ELLINWOOD — Homer Franklin Reiser, loving husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on Feb. 2, 2024, leaving a treasured memory of love, service, and support for his family and friends. Homer lived a full long life of 101 years. He was born on the family farm 7 mi southwest of Ellinwood, Kan. His parents were William and Josephine (Graf) Reiser. He was the 2nd born of five siblings, Junior, Howard, Norman, Elvin, and Hazel. He grew up on the family farm and attended a one room country school. He went to Ellinwood HS graduating in 1942. After graduation, he continued helping on the family farm and working in the Kansas Oil fields.
On May 8, 1946, he entered the Army, taking basic training at Ft. Knox, Kent. After basic training he was deployed to Japan as part of the Occupation forces. He served with the 34th Infantry regiment as a light vehicle driver. He participated with the survey teams investigating the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Homer received an honorable discharge from the Army in 1947 as part of demobilization. He returned to Kansas and met Bernice Emrich, a school teacher at the same country school he had formerly attended. He married Bernice in 1948 and shortly after began farming on the Reiser family farm and the Zahorsky landholding. For 50 years, he worked long and hard like all farmers growing wheat, milo, alfalfa, corn, and hay. He also raised cattle, chickens, horses, and pigs. His active farming ended in October 1998. After farming he then worked with his brother Junior who ran a boat repair business in Ellinwood.
Throughout his life, Homer enjoyed dancing, playing pool, hunting, riding motorcycles and traveling. In 1977, he visited his son Franklin who was stationed in West Germany. Homer participated in community activities such as Kansas Centennial, calf-roping club, and the Ellinwood After Harvest Festival. He was also a member of the American Legion.
Homer’s first wife, Bernice, passed away in 1976. He later married Dorothy Hollinsworth in 1980 who joined him in helping on the farm. Dorothy passed away in March 1998.
Homer is survived by son Franklin, Copperus Cove, Texas and four step-children, Judith Prescott, Great Bend, Kan., Dottie Keegan, Kayenta, Ariz., Navajo Nation, Jeffrey Hollinsworth, McPherson, Kan., and Loretta Mitchell. Homer is also survived by nine step-grandchildren and other great-great step-children. Homer is the last of his brothers and sisters who have preceded him in going to the Lord.
Funeral service will take place 10 a.m., Friday, Feb. 9th at Cavalry Baptist Church, Ellinwood with Pastor Ray Willis officiating. Interment with military honors will follow at Lakin-Comanche Cemetery, Ellinwood. Visitation will take place at Minnis Chapel, Ellinwood on Thursday, Feb. 8th from 12-7 p.m. with family receiving friends from 6-7 p.m. Memorials are suggested to American Heart Association in care of Minnis Chapel, PO Box 246, Ellinwood, KS 67526. Funeral will be live streamed on Minnis Chapel Ellinwood Facebook page. Condolences may be left at www.minnischapel.org.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Minnis Chapel
PO Box 246
Ellinwood, KS 67526
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Feb. 6, 2024
