Obituaries
| Publication year | 2021 |
| Pages | 58 |
| Citation | Vol. 90 No. 1 Pg. 58 |
January 2021
Morris Birch (4/21/1944 - 12/2/2020)
Morris Dean Birch succumbed to COVID-19 the night of December 2, 2020 at age 76. He was born April 21, 1944 in Wichita, Kansas to Marjory and Lauren Birch. He was the second of five children. He would marry Suzanne Hiebert in 1965, with whom he would spend 55 years before his passing. Morris and Suzanne have three children and 10 grandchildren. Morris was an eagle scout and among the first to graduate from Wichita South High School. He worked and paid his own way through Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, where he would meet his future wife. After graduating Southwestern with a degree in English, he worked his way through Washburn University, earning his JD. Morris returned to Wichita, working at several firms until ultimately opening a solo practice. He specialized in domestic law, defending those that often wouldn't have had representation otherwise. He received several awards from the Kansas Bar Association for his pro bono work, in which he had significant pride. Another source of great pride was all of the work he did to help couples adopt or to find homes for newborns. He was a constant presence in his children's lives, never missing a game or a performance. He worked hard to provide his children with whatever resources they needed. Morris is preceded by his parents and his younger brother Richard. He is survived by his wife, Suzanne; one brother and two sisters; his son Matthew Birch and Kelly Birch and their children, Jeffrey, Adam, and Ryan; his son Andrew Birch and Kerry Birch and their children Faith and Liam; and his daughter Elizabeth Gibson and Bradford Gibson and their children Makenzie, Lauren, Ashley, Hunter, and Isabella. Given the ongoing danger of COVID-19, the family is unable to hold a proper service at this time. The family hopes to have a celebration of Mo's life this summer, after vaccines are available and allow people to once again gather safely. Memorials may be sent to either Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church or the Parkinson's Association of the Plains, PO Box 771269, Wichita, KS 67277.
Orville J. Cole (3/4/1928 - 11/7/2020)
Orville J. Cole, age 92, of Garnett, Kansas, died on November 7, 2020, at Olathe Medical Center, Olathe, Kansas. He was born in Garnett, Kansas, on March 4, 1928, the third son of Ray D. Cole and Edna Mae (Reinfield) Cole. Cole received his law degree from Washburn University in January, 1951. He was immediately drafted into the Army where he served for two years in the 28th Infantry Division. Upon discharge from the Army in March, 1953, he commenced the practice of law in Garnett, Kansas, where he practiced until he retired in 1990. He was a member of the Kansas and American Bar Associations, the SOABS and Masonic Lodge. He is survived by his wife, LaVerne K. Cole: three children, Kathryn E. Harvey (James Clark), John Wm. Cole (Stephanie), Thomas M. Cole; and three grandchildren, Ashley Grosshuesch (Ty), Lacey Enriquez (Rhett), and Nicholas L. Wales.
Sheryl B. Etling (9/16/1945 - 12/5/2020)
Sheryl B. Etling, 75, died on Saturday, December 5, 2020 at the Ranch House in Garden City. She was born on September 16, 1945 at Dighton the daughter of Hoy B. & Wreatha (Hesser) Etling.
Sheryl graduated from Garden City High School. In 1967 she received her Bachelor's from Kansas State University in Speech. In 1969 she earned her Masters in Speech & Dramatic Art from the University of Iowa. For 3 years she was an instructor in Communications and Associate Director of Forensics at Central Missouri State University. She then received her Law Degree from University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1975 where she was first in her class and the editor in chief of the UMKC Law Review. She was an attorney at Stinson & Mag Law Firm in Kansas City for a few years. She then received her Masters in Law from the University of Michigan. She taught in the law school at Tulsa University for 2 years before moving to the University of South Dakota where she was a Professor in the Law School. After retiring she returned to Garden City. She enjoyed playing bridge, reading her mystery and history novels and her dogs.
She is survived by her Sister- Sharon Cook of Garden City, Brother- James Etling of Garden City, 2 Nieces- Jennifer Scott of Garden City and Kara Cook-Tate of Killeen, Texas and Nephew- David Scott of Lawrence.
Funeral Service will be at 10:30 AM Wednesday at Gar-nand Funeral Home with Rev Bob Bates officiating. Burial will be in Valley View Cemetery in Garden City. Memorials are suggested to National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation in care of Garnand Funeral Home. Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com
Theodore C. "Ted" Geisert (4/5/1925 - 11/6/2020)
Theodore C. "Ted" Geisert died at his home peacefully on Nov. 6, 2020.
He was born April 5, 1925, on a farm near Elmo, Kansas, the son of Frederick Jacob and Martha Lauer Geisert.
He graduated from Chapman High School in 1943. Following graduation he obtained a farm deferment and spent a year working on his father's farm before being drafted in the U.S. Army in August of 1944.
He served in the U.S. Army and fought in the Battle of Okinawa during WWII, continuing in the service until August of 1946.
Soon after returning home, he entered McPherson College where he led the Debate Team before graduating in 1949. He then entered Harvard Law School and received his law degree in June 1952.
He practiced law for six years in Wichita, Kans. with Flee-son, Gooring, Coulson and Kitch before moving to Kingman to open his own law firm where he remained a highly respected lawyer for the rest of his life.
On May 31, 1958, he was married to Alice L. Herman and the two of them began a family. They raised two sons, Matthew P. Geisert and Christopher F. Geisert and a daughter Sally A. Geisert.
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