History of Willard

    Here is a link to the history of Willard, Kansas.    I have always heard that Willard was named for heavyweight boxer Jess Willard. the "Pottawatomie Giant"  from near Emmett,  but that appears to be not true.
http://recollectionsks.org/items/show/481

Lindsey Seele (10) On Dean's List

    Lindsay Seele, of Rossville, was on the dean's list for the Baker University School of Nursing for the spring semester of 2015.

George Safford Passes Away (Updated)

    George Carley Safford joined the Heavenly Chorus on Wednesday, December 30, 2015. He was born to Harry and Blanche Marie Carley Safford on January 3, 1929.

    George spent his formative life at his Grandmother Safford and Grandmother Carley’s homes. He had one sister, Leola Belle Safford of whom he was very fond of. It was she and him against the world all of their lives.
    George spent two years serving in the United States Army during WW II and seven years in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He was a printer by trade and printed all of St. Francis Hospital’s forms for 23 years.
    He is survived by two cousins, Jennifer David, Aurora, CO., and Pauline Conley, Delia.
    Graveside inurnment will be at 2:00 P.M. Thursday, January 7, 2016 at the Rossville Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Rossville United Methodist Church and sent in care of Piper Funeral Chapel, P.O. Box 642, Rossville, Kansas 66533.

Duane Cain Passes Away

Duane M. Cain, 59, passed away Sunday, December 27, 2015 at his home.

He was born January 31, 1956 at Holton, the son of John and Stella Hollar Cain.  He grew up in Valley Falls before moving to Rossville where he attended high school.  Duane served in the United States Marines.  He graduated from Washburn College of Technology.

Duane worked for Farmland and later USD#321.  He was a past member of the Rossville Lions and SOAL at Jimmy Lillard Post No. 31 of the American Legion also in Rossville.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters, Darlene, Vicki and Jeannie; brothers, Mark, Loren & Nelden.

On July 14, 1995 he was united in marriage to Debra Wyre Spencer in Topeka.  She survives of the home.

Other survivors include a daughter, Brandy (Jim) Johnston, Rossville; three sons, Randy Spencer, Topeka, Shawn Spencer, Rossville and Chad (Emily) Spencer, Topeka; three sisters, Laura Scripter, Durand, MI., Cheryl Shillcut, Fayetteville, NC., and Susan Anspaugh, Rossville; three brothers, John Cain, San Antonio, TX., James Cain and Gary Cain both of Topeka; four grandchildren, Aaron, Christiana and Jordan Johnston, Rossville and Ainsley Spencer, Topeka.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 A.M. Thursday, December 31, 2015 at Piper Funeral Home in St. Marys.  Interment will be in the Rossville Cemetery.  Mr. Cain will lie in state and the family will receive friends from 6:00 until 7:30 P.M. Wednesday, December 30, 2015 at the funeral home. 

Memorial contributions may be made to the Rossville Alumni Association and sent in care of Piper Funeral Home, 714 Maple St., St. Marys, Kansas 66536.

Mr. Rubio Has Auto Accident

  The Kansas highway patrol report an injury accident by a Mr. Rubio of Rossville, KS on Dc 26, about 2:10 PM on the Kansas Turnpike.  The 56 year old Mr Rubio lost control and went off the highway and overturned his 2013 F150 Ford pickup at the 63.8 mile marker.  He was not transported by ambulance according to the report.

Alan Hale Passes Away

      Alan PamSot Hale, 68, of Rossville, KS passed away, Saturday, December 26, 2015.
      Survivors include 2 sisters, Linda D. Hale of Mayetta, KS and Joraine Tuckwin of Hiawatha, KS.       Drum Services will be Tuesday evening, December 29, 2015 at the Danceground Building, west of Mayetta. Burial will be Wednesday afternoon in the Danceground Cemetery. Alan will lie in state beginning late Monday afternoon at the Mercer Funeral Home in Holton. To leave a special message for the family, please visit www.mercerfuneralhomes.com

Pheonix Ray Finke Passes Away

The following obituary was found on-line.  No other details are available for this 3 year old child.

Pheonix was born on August 26, 2011 and passed away on Tuesday, October 7, 2014.
Pheonix was a resident of Rossville, Kansas at the time of his passing.

Laura Angline Bailey Passes Away

The following obituary was found on line, but with little additional info.  Was she living at the nursing home?

Laura Bailey was born on December 2, 1954 and passed away on Monday, November 10, 2014.
Laura was a resident of Rossville, Kansas at the time of her passing.Per her wishes cremation rites were accorded. There will be no services.

