The Obituary Section

Della Joann Mcginnis Johnson

, Kansas

Before you go subscribe to Lauer Funeral Home to get new obituaries delivered to your inbox Della JoAnn McGinnis 63 of Seneca Kansas passed away peacefully at her home on Wednesday March 11 2026. JoAnn was born November 19 1962 at Ft. Riley Kansas to William Thomas McGinnis and Sally Darnell Wright McGinnis. The oldest of seven children she grew up with a strong sense of family and attended school in Council Grove Kansas. On February 14 1980 JoAnn married Vernon McAuliffe in Seneca. Together they built a life and welcomed their son William Elisha. JoAnn worked as a manager at the Howard Johnson hotel in Salina Kansas and later managed a greyhound farm in Abilene Kansas. In her retirement she followed a calling to become an ordained minister with the Church of Light. Over the past 20 years she had the special privilege of officiating many weddings something she…

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Herman Jody Kuckelman

, Kansas

Before you go subscribe to Lauer Funeral Home to get new obituaries delivered to your inbox Herman Jody Kuckelman 76 of Baileyville Kansas passed away on Tuesday February 10 2026 at Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca. . He attended Baileyville Grade School and Baileyville High School graduating with the Class of 1967. Following graduation he began helping on the family farm where his lifelong love of agriculture truly took root. On April 25 1970 he was united in marriage to Lois Engelken at St. Marys Church in St. Benedict Kansas. The couple first made their home in Topeka before moving to the Axtell area where they raised their four children and built their life together. It was there that Jody established and operated his dairy farm dedicating himself fully to the work he loved. To Jody farming was never just an occupation it was his lifes work. He took…

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Robert Earl Bair

, Kansas

Before you go subscribe to Lauer Funeral Home to get new obituaries delivered to your inbox Robert E. Bair 87 of Seneca Kansas passed away peacefully on Thursday March 19 2026 at the Apostolic Christian Home in Sabetha. Robert Earl Bair was born April 2 in Hanover Pennsylvania to Margaret Brady and Ruben A. Bair Sr. and grew up in Hanover Pennsylvania. He attended and graduated from Delone Catholic High School Hanover. After graduation he began his service to the United States Air Force in September of 1956 and his final date of service was in June of 1961. Bob was assigned to Forbes Air Force Base Topeka. Robert was immensely proud of his service to his country. He was genuinely honored to have his name included on the memorial wall of service in Seneca the Nemaha County Veterans Wall Memorial which honors veterans from the local area. Robert Earl…

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Agatha M. Haefele Sudbeck

, Kansas

March 21, 2019

Before you go subscribe to Lauer Funeral Home to get new obituaries delivered to your inbox Agatha M. Sudbeck 96 of Seneca Kansas passed away peacefully on Friday March 20 2026 at the Life Care Center of Seneca. Agatha was born on May 19 1929 in Seneca Kansas to Frank and Thelma Moynagh Haefele. She grew up in the Seneca community and attended Sts. Peter and Paul School graduating in 1947. Following her education she worked at Citizens State Bank until 1950. On April 25 1950 Agatha was united in marriage to Junias J. Sudbeck at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca. Together they built a life rooted in faith family and farming. After their marriage they purchased a farm south of Seneca on Nightingale Turnpike where they worked side by side for decades. In 1993 they moved into Seneca. Agatha was a dedicated homemaker a loving mother…

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Robert Joseph Schmidt

, Kansas

Before you go subscribe to Lauer Funeral Home to get new obituaries delivered to your inbox Robert Schmidt beloved son brother uncle and friend passed away in Olathe Kansas on February 27 2026 at age 75. He was born on October 3 1950 in Seneca Kansas to Leo and Viola Roeder Schmidt. When he was six years old he entered the Kansas School for the Deaf in Olathe. In 1973 he began working at Johnson County Developmental Supports in Lenexa Kansas. He spent his entire career there retiring in 2025. Robert enjoyed bowling fishing playing cards and board games and attending Royals and Storm Chasers baseball games. He enjoyed family vacations to Colorado South Dakota and throughout the Midwest. Spending time fishing and boating at his sisters Tennessee lake home was his favorite. Thanksgiving and Christmas were Roberts favorite holidays. He particularly enjoyed this time with his nieces and nephews…

