Great Bend Tribune

12/08/2025

Ghosts of christmas past to appear
at BCHS
The Barton County Historical Society is being transformed into a winter wonderland of historical Christmas decorations and more than two dozen decorated trees. The public is invited to attend “Ghosts of Christmas Past” from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14 at the society, 85 S. U.S. 281, Great Bend. Refreshments will be served, and children of all ages may take a turn sitting on the lap of the Jolly Old Elf himself, Saint Nicholas. Admission for this special day will be free for all patrons. Donations are encouraged.
New this year is an extensive Santa Claus collection donated in memory of former executive director, Beverly Komarek. Additional gifts from the Komarek family include a suitcase filled with German glass ornaments, which now adorn a tree in the bedroom display near the front of the main museum, said Rickee Maddox, society president.
“We’re thrilled to be able to keep Bev’s memory alive by displaying her collections and greatly appreciate her family for thinking about the historical society to make such a donation,” Maddox said. “We do Christmas in a big way at the historical society and it is partly because of Bev’s vision through the years, and the donation of her treasured Christmas decorations makes it so much more meaningful.”
The Zutavern family feather tree will be displayed again this year, resplendent with period glass ornaments. It is made from a wire base, with dyed goose feathers for branches. A German custom, the trees were sold here in dime stores in the 1920s and 1930s. The feather tree is the oldest Christmas tree in the museum’s collection.
Another favorite is the Meyer family tree, with ornaments from the 1930s through the 1990s. Mrs. Meyer decided that she didn’t want to decorate a tree every year, so she had it hauled downstairs with the ornaments left on. But she added decorations every year.
Balinda Ochs has loaned her green aluminum Christmas tree this year and decorated it with Jewel Brite ornaments. Ochs also decorated another tree in the museum with many vintage ornaments and her mother’s hand painted ornaments.
First Church of the Nazarene, Barton County Fair Friends, Girl Scout Troop 11165, First Christian Church Disciples of Christ, First United Methodist Church Elementary Youth Group and Kids Klub and Xi Delta Upsilon have decorated Christmas trees throughout the museum building and will be available for viewing. The tree in the museum’s music room is decorated in memory of long-time volunteer and historian, Joe Boley.
The buildings on the historical society grounds have been decorated with lights and folks are encouraged to drive through the village after dark. If you look closely you might find Santa Claus peering through the post office window. The Lustron house also has an aluminum tree in the living room window that has a rotating color wheel that is lighted at night. Outside lights will be on through the New Year holiday.
Entertainment will be featured throughout the afternoon:
- 1:30 p.m. – Harlen Jerke, pump organ
- 3 p.m. – piano students of Lorrie Stickney
- 4:30 p.m. – Maggie McKain, pump organ.
Regular museum hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the trees available for viewing through the end of the year.

