Mary Josephine Loper
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
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
Mereta Carol (Morgan) Stone
Mereta Stone, 90, passed away on July 20, 2026, at Brookdale in Dodge City. She was born on December 6, 1935, in Tribune to Merle and Margaret (Jones) Morgan. Mereta attended and graduated from Tribune schools. She started her career as a type setter for The Daily Globe then... [More]
Richard “Rick” Phillip Coupland, Jr.
Richard Phillip Coupland, Jr., lovingly known as Rick, passed away peacefully on July 2, 2026, in Flagstaff, Arizona, at the age of 80. Rick was born on August 25, 1945, in Pueblo, Colorado, to Richard Phillip Coupland and Irma Eileen Coupland (Shacklett). He is survived by... [More]
Thelma I. Carlson
Thelma Isabel Carlson of Longmont, Colorado passed away on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at the age of 97. Thelma arrived at the Ferne and Oscar Carlson home in Tribune on December 16, 1928. She joined two-year-old Selma and one-year-old Velma. In the following two years both John... [More]
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- Arla Peter
- Judson P. Price, Sr.
- Becky Lynn Keller
- Celebration of Life for Derek Justin Smith
- Shawn Harney
- Don E. Moore
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- Rose Edna Fuller
SPORTS
Mia Reynolds takes League in #1 Singles
Photo caption: Mia Reynolds went 6-0 on the day in Dodge City, claiming the league title in #1 Singles. This photo was taken the previous weekend at WaKeeney. The Varsity tennis team traveled to Dodge City on Saturday, October 3, to compete in the Coaches Classic, which is... [More]
Lady Jackrabbits beat Tri-Plains, fall to Wildcats, Hornets at Dighton
Photo caption: Tylee Cavenee tips the ball over the net during an earlier season match-up against the Holly Wildcats. Photo by Sheryl Crotinger. The Lady Jackrabbits only had one afternoon of play last week, traveling to Dighton to compete in a quad on Tuesday, September 29. ... [More]
Running Rabbits compete in Ness City meet on Saturday, October 3
Photo caption: Braxon Mangan ran in the middle of the small pack of competitors at Greeley County’s home meet in mid-September. The Junior High and High School Running Rabbits competed in the Clyde T. McCracken Ness City Cross Country Invitational Meet in Ness City... [More]
Jackrabbits shut out by Wildcats
Photo caption: Senior Aidan Hill, #20, puts everything he has into a diving tackle to bring down Wallace County’s Trell Larson. Jackrabbits Caleb Young, #23, and Luke Grubb, #60, look to assist. The Greeley County Jackrabbits ran into a tough Sharon Springs team as they... [More]
Junior High Volleyball team has a clean sweep in St. Francis
Greeley County Junior High Volleyball traveled to St. Francis on Thursday, October 1. It was a great day of volleyball, with strong play by all three teams. The A, B, and C teams all won in two sets! The B team started off with a win in two sets, with scores of 25-6 and 25-11.... [More]
Junior High Jackrabbits fall to St. Francis Indians
Photo caption: Lincoln Hopkins, #52, prepares to hike the ball to Myles Hahn. Photo by Trista Shafer. The Junior High Football Team traveled to St. Francis on Thursday, October 1, to take on the Indians. Though the Jackrabbits were playing without eighth-grader Ruben... [More]
Junior High A team remains undefeated, B team is 13-4
Photo caption: Reagan Hahn prepares to serve the ball during last Friday’s game against Dighton. Photo by Sheryl Crotinger. By Head Coach Holly Steele Greeley County Junior High Volleyball had another busy but successful week of volleyball! We traveled to Cheyenne... [More]
Lady Jackrabbits defeat Tigers, Buffaloes, and Golden Eagles
Photo caption: Scarlett Shafer prepares to pass the ball. Photo by Trista Shafer. The Greeley County High School Lady Jackrabbits defeated the Cheyenne Wells Tigers, the Rawlins County (Atwood) Buffaloes, and the Trego County (WaKeeney) Golden Eagles last week, bringing their... [More]
More Sports
- Running Rabbits compete at Ulysses, Johnson
- Despite loss, Jackrabbits make progress against Dighton
- Tennis team competes in Scott City, WaKeeney
- Jackrabbits score decisive win over Dighton Hornets