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Maurice J. Heiman

, Kansas

Before you go subscribe to Lauer Funeral Home to get new obituaries delivered to your inbox Maurice J. Heiman 83 of Baileyville died on Saturday February 14 2026 at Life Care Center in Seneca. Maurice was born on March 29 1942 in Axtell Kansas to Joseph and Helen Lierz Heiman. He grew up south of Baileyville and attended Sacred Heart Grade School graduating from Baileyville High School in 1960. After completing high school he returned home to help his father on the family farm where he remained for the rest of his life. He raised chickens cattle and farmed the crops they sowed. He loved to travel to Wyoming and was especially drawn to the openness of the area. While there he spent many years helping a veterinarian friend. Maurice wore many hats throughout his life. He served as an EMT for 29 years when the service was owned by…

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Jackie Lynn SylakDeters

, Kansas

February 8, 2026

Before you go subscribe to Lauer Funeral Home to get new obituaries delivered to your inbox Jackie Lynn Sylak 55 of Seneca Kansas passed away February 9 2026 after her courageous battle with ovarian cancer. 1970 in Warren Ohio the daughter of Susan Sue Bloom and Stephen Danny Sylak. She grew up in McDonald Ohio graduating from McDonald High School in 1988. After high school she moved to Florida and worked as an Apartment Manager. While living in Florida she was blessed with a daughter Emily Kate. Jackie later moved to the Kansas City area working sales for Baron Mini. She then moved to Seneca KS where she worked for 17 years at the United Bank Trust. She has always truly enjoyed helping her customers with a friendly smile to brighten their day. 2009 she married Richard F. Deters at St. Marys Catholic Church St. Benedict KS. They celebrated 16…

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Cyril Virgil Schmitz

, Kansas

Before you go subscribe to Lauer Funeral Home to get new obituaries delivered to your inbox Cyril Virgil Schmitz 74 of Baileyville Kansas passed away peacefully on February 13 2026 at Nemaha Valley Community Hospital. He was born on August 11 1951 in Axtell Kansas to Paul Mary Ann Bergman Schmitz. Cyril grew up in rural Baileyville Kansas and graduated from BB High School in 1969. After high school he joined the Army Reserves and served for 6 years before being honorably discharged as a Sergeant Specialist 5. Cyril started his farming career as a hired hand for his future fatherinlaw and continued farming until his stroke in 2022. On November 13 1971 Cyril married his high school sweetheart Joyce Stallbaumer in St. Benedict Kansas. The couple made their home on their own farm north of Baileyville where he was a hard working farmer and stockman. Cyril Joyce enjoyed 54…

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William J. Osterhaus

, Kansas

Before you go subscribe to Lauer Funeral Home to get new obituaries delivered to your inbox William Joseph Billy O Osterhaus 64 of Seneca Kansas passed away unexpectedly at his home on Sunday March 15 2026. and Margaret A. Graf Osterhaus. He grew up in Seneca and attended Seneca Public Schools graduating from Nemaha Valley High School with the Class of 1981. Seneca was always home to Bill. In 1987 he began working for the City of Seneca dedicating nearly 39 years of service to the community he loved. Through his work and daily efforts he took great pride in helping keep Seneca looking its very best. Bill was looking forward to retiring this April and had plans to give back by helping with the Meals on Wheels program and attending more of the casino bingo games he enjoyed. Known far and wide as Billy O Bill was a familiar…

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Bernard J. Benny Hulsing

, Kansas

Before you go subscribe to Lauer Funeral Home to get new obituaries delivered to your inbox Bernard J. Benny Hulsing 91 of Seneca KS passed away peacefully on February 26 2026 at Life Care Center in Seneca. 1934 the son of Henry and Ida Gellhaus Hulsing on the family farm west of St. Benedict KS. Benny was the eleventh child in a family of thirteen children. He attended St. Marys Catholic school in St. Benedict graduating from the eighth grade. After graduating Benny went to work on the familys farm. He lived and worked on the farm right up to the day he got married. On November 10 1962 Benny married Avis Kay Holland at St. Marys Catholic church in St. Benedict. They lived on his familys farm for another year before moving to their own farm east of Seneca where they raised 3 children. He farmed for himself and…

