Joy Irene (LaGree) Zehr

Joy Irene Zehr, 81, died Jan. 28, 2009, at Via Christi Regional Medical Center, St Francis Campus, Wichita. She was born Aug. 7, 1927, in Burrton, to Thomas M. and Mable Eressa Dickson LaGree. She attended Maple Grove Country School and graduated from Burrton High School in 1945.

On Dec. 7, 1945, she married her high school sweetheart, Owen Dale Zehr at the First Baptist Church in Patterson, KS. He died Sept. 10, 2008.

Joy worked at Farmers National Bank of Stafford, and later owned a floral shop in Stafford, then in Burrton. She loved painting, crafts, and was an avid reader.

She made 23 quilts in her spare time for her children and grandchildren.

After age 73 she took up the computer and researched genealogy.

Survivors include: three sons, Dan and wife, Sheila, Stafford, Dennis Joe and wife, Linda, Wichita, and Tim and wife, Nancy, Kansas City, Mo.; brother, Robert LaGree and wife, Jackie, El Dorado; seven grandchildren, Dylan and wife Lisa Zehr, Scott and wife, Kelli Zehr, Zach, Brian, Heather, Carrie, and Ashley Zehr; two great-grandchildren, Cooper and Alexis Zehr; and two step-great-grandchildren, Jason and Daniel.

She was preceded in death by her husband, three brothers, Max, Kenneth, and Ronald LaGree, and two sisters, Shirley Burns Warnke and Glennis Westmacott.

Memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, 2009, at Elliott Chapel, Hutchinson. Friends may sign the book from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and from 9 a.m. to service time Friday at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson. Private family inurnment will be in Burrton Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to the Hutchinson Public Library, in care of the mortuary. Please visit www.elliottmortuary.com to leave personal condolences for the family.