Dawgs Move To No. Two

The Dawgs have moved up to #2 in the 321A wrestling rankings.

Click on below to enlarge.

Mid-East Basketball Standings

MID-EAST League Basketball Standings.

Boys                 League Overall

  Rock Creek      2-0        5-0
  Silver Lake      2-0         3-1
  Rossville          0-0         4-2
  Wabaunsee     0-1          4-1
  Riley County  0-1          2-3
  St. Marys         0-2         3-2

Girls                League Overall

  Silver Lake        2-0       4-0
  Wabaunsee       1-0        5-0
  Rock Creek        1-1         1-4
  Rossville            0-0       6-0
  Riley County    0-1        3-2
  St. Marys           0-2       3-2

Dorothy Redmon Passes Away

   Dorothy Leona Redmon, 86, Topeka, died Monday, December 21, 2015, at Midland Hospice House.
    She was born July 26, 1929, in Jackson County, the daughter of Ray Irwin and Griffie Elnora (Adams) Andrick.
    Dorothy graduated from Delia High School. She had worked at Capper Publications, Bobo Drive-In, and retired from Hallmark Cards in 1988 after 23 years of service. She was a member of Seaman Community Church and was a former member of the Ladies of the Moose.   She was married to Lloyd Homer Redmon on June 12, 1948, in Topeka.
    Surviving are her husband, Lloyd, of the home; three children: Danny Redmon of Virginia Beach, VA, Janet Serbus (Steve) of Shell Knob, MO, and Judy Huerter (Lynn) of Silver Lake; siblings: John Andrick (Isla) of Rossville, and Genevieve Jacobson (Donald) of Rossville; seven grandchildren: Stephanie Donaldson, Stacey Kincaid (Jeremy), Aaron Huerter (Kristin), Kelly Huerter (Andrea), April Noel (Brandon), and Jeff Serbus; and eleven great-grandchildren. Dorothy was preceded in death by a grandson, Christopher Daniel Redmon, on May 5, 1995; her parents; and sisters, Waunita Darting and Lenora Darting.
    Funeral services will be at 10:00 AM, Monday, December 28, 2015, at Seaman Community Church, 2036 NW Taylor, Topeka. Interment will be in Prairie Home Cemetery, NW 35th & Menoken Road, Topeka. Dorothy will lie in state from 3:30 to 8:30 PM, Sunday at Penwell-Gabel Parker-Price Chapel, 245 NW Independence Avenue, Topeka, where the family will receive friends from 3:30 to 5:30 PM. Memorial contributions may be made to Seaman Community Church, 2036 NW Taylor, Topeka, KS 66608 or Midland Hospice, 200 SW Frazier Circle, Topeka, KS 66606-2800. To leave a special message for the family online, visit www.PenwellGabelTopeka.com. Dorothy Leona Redmon

Sandra Wichman Passes Away

Sandra R. "Sandy” Wichman, 65 passed away Tuesday, December 22, 2015 at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka.

She was born March 5, 1950 at Atchison, the daughter of John and Vivian Lueb Heideman.  Sandy grew up in Marysville and Seneca graduating from St. Peter and Paul Catholic High School.  She had lived in Topeka from 1972 until moving to Rossville in 1980.

Sandy worked for USD #321 for 32 years, many of those years as the secretary at the Rossville Jr/Sr High School.  She was a member of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church where she played the organ.  She also was a member of Jimmy Lillard Post No. 31 of the American Legion Auxiliary.

On September 27, 1969 she was united in marriage to Kenneth "Ken"  Wichman at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca.  He survives of the home.

Other survivors include her mother, Vivian Heideman, Seneca; her children, Leslie (Scott) Martin, Overland Park, Kristy Dyche, Rossville, Scott (Shelley) Wichman, Topeka and Kendra (John) Gonzales, Topeka; a brother, Richard (Nancy) Heideman, Omaha; two sisters, Theresa (Marty) Nordhus and Leddy Rothers all of Seneca; 13 grandchildren, Abby, Jayden, Wyatt, Kallan, Olivia, Shelbey, Cody, Sheriden, Noah, Korin, Brinley, Sophia and Sawyer.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 A.M. Monday, December 28, 2015 at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Rossville.  Family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. Sunday, December 27, 2015 at the church where there will be a rosary prayed at 7:00 P.M.  Inurnment will be in the Rossville Cemetery, Rossville.  Memorial contributions may be made to St. Stanislaus Catholic Church Building Fund and sent in care of Piper Funeral Home, 714 Maple St., St. Marys, Kansas 66536.

