Avis Lee Weltmer Enjoyed Her Family And Served Church
Avis Lee Sprague Weltmer, 70, died Dec. 30, 2001, at their home in Smith Center after a two month battle with lung cancer. She was born on July 9, 1931, the third of four daughters born to Dewey Lee and Faye Nanette Sealock Sprague at her parents' farm home, during the harvest.
At an early age, Avis moved with her family to a home in the south part of Smith Center. She attended school in Smith Center, graduating in 1949. In high school, she was the drum majorette in the band and was a twirler. She was in the National Honor Society, serving as president her senior year. She was the program chairman at one point in every organization she was in, which led to her love of organizing and giving programs the rest of her life.
Upon graduation, she worked at the Smith County Pioneer as the society editor.
On Dec. 3, 1950, she married Richard Marion Weltmer at the Smith Center Nazarene Church. She and Richard celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on December 3, 2000, which was the highlight of her life.
While Dick served in the military service, they lived in many towns where Avis made countless friends by her frequent acts of kindness. After military life, Dick was employed by the Santa Fe Railroad in the Newton area and while in Newton their first son, Kenton LeRoy was born in 1954. In 1955, they moved back to Smith Center and bought a farm east of town. In 1956, their second son, Michael Brent, was born.
Avis had a rich Christian upbringing, her parents being charter members of the Smith Center Nazarene Church. Her church family was always important to her life and to the goal she had established. She was involved in countless service projects such as Good News Circle, Sunday School and in 1976 the dream of one day establishing a woman's program called God's Coffee Hour started take shape.
In 1979, Avis started the first God's Coffee Hour in her home for the women of the Nazarene Church and soon the group out grew her living room. Her dream of women from all congregations coming together to worship the Lord was achieved and as soon as one year ended she was developing ideas for the next year's programs.
In 1981, she and Dick moved to town and let the sons take over the daily operation of the farm. Dick bought a part ownership of the livestock auction and Avis her new home.
Avis loved to sew and make crafts. In 1982, for something to do with her time, she started a business out of her home called Avis' Adorables, which spanned the next 17 years of her life. The three men in her life did not know whether she sewed for enjoyment or to have a reason to have a group of women over for coffee.
Avis was a proud grandmother of her four grandsons and attended many of their athletic, academic and church programs. Grandson, Simeon, Philip, Timothy and Steven all excelled in different areas of endeavor from baseball, football, basketball, golf, track, FFA, Science Olympiad and Bible quizzing.
The survivors are her husband, Richard, of the home; sons, Kenton and wife Deborah and their sons, Simeon and Timothy, and Mike and wife Ladonna and their sons Philip and Steven, all of Smith Center; two sisters, Phyllis Goldsmith and husband Dick of Newton, and Sharon Anderjaska of Green Valley, Ariz.; one uncle, Rolla Sealock of Smith Center; and two sisters-in-law, Eunice Weltmer of Plainville and Kay Schultz and husband Loren of Smith Center.
The funeral was Jan 2nd at the Church of the Nazarene, Smith Center, with Rev. Mark Hatcher officiating. Kathy McCary was the soloist and Helen Hooper was the accompanist.
The casket bearers were John Zabel, John Iman, Steve Wingerson, Roger Kelley, Ferrill Conant and Don Schlatter. The burial was at Fairview Cemetery, Smith Center.
The Smith County Pioneer (Smith Center, Kansas) Thursday, January 10, 2002
Avis Lee Sprague Weltmer, 70, died Dec. 30, 2001, at their home in Smith Center after a two month battle with lung cancer. She was born on July 9, 1931, the third of four daughters born to Dewey Lee and Faye Nanette Sealock Sprague at her parents' farm home, during the harvest.
At an early age, Avis moved with her family to a home in the south part of Smith Center. She attended school in Smith Center, graduating in 1949. In high school, she was the drum majorette in the band and was a twirler. She was in the National Honor Society, serving as president her senior year. She was the program chairman at one point in every organization she was in, which led to her love of organizing and giving programs the rest of her life.
Upon graduation, she worked at the Smith County Pioneer as the society editor.
On Dec. 3, 1950, she married Richard Marion Weltmer at the Smith Center Nazarene Church. She and Richard celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on December 3, 2000, which was the highlight of her life.
While Dick served in the military service, they lived in many towns where Avis made countless friends by her frequent acts of kindness. After military life, Dick was employed by the Santa Fe Railroad in the Newton area and while in Newton their first son, Kenton LeRoy was born in 1954. In 1955, they moved back to Smith Center and bought a farm east of town. In 1956, their second son, Michael Brent, was born.