12/08/2025

Cibyl Charlene Ronen 1938 - 2025

ST JOHN — Cibyl Charlene Ronen, 87, passed away peacefully on Dec. 2, 2025 at Clarendale at Indian Lake Memory Care in Hendersonville, Tenn. She was a former longtime resident of St. John, Kan.
She was born in Stafford, Kan. on Aug. 31, 1938 to Irvin and Mildred Teichman from rural Hudson, Kan. Later, they moved to rural Stafford, where she graduated from high school in 1956. She attended Kansas State University, pledged Gamma Phi Beta, and graduated in 1960 with a degree in Human Ecology. She loved those Wildcats!
In 1962 she married James Michael Ronen of St. John, who survives. He currently lives in assisted living in Hendersonville, Tenn. They were married 63 years. Cibyl is also survived by her brother Dennis Teichman (Ruth) of Stafford, Kan.; son Brent Ronen (Chris) of Hendersonville Tenn.; daughter Shelby Bauer (Jim) of Iola, Kan.; two grandchildren, Alex Bauer of Kansas City, Mo. and Katie Bauer of Kansas City, Mo.; one step grandaughter, Brittney Forstrom (Jake) of Gallatin, Tenn.; and two step great grandchildren, Jaxton and Finley.
Cibyl grew up on a farm in Hudson, and had a great love for animals, especially horses. In her younger years, she and the Alpers boys would occasionally ride their horses to school, while her father Irvin, would climb the windmill and watch to make sure they all made it safely.
In the late 60’s Cibyl and Jim purchased a little shop on the square in St. John and called it “Cibyl’s Gift and Jewelry”. She owned it for seven years.
She was a seasonal truck driver for her father, Irvin, and hauled wheat, corn and milo to the elevator as well as occasionally drove a tractor for him.
For years, Cibyl loved being a part of organizing and working the annual Victorian Tea. She had a wide range of talents, from making dip and drape dolls to wood carving or painting. And she loved her Monday card making dates with the girls.
After her husband Jim’s retirement from the First National Bank, they formed “FNB Travel.” She organized bus trips for 10 years from 1994 to 2004. They traveled on buses and cruised to many destinations making memories for customers and friends.
She enjoyed being a 4-H leader, a Sunday school teacher, a member of PEO - Chapter AC, Busy Mother’s Club, member of the United Methodist Women, member of the United Methodist Bell Choir, a board member of the Lucille Hall Museum, board member of the First National Bank and board member of the Terry C. Johnson Center for Cancer Research at Kansas State University.
Cibyl was a beautiful person inside and out. Her family will remember her as a gentle, patient, loving and supportive mother, grandmother and wife. She was dearly loved and will be missed by many.
The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Clarendale at Indian Lake for their love and care for Cibyl. They loved her and she loved them right back. You are all very special to us.
There will be a Celebration of Life in Hendersonville, Tenn. on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. at Clarendale at Indian Lake in the Belvedere Room.
A service in St. John, Kan. with interment at Fairview Park Cemetery will be disclosed at a later date.
In Lieu of Flowers, memorials can be sent to Cibyl Ronen Kansas State University Memorial Fund or United Methodist Church in St. John, Kan. Donations may be left in care of Minnis Chapel, PO Box 34, St. John, KS 67576
Cibyl had a love for music. That love was multiplied many times through her journey with dementia. She would raise her hands, clap, sing along and keep rhythm with both live entertainment, recordings and hymn sings. She was a very enthusiastic listener and loved taking part. And she could really shake a maraca! Two of her favorites from her childhood were Gene Autry and Roy Rogers.
Happy Trails Cibyl.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Dec. 11, 2025

12/08/2025

Mark Dwaine Ruble 1959 - 2025

Mark Dwaine Ruble, 65, passed away Dec. 7, 2025, in Great Bend, Kansas. He was born Dec. 25, 1959, in Great Bend to Sidney and Edna (Meyer) Ruble.
Mark worked for many years as a foreman for Schneider Alfalfa. He was an avid cook and loved to grill. He loved to find a car to fix up and compete in the demolition derby. He took a lot of interest in agriculture and served as an FFA leader. He enjoyed the outdoors and loved the peacefulness of finding a good hunting spot. He had many outdoor cats and loved them all. Above all, he loved being around family, especially his nieces and nephews and their children.
Survivors include brother, Henry ‘Hank’ Ruble and his wife Connie; sisters, Ellen Shanteau and her husband Darrell, Geraldine Carper, all of Great Bend; sister-in-law, Mary Lou Ruble of Houston, Texas; many nieces and nephews; and many great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Tom Ruble; and brother-in-law, Chuck Carper.
Memorial service will be held at 3:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, at Bryant Funeral Home with Reverend Dr. David Hales presiding. Inurnment will follow at Golden Belt Memorial Park. Memorials have been designated to Golden Belt Humane Society, in care of Bryant Funeral Home, 1425 Patton Rd., Great Bend, KS 67530. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home
1425 Patton Rd.
Great Bend, KS 67530
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Dec. 9, 2025

12/08/2025

Beverly Kay Nichols

Beverly Kay Nichols, 86, died, Dec. 8, 2025 at Hays Medical Center. Services are pending with Bryant Funeral Home.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Dec. 9, 2025 #

12/08/2025

Marilyn Ann Petty

Marilyn Ann Petty, 77, died Dec. 6, 2025 at Azria Health Olathe. Services are pending with Bryant Funeral Home.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Dec. 9, 2025 #

12/08/2025

Have your child fill out their letter to Santa! Letters to Santa will be published in the December 20 edition of the Great Bend Tribune.

