Walter James Waldren
Walter James Waldren, age 54, passed away on Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Wichita County, Kansas. He was born on October 28, 1970, in Leoti, Kansas, the son of Walter Donald and Carolyn Lea Lemmer Waldren. He was a farmer.
James married Mary Jane Kelley on April 22, 1994, in Scott City, Kansas.
To this union, Ashley Nicohl was born on July 12, 1995.
James graduated from Weskan High School in the spring of 1989. He then attended Northwest Kansas Technical College in Goodland, Kansas for welding and graduated in the spring of 1991.
He liked working with his dad, Donald. He was a master craftsman like his father, making furniture and cutting different designs with a plasma cutter. He would help anyone and he didn’t mind telling you what he thought. James loved his old pickup and his everyday companion, his dog, Sloan. James also loved playing with his grandkids, Landen & Jaxton; he was Papa to them.
Survivors include his daughter Ashley Nicohl Waldren & Jordan Nemechek of Tribune; his mother Carolyn Lea Waldren of Leoti;, three sisters Karolyn & Elias Moreno of Dallas, Texas; Katrina & Eric Hoffman of Horace; and Karla & Rick Dilling of California, Kentucky; two grandsons - Landen & Jaxton Nemechek of Tribune; and many friends, relatives, aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by his father Walter Donald Waldren.
Graveside Memorial Services were held at 11:00 a.m. (Mountain Time) on Monday, March 24, 2025, at the Greeley County Cemetery in Tribune with Steve Payne presiding.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the James Waldren Memorial Fund in care of Price and Sons Funeral Home, P.O. Box 161, Leoti, Kansas 67861.
OBITUARIES
Shane Gregory Smith
March 27, 1977 - March 1, 2025 Son, even though you didn’t make it to the end of our story, we will always have the corner folded down on your page .... because it was one of our favorites. - Dad & Mom With heavy hearts we mourn the sudden passing of our beloved... [More]
Donovan Anderson
Donovan Anderson passed away February 16, 2025. He was born May 28, 1953 to the late Doris and Darrel Anderson. He is survived by children, Shane Anderson of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Tanya (Eric) McSwan of Amarillo, Texas; siblings: Debbie (Rod) Meltabarger of Cassville, Missouri;... [More]
Patricia “Pat” McKinley
With profound sadness. we say goodbye to Patricia McKinley (Pueblo, Colorado), born in Goodland, Kansas, whose vibrant spirit touched the lives of many. Patricia left this world on February 16. 2025 at the age of 80, leaving a void in the lives of so many people. She... [More]
Keith Smyth
Keith Smyth, 89, of Campbell, California, passed away on February 20, 2025. He was born Aug. 10, 1935 to James and Violet Smyth of Tribune, Kansas. Keith graduated from Greeley County High School in 1953. After high school, Keith worked for the Missouri Pacific... [More]
Beth Ann (Myers) Tenan
Beth Ann (Myers) Tenan, Fort Collins, Colorado, passed away Tuesday, February 25, 2025, to our Lord and Savior peacefully in her sleep after a long and courageous battle following her stroke four years ago. Beth Tenan was born May 1, 1971, in Wamego to Byrom Myers and... [More]
Vayrena Dee Hamilton
Vayrena Dee Hamilton, age 59, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 12, 2025, in Clearwater, Kansas. She was born on February 22, 1965 in Tribune, the daughter of Harlan D. And Judith V. Campbell. She was a lifelong resident of Tribune. Vayrena graduated Greeley County... [More]
Ronald Lehman
Ronald Lehman, age 77, passed away on Monday, January 6, 2025, at the Greeley County Health Center in Tribune, Kansas. He was born on November 4, 1947, in rural Greeley County, Kansas to Lawrence & Maxine Carter Lehman. He lived his entire life in Tribune... [More]
Walter Donald Waldren
Walter Donald Waldren, age 82, passed away on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at his home in Selkirk. He was born on October 19, 1942, in Syracuse to Walter Benjamin and Leona Regina Younger Waldren. He was a lifelong resident of the area, having grown up in Tribune and making... [More]
More Obituaries
- Bonnie Jean Larkin
- John “Johnny” Schulz
- Charles Alvin Wells
- Cheryl Elizabeth Rock
- Sandra Lee Stum
- Harley J. Koeller
- Rosalie Abney
- William Wesley Byerly
SPORTS
GCHS students compete in Trego Powerlifting Meet
Photo caption: Rowdy Grubb, front, lifted 200 pounds on squat while Santiago Mora, behind him, served as a spotter at the Trego Meet in WaKeeney on Saturday, March 8. Grubb finished first in his division. Photo by Ashley Grubb. Eight Greeley County High School students... [More]
Jackrabbits named to Northwest Kansas All-League Teams
Photo caption: Gael Yanez, Lincoln Shafer, Braxon Mangan, Jadyn Mangan, and Jadence Stewart were among the Northwest Kansas League basketball players named to the All-League Teams. Shafer, Mangan, and Mangan were named to the first teams and Yanez and Stewart were listed as honorable... [More]
Boys Basketball Season Stats
We’ll be running some boys’ basketball stats from the season and select records data over the next few weeks. Thanks to Coach Gooch for getting the information rounded up for publication.
