[ Obituary ]

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Jan 8, 2002 by Capital-Journal

Jimmie Lee Meyer

Daniel J. Bigham

Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Davidson Funeral Home for Daniel J. Bigham, 49, Topeka, who died Saturday, Jan. 5, 2002, at a Topeka hospital. He was wounded while serving in the Army in the Vietnam War and was disabled.

Military graveside services will be at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at National Cemetery in Leavenworth. Mr. Bigham will lie in state after 9 a.m. today at the funeral home, where relatives and friends will meet from 6 to 8 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Keith Dunivan Cystic Fibrosis Lung Transplant Fund and sent in care of the funeral home.

Ann Card

Arrangements are pending at Bowser-Johnson Funeral Chapel for Ann Leona Card, 95, Topeka, who died Friday, Jan. 4, 2002, at a Topeka nursing home.

Pearlene Eddens

Pearlene Eddens, 70, Topeka, died Sunday, Jan. 6, 2002, at a Topeka hospice house.

Bowser-Johnson Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Dakota Long

Dakota Anthony Long, infant son of Alex and Melissa McDowell Long, Topeka, died Sunday, Jan. 6, 2002, at a Topeka hospital.

He was born Aug. 21, 2001, in Topeka.

Other survivors include a brother, Tyler J. Long, at home; a sister, Cheyanne M. Long, at home; grandparents, Patrick and Vereta McDowell, Topeka; and great-grandmothers, Myrtle Wilson and Dorothy McDowell, both in Topeka.

Cremation is planned. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Eastminster Presbyterian Church.

Contributions may be made to the Dakota A. Long Memorial Fund yet to be designated and sent in care of the Credit Union of Kansas, 610 W. 10th, 66612. Parker-Price Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Jimmie Lee Meyer

Jimmie Lee Meyer, 66, Topeka, died Saturday, Jan. 5, 2002, at a Topeka nursing home.

He was born May 24, 1935, in Topeka, to Herman and Lillie Alberta Kuebler Meyer, and attended Topeka Public Schools. He worked for Santa Fe Railway in the shops in Topeka eight years and then was employed at the Topeka Goodyear Plant 31 years before he retired in 1992. He lived in Valley Falls from 1991 to 1999 and spent most of the rest of his life in Topeka.

He served in the Marine Corps from 1953 to 1955.

He was a member of Local No. 307 of the United Rubber Workers Union and Ozawkie Post No. 225 of the American Legion.

He married Beverly Whitwam. They were divorced. He married Mary Ann Swaggerty. They were divorced. A son, Scott Brian Meyer, died.

Survivors include a son, Chris Meyer, Sioux City, Iowa; daughters, Cheryl Lynn Armstrong, Schertz, Texas, and Shirley Rae Meyer, Topeka; a sister, Shirley Arnold, Ozawkie; and four grandchildren.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Newcomer Family Funeral Home. Burial will be in Valley Falls Cemetery. Mr. Meyer will lie in state from 3 to 4 p.m. today at the funeral home where relatives and friends will meet after 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Grace Sessions

Grace Veronica Sessions, 95, formerly of Topeka, died Sunday, Jan. 6, 2002, at a Colorado Springs, Colo., care center.

Brennan-Mathena Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Garen Skinner

Garen W. Skinner, 56, formerly of Topeka, died Sunday, Jan. 6, 2002, at his home in McPherson. He had a brain tumor and had been ill for about 18 months.

He was born June 12, 1945, in Topeka, to Leo L. and Myrtle A. Huffman Skinner. He lived in Topeka and at Cedar Point in Chase County before he moved to McPherson in 1990. He was head custodian for public schools in Lindsborg.

He graduated from Manhattan Christian College in 1987 and had served as pastor of several independent Christian churches.

He was a veteran of the Vietnam War, having served in the Marines for four years.

He was a member of Countryside Covenant Church in McPherson.

He married Dianne G. Hudson on Sept. 25, 1970, in Topeka. She survives.

Other survivors include a son, Wesley Skinner, Olathe; two brothers, Cletus M. Skinner, Edinburg, Texas, and James B. Skinner, Topeka; and three sisters, Rowena Turner, Holcomb, Jean Davis, Lecompton, and Carol Manion, Topeka.

Mr. Skinner was cremated. Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Stockham Family Funeral Home in McPherson. Private burial will be Thursday in Mount Hope Cemetery in Topeka.

Memorial contributions may be made to Central Homecare and Hospice and sent in care of the funeral home.

Lyle Allan Spring

Lyle Allan Spring, 90, formerly of Topeka, died Sunday, Jan. 6, 2002, at a Sabetha nursing home.

He was born Feb. 12, 1911, in Bern in Nemaha County, to Arthur C. and Mabel Dell Hendrickson Spring. He attended schools near Bern and graduated from Bern High School in 1929. He lived in Seneca before he moved to Topeka in 1951. He was a bus driver for Topeka Transit for nearly 30 years. He retired in 1980. He worked part-time for 12 years for Burns Security at the Southwestern Bell Telephone building until October 1993.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Bern and past master of Seneca Lodge No. 39, AF&AM, in Seneca. He was a member of York Rite bodies and a 55-year member of Iris Chapter No. 357 of Order of the Eastern Star in Seneca, which has merged with Hilda Chapter No. 164 in Marysville. He was an associate member of Sunflower Chapter of Telephone Pioneers.