member, Sharon Arnold; MO State Representative, Sherri Gallick; Bates County Farm Bureau Promotion and Education

Bates County, Missouri – Missouri Farm Bureau and county Farm Bureaus throughout the state are joining forces to celebrate the importance of agriculture from March 2-8 during Celebrate Agriculture: Thank a Farmer Week!

According to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, “A 2021 study of the economic contribution of Missouri agriculture and forestry showed that agriculture is a $93.7 billion industry.” Missouri agriculture employs almost 460,000 people. The state is ranked in the top 10 for 12 commodities including, number of farms, goats, beef cattle, poultry, hay, rice and cotton. With all that they produce, it is remarkable that farm and ranch families account for less than two percent of the U.S. population. Across the United States, there are two million farms with 3.4 million farm operators. This number includes owners, their families, hired workers, tenants and renters or sharecroppers. Many farms today find multiple generations working together to produce food and fiber.

Recently at the Missouri Capitol, MO State Representatives Sherri Gallick and Dane Diehl presented Bates County Farm Bureau members with a resolution for “Thank a Farmer Week”. The resolution highlighted the impact that farmers and ranchers have in providing the food, feed, fuel and fiber that serve consumers in Missouri and around the globe. Other Bates County Farm Bureau plans for “Thank a Farmer Week” include providing educational tote bags, filled with an accurate agriculture book and classroom materials, to county 3rd grade teachers. Also “Thank a Farmer” goodie bags will be distributed to local farmers.

Bates County Farm Bureau Promotion and Education Chair, Mary Fischer, says. “Celebrate Agriculture: Thank a Farmer Week is a great time to recognize the contributions made by farmers. Agriculture is vital to our daily lives and our community. Since 98% percent of the population doesn’t farm, it is easy to take for granted the importance of our farmers.