Edith Ann "Edie" Skarky
Edith Ann "Edie" Skarky, 73, passed away Tuesday, January 21st, 2025 at Showalter Villa in Hesston, Kansas after a long, courageous struggle with health issues. She enjoyed living the past few years at Showalter and considered it her home and the staff her family.
Edie (as she preferred) was born in Enid, Oklahoma on April 3, 1951 to parents, Amanda Mae (Wetzel) and Jerry Fred Skarky. She, along with her two brothers, grew up in Hunter, Oklahoma. She moved to the Salina area as a young girl. After high school graduation, she attended Marymount College for two years. She was employed as a secretary and especially enjoyed her time as a college registrar for Kansas Wesleyan.
Edie enjoyed writing poetry and short stories which allowed her to use her love of words and language. She also liked to socialize and visit with friends as long as she was able. After breaking her femur from a fall, she was unable to walk without assistance, so she filled her days with watching TV and reading. She was also a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Salina.
She is survived by her two children, Kim Hatfield (Phil) of Salina, Kansas and her son, Jason Cochran, of New York. She is also survived by 2 grandchildren, Devon and Andrew Coad; great grandchild; Aris.
Graveside services will be held at 2:30 pm, Wednesday, February 5th at Gypsum Hill Cemetery in Salina, Kansas.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Edie's name to the Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank, sent in care of 500 S. Ohio St., Salina, Kansas.
Brent Dana Kirkhart
Brent Dana Kirkhart, 64, of Salina, Kansas, passed away Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025.
Brent was born in Minneola, Kansas on November 20, 1960, to Sandy (Stoddard) and Lyndell Kirkhart. He grew up in Minneola, where he attended school from kindergarten through graduation. He was an outstanding athlete, participating in football, basketball, and track throughout his junior and high school years. He later played football after graduation at Garden City Community College where he studied education. He eventually received his bachelor's degree from Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma.
Brent married Jan Haxton on March 15, 1997, gaining both a wife and two daughters, Megan and Jennifer. His love for all three was unmatched, and he seamlessly took on the role of both husband and father. He quickly became a mentor, confidante, little league coach, and champion supporter. He would later adopt the girls, officially solidifying their unbreakable bond. One of his greatest joys was being a dad, and he later welcomed a son, Tyler, in 1999. Brent was a faithful husband and father, leading his family with love and patience. He enjoyed coaching and watching his children in sports, attending Chiefs games or watching them win on TV, trivia, date nights with his wife, family game nights, and telling dad jokes. Nothing compared to being a grandfather, however. Brent loved his four grandchildren with all his heart. He loved to watch their various activities, give rides on his wheelchair, and play anything they requested.
Brent was known and loved by many former students, athletes, and colleagues who knew him as Mr. Kirkhart or simply Coach. From 1986-1999, he worked in various teaching and coaching roles in Pratt, Kansas. He was an intense supporter of the Greenbacks, serving as the head women's basketball coach and assistant football coach. He also taught math at the middle and high school level. In the off-season, he could be found on the sidelines of nearly every Pratt High School sporting event. Additionally, he spent many years serving as the head coach of the Pratt Community College Beaver track and cross-country team, where he also taught math. He often attended sporting events at PCC to support his students and colleagues. After his teaching career, he worked as an insurance adjuster for Farm Bureau before retiring in 2012.
Brent was a faithful servant of God. He attended First Southern Baptist Church for many years in Pratt and Holcomb, Kansas, where he served as a deacon, before moving to Salina, Kansas and becoming a member of Grace Baptist where he served in many leadership roles. At the time of his death, he attended First Southern Baptist in Salina. He loved Jesus and spent every day living a life that honored and glorified God.
Survivors include his wife, Jan Kirkhart; two daughters, Megan Komp (Ethan), Jennifer Roberts (Nathan); a son, Tyler Kirkhart; two sisters, Rashae Powell (Mark), Shelly Ptacek (Moe); a brother, Roger Kirkhart (Tara); and his mother, Sandy Snyder.
He is also survived by his grandchildren, Madilyn, Miles, Mackenzie, Arabella; and numerous nieces and nephews
Brent is preceded in death by his father; nephew, Ryan Haxton; and in-laws, Dean and Marceil Haxton.
An open casket visitation will be held at First Southern Baptist Church in Salina, Kansas on Monday, January 27, 2025 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM.
A closed casket funeral will be at 2:00 PM at the church.
Burial will follow at Gypsum Hill Cemetery in Salina, Kansas.
The family requests donations to National MS Society or Pregnancy Service Center in Salina, Kansas.
