Obituaries

Neil Benson, passed away peacefully on May 12, 2022 at the age of 97. Neil was born September 28, 1924 in Gibbon, Nebraska to George Wallace Legler and Sue Todd Legler. After her father passed from tuberculosis, the family moved to Leavenworth where Neil graduated from high school. Neil and her sister, Martha, then attended The St. Mary College in Leavenworth, where they each worked respectively to put the other through school. Neil then went on to the University of Kansas where she was a member of the Chi Omega Sorority and a Phi Beta Kappa. Upon graduating with a degree in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, she became a lab technician. She met her husband, Page Benson, while Page was stationed at Fort Leavenworth during WWII. Page and Neil were married on June 28th, 1947 in Leavenworth. Shortly thereafter, the newly-weds moved to El Dorado where she resided for the rest of her life.

Rev. William “Bill” C. Bullard, retired Southern Baptist Minister, 96, of Wichita, KS, went to be with our Lord on Thursday, July 21, 2022. Visitation Tuesday 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and service 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 27, 2022, both at Headley Funeral Chapel, Augusta, KS. Burial will follow at Towanda Cemetery, Towanda, KS. Bill was born in Wilson, Arkansas on November 30, 1925, to the late Clyde and Fannie (Annabal) Bullard. He served in the U.S. Army during WWII. Bill worked in modifications at Boeing before becoming a minister. He served several churches in Butler county including Fairview Baptist Church, Towanda; First Baptist Church, El Dorado; and First Baptist Church, Towanda . He was preceded in death by his wife of 72 years, Norma (Wood) Bullard. He was also preceded in death by siblings, Earl, Harold, Thelma Glover Bullard, Clyde Irvin & Everett Bullard. He is survived by: son, Ralph Bullard and wife Polly of Wichita; daughter, Evelyn McLean and husband Gary of Haysville; grandchildren, Shaun Bullard, Wade Bullard (Audra), Greg McLean (Jacque), Ken McLean (Lindsay), and Stacy Canfield (Chad) and great grandchildren, Travis, Brody and Connor Bullard, Gunnar, Colt, Grier, Caden, Austin and Lily McLean, and Addyson Canfield. Memorial donations to Home Health & Hospice of Kansas 7607 E Harry St. Wichita, KS 67207.

June Aloha Casteel, 94, of Augusta, KS, passed away Monday, July 18, 2022 in Whitewater, KS. Visitation 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Monday, July 25, 2022 and service 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 26, 2022, both at Headley Funeral Chapel, Augusta, KS. Burial will follow at 2:30 p.m. at Garfield Cemetery, Garfiled, KS. June was born in Rural Dundee, KS on May 31, 1928, to the late Ruby Amanda (Bennett) and Lester Hugh Countryman. She was a hospital admissions administrator at St. Francis Hospital and at Kansas School of Medicine. On August 24, 1969 she married Clyde Casteel in Augusta, KS. He preceded her in death. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Terri Smith; son Mike Mead; brothers, Bill and Jack Countryman; son in laws, Loel Smith and Patrick Alfrey. She is survived by: son, Ronnie Mead and wife Connie of Augusta, and Virginia BeAnney and husband Mike of Ft. Collins, CO; daughter, Patricia Alfrey of Augusta; brother, Gary Countryman of Hardtner, KS; 9 grandchildren; 22 great grandchildren; 2 great great grandchildren. Memorial donations to Wheat State Manor 601 S Main St., Whitewater, KS 67154.

Robert “Bob” Holmes, 93, formerly of El Dorado passed away July 15, 2022 in Ozark, Missouri. Born August 13, 1928 in Gallitin, Missouri to Chester and Geneva (Gilmere) Holmes. He married Betty Jean Briggs on September 16, 1949 in Augusta, Kansas. His family includes 2 children, Larry (Nola) Holmes and Debra (Armond) Norris, 4 grandchildren - Stacy (Todd) Kaster, Mike (Jessica) Norris, Jason Holmes and Travis (Helen) Norris. 9 great grandchildren - Jude, Jade, Jaycie, Josie, Autumn, Austin, Auggie, Payden and Tyler. 3 great great grandchildren - Eli, Lincoln and Emery. 1 brother Don (Donna) Holmes. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Betty and son Larry. Funeral services will be July 26 at 10:00 a.m. at Snapp-Bearden Funeral Home in Branson, Missouri. Internment July 27 at Sunset Lawns Cemetery in El Dorado.

