Wells Family - Person Sheet
Wells Family - Person Sheet
NameRonald Wilson Livers 
Birth20 Mar 1922, Barnes, Washington Co, KS
Death5 Nov 1979, Hays, Ellis Co, KS
Burial8 Nov 1979, Riverside Cem, Waterville, Marshall Co, KS
Misc. Notes
Birth & death data verified with original documents. Attended elementary and high school at Waterville, KS. Attended Fort Hays State University one or two (?) semesters before joining the Army Air Force. Was a bombadier in France during World War II. Continued his schooling at Kansas State University, where he received a bachelor's and master's degree in agriculture and plant breeding. He married Geraldine Whisnant in 1946 while attending school. He obtained a Ph.D. in plant breeding at the University of Minnesota in 1952. Was then employed by New Mexico State University at the Plains Experiment Station in Clovis, New Mexico for ten years. In January 1962, moved to Hays, KS where employed as wheat breeder and developed and released many varieties of winter wheat (Sage, Eagle, Kirwin, and Larned). He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Hays, and the Hays Lions Club, active on state and district levels. Died November 5, 1979 of lung and brain cancer and complications of chemotherapy.
Spouses
Birth19 Apr 1926, Portis, Osborne Co, KS
Death18 Dec 2017, Lawrence, Douglas Co, KS
MemoLawrence Memorial Hospital
BurialWabaunsee Cem, Wabaunsee, Wabaunsee Co, KS
ReligionPresbyterian
FatherCarrol James Whisnant (1889-1969)
MotherSarah Alda Conrow (1895-1992)
Misc. Notes
Married Ronald Livers (3 daus, 1 son), then John Launchbaugh, now divorced.
Attended elementary and high school at Fostoria, St George, and Emmett, Kansas. Attended Kansas State University for 3 years studying to be a medical lab technician. Married Ronald Livers in 1946 and pursued a career as housewife until last child was in sixth grade. Worked as part time church secretary at the First Presbyterian Church in Hays, Kansas until Ronald died in 1979. Then began work at the Fort Hays Experiment Station, a branch of Kansas State University. Retired as office manager in May 1989. Then married John Launchbaugh on 2 June 1989. Then served as elder of the Hays Presbyterian Church, regent of Courtney Spalding DAR chapter, treasurer of the Hays Business and Professional Women, and miscellaneous other volunteer jobs. She did an aerobic class twice a week and aquasized two other days. Enjoyed traveling, reading, knitting, sewing, researching her ancestors, and watching the grandchildren grow up.
Inducted as a DAR member #684479 on 8 Jun 1984 as a descendant of Garret Van der Veer, Captain Hendrick Smock, Colonel John Smock, and Lieut Aaron Lane.
Divorced Launchbaugh in April '97 and moved to Lawrence KS.
Her eyesight was poor after a mild stroke and she had heart bypass surgery. Gerry had a stroke in mid-May 2008 and had difficulty writing/typing, at least initially, along with some speech problems. She continued to live semi-independently thru 2014.
[Obituary]
Geraldine (Gerry) Irene Whisnant Livers, 91, passed away at Lawrence Memorial Hospital on December 18, 2017. She was born April 19, 1926 in Portis, Kansas, daughter of Carrol James and Alda Conrow Whisnant. She attended schools in Fostoria, St. George, and Emmet, Kansas, graduating from Emmet High School in 1943. She attended Kansas State University for 2 years, and then married Ronald Wilson Livers in November of 1946. Over the years, Gerry and Ron lived in Manhattan, Kansas; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Clovis, New Mexico; and on the Fort Hays Experiment Station at Hays, Kansas until he passed away in November of 1979. Gerry continued to live and work in Hays and in 1989 married John Launchbaugh (deceased). In May of 1997 she moved to Lawrence, KS and in July of 1999 she moved into the Presbyterian Manor in Lawrence, where she lived until her death.
In addition to being a mother and homemaker, Gerry taught school in Pottawatomie County, KS in 1943-44. She worked at the Sunflower Ordinance Plant in DeSoto during World War II, and from 1959 until 1989 worked in various secretarial positions at the Plains Agricultural Sub-Station in Clovis, the First Presbyterian Church in Hays, and at the Fort Hays Experiment Station, KSU. In 1989 she was a finalist for the Kansas State University “Classified Employee of the Year” Award. She was an Elder in the First Presbyterian Church in Hays, and also was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Lawrence from 1998 on. Gerry kept up with technology, actively emailing friends and relatives on a daily basis. She also pursued many other interests in her long life, including genealogy, sewing/needlecraft, and travel. She was an active member and one-time regent of the Betty Washington Chapter of DAR in Lawrence and served on many resident committees at the Presbyterian Manor.
