Howell Dean, "H.D." Wyatt, 101, Topeka, formerly of Valley Falls, died Friday, Feb. 15, 2008, at Brewster Place Health Center.
H.D. was president of the Kendall State Bank in Valley Falls from 1970-1971. He had also served as Vice-President and Director. He had been president of the Citizens State Bank in Valley Falls from 1947-1964. He was a Sinclair Refining Agent in Valley Falls from 1928-1942.
H.D. was a member of the Valley Falls United Methodist Church, where he was past president of the church board and chairman of the financial committee. He served as mayor of Valley Falls for twelve years and was a charter member and past president of the Valley Falls Rotary Club. He was a charter member of Grahem-Herbers Post 3084 Veterans of Foreign Wars, was past president and treasurer of the Valley Falls Community Club and past secretary-treasurer of the Valley Falls Cemetery Association. He was a member of the Kansas Bankers Association, a Master and Life Member of the Kansas Masonic Lodge, a 76 year member of A.F. & A.M. Lodge 236 at Meriden and the former A.F. & A.M. Lodge 21 at Valley Falls. He became an Abdullah Shriner in 1934 at Leavenworth. He was a 50 year member of the International Order of Odd Fellows No. 86 in Valley Falls.
He was born Oct. 23, 1906, at Mt. Washington, Jackson County, MO, the son of Ulysses Vinson and Lizzie Patterson Wyatt. He graduated from Belton High School in 1924 and from Central Methodist College at Fayette, MO in 1928.
H.D. was a U. S. Navy Lieut. in World War II. He was stationed at Port Orchard at Seattle and served sixteen months as a fuel officer in the South Pacific.
He married Mary Ellen Noland, on June 15, 1929, at Kansas City, KS. She died on Jan. 19, 2002. He was also preceded in death by two brothers, Wilbur W. Wyatt on Oct. 30, 1975, and Paul V. Wyatt, on Feb. 25, 2005. Survivors include a nephew, J.R. Wyatt and his wife, Peggy, Rocky Mount, MO; a sister-in-law, Katie Wyatt, Claremont, CA; five nieces, Susanne Wyatt, Walnut Creek, CA, Courtney Krakauer, Healdsburg, CA, Mary Pat Wyatt-Voelckers, Douglas, AK, Sister Barbara Noland, El Quince, Guatemala, and Marian Keltner, Las Vegas, NV, and four cousins, Blanche Hare, Ft. Worth, TX, Rebecca Krieg, Grand Prairie, TX, Alan Wilhite, Bellingham, WA and Lee Wilhite, Gladstone, MO.
A funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008, at Mercer Funeral Home in Valley Falls. Burial will be in the Valley Falls Cemetery with Masonic Masonic. Military Honors at the cemetery will be conducted by Grahem-Herbers Post 3084 Veterans of Foreign Wars. Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m., Thursday, until service time.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Valley Falls United Methodist Church or to the Valley Falls Cemetery Association and sent in care of Mercer Funeral Home, 810 Broadway, Valley Falls 66088.
Online condolences are at www.mercerfuneralhomes.com