Gary Welliver
Gary Welliver, 78, of Sabetha, Kansas, passed away on October 23, 2026, at Sabetha Community Hospital. He was surrounded by his loved ones and cared for by the wonderful professionals there.
Gary was born on January 25, 1948, in Lawrence, Kansas, to Arnold and Hazel Welliver. He graduated from McLouth High School in 1966.
After high school Gary worked at the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant. Through the early 1970s, he was a farm hand for Fred Heck in Williamstown and for Bill Schultz in Oskaloosa, he also worked for Gene and Gloria Packer in McLouth. In the late 1970s, he trimmed trees for the Rural Electric Cooperative in McLouth. In the early 1980s, he spent a few years with Thorn's Tree Service, and later worked at Bolinger Backhoe. He also worked as a farm hand at Murrfield Farms during the 1980s and 1990s. In the early 1990s, Gary began working in maintenance and janitorial at Hickory Point in Oskaloosa, Kansas, and there he found what he truly loved. The work was a good mix of keeping things running and visiting with the residents every day – talking with folks about everything and nothing at all.
This part of Gary's story was hard to add to his obituary but it consumed almost his entire life and if he were here writing this he would want people to know in the end he was winning. The effects of alcoholism played a large role in everything that happened in his life until he passed and it trickled down to so many others.
In 2002, with the help of his brother, sisters, and other family members, Gary moved to Sabetha to start over. The road was not smooth or straight, but after many bumps he found what worked for him. Gary worked at IMAC in Sabetha for seven years and then returned to what he loved, working at The Manor nursing home and Cobblestone Court assisted living, until his retirement in 2025. Toward the end Gary grew more comfortable talking about his sobriety. He told one of his sons at a family gathering, ‘I'm sorry I missed so much.’ Although it was hard for him to talk about weakness and emotions, given the opportunity and more time, he likely would have said the same thing to other people, part of sobriety for him was just learning how to feel after the removal of the substance. When Gary passed, he was 15 years sober.
Gary always loved being outside. Whether he was in a hayfield in the summer heat or cutting wood in the middle of nowhere- below zero, he adapted to whatever the day handed him and he enjoyed the work. Almost anyone who worked alongside him has a story or two to tell, maybe a trick he showed them to get the job done easier (or not!), or maybe just a good laugh shared along the way.
In 1966, Gary married Yvonne Cline, and together they had four sons: Todd Allen, who died in infancy, Chad, Shane, and Josh. Their marriage ended in 1981. In 1987, he married Jerri Dodds. Gary and Jerri shared a great relationship through good times and bad. In 1995, Jerri realized it was time to move on. She is a wonderful person. In June 2011, he married Betty Gene Wampler George, who was by his side until the end.
He is survived by his wife, Betty Gene Welliver, Sabetha; his sons, Chad Welliver, Delta, Ia, Shane (Lindsey) Welliver, Topeka, Ks, and Josh (Kyle) Welliver, Hutchinson, Ks; his bonus children, Matt (Krista) George, Mike (Erin) George, and Amber Rodecap; his brother, Larry (Linda) Welliver, Holton, Ks; and his sisters, Patricia (Jack) Westphal, Olathe, Ks, and Diane (Rod) Pringle, Lawrence, Ks.
He is also survived by his grandchildren, Luke (Shannon) Mace, Jessica (Mark) Bruno, Grayson Hallerberg, Sam Welliver, Kennedy (Lucas) Wagenbach, Britney (Austin) Metcalfe, Jocelyn Rodecap, Aidan Rodecap, Luke George, and Gabe George; and great-grandchildren, Ansley, Barrett, Colton, and Evelynn Mace, Luna Bruno, Louis Madden IV, Libby Madden, Ivory and Casen Metcalfe.
He was preceded in death by his infant son, Todd Welliver; his parents, Arnold and Hazel Welliver; his sisters, Norma Edwards and Donna Henderson; and his grandson, Louis Madden III.
Visitation and Funeral Service will be held Saturday, November 7th
Visitation: 12pm – 1pm
Funeral: 1pm
Barnett Family Funeral Home
1220 Walnut Street
Oskaloosa, Ks 66066
785-863-2020
Graveside service to follow:
Mclouth Cemetery
18976 K-16 Highway
Mclouth, Ks 66054
In lieu of flowers; Please make a gift online at:
or mail a check to:
Valeo Behavioral Health Care
5401 SW 7th Street
Topeka, Ks 66606