JULY 7, 1947 - FEBRUARY 27, 2024

Thomas ‘Tom’ A. Carreno, 76, of Topeka, passed away on February 27, 2024,
at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka.

He was born on July 7, 1947, to David and Peggy (Penrod) Carreno in Topeka
Kansas. Tom graduated from Shawnee Heights High School in 1966.
Tom was a Drywall Finisher his entire life. He was a member of the Painters
Union #96. He was married for 48 years to Vicki Hunter. Tom is survived
by his wife Vicki; two daughters, Kim Mulford of Delia and Randee Jean
Carreno of Topeka. He is also survived by two sisters, Tereasa Hall and
Margaret Carreno of Topeka. Three brothers David, Byron and Randy all
from the Topeka area. Three foster brothers, Norman Patterson, Ricky
Patterson of Kansas City and Gary Patterson of Topeka. Tom was preceded in
death by his parents, his brother Marty, his sister Jessica Carreno, foster
brother Officer Tony Patterson and his grandson Dylan Mulford.
Tom was a very good athlete playing football in High School and baseball
when he was going up. He was scouted by the St. Louis baseball organization
when he was a teenager but was not drafted due to a knee injury he got
playing football in High School. He was a player/manager for the Topeka
Bandits Slow Pitch team for several years. He was a fan of the Kansas City
Chiefs and Royals. He also enjoyed hockey and supported the Topeka Road
Runners and the Topeka Pilots. After retiring he became an avid golfer
playing almost every day.

Tom had many friends and he was always ready to help family and friends.
You could always count on him to help. He will be greatly missed by all.

Visitation Will be at 10:00 am on March 9, 2024 , at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 A.M., March 9, 2024, at Prince of
Peace Lutheran Church at 3625 SW Wanamaker Road.  Lunch will be following the service at 12:00 pm.

In Tom’s memory, donations can be made to Helping Hands Humane
Society.

JULY 9, 1945 - FEBRUARY 25, 2024

Jean Louise (Larson) Van Vleck, 78, of Topeka, passed away Sunday, February 25, 2024.

She was born July 9, 1945, in Emporia, Kansas, the daughter of Erwin and Ruth (Smythe) Larson. She
graduated from Osage Rural High School. She also took classes at Clark’s Business School.

Jean was employed by The State of Kansas for 24 years, and then worked various retail jobs before
finishing her working career at American Econo-Clad Books.

Jean married Mahlon Van Vleck on November 4 th , 1989. He preceded her in death on January 23 rd , 2004.

Survivors include a sister, Lois Goodman; step-daughter, Tammy Jo Mullins; nephew, Robert (Mary
Anne) Hatch; nieces, Leona Hatch (Meigs Logan), Janet (Mitchell) Johnson, and Sheryl Kreischer, and
many great nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, nephew James Hatch, and one great niece.

Jean enjoyed puzzles, needle work, word searches, coloring, reading, and collecting teddy bears.

Jean was cremated. A graveside service will be held at West Lawn Memorial Gardens in Topeka, Kansas,
on Saturday March 23 rd at 2:00PM.

Memorial Contributions may be made to Helping Hands Humane Society.

NOVEMBER 20, 1952 - FEBRUARY 24, 2024

William David Norris 

AUGUST 6, 1943 - FEBRUARY 19, 2024

Viola Jean Wood (Poe)