Jackrabbits secure 2-point win over La Crosse, fall to Claflin-Central Plains Oilers
Photo caption: The Jackrabbits were sub-state runner ups. Pictured kneeling from left to right are Rowdy Grubb, Hayden Myers, Marco Coello, Taven Schmidt, and Braxon Mangan. Standing, from left to right, are Assistant Coach Drew Zerr, Ryland Myers, Guilherme Evans, Aidan Hill,... [More]
Coach Josh Gooch becomes winningest coach in program history
With last Monday’s sub-state win, Head Boys Basketball Coach Josh Gooch became the winningest men’s basketball coach in Greeley County history, surpassing record of 121 wins Coach Jeff Starkey had amassed in the early 2010s. The team’s 51-49 win over... [More]
Lady Jackrabbits defeat Railroaders, fall to Bulldogs
Photo caption: The Lady Jackrabbits lined up for the National Anthem before their game in Quinter Saturday night. Pictured from left to right are Coach Kyle Shafer, Charlize Shafer, Shaydan Howell, Maggie Votruba, Kenna Bain, Jeryn Stewart, Addy Kennedy, Taittum Bain, Mia Reynolds,... [More]
Greeley County Cheerleaders
Yareli Labra, Alexis Chavez, Mary Kathryn (MK) Votruba, and Annaleigh Long cheered for the Lady Jackrabbits at Saturday night’s game in Quinter. Photo by Sheryl Crotinger.
Lady Jackrabbits end regular season on four-game winning streak
Photo caption: Jadyn Mangan, #21, plays tough defense as Jadence Stewart, #14; Kenna Bain, #13; and Jeryn Stewart, #10, work to keep the Northern Valley Huskies away from their basket in their final game of regular season play. Story on page 6. The Lady Jackrabbits capped... [More]
More Sports
- Jackrabbits finish regular season with wins over St. Francis, Northern Valley
- Jackrabbits compete in Oakley Powerlifting Meet
- Lady Jackrabbits clench home sub-state game with win over Syracuse
- Jackrabbits fall to Syracuse by two, easily handle the Spartans
- Varsity defeats Wichita County, Oberlin; JV team wins one, loses four
- Lady Jackrabbits fall to Wichita County, Oberlin; JV claims pair of wins
- Greeley County Recreation Youth Basketball Teams
- Jackrabbits fall to Cheyenne Wells, Dighton in closely-contested games
NEWS
Greeley County National Honor Society Chapter inducts seven new members
Photo caption: Members of Greeley County’s National Honor Society are (front row, left to right) Keiragen Daniels, Annabelle Schneider, Hailey Nolan, Maggie Votruba, Jadyn Mangan, Mary Kathryn Votruba, Britney Helpingstine, Zoey Shivers, and Addyson Kennedy. In the back... [More]
Notice to Tribune Residents
The Tribune water tower is going to have routine maintenance to it starting in early April. There may be times of low water pressure and the City of Tribune asks that you conserve as much water as possible. This process may take around two to four weeks to complete. Please... [More]
The Unstoppable You program Thursday night
The Unstoppable You, a presentation by Craig Conrad, is scheduled for Thursday, March 27, at 6 p.m. at Greeley County Schools. Parents and community supporters are encouraged to attend the presentation. The Unstoppable You is described as powerful, true, life-changing... [More]
April is for Arts
The Greeley County Library will once again be hosting Art in April. Anyone who would like to display their handiwork is encouraged to bring pieces to the library beginning next week (March 31-April 4). All types of art forms are welcome. Let the creativity of our community... [More]
Historical Society Annual Meeting April 6
The Greeley County Historical Society invites you to attend their Annual Meeting on Sunday, April 6, from 5:00-7:00 pm at the Senior Center. The dinner will be at 5:00-5:30 followed by a short business meeting. Main dishes will be provided as well as tableware.... [More]
March weather rapidly shifts
Photo caption: After high winds on Wednesday, workers from B & H Paving filled cracks with tar on Greeley Avenue last Thursday morning. Changing conditions continued to keep area residents on alert last week as red flag, wind, and winter weather advisories rolled... [More]
