Obituaries

CLAY CENTER – Jean Clyde Hamey, 94, died Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 at Clay Center Presbyterian Manor in Clay Center.

She was born Sept. 28, 1930 to Roy and Nina (Barr) Mitchell.

She graduated high school in Winslow, Ariz. She later went on to a music-based college in Denton, Texas as well as attended a vocational college for bookkeeping.

ULYSSES – Gregory T. Fort, 73, died Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025 in Denver.

He was born June 14, 1951 to Clifford Fort Jr. and Patricia Fort.

He graduated from Ulysses High School in May 1969. He attended Fort Hays State University where he graduated Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in history and pre-law in 1973.

He married Paulette Fort (Bieker) July 26, 1975. She preceded him in death in 2014.

James F. Thompson – “Jim” to most, “Jimmy” to a few, “Papa” to five grandchildren – died peacefully at home with his wife, Mary Jane, at his side. “I’ll just never understand how I got so lucky having Mary as my wife,” he would often say of his bride of 70 years. 

Born in Chicago on July 27, 1931 and fourth of eight children of Maurice and Blanche Thompson of Calumet, Okla. – where he grew up – Jim was preceded in death by his seven siblings: Maurice (Buddy), Helen, Mary Jane, David, Kent Lee, John, and Richard.

Kenny Lovato, 65, died Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, in Liberal.

He was born Aug. 23, 1960 to John and Helen (Leal) Lovato. 

He worked in a tire shop, at National Beef, in a dog food processing plant and worked as a bus driver.