DECEMBER 22, 1934 - FEBRUARY 9, 2024

Faye Henry

December 22, 1934 – February 9, 2024

Faye Henry, 89, passed away on February 9, 2024 at Nancy’s Place at Aldersgate
Village, in Topeka, Kansas.
Faye was born December 22, 1934 in Lasita, Kansas, to Verona and Herb Gustafson.
She graduated from Blue Rapids High School in 1952. After graduation she moved to
Topeka, where she met and then married Kenny Henry, on June 17, 1956 in Blue
Rapids. After they were married they moved to Auburn, Kansas, where she lived for the
next 65 years until July 2022, when she moved to Aldersgate Village in Topeka.
Faye enjoyed camping, traveling, gardening, canning, attending kids sporting events,
doing puzzles, watching and feeding birds, and sewing. She embroidered and
crocheted many quilts. Her favorite thing to talk about were the places she had traveled
with her husband and friends. Many weekends were spent camping with those same
friends. Faye worked several jobs over her lifetime, but most years were spent at home
taking care of her family. After retirement, she spent 23 winters in Harlingen, Texas, as
a Snowbird, where she met and enjoyed many new friends.
Faye is survived by two daughters, Darla (Mike) Lewis, Topeka, Kansas, and Tricia
(Ron) Pletcher, Mape Hill, Kansas. Eight Grandchildren, Renae Willard, Travis (Jaime)
Henry, Cory Henry, Kristi (Drew) Kemp, Traci (Eddie) Peterson, Laci (Ryan) Fike,
Kelsey (Scott) Rinehart, and Kyle Lewis. Sixteen Great-Grandchildren, Cade, Gabe,
Kinlee, Jarah, Jett, Jerzi, Leah, Jace, Kanon, Tristin, Bronx, Dexton, Cambri, Collins,
Navy and Mav. Also survived by her dear friends, and new caretakers of her beloved
dog Lucie, Geary & Candi Beeson, Chrisann and several nieces and nephews and their
families.
Faye was preceded in death by her husband, Kenny Henry; a son, Marvin Henry; and a
brother, Charles Gustafson.
Family will have a graveside service at the Auburn Cemetery at a later date.
Special thank you to Aldersgate Village nurses and staff, Interim Hospice Healthcare,
and Angels Above Cremation Services.

JULY 04, 1969 - FEBRUARY 03, 2024

Lant Scott Blazek
07/04/1969 – 02/03/2024

Lant sadly passed away on February 3, 2024, after a long battle with heart disease. He was a
sassy character who loved getting breakfast every morning with his friends and cooking dinner
with his family. He loved country music and his rescue dog, Trudy.
Lant was born and raised in Dodge City where he met and married Anna (Liberty) Crabtree on
8/12/1989. They later divorced. Lant is survived by his three adult children: Miranda Blazek of
Emporia, Joshua Blazek of Iola, and Trenton Blazek, of Emporia. He is also survived by his
sister Teresa Blazek and lifelong friend Kirk Bain, both of Iola.
Lant was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest Paul and Carol Jean Blazek, his brother Tracy
Blazek, and nephew Tavon Blazek.
As per the family’s request, no service will be held.
To honor Lant’s memory, we will be holding a Celebration of Life on July 4 th , 2024 in Emporia,
KS on what would have been his 55 th birthday. Friends and family are welcome to reach out to
Miranda Blazek for details. Please bring any pictures you have of Lant and plan to share lots of
love.

OCTOBER 11, 1953 - JANUARY 3, 2024

OLIVER XENTHO HATTON

Oliver Xentho Hatton (Butchie aka X) was born October 11, 1953, at Chester County Hospital, West Chester, P ennsylvania. He was the son of the late Elmira Mary Hatton Reason of Philadelphia, PA. Oliver lived and was raised by his grandparents, the late Oliver and Ada Hatton of Berwyn, PA.  He attended Hillside Elementary School, Howellville, Pennsylvania and graduated from Conestoga Sr High School of Berwyn, PA. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1972 with a Honorable Discharge from Baumholder, Germany.  He attended Colorado and Kansas State Universities. At a young age he attended Mount Zion AME Church, Devon and Highway Mission (Sister Jackson’s) Howellville, Pennsylvania.

Oliver X. Hatton celebrated his new life Jan 3, 2024 at 7:15pm at his home in Milford, Kansas. He leaves behind to cherish fond memories, his daughter, Clare O Nderagakura; granddaughter Olvia Auroa Dietz, grandson Soren Immanuel Nderagakura Granger of Lawrence, Kansas; 7 sisters Mari Hatton-Haynes, Bertha Graham, Ada Dominguez, Iris  Pina, Fayetta Acosta, Lamira Hurt and Anna Maria Figueroa; son-in-law Desmond C Granger; 3 brother-in-laws, James Graham, Walter Pina, Pablo Acosta and a host of nieces and nephews and friends.  He was predeceased by his brothers Louis E Hatton and Henry S Hurt.

