Obituary - Martha "Martie" Strobach

Martha "Martie" Strobach, 88 of Lee's Summit, Missouri passed away Monday, May 11, 2026 at her home in Lee's Summit. A visitation will be held from 9:30 am to 10:30 am Monday, May 18, 2026 at Our Lady of the Presentation Catholic Church, 130 NW Murray Rd, Lee's Summit, MO 64081. Mass of Christian burial will follow at 10:30 am also at the church. Burial will take place in Lee's Summit Historical Cemetery. Services under the direction of Mullinax Funeral Home, Butler (660-679-0009). Memorial contributions may be made to Giving Fore Living or Our Lady of the Presentation Catholic Church. Messages of condolence may be left for the family at www.mullinaxfuneralhome.com.

Martha Jane Strobach (Schmeltz) was born on October 30, 1937, to Lucy and Herbert Schmeltz in Kansas City, Kansas. She grew up with her two brothers, Herb and Chuck.

In 1960, Martha, affectionately known as Martie, married Dr. Robert Lenox Strobach. Together they had six children and raised their family in Butler, Missouri, where they made their home for 40 years.

Martha was a dedicated teacher, serving students in both Kansas City and Butler. She was also very active in her Catholic faith and parish life. She was a longtime member of St. Patrick’s Parish in Butler and, in later years, Presentation Parish in Lee’s Summit. She gave generously of her time as a volunteer at St. Luke’s East and also brought communion to the homebound.

Martha was blessed with 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. She enjoyed golf and lit up at the chance to cheer for the Chiefs, Royals, and Fighting Irish. Above all, her family was the most important part of her life.

She will be remembered for her devotion to her family, her faith, her years of teaching, and the many ways she served the people around her.

Martie was preceded in death by her husband Dr. Robert "Bob" Strobach, son Ted Strobach, her parents, and her two brothers.

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Appleton City Senior Spotlight- Ethan Bull

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Rich Hill teacher Tamera Ogburn set to retire

Please join us in congratulating Mrs. Tamera Ogburn on her retirement!

Mrs. Ogburn dedicated 26 years to education, with 25 of those years spent serving the students of Rich Hill Elementary. Throughout her career, she taught 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades, as well as Title I. Her kindness, flexibility, and dedication to students made a lasting impact on countless children and families.

Mrs. Ogburn will be greatly missed by the staff, administration, and especially by her students. Mrs. Bridgewater shared this about Tammy: “Her willingness to teach in about every grade has been a blessing to our school. Another quality that comes to mind is her ability to inspire critical thinking in her students. She consistently uses engaging teaching strategies that challenge students to explain their thinking, support their ideas, and actively participate in their learning."

Congratulations to Mrs. Ogburn on her well-earned retirement! We wish her many wonderful adventures as she travels with her husband and enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren

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Montrose Senior Spotlight, Jeffrey Short

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Nevada High School Air Force JROTC Program Earns the Air Force's Highest Community Service Award

Nevada High School Air Force JROTC Program Earns the Air Force's Highest Community Service Award...Again!

The Nevada High School (NHS) Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) has earned, for the fourth time in the last five years, the “Silver Star” Community Service with Excellence Award for the 2025-26 school year. This prestigious award recognizes the top 5% of all AFJROTC units (870 units worldwide) based on community service in support of schools and local communities. Colonel Tipton, Director of Air Force JROTC, wrote in his congratulatory letter to retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Bryan Eckart and Chief Master Sergeant Dustin Dulier, "The importance of service and understanding how it positively impacts our cadets, schools, communities, and our nation is fundamental

to our AFJROTC mission of “Developing Citizens of Character.” This year, the cadets of AF/SF JROTC completed 1,672,917 community service hours!"

All NHS cadets in good standing in community service will receive the Community Service with Excellence ribbon with a Silver Star device for their uniforms. Lt. Col. Eckart, Senior Aerospace Science Instructor, said "earning the Silver Star Community Service with Excellence Award is a testament to the culture and commitment of our cadets and to the leadership and dedication of our Cadet Corps, Flight Commanders, and Squadron Staff personnel."

For the current school year, Nevada JROTC cadets performed 3628 hours of community service this year with a cadet average of over 67 hours of community service. Our JROTC corps has exhibited the Air Force core value of Service Before Self and our cadets are known throughout the community for our service. Our cadets hosted multiple events to collect food and monetary donations for the Community Outreach food pantry and Moss House, a local domestic violence shelter.

Cadets Jovani Miranda, Alexis Carter, Tessa Stafford, Zaydon Lower, Kaden Carter, Hayley Mather, Lucas Gage, Lucas Cardenas, Raven Matthews, Brooklynn Hoag, Dani Thron, Connor Irwin, Lars Buck, and Morgan Austin led the way in community service hours each with over 100 hours of community service this year (Austin over 200 hours).

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Notice from the City of Rich Hill

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Best wishes to Gretchen Wills

Please join us in congratulating Ms. Gretchen Wills on her retirement!

Ms. Wills is completing her 19th year teaching Secondary English Language Arts at Rich Hill High School. She followed the long tenure of Mrs. Rhonda Headley, who retired in 2007, and together they have been the only two educators to serve in this position since 1978. Ms. Wills has truly been a constant presence in the building and in the lives of her students.

For all 19 years, Ms. Wills has also served as Junior Class Sponsor, a role that requires tremendous dedication and commitment. She set high expectations for her freshmen students early on, helping prepare them for success while making their later high school years more enjoyable and rewarding.

Ms. Wills will be greatly missed by her students, colleagues, and the entire Rich Hill community. In retirement, she looks forward to traveling and spending time with family as she prepares to welcome her first grandchild later this month.

Congratulations to Ms. Wills on her retirement, and thank you for your years of dedication to Rich Hill High School

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Bates County Memorial Hospital recognizes Joe Harris

Why We Serve: Serving Something Bigger

Healthcare takes every department working together toward one purpose: caring for people.

Joe Harris, who recently joined BCMH as Director of Materials Management, shares why serving behind the scenes at BCMH is meaningful to him and how every role contributes to patient care and community wellbeing.

“I chose healthcare because it allows me to contribute to something bigger than myself. Even though my role is on the operational side, I know the work I do supports caregivers and directly impacts patient care. Being part of an organization focused on helping people during some of the most important moments of their lives is incredibly meaningful to me.”

Joe also shared what BCMH’s Hospital Week theme, The Heart of Our Community, means to him:

“BCMH isn’t just a hospital, but a cornerstone of Bates County. I’m proud to be part of a place that puts people first and works together to support the wellbeing of our community.”

Joe’s perspective is a reminder that every role at BCMH plays a part in supporting patient care and strengthening the health of our community.

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