Velma Schnittker Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Pratt, KS Velma B. Yarberry Schnittker, age 97, died Monday, August 22, 2011 at South Wind Hospice Home in Pratt, Kansas. She was born in Pratt County on November 15, 1913, the daughter of Bessie (Marteney) and Gene Oller. She grew up in a large family of 12 brothers and sisters. She married Lester Yarberry on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1934. He passed away on October 23, 1966 after 32 years of marriage. Velma and Lester lived on 3 different farms around the Cunningham area-raising their 3 daughters, Betty, Belva, and Linda. She worked right along beside her husband on those farms for many years. While her daughters were in high school she worked in Pratt at Davies Manufacturing and Doskocile’s Meat Market. She had huge gardens, loved raising flowers, cooking, and sewing. She was a lifetime resident of Cunningham and Pratt. In 1960 she and Lester left the farm and moved into Cunningham where she was employed as a cook for the Cunningham School District 332. In 1973 she married Joe Schnittker and moved to Pratt. She was a member of the Cunningham Christian Church and The American Legion Auxiliary in Cunningham. While living in Pratt she attended the Pratt Christian Church. She was a volunteer at the Pratt Historical Society, Pratt Regional Medical Center, a member of the Elks Foundation and the Pratt Senior Citizen’s Center. She is survived by her 3 daughters: Betty Crawford (Arnold) Hedke of Wamego, Kansas; Belva Dauner of Bend, Oregon and Linda (John) Shelk of Powell Butte, Oregon. She is survived by 7 grandchildren, Michael and Randy Warren, Brenda Kirkendall, Brian Crawford, Michelle Hajovsky, Clark Dauner, and Anne Marie Shelk. She also has 10 great-grandchildren and 6 great-great grandchildren. Also surviving is her sister Gertrude Wehling, Colorado Springs, Colorado; half-brother and sisters Jerry Oller of Langdon, Ellen Jean Hanson of Pratt, and Lynnette Chick of Hutchinson; Step-children Jolene Tustin of Great Bend, Delmar Schnittker of Grand Lake, Colorado and Howard Schnittker of Kansas City. Velma was a member of that “Great Generation” that is fast leaving us. The generation who started with so little, worked so hard, and endured much. Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., Thursday, August 25, 2011 and Friday, August 26, 2011 at Larrison Mortuary 300 Country Club Rd., Pratt, KS 67124, where family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Friday. Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m., Saturday, August 27, 2011 at Larrison Mortuary with Pastor Mike McGovney presiding. Burial will be in the Maud Cemetery in Cunningham, KS. Memorials may be sent to South Wind Hospice or Big Lakes Developmental Center of Manhattan, both in care of the mortuary. Condolences may be left at www.larrisonmortuary.com

Velma Schnittker

November 15, 1913 - August 22, 2011

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