Melba Rose Engel

Melba Rose Engel, age 80, of Ellis, passed away Sunday, April 23, 2017 at Hays Medical Center. She was born March 27, 1937 in Great Bend, Kansas to Rudolf K. and Inez V. (Sanders) Voss. She graduated from Mankato High School in 1955 and earned a Bachelors degree from Fort Hays State College in 1959. On June 11, 1957 she married Eugene J. Engel in Ellis, Kansas.

Melba was a homemaker and had worked at Travinol and Adronics in Hays, Avery in Wichita, served as a substitute teacher at St. Marys grade school in Ellis and cooked at the Ellis Good Samaritan Center. She was a member of St. Marys Church, Ellis Daughters of Isabella joining in 1961, Ellis Meal Site helper, and she was involved in the Ellis Sunflower 4H club. She enjoyed Reading, Sewing, Bingo, Playing cards and puzzles.

She is survived by six daughters, Charla (Randy) Shultz of Rochester, MN, Caylia Shandrick of Thornton, CO, Christa (Les) Kinderknecht of Hays, Creta LaBarge and fianc, Brad Leiker of Ellis, Chonda (Joe) Rosario of Belleville, NJ, and Candra (Stan) Stelmach of Trophy Club, TX; a son, Carl (Carissa) Engel of Wichita; a brother, Ken (Billie) Voss of Vancouver, WA; a sister, Karen Grossman of Larned, KS; 19 grandchildren, Allison (Brandon) Smith, ShyAnne Shultz, Madeline (Aaron) Logan, Frankie Shandrick, Scott (Sarah) Kinderknecht, Ally (Eric) Tucker, Shawna LaBarge (fianc Ryan Remer), Shayla Luea, Jr. LaBarge Sondra (Tony) Huffman, Joey, Jonathan and Jace Rosario, Kirstin (Christopher) Arndt, Karissa Stelmach, Brett, Brody and Bryce Engel; 13 great grandchildren, Alexis and Jordan Logan, Adley and Owen Kinderknecht, Zade Tucker, Brevin LaBarge, Bryson Luea, Malia, Jackson, Luke, Keegan and Kenley Huffman and numerous nieces, nephews and close friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Eugene Engel; infant daughter, Shirley Engel and a son-in-law, Frank Shandrick and a grandson, Paul Joseph Kinderknecht.

Funeral services will be Friday, April 28, 2017 at 2 PM with a rosary service at 1:30 PM all at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Ellis. Inurnment will follow in St. Marys Cemetery.

The family will be present at 1 PM on Friday until service time to greet friends. Arrangements in care of Keithley Funeral Chapel 400 E. 17th Ellis, KS 67637.

Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Marys Church or the Daughters of Isabella.

Condolences may be left by guest book at www.keithleyfuneralchapels.com or emailed to keithleyfuneralhomes@gmail.com











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