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Hart, Robert L.

Robert Lee Hart, 74, of Topeka formerly of Coffeyville passed away Monday, July 18, 2016, at his home.

He was born on November 30, 1941, at Enid, OK to Charles Addison and Gail (Loughman) Hart. He grew up and attended school in Enid, graduating from Enid High School.

On June 24, 1964 he was united in marriage to Donna Pratz at Enid, OK. Following their marriage they made their home in Drummond, OK, where they raised their sons and Robert was employed as a driver and salesman for Mistletoe Express for 26 years. In1990 they moved to Coffeyville when they purchased Bowser’s Midget Mart. They moved to Topeka 2 years ago.

Robert was a member of the Drummond United Methodist Church. He love spending time with his family, when his sons were young he enjoyed coaching Little League Baseball and Football.

Survivors include his wife, Donna of the home; two sons, Mark Hart of Coffeyville, and Bret Hart and wife Monica of Topeka; one brother, Gary Hart of Enid, OK; his mother-in-law, Marjorie Bowser of Coffeyville; seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

A Graveside Memorial Service will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 23, 2016 at Robbins Cemetery west of Coffeyville with Pastor Nicole Schwartz of the First United Methodist Church officiating.

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Burt, Albert B

Albert Bennett Burt, Jr. JOHNS ISLAND – Albert Bennett Burt, Jr., 78, of Johns Island, South Carolina, partner of Jerry R. Poer, entered into eternal rest Tuesday, June 23, 2020. His private funeral service will be held cryptside Friday, June 26, 2020 in Magnolia Cemetery, 70 Cunnington Avenue. Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Downtown Chapel. Albert was born May 23, 1942 in Birmingham, Alabama, son of Albert Bennett Burt and Arrie Hudson Smith. He enlisted in the United States Air Force immediately after high school and, following service, he enrolled and graduated from Armstrong College. Albert spent a career as an accountant in the shipping industry and retired from Maybank Shipping. Albert is survived by his partner, Jerry of Johns Island, SC. He was predeceased by two sisters: Barbara Burt Weems and Jean Burt; and brother, William L. Gibb. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Lung Association 55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150, Chicago, IL 60601and/or Grace Church Cathedral, 98 Wentworth Street, Charleston, SC 29401.

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Albin Rousseau, Bonnie M

Bonnie M. (Albin) Gingras-Rousseau

October 31, 1942 ~ June 29, 2019 (age 76)

Bonnie Gingras-Rousseau passed away on Saturday, June 29, 2019 at the age of 76.
Bonnie is preceded in death by her parents, Marguerite Frazier Albin and Emmet Boyd Albin; her first husband, Jim Gingras; her second husband, Thomas Rousseau; and her sister, Elaine Ruth Smith. She is survived by her children, George Gingras (Melissa Gingras) and Melanie G. Chacon (Jose Chacon); grandchildren, Daniel James Chacon, George Patrick Gingras, and Payton Gingras; siblings, Dorothy Fern Tate, Emmet Boyd Albin, Jr., Donna Kay Denton, Chris Michael Albin, and Ronald William Albin; as well as many beloved nieces and nephews. Bonnie was active in her church community, serving as both a Sunday School teacher and as a Deacon for First Christian Church in Metairie. She was a butterfly enthusiast, and had a love for them in all forms. Bonnie had a servant’s heart, and was ready to help anyone in need. Everyone became a friend to her, and she will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend a visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 2, 2019 at First Christian Church, 8121 Airline Dr. in Metairie. A service will begin at 12:00 p.m. Interment will immediately follow in Garden of Memories Cemetery, 4900 Airline Dr. in Metaire.

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Grantz Bersche, Barbara J.

Barbara Jo Grantz Bersche
September 20, 1942 – April 6, 2023


Barbara Bersche of Chesterfield, Missouri, recently relocated from Rogers, Arkansas, passed away on April 6, after a recent diagnosis of an aggressive brain tumor.

Barbara was born September 20, 1942 in Wichita, Kansas, to Irvin and Virginia Grantz.  She attended Enid High School, in Enid, Oklahoma, where she graduated in 1960. 

Barbara married Richard Bersche in 1964, and had one son.  In the early 1980’s, the family relocated to Northwest Arkansas, where they lived in Bella Vista, and Rogers.  Barbara worked in several positions in the banking industry during her time in Arkansas, subsequently retiring from Arvest Bank in 2008.

In retirement, Barbara maintained contact with her friends and was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Rogers.

She is survived by her son Chad, his wife Christine, and two grandchildren, Carissa and Caitlin, as well as her older brother Alvin (Linda) Grantz, and younger sister Sondra (Joe) Privitt.  Barbara was preceded in death by her brother Walter (1998) and her ex-husband, Richard (2003).

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Gage, Jimmy

Jimmy “Jim” Gage
May 1, 1942 – August 6, 2017


The funeral services celebrating the life of Jim Gage 75, of Enid will be held 2:00 P.M. Tuesday August 8, 2017 in Brown-Cummings Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Mark McAdow officiating. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Brown-Cummings Funeral Home.

Jim Gage passed away August 6, 2017 after a long battle with Lymphoma And related illnesses. He was Born May 1,1942 in Enid Oklahoma to Leon and Avis Gage. Jim attended the University of Oklahoma and Phillips University. In the sixties he traveled throughout Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas revamping the telephone systems. Jim took a liking to Carnegie, Ok and settled down there. He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed fishing with his buddies. In his younger days, he loved to take his dog, Rusty, and go hunting.

