Unruh, James P.  ‘Jim’                     husband of Suzanne ‘Susie’ (Amend)

Burial Date:  2015, 09/17           Age: 75            Lot: 1055 C  Crems

US Army           Air National Guard            Peace Time

Vaughn, Cosa Mae(Rawlins)Thompson     dw/Donald Vaughn;w/Whitney Thompson

Burial Date:  2015,  10/30       Age: 96       Lot: CS  03 C

w

Cosa Mae Vaughn, 96, departed this life on Oct. 23, 2015 in Sterling, Kan. Born on Christmas Day in 1918 to Benjamin J. and Leona M. (Martin) Rawlins in Sterling, Kan., Cosa grew up and spent most of her life in the Sterling area.
She graduated from Sterling High School in 1936. She graduated from Sterling College in 1940 and then attended the University of Kansas for a few years. Cosa joined several of her siblings in California in 1943, where she worked as a ‘Rosie the Riveter’ at a munitions plant in San Diego. There she met and married Whitney Thompson. They had two daughters and a son. When Whitney was lethally wounded, Cosa returned to Sterling. She married Donald Vaughn. They had two daughters.
Cosa was preceded in death by her parents, first husband Whitney, and siblings Charles Rawlins, Walter Lee Rawlins, Anna Morgan, Konstance Mitchell,  Bill Rawlins, Lionel Rawlins, Gaylord Rawlins, Harold Rawlins, John Rawlins and Ed Rawlins, son-in-law Richard Adams and grandson Cecil (Scooter) Moore.
Left to cherish her memory are five children, Leona and husband Cecil Moore of Hampton, Va., Sherry Adams of Silver Springs, Md., Dan and wife Vivian (Alfie) Thompson of Gardner, Kan., Geraldine and husband Eddie Tipton of Hutchinson, Kan., and Johnese and husband Kurt Gillespie of Lyons, Kan.; siblings Paul Rawlins of Hutchinson, Dimple Santos of San Diego, Ardise (Creasy) Rawlins of San Diego and Winston Rawlins of Austin, Tx; nine grandchildren, Steven Moore of Houston; Kenneth and wife Sarah Moore of Newport News, Va., Danedri and husband Joe Herbert and Drew Thompson of Gardner, Ben Adams of Shippensburg, Pa., Whitney Adams of Silver Springs, Md., Wesley and wife Emma Vaughn of Hutchison, and James (Pete) Hutcherson of Hutchinson, and Jonathan Gillespie of Lyons, and four great-grandchildren Morgan, Ella, Isabella and Zachary Moore.
The family wishes to express sincere thanks to the staff at Sterling Presbyterian Manor for the thoughtful care she received there and special appreciation to neighbors and good friends, Clarence and Denise Johnson for their many acts of loving kindness.
Visitation will be at Birzer Funeral Home, Sterling on Friday, October 30th from 9:00 to 11:00 am.  A graveside service will be at 11 a.m. on Oct. 30 at the Sterling Cemetery.
Memorials to Presbyterian Manor, Sterling in care of the funeral home.

STERLING – Cosa Mae Vaughn, 96, died Oct. 23, 2015, in Sterling. Born Dec. 25, 1918, to Benjamin and Leona (Martin) Rawlins. Survivors: four siblings; five children; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Visitation 9 to 11 a.m. Friday at Birzer Funeral Home, Sterling. Graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in Sterling Cemetery, Sterling. Memorials to Sterling Presbyterian Manor.

___________________________________________________________________________

Interview with Cosa Mae Vaughn        16 February 1993

Folk History of Sterling Cemetery Colored Section

Ku Klux Klan pushed to have blacks not buried in the cemetery proper.  A man named Watkins owned the area named Potter’s Field to the East fence.  In his will he stipulated that the ground was to be used for burial of colored people at no expense.