Board of Supervisors meeting notes
Monday, March 24, 2025 Supervisors Present: Chairman Steve Mangan, Alan Waggoner, Monty Moritz, Scott Steele, and Stan Shafer Others present: County Clerk Jerri Young, County Treasurer Diane Gentry, Utility Administrator Stephanie Elliott, MSD Employee Jesse Randolph, and... [More]
Greeley County Youth Entrepreneurship Competition awards $2,200 to students
Photo caption: James Marquardt won first place in the Junior Division with his project Marquardt Basketworks. Photo by Sheryl Crotinger. The Greeley County Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, held on Tuesday, March 11, featured 25 projects eighth grade, freshman,... [More]
More News
- Notice to Tribune Residents
- The Unstoppable You scheduled for Thursday, March 27 at Greeley County Schools
- AED now at the CYAT Center
- Senior Center hosts soup supper
- No moisture, high winds persist
- KDOT to host listening sessions on improving highway mobility in southwest Kansas
- Board of Supervisors Special Session notes
- Greeley County Library welcomes new librarian, Whitney Cummings
OPINIONS
Letter to the Editor: With Trump and Musk driving U.S. policy, Kansas farmers have been played for suckers
By Ben Palen Also published in the Kansas Reflector Back in November, I wrote a column for Kansas Reflector that discussed the likely adverse effects of President Trump’s proposed tariffs on U.S. farmers. The piece noted that 398 million acres of cropland has been... [More]
Letter to the Editor: Donald Trump is not our king
Donald Trump is not our king. He was elected with less than 50 percent of the popular vote and his margin of victory was 1.5 percent. There is no mandate in those numbers. Our elected members of Congress have a sworn duty to support and defend the Constitution and the... [More]
Open letter to Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall
On March 1 at Oakley in western Kansas, Sen. Roger Marshall held a town hall meeting for area constitutents wanting to know more about activities in Washington DC that have impacts on them. The following written questions were submitted by Louise Ehmke. Unfortunately they were... [More]
Letter to the Editor - School bond issue
Sometimes I wonder what drives our government to do things in our name but don’t make sense. With regard to our School Bond election and the Kansas Attorney General’s ruling, how can it be that a law is enacted that has such serious flaws in it. SB 221... [More]
Insight: Your vote counts
In about two weeks or so, it will be Election Day. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I cannot wait for it to be over. I will not say another word about the campaigns because my mother told me, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at... [More]
Volunteers are the heart of our community
As we celebrate National 4-H Week this week, 4-H Members across the country are celebrating this wonderful youth organization with Friends, Family, and the Communities that support this youth development program. In addition to celebrating the hard-work and dedication of... [More]
A tribute to Tribune and her friendly residents
In 2023, we visited our good friends Julie and Bill Lawrence of Tribune, Kansas. We fell in love with Tribune! During one of our subsequent visits, we found and purchased a great house and will move in, in 2026. Everyone, and I mean everyone, we’ve come... [More]
Letter to the community from Superintendent Niehues
Dear families and community members, I hope this message finds you well. I want to take a moment to thank you for your continued support and engagement with our school community. Over the past few weeks, we have become aware of an issue regarding our school bond vote. As... [More]
More Opinions
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