Avis had a rich Christian upbringing, her parents being charter members of the Smith Center Nazarene Church. Her church family was always important to her life and to the goal she had established. She was involved in countless service projects such as Good News Circle, Sunday School and in 1976 the dream of one day establishing a woman's program called God's Coffee Hour started take shape.
In 1979, Avis started the first God's Coffee Hour in her home for the women of the Nazarene Church and soon the group out grew her living room. Her dream of women from all congregations coming together to worship the Lord was achieved and as soon as one year ended she was developing ideas for the next year's programs.
In 1981, she and Dick moved to town and let the sons take over the daily operation of the farm. Dick bought a part ownership of the livestock auction and Avis her new home.
Avis loved to sew and make crafts. In 1982, for something to do with her time, she started a business out of her home called Avis' Adorables, which spanned the next 17 years of her life. The three men in her life did not know whether she sewed for enjoyment or to have a reason to have a group of women over for coffee.
Avis was a proud grandmother of her four grandsons and attended many of their athletic, academic and church programs. Grandson, Simeon, Philip, Timothy and Steven all excelled in different areas of endeavor from baseball, football, basketball, golf, track, FFA, Science Olympiad and Bible quizzing.
The survivors are her husband, Richard, of the home; sons, Kenton and wife Deborah and their sons, Simeon and Timothy, and Mike and wife Ladonna and their sons Philip and Steven, all of Smith Center; two sisters, Phyllis Goldsmith and husband Dick of Newton, and Sharon Anderjaska of Green Valley, Ariz.; one uncle, Rolla Sealock of Smith Center; and two sisters-in-law, Eunice Weltmer of Plainville and Kay Schultz and husband Loren of Smith Center.
The funeral was Jan 2nd at the Church of the Nazarene, Smith Center, with Rev. Mark Hatcher officiating. Kathy McCary was the soloist and Helen Hooper was the accompanist.
The casket bearers were John Zabel, John Iman, Steve Wingerson, Roger Kelley, Ferrill Conant and Don Schlatter. The burial was at Fairview Cemetery, Smith Center.
The Smith County Pioneer (Smith Center, Kansas) Thursday, January 10, 2002
Avis Lee Weltmer Enjoyed Her Family And Served Church
Avis Lee Sprague Weltmer, 70, died Dec. 30, 2001, at their home in Smith Center after a two month battle with lung cancer. She was born on July 9, 1931, the third of four daughters born to Dewey Lee and Faye Nanette Sealock Sprague at her parents' farm home, during the harvest.
At an early age, Avis moved with her family to a home in the south part of Smith Center. She attended school in Smith Center, graduating in 1949. In high school, she was the drum majorette in the band and was a twirler. She was in the National Honor Society, serving as president her senior year. She was the program chairman at one point in every organization she was in, which led to her love of organizing and giving programs the rest of her life.
Upon graduation, she worked at the Smith County Pioneer as the society editor.
On Dec. 3, 1950, she married Richard Marion Weltmer at the Smith Center Nazarene Church. She and Richard celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on December 3, 2000, which was the highlight of her life.
While Dick served in the military service, they lived in many towns where Avis made countless friends by her frequent acts of kindness. After military life, Dick was employed by the Santa Fe Railroad in the Newton area and while in Newton their first son, Kenton LeRoy was born in 1954. In 1955, they moved back to Smith Center and bought a farm east of town. In 1956, their second son, Michael Brent, was born.
Avis had a rich Christian upbringing, her parents being charter members of the Smith Center Nazarene Church. Her church family was always important to her life and to the goal she had established. She was involved in countless service projects such as Good News Circle, Sunday School and in 1976 the dream of one day establishing a woman's program called God's Coffee Hour started take shape.
In 1979, Avis started the first God's Coffee Hour in her home for the women of the Nazarene Church and soon the group out grew her living room. Her dream of women from all congregations coming together to worship the Lord was achieved and as soon as one year ended she was developing ideas for the next year's programs.
In 1981, she and Dick moved to town and let the sons take over the daily operation of the farm. Dick bought a part ownership of the livestock auction and Avis her new home.
Avis loved to sew and make crafts. In 1982, for something to do with her time, she started a business out of her home called Avis' Adorables, which spanned the next 17 years of her life. The three men in her life did not know whether she sewed for enjoyment or to have a reason to have a group of women over for coffee.
