Obituaries

Age 71, Of Towanda Glenda’s life began on July 1, 1951 in Emporia, KS; the daughter of Shirley E. and Yolanda (Huston) Leedy.

Age 51, Of El Dorado Jaci’s life began on October 2, 1970 in Hillsboro, KS; the daughter of Daryl Brooks and Ruth Richmond-Brooks. From an early age, Jaci had a passion for education and earned a bachelor’s degree in education.

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.

Augusta-Santos was born July 26, 1954 in Aqua West Caliente Mexico to Jesus and Contrera Mireles Ramos. Santos was united in marriage to Lourdes Otilda Irabarren Batista April 1997 in Augusta, KS.

Helen Rose McVay, 95, of Augusta, KS, passed away Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at home in Augusta. Visitation Monday 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Headley Funeral Chapel, Augusta. Service 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 12, 2022, at First Baptist Church, Augusta. Burial will follow at Elmwood Cemetery Augusta, Kansas. Helen was born in Cushing, Oklahoma on August 30, 1926, to the late Evelyn (Mansfield) and Charles Kirkpatrick. She graduated from Will Rogers High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma and also attended business school there. In January of 1943, she married A. W. McVay and they owned and operated McVay Cleaners in Augusta for 44 years. She was preceded in death by her brother, James Kirkpatrick and a son, A. W. McVay III. Helen is survived by her husband of 79 ⁄2 years, A. W. McVay of Augusta; daughter, Connie Bourget and husband Bruce of Augusta; 7 grandchildren, Rocky (Jaycee), Kyle (Jessica), Lindsay (Paolo), Aaron (Krystal), Natalie (Scott), Mark and Lynn (Claudia) and 8 great grandchildren, John, Jack, Talia, Adilyn, Austin, Jewell, Cash and baby Garcia. Memorial donations to Midian Plane of Mercy 130 N. Topeka Wichita, Kansas 67202 or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 501 St Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105-9959.

David Shaw, 69, retired COO Susan B. Allen Hospital in El Dorado, KS, died Saturday, July 2, 2022. Memorial Service will be 11:00 am, Saturday, July 16, 2022, at Downing & Lahey Mortuary West Chapel. Preceded in death by his parents, Joseph M. Shaw and Patsy Lou Rose. Survived by his sons, Matthew T. (Nicole) Shaw, Andrew D. Shaw; brother, Michael N. Shaw, Steven Shaw; grandchildren, Raegan L. Shaw, Cooper D. Shaw all of Wichita, KS. David enjoyed traveling, eating/drinking, and spending time with family and friends. He will be sadly missed and will always hold a place in our heart. Share tributes online at: www.dlwichita.com

James Norman Walker, Sr. 59, of Centerton, Arkansas died July 3, 2022 in Bentonville.

Viola B. Gardner (Clark), 97, left this earth July 1, 2022 and was taken into the loving arms of her Savior and Lord. Services will begin 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at the Immanuel Baptist Church in Perkins, Oklahoma. Interment will follow in the Carney Cemetery, Carney, Oklahoma under the direction of Strode Funeral Home and Cremation.

Augusta-Ruth Elizabeth Draper, 92, passed away on Sunday, July 3, 2022 in Augusta, Kansas. Ruth was born on Friday, September 20, 1929 in McAlester, Oklahoma to Earl and Somonia (Sanches) Martin.