Gerry was a sister to Carrol James Whisnant, Jr. (Jim) of Liberty Missouri, and a loving mother of four children: Susan Carol Fitts (spouse, Robert Fitts) of Pleasant Grove Utah, Barbara Louise Erin of Bonner Springs, KS, Martha Gail Barnhill (spouse, Curtis Barnhill) of Lawrence, KS, and Curtis Alan Livers (spouse, Molly Livers) of Bonner Springs, KS. She also loved and was loved by seven grandchildren: Scott Garvin, Wendy Garvin, Jessica Briggs, James Erin, Jennifer Lucas, David Barnhill, and Jaci Livers, plus 5 great-grandchildren: Kaeli Thomas, Nathan Erin, Micah Erin, Kaitlin Erin, and Liberty Lucas. Gerry inspired her children and grandchildren with her strength in the face of adversity, her sense of duty and character, her respect for the truth, and her dry sense of humor. She will be missed by her many friends and relatives.
A memorial service and inurnment will be held in the spring at a date and place to be announced. Memorials are suggested to the National Osteoporosis Foundation and may be sent in care of Barnett Family Funeral Home, P.O. Box 602, Oskaloosa, KS 66066. www.barnettfamilyfh.com.
Attended elementary and high school at Fostoria, St George, and Emmett, Kansas. Attended Kansas State University for 3 years studying to be a medical lab technician. Married Ronald Livers in 1946 and pursued a career as housewife until last child was in sixth grade. Worked as part time church secretary at the First Presbyterian Church in Hays, Kansas until Ronald died in 1979. Then began work at the Fort Hays Experiment Station, a branch of Kansas State University. Retired as office manager in May 1989. Then married John Launchbaugh on 2 June 1989. Then served as elder of the Hays Presbyterian Church, regent of Courtney Spalding DAR chapter, treasurer of the Hays Business and Professional Women, and miscellaneous other volunteer jobs. She did an aerobic class twice a week and aquasized two other days. Enjoyed traveling, reading, knitting, sewing, researching her ancestors, and watching the grandchildren grow up.
Inducted as a DAR member #684479 on 8 Jun 1984 as a descendant of Garret Van der Veer, Captain Hendrick Smock, Colonel John Smock, and Lieut Aaron Lane.
Divorced Launchbaugh in April '97 and moved to Lawrence KS.
Her eyesight was poor after a mild stroke and she had heart bypass surgery. Gerry had a stroke in mid-May 2008 and had difficulty writing/typing, at least initially, along with some speech problems. She continued to live semi-independently thru 2014.
[Obituary]
Geraldine (Gerry) Irene Whisnant Livers, 91, passed away at Lawrence Memorial Hospital on December 18, 2017. She was born April 19, 1926 in Portis, Kansas, daughter of Carrol James and Alda Conrow Whisnant. She attended schools in Fostoria, St. George, and Emmet, Kansas, graduating from Emmet High School in 1943. She attended Kansas State University for 2 years, and then married Ronald Wilson Livers in November of 1946. Over the years, Gerry and Ron lived in Manhattan, Kansas; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Clovis, New Mexico; and on the Fort Hays Experiment Station at Hays, Kansas until he passed away in November of 1979. Gerry continued to live and work in Hays and in 1989 married John Launchbaugh (deceased). In May of 1997 she moved to Lawrence, KS and in July of 1999 she moved into the Presbyterian Manor in Lawrence, where she lived until her death.
In addition to being a mother and homemaker, Gerry taught school in Pottawatomie County, KS in 1943-44. She worked at the Sunflower Ordinance Plant in DeSoto during World War II, and from 1959 until 1989 worked in various secretarial positions at the Plains Agricultural Sub-Station in Clovis, the First Presbyterian Church in Hays, and at the Fort Hays Experiment Station, KSU. In 1989 she was a finalist for the Kansas State University “Classified Employee of the Year” Award. She was an Elder in the First Presbyterian Church in Hays, and also was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Lawrence from 1998 on. Gerry kept up with technology, actively emailing friends and relatives on a daily basis. She also pursued many other interests in her long life, including genealogy, sewing/needlecraft, and travel. She was an active member and one-time regent of the Betty Washington Chapter of DAR in Lawrence and served on many resident committees at the Presbyterian Manor.
Gerry was a sister to Carrol James Whisnant, Jr. (Jim) of Liberty Missouri, and a loving mother of four children: Susan Carol Fitts (spouse, Robert Fitts) of Pleasant Grove Utah, Barbara Louise Erin of Bonner Springs, KS, Martha Gail Barnhill (spouse, Curtis Barnhill) of Lawrence, KS, and Curtis Alan Livers (spouse, Molly Livers) of Bonner Springs, KS. She also loved and was loved by seven grandchildren: Scott Garvin, Wendy Garvin, Jessica Briggs, James Erin, Jennifer Lucas, David Barnhill, and Jaci Livers, plus 5 great-grandchildren: Kaeli Thomas, Nathan Erin, Micah Erin, Kaitlin Erin, and Liberty Lucas. Gerry inspired her children and grandchildren with her strength in the face of adversity, her sense of duty and character, her respect for the truth, and her dry sense of humor. She will be missed by her many friends and relatives.
A memorial service and inurnment will be held in the spring at a date and place to be announced. Memorials are suggested to the National Osteoporosis Foundation and may be sent in care of Barnett Family Funeral Home, P.O. Box 602, Oskaloosa, KS 66066. www.barnettfamilyfh.com.
Marriage27 Nov 1946, Manhattan, Riley Co, KS