Tristen’s life began on July 13, 1992 in El Dorado, KS; the son of Donald Phillips and Lorene Baker. Tristen worked hard for his family and owned his own mobile auto detailing business. In his spare time, he enjoyed woodworking, feeding his shoe addiction, working out, collecting everything Marvel, picking on and playing pranks on his little sister. Tristen’s greatest joy was spending time with his children playing, dancing, riding bikes, swimming and teaching them life skills. Tristens friends remember him quoting “Step Brother” or any movie, line for line for any situation, them destroying his mom’s car and diving into whatever his interest was 110%. Tristen’s family includes his children Braxton Naill, Kynlee Naill, Ariana Phillips and Grayson Phillips; fiance Gabrielle Yergey; siblings Nicole Robertson and Alyssa Baker; mother Lorene Baker and father Donald Phillips; grandparents Melba Anderson and Harold Phillips; nephews Tripp Freihage and Arsyn Robertson; niece Hazyn Freihage; many aunts, uncles cousins and friends. Future in-laws, mother Teresa Yergey, brothers Gryphon and JJ Yergey; grandparents Tony and Doris Moore and Ron and Lisa White. Tristen passed away on July 10, 2022 in El Dorado. He is preceded in death by grandmother Janice Phillips and future father-in-law Jeremy Yergey. Memorial services will be held on Friday, July 22 at 11am at Carlson Colonial Funeral Home in El Dorado. Memorial contributions in Tristen’s name may be directed to the family for the children’s education fund. Please sign his online guestbook and leave a memory of Tristen at www.carlsonkirbymorris.com

Loraine McNairy, 88, of Augusta, KS, passed away Thursday, July 14, 2022 in Andover, KS. She was born in Dexter, KS on August 28, 1933, to Opal (Galliton) and Aaron McCord Haines. Loraine was a retired house wife. She was also a member of the Red Hat Society, the Augusta Senior Center, and a supporter of the Augusta Community Caring Center. Loraine was a very caring woman and she always had a joke to tell, even recently telling jokes at the hospital! On November 2, 1957 she married Milo G. McNairy, Jr. in Wichita, KS. He preceded her in death in 2006. She was also preceded in death by: her parents; brothers, Clifford "Buck", Charles, Joe, Fred, Frank, and Max Haines; sisters, Louise Keck, Geneva Louis, Judy Waller, and Virgie Haines. She is survived by: son, Michael McNairy and wife Katy; daughter, Linda Sciarrotta; grandchildren, Collin and Allison McNairy; step grandchildren, Stephanie (Sciarotta) Campbell and Andrew Sciarotta, Andrew; great grandchildren, Frankie Ann, Ryanne Kentin, Kairos, and Jamian. Visitation will be held from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Friday, July 22, 2022 at Headley Funeral Chapel, Augusta. A dinner will follow at Sugar Shane's Cafe. Inurnment will take place at a later date at Elmwood Cemetery Augusta, KS. Memorial donations to Augusta Community Caring Center 208 W 4th Ave Augusta, KS 67010.

Mendy Marie Curry, 46, of Augusta, KS, passed away on Thursday, July 14, 2022 in Kansas City, KS. Visitation Friday, July 22, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. followed by a service at 1 :00 p.m both at Headley Funeral Chapel, Augusta. Mendy was born in Wichita, KS on November 5, 1975 to her parents Jan (Stanford) and Don Bauer. She graduated from Bluestern High School in 1994. Mendy later graduated from Wichita State University in 1998 with her Bachelor's in social work and worked in social work for many years. Mendy loved being in her comfy clothes and even had comfy clothes for her beloved dogs. She also enjoyed soccer and softball and watching and coaching her daughters with their sports. Mendy also loved fishing, going to the lake, and grilling - even eating the burnt foods from the grill which she particularly enjoyed. The crispier the better! Mendy is survived by: her parents; daughters, Jordan, Taylor, and Morgan Curry; brother, Steve Bauer; step sisters, Echo Lee, and Lacey Cooke; and her dogs, Baxter and Remi. Memorial donations may be made for the Curry girls education fund in care of Headley Funeral Chapel.

Betty L. Mason, 89, of Leawood, KS, (formerly of El Dorado, KS) met her heavenly father on June 23, 2022 at Kansas City Hospice House.

Age 91, Of El Dorado Clement “Clem” E. Sander’s life began on May 26, 1931 in Kenosha, Wisconsin; the son of John and Eugenie (Schorn) Sander.