Verl E. Shufelt

Lt. Col. Verl Edward Shufelt, U.S. Army, Ret., 97, of Edna, went home to be with his Lord at 6:25 p.m., Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at Chetopa Manor Nursing Home.

He was born January 31, 1920 in Edna, Kansas, the son of Leslie and Nellie (Stone) Shufelt.   Mr. Shufelt received his early education in Edna.  He attended Coffeyville Jr. College and Pittsburg State College, receiving his Master's degree in 1950.

In 1938, he started his military service with the Kansas National Guard Unit at Coffeyville, Kansas.  In 1942, he entered active duty serving in the Pacific area.  He saw action in New Guinea, the Philippines, and was in the Occupying Force in Japan.  During this time, he was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, Pacific Service Medal, American Service Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal, Victory Medal, and Army Reserve Service Medal.  Upon his honorable discharge from active duty in 1946, he accepted a Reserve Officers Commission, retiring in 1980 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Verl's teaching career started in 1946 at Edna where he was a teacher and coach.  The next year he was hired as the Superintendent of Schools.  He served Edna schools for 12 years.  The years of 1958 to 1960 were spent as Superintendent in the Thayer, Kansas school district.

In 1960, Verl was hired as Superintendent for the Chetopa schools and served there for 13 years.  In 1964, the Chetopa Teachers Association nominated Verl for the Kansas Master Teacher Award.  In 1973, he returned to the Edna community, serving as Principal at the Edna Elementary School until his retirement in 1979.

Always active in local civic work, Verl was a member of the Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, Kansas State Teachers Association, American Association of School Administrators, Edna BEARS Association, Masonic Lodge, receiving his 65 year pin in 2014, and the American Legion.  He was a member of the Edna Methodist Church.

He and Anita Harden were married on April 26, 1943 in Edna.  One of the things he enjoyed the most was traveling with his wife.  They traveled to each of the 50 states as well as overseas to 26 countries.

Survivors include his loving wife of 73 years, Anita Shufelt, of the home; two daughters, Linda Hellwig and her husband, Gale, of Chetopa, KS and Debie Cornog and her husband, Larry, of Columbus, KS; daughter-in-law, Linda Shufelt, Bella Vista, AR; six grandchildren, Matt Hellwig, Ryan Hellwig, Jennifer Westervelt, Melissa Dunnic, Scott Shufelt, and Chrissi Crumpton; eleven great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren

He was preceded in death by one son, Walter Leslie Shufelt, on July 17, 2015.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, March 25, 2017, at the Edna United Methodist Church.  Burial will be at the Edna Elm Grove Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 7-8:00 p.m., Friday, at the Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Chetopa.

Memorials are suggested to The 506 Foundation, Inc. (for the Shufelt Scholarship Fund), the Edna United Methodist Church, or the Edna Public Library.  These may be left at or mailed to Bath-Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 346, Chetopa, KS 67336.

Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.