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
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]
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]
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... [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]
More Obituaries
- Richard “Rick” Phillip Coupland, Jr.
- Thelma I. Carlson
- Arla Peter
- Judson P. Price, Sr.
- Becky Lynn Keller
- Celebration of Life for Derek Justin Smith
- Shawn Harney
- Don E. Moore
SPORTS
Mia Reynolds competes at state tennis
Photo caption: Mia Reynolds played four matches at Friday’s 3-2-1A State Tennis tournament in Topeka. Reynolds defeated her first and third opponents and lost to her second and fourth competitors. Mia Reynolds competed at the 3-2-1A State Tennis Tournament in Topeka,... [More]
High School Cheerleaders
The High School Cheerleaders were bundled up due to Friday night’s cooler temperatures. Cheerleaders are (left to right) Gracelyn Graham, Britney Helpingstine, Annaleigh Long, and Lorilai Zerr. Photo by Sheryl Crotinger.
Cross country team competes at Hoxie Invitational
Photo caption: Scarlett Shafer placed 18th at last Thursday’s Hoxie Invitational Cross Country Meet. Photo by Trista Shafer. The Greeley County High School Cross Country runners made the trip to Hoxie on Thursday, October 15, to compete in the Hoxie Invitational... [More]
Jackrabbits fall to Indians in final junior high football game of the year
Photo caption: Caden Smith, #55, works to take down a Leoti player. Deacon Gooch, #1, and Jose Rascon, on the ground, also look to assist. The Junior High Jackrabbits hosted the Wichita County Indians in their final game of the season last Thursday, October 15, 2026. Though... [More]
Junior High Volleyball team has successful last week of regular season play
Photo caption: The B and C girls wish their A teammates well before the start of Thursday’s game. Photo by Sheryl Crotinger. Greeley County Junior High Volleyball had two game days this week. The C team was able to host a modified Quad here on Monday and then... [More]
Jackrabbits lose tough one to Ness City Eagles
Photo caption: Oscar Martinez gets tangled up with a Ness City player as they both go for the ball during Friday night’s home game. Photo by Sheryl Crotinger. The Jackrabbits came out strong against the Ness City Eagles, putting 22 points on the board in the first half.... [More]
Reynolds qualifies for state tournament in Topeka
Our tennis team competed at the Regional Tournament in Ellsworth on Friday, October 9, and Saturday, October 10. Teams competing were Ellsworth, Greeley County, Central Plains-Claflin, Hoisington, Trego County-WaKeeney, Phillipsburg, Victoria, Russell, Osborne, and Norton, featuring... [More]
Jackrabbits face defeat at Quinter
Photo caption: A pack of Bulldogs struggle to bring down Rowdy Grubb during Friday night’s road game. Luke Grubb, #60, and Hayden Myers, #99, can be seen in the background. Photo by Quinter High School Student Publications. The Greeley County Jackrabbits traveled to Quinter... [More]
More Sports
- Running Rabbits compete in league meet, Lakin Invitational
- Lady Jackrabbits are runners-up at Saturday’s NWKL Tournament
- Junior High A, B girls continue winning ways; C team battles it out
- Junior High Jackrabbits fall to Bulldogs
- Mia Reynolds takes League in #1 Singles
- Lady Jackrabbits beat Tri-Plains, fall to Wildcats, Hornets at Dighton
- Running Rabbits compete in Ness City meet on Saturday, October 3
- Jackrabbits shut out by Wildcats
NEWS
In a year, scientists plan to be digging up bones
Photo caption: Graduate student Issac Nelson, center, takes soil samples from the side of an 18-inch trench dug as a shallow burial site for animals as part of a USDA-grant funded research project. Last Wednesday, October 14, a new experiment broke ground at the Southwest... [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]
Early voting begins October 27
Submitted by Unified Greeley County Clerk Jerri Young Early voting starts on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, during regular business hours in the Greeley County Courthouse. Hours are from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Early voting will close at 12 noon on Monday, November 2, 2026. Please... [More]
Soup Supper on October 28
The community is invited to attend a Soup Supper on Wednesday, October 28, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Methodist Church Fellowship Hall. This is a free-will donation event. The soup menu includes chicken and noodles, chili, ham and beans, potato, beef vegetable, and taco... [More]
Greeley County Schools to host Cross Country Regional Saturday
Photo caption: Greeley County High School Cross Country runners struggle for position at the start of last Thursday’s Hoxie Invitational meet. Pictured from the center, wearing bib #141, are Taven Schmidt, Knox Mangan, Braxon Mangan, Samuel Warner, and Truett Young. Photo... [More]
Motorists encouraged to lookout for deer
While deer can be spotted near roadways any time of the year, motorists should be especially vigilant in the fall for deer crossing roadways due to the “rut,” or mating season, a time when deer are frequently on the move. “When a deer enters the roadway, drivers... [More]
Fall like weather for planting, harvest
Photo caption: Though the Country Fresh Market has wrapped up for the season, Erik Howell and Melissa Zerr have been selling some pumpkins, tomatoes, and peppers over downtown the past couple of weeks. Photo by Sheryl Crotinger. Both wheat planting and fall corn harvest are... [More]
Melven O. Kuder Senior Center receives $50,000 grant for kitchen expansion and renovation
Photo caption: This is the Melven O. Kuder Senior Center kitchen before demolition and renovations began. Photo by Chelsey Cavenee. The Melven O. Kuder Senior Center in Tribune has been awarded a $50,000 grant from The Patterson Family Foundation to support the expansion... [More]
More News
- Body Ventures learning experience at Greeley County Schools
- Board of Supervisors meeting notes
- Drier conditions allow planting to resume
- Rain brings flooding, road damage, and adventures
- Chrysanne Grund receives Community Health Leader Award
- Brock Wagoner performs at last Prairie Palooza for 2026
- National 4-H Week celebrated October 4-10
- Aging with Confidence held Saturday, October 3
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]
More Opinions
- FFA isn’t all sows, plows, and cows
- Letter to the Editor: Passing the Rotor Act is Plane Common Sense
- 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
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