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
Robert “Eddie” Goodrum
Robert “Eddie” Goodrum passed away on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at the age of 89. He was born the son of Harold and Floe (Southwick) Goodrum on February 17, 1936, in Ventura, California. At 6 months old, he returned with his parents and family to Wellington.... [More]
Paul S. “JR” Woolfolk, Jr.
Paul S. Woolfolk, Jr. (“JR”), age 81, passed away on Sunday, December 14, 2025 at St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City. He was born on Sept. 8, 1944 in Syracuse to Paul and Fannie (Singleton) Woolfolk who lived southwest of Tribune. JR was baptized in Sheridan Lake,... [More]
David “Dave” A Mitchell
David “Dave” A. Mitchell passed away at the age of 85, at Pioneer Ridge Retirement Community in Lawrence on Thursday, December 11, 2025 surrounded by family. He was born on September 19, 1940, in Tribune. He was the son of William Arthur Mitchell and Edna Sophronia... [More]
Daryl Leroy Sebastian
Daryl Leroy Sebastian was born April 9, 1937, to Leona and Cecil Sebastian in Tribune. He passed away on November 30, 2025, in Lake Elsinore, California. Daryl graduated from Greeley County Schools and attended Fort Hays State for two years. He later farmed with his father,... [More]
Warren M. Kuttler
Warren M. Kuttler, 74, of Tribune, died in Tribune on November 21, 2025. He was born on October 9, 1951, in Boise, Idaho, to Joseph Virgil Kuttler, Jr., and Imogene Ruth (Clark) Kuttler. After many moves during his father’s Air Force tenure, the Kuttler family moved... [More]
Merle LeRoy Shalberg
Merle LeRoy Shalberg was born on January 6, 1936, in Sheridan Lake, Colorado, and passed away on November 10, 2025, at Weisbrod Hospital in Eads, surrounded by his family, following a brief illness. He was 89 years old. Merle attended school in Sheridan Lake, (aka KA Hall)... [More]
Rev. William F. “Bill” Kleymann
It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Rev. William F. “Bill” Kleymann, Jr. He passed away at Wesley Hospital in Wichita, Kansas on Friday afternoon, November 14, 2025, at the age of 81. Bill was born August 10, 1944, in Syracuse, Kansas, to Helen... [More]
Burial services for Stewarts Saturday
Burial services for James Thompson Stewart and Margret A. Stewart will be on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at 1 p.m. at the Greeley County Cemetery in Tribune. There will be a get together prior to the services. Please call Teri Richards for more information.
More Obituaries
- Memorial for Jane Ellen (Dixon) Scarffe
- Jane Ellen (Dixon) Scarffe
- Mary Ann Krebs
- Rodney Alan Paxman
- Memorial services for Mary Ann Krebs
- Amy Dawn Kessler
- Jacqueline “Jackie” Marie Hutchins
- Richard Marion Martin
SPORTS
Junior High Lady Jackrabbits claim first, runner-up at NWKL Tournament
Photo Caption: The Junior High girls had strong finishes at the NWKL Tournament last week. The A Team finished in first place. The B team finished as the runner-up. In the front row, from left to right, are Lexi Clevenger, Yaresli Labra, Baileigh Schmidt, Kendrix Mangan,... [More]
Lady Jackrabbits defeat Tri-Plains/Brewster, lose to Quinter
Photo Caption: Addy Kennedy brought the ball up the court during Tuesday night’s home game against Tri-Plains/Brewster. The Lady Jackrabbits hosted the Tri-Plains/Brewster Titans on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. Though the Lady Jackrabbits had the game easily... [More]
Jackrabbits claim wins over Tri-Plains/Brewster, Quinter
Photo Caption: Gael Yanez scored 10 points during the game against Tri-Plains/Brewster. The Jackrabbits hosted the Tri-Plains/Brewster Titans on Tuesday, December 16. Going into the game, Head Coach Josh Gooch knew that all his boys, including his JV squad,... [More]
Wrestlers begin season, co-oping with Wichita County Indians
Photo caption: Caleb Young, second from left, placed second at the JV Tournament in Ulysses last Saturday. Courtesy photo. Greeley County male wrestlers had their first outing of the season on Saturday, December 6, 2025, as they traveled to St. Francis to compete. ... [More]
Jackrabbits go 2-1 at the Border Wars in Syracuse
Photo caption: Rowdy Grubb played tenacious defense Friday night against Eads and Saturday afternoon against Las Animas, Coach Gooch said. The Jackrabbits headed to Syracuse on Tuesday, December 9, to take on the Stratton, Colo. Eagles in their first games of the Border... [More]
Lady Jackrabbits go 1-2 at Border Wars Tournament
Photo caption: Tylee Cavenee drove to the basket during Friday afternoon’s game against the Eads Eagles. The Lady Jackrabbits traveled to Syracuse on Tuesday, December 9, to take on the Stratton, Colo. Eagles in the first day of the Border Wars Tournament. ... [More]
JH Jackrabbits defeat St. Francis in overtime
Photo caption: Deacon Gooch puts up a shot during last Thursday’s game in St. Francis. Photo by Guilherme Evans. The Junior High Jackrabbits traveled to St. Francis on Thursday, December 11, to take on the Indians in A and B action. (Though a C game was originally scheduled,... [More]
Junior High Lady Jackrabbits easily defeat St. Francis Indians
Photo caption: Brooklyn Clevenger had 10 points in Thursday afternoon’s A game against the St. Francis Indians. Photo by Trista Shafer. The Junior High Lady Jackrabbits traveled to St. Francis last Thursday, December 11, to take on the Indians in A, B, and C action.... [More]
More Sports
- Jackrabbits sweep Elkhart, Stanton County to begin season
- JH Lady Jackrabbits sweep Hornets in C, B, and A play
- Junior High Jackrabbits fall to Dighton Hornets
- Five Jackrabbits recognized with All League Football Honors
- Red & White Scrimmage players
- Greeley County students compete in Colby Recreation Basketball League
- High School Jackrabbits host Red and White Scrimmage
