Sara Elizabeth Wyrill
Sara Elizabeth Wyrill was born on March 10, 1919 in the family farm home located just outside of Kirwin, to John Bruce Wyrill and Angie (Scott) Wyrill. She attended the local schools and graduated first in her class from Kirwin High School in 1937. Her senior year, she did substitute teaching in the grade school.
After high school, Beth, as she was commonly known, attended Fort Hays State University for one year and in 1938 earned a three-year teaching certificate. Beth taught on year in a country school in Inavale, Nebraska and on year in Osborne County. During World War II, Beth worked at Boeing in Wichita to support the war effort. Later she moved to Dodge City and worked at the air base until the war ended and the base closed.
On February 15, 1948 in Dodge City, she married Dallas D. Jantz, who had grown up on a farm near Cimarron. They had three children, Barbara L., Keith D., and Judith A.
After the children were older, Beth returned to school to earn her degree in education. She taught second and fourth grades for ten years and then became a school principal for one year. In 1967, she went to Fort Hays to earn her Master’s Degree in Administration. She had a number of jobs in education ranging from college professor at St. Mary of the Plains College to Director of Education, assistant superintendent and subsequently superintendent of school for USD 443 in Dodge City.
Following her retirement in June of 1989, she was elected to the USD 443 Board of Education and served two four year terms. Beginning in 1993, Beth began volunteering as a receptionist at the Dodge City Social Security office. She continued this work until her health began to fail in 2009 when she entered Manor of the Plains Nursing Home where she passed away on November 5, 2015 at the age of 96 years, 7 months, and 26 days.
She was a long time member of the First Baptist Church of Dodge City.
Surviving Beth are her three children, Barbara Bowman and husband Robert of Hutchinson; Keith Jantz and wife Michelle of Ennis, Texas; and Judith McGee and husband Scott of Fairbury, Nebraska. She is also survived by five grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband on November 29, 2000, her parents, two sisters, Dorothy Behnke and Lois Harkness and her brother, John B. Wyrill.
Funeral service will be held at Swaim Funeral Home on Monday, November 9, 2015 at 10:30 AM with Pastor Steve Ormord presiding. Interment will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery beside her husband. Visitation will be at Swaim Funeral Home on Monday, November 9, 2015 from 9:00 AM until service time. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of the Prairie in care of the funeral home. Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online guest book at www.swaimfuneralhome.com.
