Bessie Marie Royse

Bessie Marie (Osborn) Royse, age 88, a resident of Howard, Kansas passed away Saturday, November 29, 2008 at Via Christi Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas. Bessie was born on January 18, 1920 in Elk Falls, Kansas the oldest child of Charles and Ida Mae (Bennett) Osborn. Bessie was a graduate of Elk Falls High School. After graduating school Bessie worked making $1.00 per week salary. On August 31, 1941 Bessie was united in marriage to Darrell F. Royse. Darrell joined the army and Bessie remained in Elk Falls as postmaster and later joined Darrell in San Antonio. When the war ended Darrell, Bessie, and daughter Darlene returned to Elk Falls. Bessie was a homemaker while her children were growing up. She later was the cook for the Elk Falls schools then Elk Manor Nursing Home. Bessie became postmaster at Elk Falls and retired in 1990 at age 70. After retirement Bessie began making quilts. After gifting family members she turned to giving quilts to friends and found great joy in the preparation of each quilt and the actual giving of it to the friends. She is survived by two daughters; Darlene Bradley and husband Ron of Howard, Kansas and Claudia Ortega and husband Steve of Topeka, Kansas, one son-in-law Tom Burke of Gahana, Ohio, one grandson Darren Ortega and wife Kristyn of Topeka, Kansas, two brothers; Cecil Osborn and wife Mary of Garfield, Arkansas and George Osborn and wife Twyla of Collinsville, Oklahoma, one sister Barbara Sanders of Belleview, Washington. She also considered Gail and Donna Martinson of Junction City, Kansas as children and Jill and Clint Martinson as grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Darrell in 1975, daughter Debra Burke in February 2008, both parents, two sisters; Helen Cooley Davis and Viola Barnett. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM Tuesday, December 2, 2008 at Zimmerman Funeral Home in Howard with Pastors Robin Haines and Dena Allison officiating. Visitation will be from 5 - 8 PM Monday at the funeral home. Interment will be at the Elk Falls Cemetery. Family suggests contributions to either the Elk Falls United Methodist Church or Howard Senior Citizen Center and may be left with the funeral home. Online condolences may be left at www.countrysidefh.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Zimmerman Funeral Home, Howard, Kansas.

Bessie Marie Royse

January 18, 1920 - November 29, 2008