Eli Kern and Boydston, uncles of Cosa Mae, marked area into sections with lots. Cosa Mae thinks a formal map did not exist.   BC

Savage,  Derek  J                               husband of Ashley N(Taylor)Savage

Burial Date:  2015,  09/28          Age:  31       Lot:  1084 D

STERLING – Derek Savage, 31, died Sept. 24, 2015. Born Aug. 14, 1984, to Chris and Karen Klassen Savage. Married Ashley Taylor June 4, 2011. She survives. Funeral 10:30 a.m. Monday at United Methodist Church, Sterling. Visitation 2 to 6 p.m. family present 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Birzer Funeral Home, Sterling. Memorials: Derek Savage Scholarship Fund or Sterling Fire Department.

DATELINE:  Sterling
NAME:  Derek J. Savage
AGE:  31 yrs
DATE OF DEATH: September 24, 2015
PLACE OF DEATH: Rice County District Hospital, Lyons
DATE OF BIRTH: August 14, 1984
PLACE OF BIRTH: Lyons, Kansas
PARENTS: Chris L. and Karen R. Klassen Savage
RESIDENCE: lifetime Sterling
OCCUPATION: Auto Body Technician for Jeremy’s Body Shop of Sterling
EDUCATION: Graduated Sterling High School in 2003 and received his degree in Auto Body from Hutchinson Community College
MEMBERSHIPS: He attended the United Methodist Church in Alden; Sons of the American Legion; Sterling Fire Department; Ducks Unlimited of Rice County
DATE OF MARRIAGE:  June 4, 2011
PLACE OF MARRIAGE: Alden, Kansas
SPOUSE: Ashley N Taylor
SURVIVORS: his Wife Ashley of the home; Parents, Chris & Karen Savage of Sterling; Brother, Michael & Jennifer Savage of Lyons; Sister, Misty Savage of Sterling; 3 Nephews, Teyton Savage, Jeremiah Clark, Isaiah Clark; 2 Nieces, Nikki Clark & Kayley Clark
PRECEDED IN DEATH BY:  Grandparents, Jim Savage, Carole Workman, Thad & Marilyn Klassen; Uncle, Gary German
FUNERAL SERVICES: 10:30 A.M., Monday, September 28, 2015 at the United Methodist
Church in Sterling
OFFICIATING:  Rev. Rob Bolton
BURIAL: Sterling Community Cemetery
VISITATION: 2:00 to 6:00 P.M., with family present 4:00 to 6:00 P.M., Sunday, September 27, 2015 at Birzer Funeral Home, Sterling
MEMORIAL: Derek Savage Scholarship Fund or Sterling Fire Department in care of the funeral home.

Proffitt, Jacquelyn  Pauline ‘Jackie'(Crockett)

Wife of  Verne  Gayle Proffitt

Burial Date:  2015,  09/17        Age:  86         Lot:  963 F

Jacquelyn “Jackie” P. Proffitt, 86, died Sept. 12, 2015, at her home. She was born June 10, 1929, in Omaha, Neb., the daughter of Amos and Ellen (Marker) Crockett.

McMurphy, Darlene Faye (Price) McMurphy

wife of Marvin Herman and  became wife of his brother Glenn William following Marvin’s death

Burial Date:  2015,  08/10      Age: 84        Lot: 890  B

DATELINE:  Sterling, Kansas
NAME:  Darlene Faye McMurphy
AGE:  84 yrs
DATE OF DEATH: August 5, 2015
PLACE OF DEATH: at her home in Sterling
DATE OF BIRTH: July 9, 1931
PLACE OF BIRTH: Mulhall, Oklahoma
PARENTS: Jesse & Ethel Bocox Price
RESIDENCE: longtime Sterling resident
OCCUPATION: retire service coordinator for Contel Telephone Co.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Alden High School in 1948
MEMBERSHIPS: attended the United Methodist Church in Alden, member of Eastern Star
DATE OF MARRIAGE: 1at:  June 1, 1948         2nd.  March 19, 1983
PLACE OF MARRIAGE: 1st. Lyons, Kansas         2nd.  Alden, Kansas
SPOUSE: 1st.  Marvin McMurphy           2nd.  Glenn McMurphy
SPOUSE DECEASED DATE: 1st.  January 29, 1982     2nd.  March 3, 2010
SURVIVORS: 4 Daughters with husband Marvin:

Marlene & Jerry Legleiter, Sterling, Sondra McMurphy,
Pat Lickiss both of Wichita, Cindy & Curt Darling of Alden; Sister, Ada Aufleger of Stillwater, Oklahoma; 23 Grandchildren, 36 Great-Grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews
PRECEDED IN DEATH BY:  Parents, Grandsons, Michael Darling and Cutter Proffitt, Granddaughter, Amy Bolton, 5 Brothers and 2 Sisters
SERVICES: 10:00 A.M., Monday, August 10, 2015 at Birzer Funeral Home, Sterling
OFFICIATING:  Pastor Michael Gray
BURIAL: Sterling Community Cemetery, Sterling
VISITATION: 2:00 until 5:00 P.M., Sunday, August 9, 2015 at Birzer Funeral Home, Sterling
MEMORIAL: Center for Basic Cancer Research at Kansas State University, in care of the funeral home.

McAllaster, Vanita Faye (Johnson)            wife of Daniel Forrest

Burial Date:  2015,  07/06       Age:  89     Lot:  977 F   Crems

BEAVERTON, Ore. – Vanita Faye McAllaster (Johnson), 89, wife of Daniel McAllaster, formerly from Sterling, Kan., passed away peacefully June 23, 2015, in Beaverton, Ore.

Birth: Aug. 9, 1925 Kansas, USA Death: Jun. 23, 2015 Portland Multnomah County Oregon, USA Wife of Daniel F McAllaster and mother of Donald Forrest and Deborah.Family links: Parents: Earl R Johnson (1896 – 1964) Helen Lucile Culbertson Johnson (1903 – 1987) Children: Donald Forrest McAllaster (1947 – 1987)* Sibling: Richard Earl Johnson (1923 – 2016)* Vanita Faye Johnson McAllaster (1925 – 2015) *Calculated relationship Burial: Sterling Cemetery Sterling Rice County Kansas, USA Edit Virtual Cemetery info [?] Created by: Ruth Dowdy-McArthur Record added: Jun 30, 2015 Find A Grave Memorial# 148480622

Hopping, Joan Marie (Tigner)             wife of Jerold Lee ‘Jerry’

Burial Date:  2015,  05/16      Age: 74            Lot:  403  1/2 F

Joan Marie Hopping died May 13, 2015, at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. She was born July 17, 1940, in Winterset, Iowa, the daughter of John R. and Marian E. (Tigner) Ross.

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 16, 2015, at Countryside Baptist Church, Hutchinson, with Pastor Ron Kyker presiding. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Countryside Baptist Church or Sterling College, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.

Mathes, John  LeRoy  ‘Johnnie’           husband of Gail Maureen (?)Moore       dh/?

Burial Date:  2015, 07/20       Age:  73      Lot:  1098 G

DATELINE: Sterling, Kansas
NAME: J.  LeRoy Mathes
AGE: 73
DATE OF DEATH: July 13, 2015
PLACE OF DEATH: University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
DATE OF BIRTH: March 27, 1942
PLACE OF BIRTH: Sterling, Kansas
PARENTS:  John H. and Verdella M. Barnett Mathes
RESIDENCE:  Lifetime Sterling
OCCUPATION:  Farmer, rancher and former feed deliveryman for the Sterling Co-op.
EDUCATION:  Graduated from Sterling High School in 1960 and from Sterling College in 1965.
MEMBERSHIPS:  Heartland Family Fellowship in Sterling.
DATE OF MARRIAGE:  December 27, 1993
PLACE OF MARRIAGE:  Sterling, Kansas
SPOUSE:  Gail Maureen (?) Moore Mathes
SURVIVORS:  His wife Gail of the home; sons, Mark John Mathes of the home, Christopher Mathes of Manhattan, David and Jenee` Mathes of Buhler and children Falyn & Gavin, Travis Mathes;  daughters, Jennifer and David Bisek of Wichita and children Lily, Nathan & Grayson, Windi and Jon Hambrick of Hutchinson and children Malea & daughter Khloe, Shayla, Jadeyn,  Amy Witt of McPherson and children Jon, David, Andrew, Katelynn, Elijah & Joseph, Jocelyn Mathes; sister, Delleta Mantz of Sterling;
PRECEDED IN DEATH BY:  His parents and infant son, John Caleb Mathes
FUNERAL SERVICES:  1:00 P.M., Monday, July 20, 2015 at Birzer Funeral Home, Sterling
OFFICIATING:  Steve Phinney
BURIAL: Sterling Community Cemetery, Sterling
VISITATION: 3:00 to 5:00 P.M., Sunday, July 19, 2015 at Birzer Funeral Home, Sterling
MEMORIALS: Donors Choice  in care of the funeral home.

