Mary Josephine Loper

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Mary Jo Loper, age 75, passed away on July 28, 2026, at her home in Overland Park, KS. She was born on May 5, 1951 in Great Bend, KS. She was raised by her aunt and uncle, Floretta and Marion Otstott in Tribune. Mary Jo married Raymond Morgan in 1969 and divorced in 1979. She married Robin Loper on June 16,1987.

Mary Jo attended Greeley County High School obtaining her GED at a later date. She worked in the medical field in Garden City. Later, Mary Jo earned her cosmetology license and opened a beauty shop business in Garden City. At time of retirement, Mary Jo was a licensed collector. She and Robin liked to play bingo, go to the casinos and dining with family and friends. In her free time, she enjoyed singing, sewing and crafts.

Mary Jo was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend whose kindness, strength and unwavering love touched all who knew her. She was known for her candor and wasn’t one to sugarcoat things.

She had a generosity and ability to make others feel welcome, whether she was sharing a meal, offering words of encouragement, or simply spending time with those she loved. Her greatest pride was her family. She celebrated every milestone even if from afar, offered comfort during life’s challenges, and taught those around her the importance of faith, love and resilience.

She is survived by her husband, Robin, of the home, daughter Raquel (Matt Schneck) Chavez, daughter Brooke (Scott) Stecklein, and son Ryan (Cortney) Morgan, stepdaughter Shelby (Warren Jr.) Garlock and stepson Adam Loper; grandchildren Kyle Chavez, Christopher (Marcos) Chavez, Alec (Dylan) and Taeler Rosales; Raif, Vryah, and Rade Morgan; Zachary and Zoe Loper, Cambill Garlock; great-grandchildren Damyen, Easton, Kylie and Lincoln Chavez; sister Ginger (Roger) Egbert, and brother Kurtis (Susan) Kern.

She was preceded in death by her daughter Tisha Morgan, stepson Timothy Loper, sisters Kathleen Swartz and Michele Kern, father John Kern and Floretta and Marion Otstott.

A celebration of life for Mary Jo Loper will be held Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 1 p.m. CT at 10011 Connell Drive, Overland Park, KS 66212.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to Susan G. Komen for the Cure Breast Cancer Foundation at Komen.org (P.O. Box 801889, Dallas TX 75380) or Advanced Home Health and Hospice at 4700 Indian Creek Pkwy, Overland Park, KS 66207.

She will be deeply missed, forever loved, and always remembered.

OBITUARIES

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Fred Hiram Crotinger

Fred Hiram Crotinger, 76, of Tribune, Kansas, passed away on October 23, 2026, leaving behind a family who will deeply miss him and find comfort in knowing he is reunited with his beloved wife, Kathy. Fred was born on December 15, 1949, in Tribune to William H. and June Glenn... [More]

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Evelyn V. Schneider

Evelyn V. Schneider, 95, passed away on October 22, 2026, at Greeley County Long Term Care in Tribune. She was born February 21, 1931, in Hastings, Nebraska, the daughter of Lester and Agnes Walkemeyer Caylor. Evelyn grew up in Axtell and graduated with the class of 1949. She... [More]

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Gordon Wesley Gillock

Gordon Wesley Gillock died peacefully at Via Christi St, Joseph on Wednesday October 7, 2026, in Wichita, Kansas at the age of 80. Gordon was a graduate of Deerfield High School and went on to Oklahoma Panhandle State University where he received his Bachelor of Science in... [More]

Margaret Troutman

A memorial service for longtime Lamar, Colorado resident, Margaret Troutman, will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, October 16, 2026, at the Peacock Family Chapel with Ray Matteson of the Lamar Christian Church officiating. Inurnment will follow at the Fairmount Cemetery in the Veterans... [More]

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Ronald L. Koehn

Ronald L. Koehn, age 78, passed away on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at the Greeley County Health Services in Tribune. He was born on November 26, 1947, in Greensburg  to Alfred D. & Elma Giesel Koehn. Ron moved his family to Tribune in the late 60s, having moved... [More]