Oliver worked with his brother’s business Hatton’s Rubbish Removal. Butchie then started his massage business, Healing Hands which he loved doing. Upon relocating to Kansas his passion for playing and coaching rugby took off. Played with The Grey Wolves, a minority rugby club that travels the country promoting rugby as an alternative to drugs and gangs, Kansas State Rugby and Junction City local Teams. Oliver organized the first Olathe Rugby Youth Football Team. This is where his nicknames ``X, X-Man and Coach" came from. He loved talking and teaching young children and helping those in need.

His hobbies ranged from landscaping, fishing and cooking. Enjoyed listening to country and western, jazz and R&B oldies and watching any Kansas sports. He loved his nieces and nephews. However, nothing trumped his true love, his grandchildren. A memorial service will be held February 10, 2024 at 10 a.m.

Mount Zion AME Church

380 N Fairfield Road

Devon, Pennsylvania

LARRY MOGGE AGE 71, LIFELONG RESIDENT OF TOPEKA, KS PASSED AWAY

JANUARY 30, 2024. LARRY WAS BORN SEPTEMBER 17, 1952 IN TOPEKA, KANSAS. HE WAS PRECEEDED IN DEATH BY HIS PARENTS, LAWRENCE & OLGA MOGGE.

LARRY IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE, RITA, STEPSON, ROD STEWART AND WIFE DEANNE, AND FOUR GRANDCHILDREN, BRANDON, ALEX, ALYSSA & JORDAN.

LARRY ATTENDED TOPEKA SCHOOLS, GRADUATED FROM TOPEKA HIGH IN 1970, GRADUATED FROM WASHBURN UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL WITH A JURIS DOCTORATE DEGREE IN MAY 1978. SPENT FIVE YEARS AS A LAWYER AND WORKED FOR THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS.

LARRY WORKED SUMMERS AT GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER TO PAY FOR HIS EDUCATION AND HAD NOT INCURRED ANY STUDENT DEBT BY THE TIME HE HAD GRADUATED. HE WORKED FOR GOODYEAR FOR 28 YEARS AND RETIRED IN OCTOBER 2013.

LARRY WAS A GREAT ADMIRER OF THE WORLD WAR II GENERATION AND THUS ACQUIRED A UNIQUE MILITARY VEHICLE COLLECTION. HE BELIEVED IN PRESERVING THIS COLLECTION, “LEST WE FORGET”. HE WAS FEATURED IN THE CAPITAL JOURNAL AND LOCAL NEWS STATIONS FOR HIS COLLECTION. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE MILITARY VEHICLE PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION FOR MANY YEARS. HE ALSO WAS AN AVID FAN OF STEAM RAILROADING.

LARRY & RITA DID EXTENSIVE TRAVELING IN THE UNITED STATES VIA AMTRAK & CAR TRIPS. ATTENDED THE 50TH & 55TH D-DAY ANNIVERSARY FESTIVITIES IN EUROPE.

THE FAMILY WISHES TO THANK THE STAFF AT OAKLEY PLACE SENIOR LIVING FACILITY FOR THE LOVING CARE LARRY RECEIVED THERE DURING HIS STAY.

CREMATION ARRANGEMENTS BY ANGELS ABOVE. A MEMORIAL PARTY WILL BE HELD AT A LATER DATE TO CELEBRATE HIS LIFE AND TRANSITION.

September 23, 1948 - January 15, 2024

Cheryl A. Denny, 75, of Topeka, KS passed away on January 15, 2024. She was born to Dwayne and Evelyn Denny on September 23, 1948. She grew up in Burlingame, KS and graduated high school in 1967.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a daughter, Stacy Wessel, shortly after birth. Survivors include her sons, Cory Ashton and Christopher Ashton of Topeka, Jesse Wessel of Burlingame, daughter, Kim Smerchek (Dennis) of Topeka, and granddaughters Amanda Vanschaick of Dallas, Carly Smerchek and Tayler Wessel of Topeka, and Lakyn Wessel of Osage City.

Honoring Cheryl’s wishes, cremation is planned with a private burial at a later date.