Rossvilke High students have been recording a Dawgfeed Video each month during the school year. You can few any of the videos by going to:
This blog is for posting all news of Rossville residents and Rossville High alumni. Bookmark this page and send any appropriate news (births, deaths, engagements, marriages, anniversaries, job changes, honors, etc.) items to: Frank.Ruff@juno.com . Feel free to add comments to any of the articles. Check this site often because I sometimes delete items. There are SEARCH (top left of page) and LINK (bottom of page) features. For photos, see link at bottom.
Monday, May 15, 2023
Friday, May 12, 2023
Southern Lyon Co. Inv. Golf
The boys golf team began the year with a third place finish at the Southern Lyon Co. Inv. Golf Tournament.
Top five of the ten teams were:
1. Osage City 363
2. Santa Fe Trail 370
3. Rossville 380
4. Silver Lake 381
5. Fredonia 392
Rossville Individuals
Jack Donovan Tie 8 89
Jonathan Hart Tie 14 96
Kyser Lundi 16 97
Paxton Willett Tie 17 98
Track and Field Honor Roll
Top Sports News posted an Honor Roll of Shawnee Co, track and field athletes on May 9. The list includes the Top Five in every category..
Rossville's 4 by 800 men's relay was number three with a time of 11:00:66.
Amelia Foster wa number two in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:27:22.
Regional Softball At Silver Lake
The 3A Regional will be held at Silver Lake beginning on May 15. The teams competing will be as follows.
Silver Lake HS 18-2 0.900
Regional Baseball
The baseball Regional for Rossville and Silver Lake will be at Seneca-Nemaha Valley beginning May 15.
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Arletta (Sage) (61) Nichols Passes Away
Arletta Esther (Sage) Nichols passed away Monday, May 1, 2023, at the Kelly House in Topeka, where she had been a resident for two years. Arletta was born on December 22, 1943, to Austin Melvin Sage and Luella May (Olson) Sage, in Dover. She spent her adolescence in the Dover, Willard, Rossville area and graduated Rossville High School in 1961. After high school she went to beauty school in Topeka and became a licensed cosmetologist. In 1961, she married Kenneth Ray Smith, and subsequently spent a few years in Albuquerque New Mexico, while he was in the Navy. Two of her daughters were born there, Sage (Yvette) Nelson and Yvonne (Smith) Church.
They then returned to Rossville where another daughter was born, Yolande (Smith) Nichols. She opened and ran a beauty shop for many years on Main Street in Rossville. Later she worked in Topeka at a law firm as a secretary and then for the State of Kansas Department of Health and Environment, from which she eventually retired.
In August 1989 she married Garold “Gene” Nichols from Oklahoma, who preceded her in death. She is also preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Melvin D. Sage, her daughter Sage, a grandson/adopted son Dalton R. Nichols, and a great-grandson Alex Nichols.
She is survived by her daughters Yvonne Church (Montie), Trimble, MO, and Yolande Nichols, Topeka. Her grandsons Jeramy Matyak (Veronica) Lyndon, Aaron Church, Trimble, MO, Kyle Bennett (Bethaney), Shawnee, Quinton Church, Liberty, MO, Cameron Church (Brancey), Minneapolis, KS; her granddaughters/adopted daughters Karey Nichols, Topeka, and Katey Westfall (Matt), Delia, granddaughter Zoey Nichols, Topeka, and four great granddaughters Lillian Nichols, Josamee Adams, Aria and Remi Bennett. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Loretta Sage, Willard, her nephews Bryan Sage (Robin) and Dan Sage (Lisa) and many great nieces/nephews and cousins.
Graveside funeral services will be at 1:00 P.M. Friday, May 5, 2023, at the Dover Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 PM Thursday, May 4, 2023, at Piper Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Kelly House or Elara Caring Hospice and sent in care of Piper Funeral Home, 714 Maple Street, St. Marys, Kansas 66536.
Sunday, April 30, 2023
Rossville Boys Golf Team
The Rossville team is doing well this year. In their most recent tournament (St. Marys Invitational at Stagg Hill) Rossville was 3rd (349) of fourteen teams finishing behind Sabetha (341) and Seneca (338).
The Dawgs were lead by
Jonathan Hart (second place - 80)
Jack Donovan (eigth place - 85)
Kyser Lundin (tenth place - 86)
RHS Softball Ranked Fifth In 2A
Topsports News--RHS & SLHS doubleheader
Silveer Lake won two "walkoff" baseball games on April 11 by scores of 13-12 and 8-7. A long article about the games and teams can be read at:
RHS Softball
The RHS Softball Team is currently at 11-3 overall and 6-2 in the MEL.The losses have been to Silver Lake (2) and Hayden.