Kirchoff, Ricky Lee ‘Rick’          Divorced husband of Tracy A(Tanley)

Burial Date:  2015,  09/05       Age: 52       Lot:  1102 A Crems

Ricky Lee “Rick” Kirchoff, 52, died Sept. 2, 2015. He was born Aug. 22, 1963, the son of Robert and Colleen Bartow Kirchoff. Survivors include: his father; daughters, Kylee Kirchoff and Erin Kirchoff; sisters, Vicky Kirchoff and Kenda Clayton. Graveside Service 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, at Sterling Community Cemetery. Memorials to Sterling College Athletic Department, in care of Birzer Funeral Home, Sterling.

DATELINE: Hutchinson, Kansas
NAME:  Ricky Lee “Rick” Kirchoff
AGE: 52 yrs
DATE OF DEATH: September 2, 2015
PLACE OF DEATH: Via Christi St. Francis, Wichita
DATE OF BIRTH: August 22, 1963
PLACE OF BIRTH: Sterling
PARENTS: Robert and Colleen Bartow Kirchoff
RESIDENCE:     of Hutchinson since 2010 formerly of Buhler and Sterling
OCCUPATION: He was a Car salesman in Hutchinson
EDUCATION: Graduated Sterling High School in 1982 and received his degree in education from Sterling College
SURVIVORS: 2 Daughters, Kylee Kirchoff, Erin Kirchoff, both of Wichita; Father, Robert Kirchoff, Sterling; 2 Sisters, Vicky Kirchoff, Kenda & David Clayton both of Sterling
PRECEDED IN DEATH BY:  Mother, Colleen Kirchoff;  Grandparents, Kenneth & Selma Bartow and  Louis and Marie Kirchoff
GRAVESIDE SERVICES: 10:00 A.M., Saturday September 5, 2015 at Sterling Community Cemetery
OFFICIATING:  Pastor Brent Warkentin
BURIAL: Sterling Community Cemetery
MEMORIAL: Sterling College Athletic Department in care of Birzer Funeral Home, Sterling

Kilgore, Quentin Dale        husband of Dorothy Irena (McKissick)

Burial Date:  2015, 08/01     Age: 87     Lot: 1113 D

US Navy  WW2 

STERLING — Quentin Dale Kilgore, 87, died July 28, 2015, at Sterling Presbyterian Manor. He was born July 31, 1927, in Mullinville, the son of John and Ruth Burnett Kilgore.

On July 30, 1954, he married Irena McKissick in Glenwood, Iowa. Survivors include: wife, Irena of the home; son, Bill Kilgore and Andrea of Sterling; four daughters, Janet and Ken Fuller of Miltonvale, Kan., Barbara and Marty Viramontez of Wichita, Connie and Ken McWhirter of Moran, Kan., and Patricia and Mark Enoch of Topeka; brother, Robert and Nita Kilgore of Greensburg; two sisters, Shirley Brown of Fort Collins, Colo., and Sharon Rudd of Bucklin; 15 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Harold Kilgore; and sister, Velma Kilgore.

Funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, 2015, at Sterling Reformed Presbyterian Church, with Dr. Denny Prutow officiating. Burial will be held in Sterling Community Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 2 to 7 p.m., with family present from 5 to 7 Friday, July 31, 2015, at Birzer Funeral Home, Sterling. Memorials may be made to Sterling Reformed Presbyterian Church or Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, in care of the funeral home.