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Jerry Lee Huddleston

Jerry Lee Huddleston, age 72, passed away on Friday, September 11, 2026, at the Greeley County Health Services in Tribune.  He was born on February 4, 1954, in Tribune to Howard B. Huddleston and Lillian M. Luekenga Kubo. He was a Journeyman Lineman for Wheatland Electric... [More]

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Andrew Duke Stewart

Andrew Duke Stewart, known to many as “Duke” in his younger years and “Andy” thereafter, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at Western Prairie Senior Living Center in Ulysses at the age of 86. Andy was... [More]

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Kenneth L. Beougher

Kenneth L. Beougher was born on June 11, 1934 on the family farm in Gove County. He passed away on August 24, 2026 at Wheat Haven in McDonald. Ken was raised on the family farm alongside his three brothers and two sisters. He attended several rural schools in Gove County before... [More]

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SPORTS

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Six Jackrabbits compete at State Cross Country; Brandl, Stewart place in top 20

Photo caption: Jailyn Brandl, left, and Jeryn Stewart, right placed 12th and 15th, respectively, at Saturday’s 1A KSHSAA Cross Country meet in Wamego. Photo by Sheryl Crotinger. See more cross country coverage on page 7.  After qualifying at last week’s sub-state... [More]

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Lady Jackrabbits go 1-2 at 1A-DII State Volleyball in Emporia

Photo caption: Ellie Schneider and Charlize Shafer go up for block during Friday’s pool play game against the Argonia Red Raiders at the 1A-DII KSHSAA State Tournament in Emporia. See more volleyball coverage on page 6. After a morning pep rally at Greeley County Schools... [More]

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Jackrabbits fall to Tigers to end season

Photo caption: Hayden Myers runs the ball in for a touchdown during last Thursday evening’s game as Coach Austin Coffman cheers in the background. Photo by Jeff Crockett.  The Greeley County Jackrabbits football team wrapped up their 2026 season with a loss to the... [More]

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Jackrabbits are statebound in cross county, volleyball

Photo caption: The Greeley County Girls’ Cross Country team qualified for this Saturday’s state meet in Wamego after placing first at Saturday’s substate Region B race in Tribune. Pictured from left to right are Jailyn Brandl, Scarlett Shafer, Jeryn Stewart,... [More]

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Lady Jackrabbits are state bound for third straight year

Photo caption: The Lady Jackrabbits posed with a few of their devoted fans after Saturday’s substate championship win. In the back row, from left to right, are Tenley Stewart, Scarlett Shafer, Ellie Schneider, Brooklyn Clevenger, Kamri Myers, Tylee Cavenee, and Briana Martinez.... [More]

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Lady Jackrabbits’ team plus Mangan, Schmidt are state bound

Photo caption: Jailyn Brandl ran her second race of the year after facing some health challenges and placed sixth, qualifying for state. Photo by Sheryl Crotinger. Greeley County Schools hosted forty schools Saturday, October 24, for two regions of 1A substate cross country... [More]

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Junior High A and B volleyball teams are league champions

Photo caption: The A team girls were undefeated this season. They won last Thursday’s NWKL tournament. Pictured from left to right are Kendrix Mangan, Ayda Mangan, Tenley Stewart, Brielle Harkness, Yaresli Labra, Reagan Hahn, and Head Coach Holly Steele. Courtesy photo.... [More]

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Jackrabbits fall to St. Francis Indians

Photo caption: Jeff Heine, #50, and Rowdy Grubb work together to take down a St. Francis Indian during Friday night’s road game. The boys’ last game is scheduled for this Thursday, October 29, at home against Stockton. The Jackrabbits battled injuries during their... [More]

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NEWS

Greeley County Health Services announces walk-in clinic, welcomes new providers Andrea Blaszyk and Michelle Brown

Walk-in Clinic details  The Greeley County Family Practice Clinic in Tribune will begin offering a Walk-In Clinic beginning Monday, November 9, and running through Thursday, February 25, 2026. Hours will be 7:30 – 10 a.m., Monday through Thursday.  The walk-in... [More]

Veterans Day Activities

The VFW Post 7521 and Auxiliary would like to invite all veterans, along with the community, to the Annual Veterans Day Program on Wednesday, November 11, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. MT. The program will be conducted by members of the VFW Post 7521 and Auxiliary and will take place at... [More]