Please click the link to complete this form.

12/06/2025

Andrew Murphy, reporter for the Great Bend Tribune, was not allowed to ask questions about the city’s role within Economic Development during the Dec. 1 City Council meeting. The Mayor said that topics related to items on that meeting’s agenda are not allowed to be discussed. Murphy will have to attend the next council meeting when Eco Devo is not on the agenda.

Great Bend City Council meetings usually start the same way, after approval of the consent agenda there is time set aside for recognizing visitors and guests who seek to address the governing body. Monday night, the Great Bend Tribune’s Andrew Murphy approached the council after the Mayor opened t...

12/05/2025

Public Works schedule three-day open burn ahead of winter weather

The City of Great Bend Public Works Department will conduct a three-day open burn from Dec. 9-11 to reduce the volume of trees before winter weather sets in.
The fire will take place at the compost site located at 97 SW 5th Ave. beginning Tuesday with round-the-clock in-person monitoring throughout the duration. Public Works will not feed the fire overnight.
The city conducted an open burn earlier this year during the week of Nov. 3. While the initial burn put a healthy dent in number of trees, another is needed before the new year to avoid encountering snow and stronger winter weather in the coming months.
Forecasts for next week show southwest winds between 8-17 mph on Tuesday, with gusts up to 27 mph before shifting to northwest winds that night. The northwest winds will continue into Wednesday at 7-18 mph with gusts up to 21 mph. Thursday is expected to bring mixed southwest and northwest winds at 7-15 mph with gusts up to 28 mph.
Favorable conditions for the burn include sustained north winds. With mixed winds predicted, strong gusts from the south would be optimal to carry smoke out of the city and prevent it lingering and becoming a nuisance.
For related questions, please contact Public Works Director David Dunekack at [email protected] or by calling 620-793-4150.

12/04/2025

Kathryn A. Coffman 1945 - 2025

MOLINE, Ill. — Kathryn, A. Coffman, 80, passed away Dec. 1, 2025, at Allure Skilled Nursing Facility in Moline, Ill. She was born May 21, 1945, in Great Bend, Kan., to Lyle and Hazel (Michael) Foster. She married Stephen Charles Coffman in January 1980. Of this union, they were blessed with sons, James L. Coffman and Travis B. Coffman. They later divorced.
Kathryn was a Great Bend High School and Kansas State University graduate. In 1996, she moved to Macomb, Ill., where she spent 10 years as a supervisor and events coordinator at Wesley Village Assisted Living Center. She was a member of Wesley Methodist Church and active in the women’s group. She also volunteered for years at local school events and Wesley Village after her retirement. She enjoyed traveling and baking and would willingly share any of her recipes. However, recipients found they rarely worked out as good as hers since Kathryn didn’t follow the recipes herself.
Survivors include her sons, Travis Coffman and his wife Stella of Austin, Texas, and James Coffman and his wife Karen of Silvis, Ill.; sister, Sue Roberts of Ellinwood; two grandchildren, Abigail Coffman (James) and Levi Coffman (James); four nieces, their spouses, and families. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Gary L. Foster; brother-in-law, T.J. Roberts.
Memorial services are being scheduled to occur in Illinois and Kansas.
Services in Kansas will be held at 10 a.m., Dec. 12, 2025, at Great Bend First United Methodist Church with Reverend Robert Selvakumar presiding. Inurnment will follow at Great Bend Cemetery. A reception will then be held at the American Legion in Ellinwood.
Services in Illinois will be held at 11 a.m., December 15, 2025, at Macomb Wesley Methodist Church. A reception will be held at the atrium. Memorials have been designated to Welsey Village, in care of Bryant Funeral Home, 1425 Patton Rd., Great Bend, KS 67530. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home
1425 Patton Rd.
Great Bend, KS 67530
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Dec. 6, 2025

