Obituaries - July 30, 2024

Kathlene “Kitty” I. Dalton

Kathlene “Kitty” I. Dalton, 87, of Salina, passed away Saturday, July 27, 2024. She was born April 2, 1937, in Abilene, the daughter of Joseph A. and Cordelia I. (Anderson) Mills.

Kitty was loving, talented in many ways and had a green thumb. She married the love of her life, Bruce in August of 1960. They welcomed their three children Jodi, Blake and Andy into their lives during the first 7 years of marriage. During the course of their marriage they loved and cared for each other and enjoyed their 9 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. After Bruce passed in June of 2018, she wrote him a letter every day and spoke of him often with such love and appreciation.

Kitty was an active member in her church, Trinity United Methodist. She organized 24-hour prayer vigils yearly and created the Prayer Shawl Ministry in the late 80’s. She knitted countless prayer shawls for members of the community for comfort in their time of need. She also had a love for the piano and was very good at it. When she and Bruce moved into the Presbyterian Manor, she would play the piano for their Sunday services until she was no longer able. In her free time, she would play for hours.

She was also an incredible baker and was known for her fresh focaccia bread that she baked every Thursday. One summer when all of the kids and grandkids were all together in Salina, they ate almost 30 loaves in one week. Every Christmas she would bake at least 8 different types of cookies. She would start preparing them months in advance and freeze them. Not until the last couple of years did she know that her two eldest granddaughters and her husband were stealing them out of the freezer as little treats.

Kitty had many accomplishments in her life and one of the biggest was becoming a certified master knitter. She spent countless hours knitting each swatch that was required for certification. She never gave up no matter how frustrated she would get. She achieved her goal and had an entire page in the newspaper to celebrate her. Kitty would knit a variety of items for her family and friends. Every Christmas she would make something for each member of the family. She also taught classes and did private lessons to help other knitters.

She truly loved her family, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was always there to help them with anything they needed, give guidance and support and loved them all so deeply. They all were her pride and joy. She will be very missed. To the moon and back.

She is survived by her daughter, Jodi Brown and husband Craig, granddaughter Hanna Frazier, fiancé Jett Vilardell and their children Jett, Jayden and Josie Vilardell of Salina, granddaughter Brooke Frazier of Lee’s Summit, MO; two sons, Blake Dalton and his children Cole, Anderson, and Charlotte of Marshfield, MA, Andy Dalton, wife Stephanie, and their children Joseph, Jacob, Leah Kate, and Joshua of Mandeville, LA.

Cremation was chosen. Visitation without the body present will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, August 2, at Ryan Mortuary, where the family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, August 3, in the Mt. Hope Cemetery, Enterprise. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Trinity United Methodist Church, 901 E. Neal, Salina, with Pastor Eric Meyer officiating.

Memorials may be made to the Trinity United Methodist Church Prayer Shawl Ministry in care of Ryan Mortuary, 137 N. Eighth, Salina, KS.

Melbourne Gene “Mel” Percival

Melbourne Gene “Mel” Percival, 100, of Salina, Kan., passed away Sunday, July 28, 2024. He was born in Beverly, Kan., on August 31, 1923, to Walter and Bertha (Berthelson) Percival.

Mel enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps after high school and was a WWII Veteran. He married Mary Louise Eutsler on March 25, 1950. Mel worked for many years as a tool and die inspector for Beech Aircraft and was a founding member of the Beech Gun Club. He was an avid trapshooter and loved his flowers and gardening.

He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Mary Lou; son-in-law, David Simmons; grandchild, Tom Pilcher; brothers, Norval “Jack”, Robert “Clay”, and Walter “Pach” Percival; sisters, Carmen “Naurine” Kissick, Lena “Sis” Crider, Margaretta “Greta” Nelson, Patricia “Pat” Plumer, and Valeria “Joan” King.

Survivors include his daughter, Melody Simmons; son, Kurt Percival (Angela); grandchildren, Matthew Simmons (Shannon), Jason Simmons (Alison), Alicia Simmons; great-grandchildren, Kole S., Kole T., Kaileigh, Kamarin, Elizabeth, Madalyn, Killian, Dane; great-great-grandchildren, Jaxson, Mason, Everleigh, Aiden, and Avanelle; and many nephews and nieces.

Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. followed by a funeral service at 10 a.m., Friday, August 2, at St. John's Lutheran Church, Salina, with burial to follow at Beverly (North) Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to St. John's Lutheran Church, care of Ryan Mortuary, Salina.

Nancy Jean Nelson

Nancy Jean Nelson, daughter of Marcus D. and Velma J. (Koch) Zimmerman, was born in Wichita, Kansas on July 30,1946, and died in her home in Reston, Virginia on July 23,2024, at the age of 77.  Nancy grew up in Wichita, and graduated from Wichita North High School in 1964.

She married Kenneth “Kenny” Nelson on June 9, 1979 in Wichita.  Ken's jobs in information technology led the couple to Iowa, Kansas, California, Pennsylvania, and finally to Reston, where they have lived for the past 30 years. The couple recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary.

Nancy worked as office manager at Trout Unlimited, a position she enjoyed immensely.  After retirement from there, she did volunteer work at Sunrise Assisted Living.

She was a member of St. Athanasius Lutheran Church, Vienna, Virginia, where she served on the church's Commission of Mercy.

Nancy is survived by her husband, Ken, of the home; daughter, Rhonda Cruz (Louie), grandchildren, Ericka Cruz, Tatiana Dearman (Ethan) of Prague, Oklahoma, and Luke Cruz (Jazmynne) of Durham, North Carolina; brother, Marc (Midge) Zimmerman of Colorado; sister, Donna (Read) Oakleaf of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and great-grandson, Artie Dearman, of Prague, Oklahoma; as well as numerous nieces and nephews, and a host of friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a son, Ryan Glenn Carver, and a grandson, Nicholas Amadeus Cruz.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at Adams-Green Funeral Home in Herndon, Virgina with funeral services following at 1:00 pm at the funeral home.

Nancy will be buried on Tuesday, August 6, 2024 at 1:00 pm at Delphos Cemetery, Delphos in the Nelson family plot.

Online condolences may be left for the family through the funeral home website at www.wilsonfamilyfuneralhome.com.