Lometa Francis Rathgeber

Lometa Francis Tharp Rathgeber, 93, passed away at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, Kansas on Thursday, December 21, 2023.

Lometa was born February 27, 1930 in Turkey, Texas, the daughter of John and Susan Fay Hancock Tharp. Growing up she attended school in Kiowa and Attica, Kansas before returning to Kiowa, where she graduated high school. She was a charter member of the VFW Auxiliary #5982 and a member of Eastern Star. She was baptized into the First Christian Church March 30, 1947.

In 1948 she married Bob Rathgeber, and they made Kiowa their home. She was a homemaker, and then in 1957 they opened Bob’s Flower Shop and Greenhouse. Over the next 60 years, with her husband, Bob, and later with her son, Andy, the florist and nursery operations expanded to multiple greenhouses.

Lometa was a loving and devoted daughter, wife, mom, gram and grammy.  She was the rock of our family. She walked through major milestones including births, proms, graduations, birthdays, marriages, anniversaries, and deaths of generations of residents of Kiowa and the surrounding area.

She is preceded in death by her parents, John and Susan Tharp; her husband, Bob Rathgeber; her siblings, Vernon Tharp, Dwight Tharp, Ione West, Jessie Houck, Bob Tharp, Ed Tharp, Izora Sergent, John Tharp, and Steve Tharp; her son, Andrew Rathgeber; her granddaughter, Amy Barron, and her great-grandson, Conner Winters.

She is survived by two daughters, Toni Orsburn of Springfield, Missouri and Bobbie Parker and husband, Jim of Kiowa, Kansas; grandson, Travis Beaver and wife, Sarah of Wentzville, Missouri; granddaughters, Leslie Michel and husband, Denny of Weatherford, Oklahoma and Brandy Campbell and husband, Travis of Kiowa, Kansas; grandson, Clayton Keller of Hays, Kansas; great-grandchildren, Landon, Cayden and Sidney Beaver, Coleton and Carson Winters, Kelia Ewy, Andraia, Malayna and Nathan McKitrick, Quinn Keller, and Cooper, Foster and Lawson Barron, and great-great-grandchildren, Paizlee and Krew Waugh, Kollyns Ewy and Aniya McKitrick.

Funeral service will be Friday, December 29, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at the First Christian Church in Kiowa with Dennis Hatlestad officiating.  Burial will follow in Riverview Cemetery.  Arrangements are by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc. of Kiowa.  Visitation will be at the funeral home on Thursday, December 28, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The family will be present from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  www.lanmanfuneralhome.com  Facebook: Lanman Funeral Home Inc.

If memorials are given, please make checks out to the Kiowa Hospital or the Kiowa Library and give or send to the funeral home.