- Lady Jackrabbits defeat St. Francis, Sharon Springs, go 1-2 at Dighton Tournament
- Jackrabbits fall to Red Devils, prepare to change game plan for Dighton
- Reynolds, Marquardt and Howell place second, Hopkins places third at Ellinwood meet
- Junior High Lady Jackrabbits A team wins Syracuse Tournament; B team takes second
NEWS
Rain brings flooding, road damage, and adventures
Photo caption: Santiago Mora, Braxon Mangan, Rowdy Grubb, Ryland Myers, and Jesus Vazquez enjoyed an incredibly rare boat trip in Greeley County after more than five inches of rain fell last Wednesday, September 30, and Thursday, October 1. Ryland reported that the Thursday afternoon... [More]
Chrysanne Grund receives Community Health Leader Award
Photo caption: Chrysanne Grund, left, was awarded a Community Care Network of Kansas 2026 Community Health Leader Award. She is pictured here with Amy Knight, Chief Clinical Officer , for Greeley County Health Services. Courtesy photo. Chrysanne Grund, Project Director... [More]
Brock Wagoner performs at last Prairie Palooza for 2026
Photo caption: Brock Wagoner, a recording artist from Colby, entertained at the final Prairie Palooza of the year on Saturday, October 3, 2026. While children painted pumpkins and played in the grassy lot between Moser Law Office and the Post Office and after members of the... [More]
National 4-H Week celebrated October 4-10
All across this country, county 4-H programs are celebrating the rich history of the National 4-H Youth Organization. It’s 120+ years old and still as relevant and productive in shaping our youth today as it was back then. 4-H has expanded over the years to... [More]
Aging with Confidence held Saturday, October 3
Photo caption: Jeremi Whitham, pharmacist and owner of Greeley County Drug, shared information about Medicare Part D and the importance of choosing an appropriate plan for each individual’s particular needs. Greeley County Health Services hosted an Aging with Confidence... [More]
Lacy Lawrence graduates from Kansas Hospital Association Leadership Institute
Photo caption: Lacy Lawrence, in the middle row, third from left, graduated from the Kansas Hospital Association Leadership Institute. Lawrence is the director of nursing at Greeley County Health Services. Courtesy photo. The Kansas Hospital Association Leadership Institute... [More]
Greeley County Health Services, Inc. Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
Education Conference Room August 26, 2026 Call to order: The meeting was called to order at 5:00 pm by Chris Dixon, Board Chair. Attending: Chris Dixon, Ben Fisher, Mike Thon, David Schneider via phone, Beth Aeschliman Administration/Staff: Katy Reynolds CEO, Trice... [More]
Household Hazardous Waste Fall Cleanup scheduled
The Northwest Kansas Small Solid Waste Landfill Authority Member counties will conduct a fall cleanup of Household Hazardous waste as follows: Pickup is scheduled for the morning of Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 8-11 a.m. at Recycling Center in Tribune. At the cleanup,... [More]
More News
OPINIONS
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]
FFA isn’t all sows, plows, and cows
Photo caption: Anna Marquardt, left, attended the ACC Conference in Lakin last week. Courtesy photo. FFA is growing tomorrow’s leaders, instilling confidence in members, and preparing members for career success and the ACC Conference did just that. ACC stands for authentic,... [More]
Letter to the Editor: Passing the Rotor Act is Plane Common Sense
Failure to pass it means another day, week, month that we put at risk the safety of all passengers who fly our skies. By U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) March 6, 2026 Crafted as a response to the deadly midair collision that occurred over the Potomac River in January... [More]
More Opinions
- Letter to the Editor
- Letter to the Editor: Trump promises handouts to farmers. Politicians promise development benefits. We pay for it all.
- Letter to the Editor
- Right to repair
- Letter to the Editor
- Letter to the Editor
- Letter to the editor: Political uncertainty shakes Kansas farmland values, and prosperity hangs in the balance
- From the Editor’s desk: Reflecting on the Symphony in the Flint Hills
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