David Wonnell Is New Principal
We are excited to announce David Wonnell as the new Rossville Jr/Sr High School principal for the 2023-24 school year! Mr. Wonnell has over 20 years of experience in education. Currently, Mr. Wonnell is in his 11th year at Shawnee Heights High School where he has served as Athletic Director and as Assistant Principal. Before that, David was the Assistant Principal/Athletic Director at Rossville Jr/Sr High School for 5 years. Mr. Wonnell also served as a high school social studies teacher and high school football and track coach prior to entering administration.
Mr. Wonnell has family ties that go back many years in Rossville and the surrounding area. He and his family have been a part of the Rossville Community for the past 16 years. David's wife, Natalie, is a teacher for USD 321 and his children attend or have graduated from Kaw Valley schools.
"I am extremely honored and excited to be the next principal of Rossville Jr/Sr High School. Rossville is a great and supportive community with a rich tradition of excellence. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to be a part of such a great school, and district, with amazing students, staff, and parents" - David Wonnell
Jeffrey Booth (80) Passes Away
December 13, 1961 — April 22, 2023 Delia, Kansas
Jeffery J. “Jeff” Booth, 61, passed away Saturday, April 22, 2023, at a Topeka hospital.
Jeff was born December 13, 1961, in Emporia, the son of James C. and Jo Anne (Whittington) Booth. Jeff lived in the Lebo community until 1970 when he and his family moved to the Delia community after Melvern Lake took their farm. Jeff attended Delia Grade School and graduated from Rossville High School in 1980. He then attended Vo-Ag School. On November 26, 1983, he was united in marriage to Tracy Peters in Iola, and they later divorced.
Jeff worked on the family farm and then became a MoorMan Feed Salesman. He moved to the Emporia community and worked at IBP, Modine Manufacturing, Debauge Distribution, and Scheller’s Lawn and Landscape. His greatest joy was managing the TRYSA Soccer Complex in Emporia where he was also a referee and spent many years as an active board member. Jeff was inducted to the KSYSA hall of fame and received a Lifetime achievement award for volunteer and referee. Jeff returned to operate the family farm in Delia when his father became ill. He was a member of the Delia Presbyterian Church. He was appointed to fill his father’s position on the Jackson County Rural Water District #3 and was re-elected several times, and was currently the vice president.
Jeff was preceded in death by his father, James Booth.
Survivors include his mother, Jo Anne Booth, Delia; three daughters, Brandie Booth, San Francisco, CA; Brittney Booth, Prairie Village, KS, and Brailee Turner, Seattle, WA; three brothers, Joe (Tonia) Booth, Mayetta, Jacy (Susan) Booth, Parkville, MO, and J.R. (Molly) Booth, Clinton, MO, 12 nieces and nephews, and one great nephew.
Memorial services will be at 10:00 A.M. Thursday, April 27, 2023, at the Delia Presbyterian Church. A memorial visitation will be from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at Piper Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers memorial contribution in Jeff’s honor may be made to the local charity of your choice.
Douglas Martinek (59) Passes Away
Funeral services will be conducted 10:00 a.m. Monday, April 24, 2023, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Father Richard Coy will officiate. Inurnment will follow in the church columbarium.
Visitation will be held at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Sunday. The rosary will begin at 7:00 p.m. Sunday.
Edmaiston Mosley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Douglas F. Martinek was born July 21, 1941, in Delia, Kansas, son of the late Benedict "Bennie" Martinek and Ruth (Diehl) Martinek. He was a 1959 graduate of Rossville High School in Rossville, Kansas. Doug further pursued his higher education by attending the University of Kansas where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree. He also played and lettered in football while at KU. On December 1, 1962 he married his high school sweetheart, Patrica A. (Parr) Martinek. After college in June 1964, Doug started working for Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Topeka, Kansas. He was also employed at the Jackson, Michigan and Union City plants. Doug was honored by being the prestigious winner of the local and division "Goodyear Spirit Award" in 1977. On June 6, 1993, Doug transferred back to the Goodyear plant in Topeka where he retired on August 8, 1995 after 31 years of service.
In August 2001, Doug began working as a Knights of Columbus field agent and finalized his working days by retiring after 10 years service selling insurance. Doug is a member and past president of the Moravan Lodge #128 at the historical Bohemian Hall, a Czech fraternal organization in Rossville, Kansas. Doug served as Tennessee State Deputy for the Knights of Columbus from 1981-1982. As a knight, Doug was instrumental in starting the March for Life , a pro life rally held at the Topeka State Capitol. He also founded the "In Solidarity With Our Priests - A Nite at The Ballpark" with the Kansas City Royals. Doug was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
Doug and his wife Pat celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in December 2022 with their five children, Michelle Berry (Michael) of Topeka, Kansas, Doug Martinek (Amy) of Union City, Melissa Kuckelman (John) of Basel, Switzerland, Darren Martinek (Denise) of Mathis, Texas and Mandi Martinek (Austin Lemons) of Union City; and eleven grandchildren.
He was also preceded in death by two brothers, Sonny Martinek and Dwight Martinek.