Robert Simon

Robert (Bob)(RL) Leon Simon, age 77, passed away on Friday, October 30, 2009 at the Wichita County LTCU in Leoti, Kansas. He was born November 30, 1931 at Nashville, Kansas, the son of Edwin & Marie Ridder Simon. The middle child of this family, with older brother Gerald and younger sister Gladys (Vernard), in his grade school years, he lived and attended school in the St. Leo area. At the age of 4, his father passed away suddenly on December 24, 1935. After attending grade school in St Leo, he began working on the Simon and other various grain and dairy farms in the St. Leo and Conway Springs area. In 1950, he came to Marienthal, Kansas to live with and help his uncle and aunt Joe & Johanna Ridder, Sr. with fall harvest. After harvest, he began working on the Fred Wilken Ranch south of Modoc, Kansas. It was during this time that he met his future wife, Mary Louise (Muggs) Berning from Marienthal. In January of 1952, he was drafted into the US Army and was deployed to Korea that following July. He returned from Korea in July of 1953 and began working on the Anthony Berning farm, (his future father-in-law) part-time until his marriage to Mary Louise on May 11, 1954 at Marienthal, Kansas. They made their home northeast of Marienthal on the Anthony Berning farm until 1957 when they purchased the Tony Palkowitsh place, 4 mile northwest of Marienthal, Kansas. There, he and Mary farmed and ranched, raising on son and three daughters; Ed, Jean, Diana and Connie (all residents of Wichita County). He raised wheat, corn, milo and alfalfa and ran cattle as well as serving on various boards in Wichita and Scott Counties. He served on the Scott Cooperative board for 12 years (two as president) as well as memberships in St. Mary Catholic Church, Marienthal Knights of Columbus, Leoti VFW, Scott City American Legion and the Kansas Livestock Assn. He always found time to support his children and grandchildren in 4-H, school, church and sports activities. He enjoyed helping coach the Marienthal K of C girl's softball teams for many years. In 1995, he and Mary Louise semi-retired from farming and moved to Garden City, Kansas where Mary Louise had begun dialysis treatment three times a week until her death on November 13, 1998 at Wichita, Kansas. Bob continued to live in Garden City following her death and was very active playing bridge, bingo and snooker at the Finney County Senior Citizens Center and Elks Lodge as well as serving as an adorer at St. Catherine Hospital Adoration Chapel. Even though he lived in Garden City, he continued to be a farm boy at heart and came back to Marienthal to help for many years after in retirement with planting and harvesting on the farm. He met a special friend and companion, Lodusky Tricks, through mutual friends and activities at the Finney County Senior Center. They enjoyed their time together until he suffered a massive stroke in May of 2008. He returned to Wichita County, residing at the Wichita County LTCU until his death. He leaves behind his companion, Lodusky (Ducky) Tricks, and his children and their spouses, Ed & Jana Simon of Marienthal, Kansas, Jean & Steve Wells of Leoti, Kansas, Diana & Todd Long of Leoti, Kansas and Connie & Darren McRae of Leoti, Kansas, as well as 10 grandchildren, Jason Wells, Paul Simon, Jeremy Long, Chandra Wells, Amber Stevens, Sara Geyer, Matt Long, A.J. Simon, Erin Tankersley and Eric Tankersley and 6 great grandchildren. Vigil services will be held at 7:00 p.m. Monday, November 2, 2009 at St Mary Catholic Church in Marienthal, Kansas. Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 am Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Marienthal, Kansas with Father Benjamin Martin officiating. Burial will be in St Mary Cemetery in Marienthal, Kansas. Friends may call from 11:00 to 5:00 at Price & Sons Funeral in Leoti, Kansas. Memorials may be given to the Parkinson Foundation, Finney County Senior Citizen Center or Wichita County LTCU in care of the funeral home.