12/04/2025

Joyce (Hey) Marcum 1961 - 2025

Joyce (Hey) Marcum was born on April 20, 1961, in Independence, Kan. to Frank and Karen (McAlister) Hey. She passed away peacefully on Nov. 28, 2025, in the comfort of her home, surrounded by her loving husband, Bob Marcum of Great Bend, Kan., and her two children, Jordan Watson of Andover, Kan., and Hunter Marcum of Russell, Kan.
Bob and Joyce shared 34 years together, including 30 years of marriage. Their story began in 1991 when Joyce started working as bookkeeper at Food4Less where Bob was working as store management. Their connection was instant and lasting, they were married on June 10th, 1995. Bob stepped into Jordan’s life when he was 8 years old, and in 1999, their daughter Hunter was born, completing their family.
In 2001, the family moved to Great Bend, Kan. Joyce transferred to the Great Bend Food4Less, where she worked for a few years before joining Bob’s family business, Precision Printing & Supply Company, which was started by Bob’s father. Though she enjoyed her work and brought many smiles to her coworkers, Joyce’s favorite and most cherished role was being a wife and a mom.
Joyce filled the world with warmth, humor, and unwavering love for the people she cared about. She never missed a ball game or important moment in her children’s lives, always showing up with her steady support and proud smile. She celebrated their victories and stood by them through every challenge, offering encouragement and love. She took immense pride in her family, and her love will continue to live on through them. Joyce also adored her dogs, who brought her endless joy and companionship.
Joyce treasured her family and friends deeply. In the summertime, she could always be found at the pool, floating contently in the sun—her happy place. Those who knew her will forever picture her there, smiling, relaxed, and at peace. From 2006 to 2013, the family spent many weekends camping at Pete’s Puddle, creating friendships, memories, and moments of joy that will last a lifetime. If there was water nearby, Joyce was sure to be in it.
Throughout her life, Joyce demonstrated remarkable courage. After being diagnosed with MS, she faced each day with grace and determination. Early this month, she received the devastating diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Even then, she fought bravely, meeting this cruel disease with strength, resilience, and an unwavering spirit. Her family was by her side every step of the way.
Joyce is survived by her loving husband, Bob Marcum; her son, Jordan Watson; her daughter, Hunter Marcum; her brother, Craig Hey, and his wife, Candra Hey, of Cherryvale, Kan.; and their three children, who were cherished as her nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Karen Hey, whom she loved dearly.
Joyce was a beautiful person—inside and out—and her kindness, strength, and love touched countless lives. We will always miss her, but her spirit will remain with us forever.
Per Joyce’s wishes, cremation has taken place. Memorial services will be 11 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, at Bryant Funeral Home, with Rev. Robert Selvakumar presiding. Memorials may be given to The American Cancer Society or The Golden Belt Humane Society, in care of Bryant Funeral Home, 1425 Patton Rd., Great Bend, KS 67530. Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home
1425 Patton Rd.
Great Bend, KS 67530
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Dec. 6, 2025

12/04/2025

Douglas Eugene Klotz 1949 - 2025

MODESTO, Calif. — Douglas Eugene Klotz passed away Nov. 10, 2025 in Modesto, Calif. at the age of 76. He was born Sept. 27, 1949 to Eugene and Bernice (Zecha) Klotz.
He is survived by his wife Maxine; three sons; one granddaughter; one great grandson; mother of Great Bend; sisters, Carol Durant, Great Bend; Ann Moore, Wichita; Mary Irick (Mark), Great Bend; brother Don Klotz (Cindy) of Pleasant Hill, Mo.; and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his father Eugene Klotz.
Cremation has taken place per Doug’s request.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Dec. 6, 2025

12/04/2025

I-70 reopened at Goodland

Westbound I-70 has been reopened at Goodland. It was previously closed due to inclement weather conditions in the area.

Roads are still icy in areas. Travelers are advised to slow down and use caution.

For the latest updates on road closures and conditions, visit kandrive.gov, or call 511 in Kansas or 866-511-5368 outside Kansas.