- Jackrabbits fall to Coyotes, beat Buffaloes
NEWS
Greeley County Schools launches Jackrabbit Vision Capital Campaign
Photo Caption: The cheerleaders led a large crowd in the Greeley County Schools gym during the Friday, December 5, 2025, basketball game against the Stanton County Trojans. Greeley County Schools invites businesses and individuals to take part in the Jackrabbit... [More]
No paper next week
The Greeley County Republican will not publish on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and the newspaper office will be closed the week of December 29 - January 2. The first edition of the new year will come out on Wednesday, January 8. We look forward to serving you in 2026.... [More]
Gospel music concert on Saturday, January 3
Saturday, January 3, at 5 p.m., Chuck Crain will be performing at the First Baptist Church of Tribune. Chuck’s Gospel Music career has taken him all over the world. He has sung on the stage with Wayne Newton in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Branson, etc. ... [More]
Western Kansas Community Foundation Awards over $201,000 in fall grants
The Western Kansas Community Foundation (WKCF) has announced the recipients of its Fall 2025 grant cycle, awarding more than $201,000 through three community-focused grant opportunities: the “Our Community, Our Future (OCOF)” Benchmark Grants, the November Community... [More]
Wheatland Electric hosts holiday open house
Julie Stoss, director of consumer services; Kevin White, trustee; and Rhei Thurman, manager of consumer services, gather for a photo at Wheatland Electric’s holiday open house in Tribune. It was held on December 10. Courtesy photo.
Shop Greeley County for Christmas
The final drawing in the Shop Greeley County for Christmas program will be this Wednesday, December 24, 2025. Winners of the fourth week’s drawing, held on December 17, were Gracelyn Graham, Melissa Harris, and Amaya Vazquez. The final tickets picked up with be... [More]
Board of Supervisors meeting notes
Monday, December 22, 2025, 1 p.m. Notes by Sheryl Crotinger Supervisors present: Chairman Steve Mangan, Monty Moritz, Scott Steele, Stan Shafer, and Alan Waggoner Others present: County Clerk Jerri Young, County Treasurer Diane Gentry, Utility Manager Stephanie Elliott,... [More]
Unseasonably warm temperatures lead up to Christmas
Editor’s Note: There’s a slight change of format for this week’s weather. You’ll notice the absence of the usual chart provided by the Experiment Station. We will plan to run the weeks we missed when they become available. This week’s weather data... [More]
More News
- Elementary students present winter concert
- Payton Walk hired as Greeley County Community Development Director
- Hattie Bond retires after 41 years at Gooch’s Foods
- Greeley County Amusement Association purchases Tilt-A-Whirl
- Marcela Springsteel finds the 2025 Christmas Medallion
- Shop Greeley County for Christmas
- Highs mostly in the 60s predicted for the rest of the week
- Junior High and High School perform Holiday Music Program
OPINIONS
Letter to the Editor: Trump promises handouts to farmers. Politicians promise development benefits. We pay for it all.
As has been widely speculated, Monday brought news that the Trump administration will provide several billion dollars in bailouts to farmers, with an emphasis on corn and soybean growers. Only a small portion may go to Kansas wheat farmers. Predictably, political dances followed... [More]
Letter to the Editor
After watching about three hours of the Supreme Court debate over tariffs, I learned something significant. As of Wednesday, November 5, tariffs amount to an 18% tax on all of us. On top of all the other taxes, that 18% shocked me. That number was shared in the Supreme Court... [More]
Right to repair
Right to Repair is one of the hottest topics not only in agriculture, but also in the US. In the bustling industrial economy, money-hungry companies are looking for any way to save a penny or pass on costs onto the consumer. This then accumulates into the Right... [More]
Letter to the Editor
Imagine yourself living on a homestead, a place you’ve called home for 71 years. Unknowingly, the groundwater beneath your farm, slowly disappearing until there’s none! Those of us who go to the sink for a glass of water, fill our washing machines to get a clean... [More]
Letter to the Editor
Dear Parents and Guardians, This year, we are excited to announce that our school, grades 6-12, will be holding student-led conferences along with traditional parent-teacher conferences. In a student-led conference, your child takes an active role in leading the conversation.... [More]
Letter to the editor: Political uncertainty shakes Kansas farmland values, and prosperity hangs in the balance
by Ben Palen First published in the Kansas Reflector In 1979, I bought my first parcel of farmland. It was near Tribune, and I was a proud new landowner. As I recall, the purchase price was $350 per acre. Today, that land is probably worth somewhere in the $2,000-per-acre... [More]
From the Editor’s desk: Reflecting on the Symphony in the Flint Hills
Saturday, June 14, was the grand finale of the Symphony of the Flint Hills, which celebrated a 20-year run of welcoming guests onto the open prairie to enjoy a performance by the Kansas City Symphony. This year’s theme was “Prairie Sunset” and as the... [More]
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]
More Opinions
- Letter to the Editor: Donald Trump is not our king
- Open letter to Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall
- Letter to the Editor - School bond issue
- Insight: Your vote counts
- Volunteers are the heart of our community
- A tribute to Tribune and her friendly residents
- Letter to the community from Superintendent Niehues
- Letter to the Editor
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