In his retirement years, he enjoyed daily coffee hours with his friends, and an occasional game of dominoes.

Jim was a faithful son, he drove from Carnegie to Enid every weekend for three years to care for his parents during their last years. He will be fondly missed by his family and friends. He is survived by his sister; Barbara Gage Horn and husband David, brother Ed Gage and his wife Laney, six nieces and nephews, eleven great nieces and nephews, and many very close and loyal friends in Carnegie, Oklahoma where he has resided for the past forty years. Jim was preceded in death by his parents.

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Nichols, Jerry E.

Jerry Edward Nichols

Jerry Edward Nichols, 78 of Enid, Oklahoma passed away on January 28th, 2021.
Jerry graduated from Enid High School and Phillips University in Enid, OK. He worked for Grace Petroleum in Oklahoma City before joining Hunt Oil Company in Dallas Texas as a Director of Information Technology until his retirement. In his younger years, he was somewhat of a daredevil.He caught his backyard treehouse on fire while smoking catalpa beans.Also, while doing a science project in his parent’s garage, he blew it up. He was a compassionate person, for instance he helped build St. Luke’s Methodist Church in Enid, OK.
He enjoyed riding motorcycles, cooking, reading, and bowling.He was an avid sports fan. His favorite teams were OU, Dallas Cowboys, & Texas Rangers. Preceded in death by: Parents, Arthur and Grace Nichols; sisters, Ginger Rieger, Betty Nichols , & JoanPetersen.
Survived by: Son, Bryan Nichols and wife, Shannon Nichols; daughter, Tamara Nichols; sister, Linda Frieden; grandchildren, Faith Ruiz, Chancellor Nichols, Bryce Nichols, Blaid Nichols, Skylar Martin; and great-grandchildren, Logan Nichols, Rickey Nichols, River Nichols, Everleigh Nichols, and Rowan Ruiz, Zelda Ford.

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Jenkins, Louis B.

Louis Burke Jenkins
On December 21, 2019, the Winter Solstice, Louis left us peacefully seeking the return of the light.
He was 77. Born in Oklahoma City. he grew up in Stafford, KS and Enid, OK. He lived in Duluth, MN for 46 years. His life was poetry. He became well-known as the master of the prose poem, publishing 19 books. He was the co-author, with Mark Rylance, of the very successful play Nice Fish. Survived by wife of 48 years, Ann, son Lars (Amy), granddaughters Iris and Clio, sisters Dianne Mathis and Annette Gariepy, and many others who will miss him so very much. His papers will be added to the U of MN Archives.


Louis Burke Jenkins (October 28, 1942 – December 21, 2019) was an American prose poet. He lived in Duluth, Minnesota, with his wife Ann for over four decades, beginning in 1971. He also lived in Bloomington, Minnesota. His poems have been published in a number of literary magazines and anthologies. Jenkins was a guest on A Prairie Home Companion numerous times and was also featured on The Writer’s Almanac and on the Northern Lights TV Series.

Personal life:
Louis Burke Jenkins was born October 28, 1942 in Enid, Oklahoma to Burke Jenkins and Genevieve (née Webring). He attended Wichita State University from 1967 to 1969. Jenkins married Sandra Brashear in 1963, divorcing in 1968, and then married librarian Ann Jacobson in 1970,
relocating to Minnesota in 1971. He has a son named Lars. Jenkins died at his home in Bloomington on December 21, 2019, at age 77.

Literary awards and honors:
Louis Jenkins’ book, Nice Fish, was winner of the Minnesota Book Award in 1995, and his book Just Above Water won the Northeastern Minnesota Book Award in 1997. Jenkins was a featured poet at the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival in 1996 and at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival in England in 2007. He was a Bush Foundation Fellow in 1979 and 1984. He also was honored with the George Morrison award and Loft-McKnight Fellowship.

Acting and work with Mark Rylance
Actor Mark Rylance recited works by Jenkins in lieu of formal acceptance speeches after winning a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for the play Boeing-Boeing in 2008 and after winning his Tony Award for the play Jerusalem in 2011. Rylance then transformed Jenkins’ poetry into the play Nice Fish, and Jenkins played Old Man Winter in a production of that play at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2016. Jenkins also appeared in the minor role of Earl in the 2016 film Blood Stripe and as a therapist in the 1964 film Lilith.

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Goertzen, Larry Neal

Larry Neal Goertzen, 77, formerly a longtime Enid businessman, died Sunday, August 5, 2018, at his home in Yukon. He was born December 9, 1940, in Enid. His parents were Pete and Luciel Goertzen.
The Graveside Memorial Service is 12 noon Saturday, August 11, 2018, at Enid Cemetery.
Larry owned Larry’s Marine and Cycle for more than 30 years. He was active in the Enid Elks Gun Club, the Grand National Quail Hunt, Ducks Unlimited, a proud member of the NRA and spent over a decade of service in the Oklahoma National Guard. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. Larry is survived by his partner, Sharon Mikles, of the home, two sons, Ronnie Goertzen, of Enid, and Donnie Goertzen and wife, Lisa, of Pratt, KS. He is also survived by sisters, Phyllis Timmons, Portia Pratt Clayton and brother, Lanny Goertzen, all of Enid. He is also survived by six grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. Fondly remembered by his family, Larry will be greatly missed.