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Joy E. Libby Gustin

, Kansas

Before you go subscribe to Lauer Funeral Home to get new obituaries delivered to your inbox Joy E. Gustin 71 of Manhattan KS passed away in her home on Thursday February Feb 12th accompanied by her husband Ken Gustin and sisters Jeri Beaulieu and Kim Clark. Joy was born June 24 1954 in Fort Fairfield ME to Arthur Herbert and Martina Goldie Libby. After relocating to Anchorage AK she was united in marriage to Ken Gustin of Seneca KS on June 28 1980. From that day forward they were an inseparable pair best friends united in love. During Joys youth in Limestone Maine she and her siblings worked the family potato farm with their parents Arthur and Martina. Prior to moving to Alaska she worked in Portland ME as a Bank Teller and as a checker at a local grocery store. Her relocation to Anchorage found her immediately employed in…

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Bernard Sonny Niehues Iii

, Kansas

Before you go subscribe to Lauer Funeral Home to get new obituaries delivered to your inbox Bernard was born on January 17 1951 in Seneca Kansas to Bernard Albert and Alfreda Theresa Kramer Niehues Jr. of Corning. He was the tenth of twelve children and grew up in a large closeknit family where hard work and responsibility shaped daily life. He attended Corning Grade School and graduated from Centralia High School in 1969. On February 20 1971 he married Helen Pearson at Stz. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca. They began their life together in Topeka before returning home in 1975 to purchase the family farm near Corning. There they raised their three children and built a life rooted in family faith and the land. Bernard worked at Goodyear in Topeka for 39 years before retiring in 2008. Yet his lifes steady rhythm was always tied to the farm.…

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Denise Rita Koch

, Kansas

January 29, 2026

Before you go subscribe to Lauer Funeral Home to get new obituaries delivered to your inbox Denise Rita Koch 56 of Seneca passed away on January 30 2026 at Life Care Center in Seneca where she had been a resident since January 10 2020. Denise was born on June 8 1969 in Seneca the daughter of Regis and Alice Mueting Koch. She grew up just west of Seneca and attended Seneca Public Schools and later Nemaha Valley High School graduating in 1988. After graduating Denise helped her parents with their family business Koch Catering Service. She was also employed at the Nemaha County Training Center in Seneca where she operated the steam iron for the tablecloths and napkins that were rented out. In addition she cleaned the Rainbow Communications office and the Seneca City Hall. Denise truly loved going to work and seeing her friends and she took great pride…

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Alvin T. Hammes

, Kansas

Before you go subscribe to Lauer Funeral Home to get new obituaries delivered to your inbox Alvin Theodore Hammes 97 passed away peacefully Tuesday January 20 2026 at the Crestview Nursing and Residential Center in Seneca. CoraStallbaumer Hammes. He attended grade school in Baileyville Kansas and received his GED later on in Kansas City. He served in the Kansas National Guard Battery A 154 During his career he worked at various jobs in construction sheet metal fabrication shops and for the last 19 years before retiring at Research Products of Salina Kansas as a shop manager in Kansas City. at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Roeland Park Kansas. They made their home in Westwood Kansas along with their adopted daughter Linda. The couple moved to Seneca along with Linda after they retired in April of 2000. Alvin was a very talented woodworker and had a workshop in his home where…

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Next

, Kansas

Before you go subscribe to Lauer Funeral Home to get new obituaries delivered to your inbox Edith Mae Olberding Wassenberg 92 passed away Sunday January 182026 at home peacefully surrounded by her family. Linus Henry Deters 90 of Baileyville Kansas was born on June 20 1935 in Axtell Kansas and passed away peacefully on January 15 2026 at Life Care in Seneca Kansas. Rose Marie Mueting 71 a beloved wife mother and grandmother of Seneca Kansas passed away peacefully on January 15 2026. Terri L. Meade 68 of Centralia passed away at St. Lukes Hospital on Thursday January 8 2026 surrounded by her family. John Edward Bergman 74 of Seneca passed away surrounded by family on Saturday December 20 2025 at St Francis Hospital in Topeka after a 9 month battle with gastric cancer. JoElla Rosemary Stallbaumer Ronnebaum 87 of Centralia passed away on Sunday December 14 2025 at Onaga…

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