Condolences can be left at: http://piperfuneralhome.com/obituaries/sandra-r-sandy-wichman/

KSNT Basketball Video

    Here is some good video on both the boys and girls games agains Perry-Lecompton.
http://ksnt.com/2015/12/21/rossville-sweeps-perry-lecompton-in-monday-nights-hoops-action/

Horak and Deiter Deliver

From CJ Online 

The bar was set pretty high.

In leading Rossville’s football team to its first state title in 2014, Bulldawg Tucker Horak put up eye-popping numbers as a junior.

The dual-threat quarterback rushed for a school-record 2,089 yards and 28 touchdowns, while also throwing for 1,651 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Five miles down the road and six months earlier, Silver Lake’s Megan Deiter was no less impressive in leading the Eagle softball team to its second straight 3A state title. After striking out 22 and getting the win in each of the first two state-tourney games, Deiter came on to save the title game by striking out the final Riverton batter in a 3-2 win.

It was going to take special senior moments to top those junior achievements. And yet, each delivered in a major way, earning the No. 9 spot on The Topeka Capital-Journal’s sports stories of 2015 with their performances as both not only led their teams to state titles once again, but did so with a dominance rarely seen in state history.

“You can’t measure the heart he has,” Rossville coach Derick Hammes said of Horak. “I’ve run across very few that have the competitive will he has.”

After losing many of the weapons that surrounded him during Rossville’s 2014 title run, Horak figured to shoulder more of the offensive load in 2015, if that was possible.

Turns out, it was and he carried it so well he turned in a season never achieved in state history. As Rossville marched back toward a shot at defending its 3A title, Horak piled up numbers that made his junior stats almost look pedestrian.

Three times he topped 300 rushing yards in a game, including 394 and seven touchdowns in a 56-35 win over War on 24 rival Silver Lake.

Earlier in the season, he set a state record for yards per carry in a game while torching Rock Creek for 353 yards and five touchdowns on just 13 carries (27.2 yards per carry) and for the season he averaged 14.4 yards while racking up an eye-popping 2,859 yards and 47 touchdowns.

Completing 76.7 percent of his passes, he finished with 2,070 yards and 30 touchdowns through the air, becoming the first player in state history to top 2,000 yards rushing and passing in the same season.

But the stats simply wouldn’t have meant as much to Horak if he didn’t finish with another state title, and trailing Wichita Collegiate 19-7 entering the fourth-quarter of a title game played in a freezing rain and on an ice-covered field, the prospects looked bleak.

But Horak scored two touchdowns in less than a minute with his 65-yard fumble return for a score providing the game-winner in a 20-19 victory to cap a second straight 14-0 season.

“Nothing Tucker does surprises me anymore,” Hammes said. “I’ve never coached anybody that had the ability like he could to make a play for his team. He was something special.”

Deiter, meanwhile, enjoyed a solid regular season, but once the Eagles got to Manhattan for the state tournament elevated her game to a completely different level.

With the state tourney pushed back to a Sunday start by inclement weather, Deiter left Silver Lake’s first two foes simply praying they could get to her.

She opened with a no-hitter against Haven in a 4-0 win, striking out 16, then followed with a one-hitter in a 2-0 semifinal win over Humboldt, striking out 13.

In the two games, she allowed four base-runners and the performance prompted Deiter to say: “I was on today. Competition definitely pushes me to hit my spots better and make sure everything’s moving and I don’t make a mistake.”

As mistake-free as the first two state games were, Deiter saved her best for the finals. Facing an undefeated Hillsboro team, Deiter was untouchable, striking out 19 of the 21 batters she faced in a 5-0 no-hitter that delivered Silver Lake’s third straight 3A crown and 12th championship overall.

The only two balls Hillsboro put in play were a groundout back to Deiter and a groundout to second base. In the three state-tourney games, Deiter struck out 48 and allowed just seven base-runners.

“Was that girl awesome or what?” Silver Lake coach Mark Workman said. “Wow!”

The performance capped a huge school year for Silver Lake’s girls’ programs. The volleyball team won its second straight 3A state title behind two-time 3A player of the year Alyssa Schultejans, who signed with Kansas State.

The basketball team followed with a third-place finish at the Class 3A state tournament in the winter.

And while the softball team was bringing home its state title, the Eagle track team made it a spring sweep by taking the 3A team title as Alex Ferguson won the 400 and 800, Taylor White won the triple jump and the 400 relay also won.