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Mary Ellen Funk, of Atchison, KS

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Source: MSC News

Mary Ellen Funk, 97, of Atchison, Kansas, died peacefully Tuesday, October 27, 2026. A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 14, at 2 p.m. at Atchison United Methodist Church, with Pastor Cyd Stein officiating. Family and friends are invited to a reception and visitation beginning at 1 p.m. in the church fellowship hall. Mary Ellen was born August 21, 1929, in Albany, Missouri, the daughter of Garner F. Young and Ida May (Chip) Young. She graduated from Albany High School and built a life centered on hard work, family, faith and kindness to others. She married Donald Lee Funk on September 14, 1957. He preceded her in death on January 1, 1971. Mary Ellen worked several jobs over the years before spending 21 years in the food service department at the Atchison Youth Center. Known for her generosity and willingness to help others, she was always ready to assist someone in need.

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MSC News · Atchison, KS

Charles E. “Chick” Falk Jr., of Atchison, KS

Charles E. “Chick” Falk Jr., 85, of Atchison, Kansas, died peacefully surrounded by his family on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at Mayo Clinic – St. Mary’s Campus in Rochester, Minnesota. Mass of Christian Burial will be held Tuesday, November 10, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Benedict Church in Atchison, with the Rev. Jeremy Heppler, OSB, as celebrant. A parish rosary will be held Monday, November 9, at 5 p.m. at Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home in Atchison, with visitation following until 7 p.m. Burial will be at Alderson Cemetery. Chick was born January 6, 1941, in Lancaster, Kansas, the son of Charles Joseph Falk Sr. and Bertha “Birdie” (Watowa) Falk. He attended Shannon Hill School for eight years and graduated from Atchison County Community High School. He married Donna M. Noll on May 15, 1965. The couple had four children: Michael, Mark, Rick and Kristy. They later separated. On May 13, 1994, Chick married Linda Haas Kenyon and helped raise her two sons, Jake and Jonathan.

The Leaven Catholic Newspaper · Atchison, KS

First Steps Childhood Learning Center opens at Marian Heights development in Atchison

by John SorceSpecial to The Leaven ATCHISON — The First Steps Childhood Learning Center, another feature of the Marian Heights development here, held a grand opening the morning of Oct. 22. About 60 people were in attendance, including several who helped fundraise for the facility. “It was nice to see all of the people who were part of getting this project done be able to come together to celebrate the ribbon cutting,” said Shelby Buman, communications coordinator at St. Benedict’s Abbey. The abbey purchased the property at 1926 N. 2nd St. thanks to a nearly $5 million grant from the state of Kansas in 2021, beginning a new chapter in its efforts to serve the community. Now known as Marian Heights, the property is home to organizations that support individuals and families in different stages of life, including the Pregnancy Resource Center of Atchison, Sacred Heart Counseling and a KerixHealth location.

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