Obituaries

Clementine Tongish Herron, 68, of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Dodge City, died Oct. 10, 2007. She was a saw operator for Arrowhead West. Survivors include her husband, Robert Herron; a sister, Darlene Boyd Horn; a nephew; a niece; three great-nephews; a great-niece; and seven great-great-nephews and nieces. Father Ted A. Skalsky presided.

Francisca Ortiz-Salas, 64, of St. Mary Parish, Garden City, died Oct. 9, 2007. She was a homemaker. Survivors include her husband, Ruben Humberto Salas; two sons, Juan Salas and Ruben Salas Jr.; two daughters, Blanca Sandoval and Carla Salas; a brother, Ramon Ortiz; three sisters, Maria del Carmen Fernandez, Teresa Ortiz, and Margarita Ortiz; and five grandchildren.

Gladys Marie Routte, 89, of Sacred Heart Parish, Pratt, died Oct. 8, 2007. She belonged to the Altar Society. Survivors include a daughter, Patricia A. Detwiler; a daughter-in-law, Yvonne Routte; a brother, Raymond Zentz; a sister, Hazel Bailey; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Father Gregory S. LeBlanc presided.

Josephine A. Skolaut, 94, of Prince of Peace Parish at St. Patrick, Great Bend, died Oct. 9, 2007. She was a homemaker. She belonged to the St. Patrick and the Altar Society, Great Bend, and Daughters of Isabella. Survivors include a son, Marvin; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a step-great-grandson. Father Wesley Schawe presided.

Mary T. Hekele, 96, of Holy Family Parish, Odin, died Oct. 14, 2007. She was the head cook for the Odin school system for 19 years, retiring when the school closed. She belonged to the Altar Society. Survivors include a brother, Joseph; two sisters, Ruth Corbett and Rose Schwartz; and numerous nieces and nephews. Father Dwight Birket presided.

Donald Myron Coker, 64, of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Dodge City, died Oct. 10, 2007. He worked for Pepsi for 37 years, until retiring in October 2007. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Werth; two daughters, Tammy Spire and Carrie Koehn; three brothers, Raymond, Douglas, and Walter; five sisters, Shirley Stein, Margaret Rohr, Phyllis Schuette, Reba Kolbeck, Frances Wendler; a grandson; and three step-grandchildren. Father Ted Skalsky presided.

Elsie McGrath, 88, of Holy Rosary Parish, Medicine Lodge, died Oct. 12, 2007. She worked at St. Rose Hospital, then Beech Aircraft during World War II. Survivors include a son, Rollie; two brothers, Larry Stejskal and Rudy Stejskal; a sister, Irene Lou Laqua; three grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Father John Strasser presided.

Anna E. Weilert, 83, of Sacred Heart Parish, Ness City, died Oct. 14, 2007. She and her husband also owned and operated Weilert’s Liquor Store for more than 40 years. She was a member of the Altar Society. Survivors include a son, Ron; a daughter, JoAnn Schroeder; a brother, Edwin Langer; a sister, Helen Koester; seven grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. Father Henry Hildebrandt presided.

Edward Lambert Penka, 83, of Prince of Peace Parish, St. Patrick, Great Bend, died Oct. 17, 2007. He was a farmer and retired manager of the Boyd Co-op. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn J. Stoss; a son, Kenneth; two daughters, Karen Wallace and Kathy; three sisters, Mary Frances Penka, Eleanor Huddleston, and Phyllis Hashman; 10 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Father Reginald A. Urban presided.

Ronald J. “Ronnie” Tauscher of St. John the Evangelist Parish, Hoisington, died Oct. 15, 2007. He was a driller for Val Energy in Wichita. Survivors include his fiancee, Sharon Ferranti,; a son, Eric; a daughter, Stephanie Rank; four brothers, Kenny, Ernie, Eldon, and Harold; and a grandson. Father Dwight Birket presided.