Avis was a proud grandmother of her four grandsons and attended many of their athletic, academic and church programs. Grandson, Simeon, Philip, Timothy and Steven all excelled in different areas of endeavor from baseball, football, basketball, golf, track, FFA, Science Olympiad and Bible quizzing.
The survivors are her husband, Richard, of the home; sons, Kenton and wife Deborah and their sons, Simeon and Timothy, and Mike and wife Ladonna and their sons Philip and Steven, all of Smith Center; two sisters, Phyllis Goldsmith and husband Dick of Newton, and Sharon Anderjaska of Green Valley, Ariz.; one uncle, Rolla Sealock of Smith Center; and two sisters-in-law, Eunice Weltmer of Plainville and Kay Schultz and husband Loren of Smith Center.
The funeral was Jan 2nd at the Church of the Nazarene, Smith Center, with Rev. Mark Hatcher officiating. Kathy McCary was the soloist and Helen Hooper was the accompanist.
The casket bearers were John Zabel, John Iman, Steve Wingerson, Roger Kelley, Ferrill Conant and Don Schlatter. The burial was at Fairview Cemetery, Smith Center.
The Smith County Pioneer (Smith Center, Kansas) Thursday, January 10, 2002
Avis Lee Sprague Weltmer, 70, died Dec. 30, 2001, at their home in Smith Center after a two month battle with lung cancer. She was born on July 9, 1931, the third of four daughters born to Dewey Lee and Faye Nanette Sealock Sprague at her parents' farm home, during the harvest.
At an early age, Avis moved with her family to a home in the south part of Smith Center. She attended school in Smith Center, graduating in 1949. In high school, she was the drum majorette in the band and was a twirler. She was in the National Honor Society, serving as president her senior year. She was the program chairman at one point in every organization she was in, which led to her love of organizing and giving programs the rest of her life.
Upon graduation, she worked at the Smith County Pioneer as the society editor.
On Dec. 3, 1950, she married Richard Marion Weltmer at the Smith Center Nazarene Church. She and Richard celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on December 3, 2000, which was the highlight of her life.
While Dick served in the military service, they lived in many towns where Avis made countless friends by her frequent acts of kindness. After military life, Dick was employed by the Santa Fe Railroad in the Newton area and while in Newton their first son, Kenton LeRoy was born in 1954. In 1955, they moved back to Smith Center and bought a farm east of town. In 1956, their second son, Michael Brent, was born.
Avis had a rich Christian upbringing, her parents being charter members of the Smith Center Nazarene Church. Her church family was always important to her life and to the goal she had established. She was involved in countless service projects such as Good News Circle, Sunday School and in 1976 the dream of one day establishing a woman's program called God's Coffee Hour started take shape.
In 1979, Avis started the first God's Coffee Hour in her home for the women of the Nazarene Church and soon the group out grew her living room. Her dream of women from all congregations coming together to worship the Lord was achieved and as soon as one year ended she was developing ideas for the next year's programs.
In 1981, she and Dick moved to town and let the sons take over the daily operation of the farm. Dick bought a part ownership of the livestock auction and Avis her new home.
Avis loved to sew and make crafts. In 1982, for something to do with her time, she started a business out of her home called Avis' Adorables, which spanned the next 17 years of her life. The three men in her life did not know whether she sewed for enjoyment or to have a reason to have a group of women over for coffee.
Avis was a proud grandmother of her four grandsons and attended many of their athletic, academic and church programs. Grandson, Simeon, Philip, Timothy and Steven all excelled in different areas of endeavor from baseball, football, basketball, golf, track, FFA, Science Olympiad and Bible quizzing.
The survivors are her husband, Richard, of the home; sons, Kenton and wife Deborah and their sons, Simeon and Timothy, and Mike and wife Ladonna and their sons Philip and Steven, all of Smith Center; two sisters, Phyllis Goldsmith and husband Dick of Newton, and Sharon Anderjaska of Green Valley, Ariz.; one uncle, Rolla Sealock of Smith Center; and two sisters-in-law, Eunice Weltmer of Plainville and Kay Schultz and husband Loren of Smith Center.
The funeral was Jan 2nd at the Church of the Nazarene, Smith Center, with Rev. Mark Hatcher officiating. Kathy McCary was the soloist and Helen Hooper was the accompanist.
The casket bearers were John Zabel, John Iman, Steve Wingerson, Roger Kelley, Ferrill Conant and Don Schlatter. The burial was at Fairview Cemetery, Smith Center.
The Smith County Pioneer (Smith Center, Kansas) Thursday, January 10, 2002
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