4-H Christmas Tree Sales

It is hard to believe, but that time of the year is fast approaching!  The 4-H Clubs of Greeley County will once again be selling Christmas trees for the community.  We will have a variety of trees in various heights.  We can also special order a “flocked”... [More]

Greeley County Schools Board Agenda

USD 200 - Board of Education Monday, November 9, 2026, 6:00 p.m. 1. Call to Order 2. Approval of Agenda 3. Approval of October 12th, 2026 Regular Meeting Minutes 4. Approval of expenditures and transfers 5. Comments from the Public 6. Staff Report(s) 7. Administrative... [More]

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Senator Moran visits Greeley County Health Services

Photo caption: Senator Jerry Moran visited Greeley County Health Services Friday, October 30, and met with Dr. Chad Jenkins, left, as well as GCHS CEO Katy Reynolds (not pictured.) Courtesy photo.  From Senator Jerry Moran’s Newsletter Touring Greeley County Health... [More]

Governor Kelly Adds Eight Individuals to Kansas Walk of Honor

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced the addition of eight prominent individuals to the Kansas Walk of Honor during a ceremony at the Kansas State Capitol. The governor was joined by individuals of the Kansas Historical Society, the Capitol Preservation Committee, family... [More]

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Damp conditions continue to slow fall harvest

Photo caption: This is just a small part of the Halloween decorations at Tanner and Sherri Elder’s home. Several area homes were festively decorated for the holiday.  Several mornings brought fog and moderate temperatures, mixed with daily traces of moisture, made... [More]

Sales tax question will appear on Nov. 3 Tribune voters’ ballots

City of Tribune/Unified Greeley County Municipal Services District voters will have the opportunity to vote in favor or against the addition of a 1% sales tax on the November 3 ballot.   The measure, if approved, would levy a Tribune city retailers’ sales tax in... [More]

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OPINIONS

Letter to the Editor – Get out and vote

In 2026, 62% of American adults identify as Christian, a relatively stable figure since 2019, after decades of decline. America’s Muslim population has grown from roughly 0.9% in 2014 to 1.6% in 2026, driven largely by open borders, and high birth rates. (Source: Wikipedia,... [More]

Letter to the Community

To:  Greeley County citizens in this voting season in our democracy  From: Terry Woodbury, Kansas City American Oversight — a nonpartisan watchdog that protects our democracy by helping citizens gain access to government documents — recently obtained... [More]

Vote NO to keep Kansas courts independent

On August 4, Kansans will decide whether to amend our Constitution and fundamentally change how justices of the Kansas Supreme Court are selected. Whatever one thinks about particular court decisions or individual justices, this vote is about something much larger: whether we... [More]

Open letter to the community: Tilt-A-Whirl plans go sideways

We’re sad and sorry to report that we will not have a Tilt-A-Whirl by the 2026 Greeley County Fair. The seller, a ride company out of Arizona, recently informed the Greeley County Amusement Association board that he would be breaking our contract and not selling the ride... [More]

From the Editor’s iPhone, at the corner of Kiowa County’s Road J and 76

No, there’s not a true intersection there, just a county road, a trail, and a corner post marking the field lines. But there are some free-range yaks - maybe just out of their pen - within a couple of miles.  You never know what you’re going to see during harvest…or... [More]

From the editor's desk

Change isn’t my favorite.  Though I like to think I’m open-minded and forward-looking, I can become rooted in patterns, comfortable in the way things are done. If I can navigate the mental maze of getting from point A to point Z several times, then just follow... [More]

Letter to the Community: We need lifeguards

How lucky are we to have a small-town swimming pool? Honestly–very.  It’s more than just a place to cool off. It’s where summers happen. Kids learn to swim, teens hang out, families relax, and the whole community comes together in one spot. In a small... [More]

In Pursuit: Lesson #1 – From George Washington

Editor’s Note: The Kansas Press Association and Kansas Humanities have partnered to provide access to a series of essays honoring the 250th Anniversary of our nation.  There is so much we can learn from the lessons of our past. In Pursuit is a new initiative from... [More]

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