Eldon W. Dyer

Eldon W. Dyer, 87, of Manhattan, KS and formerly of Wamego, KS, passed away Sunday, October 18, 2015 at Meadowlark Hills Retirement Community of Manhattan. Eldon was born May 7, 1928 in Pamona, KS the son of Kenneth L. and Lenore (Miller) Dyer. He attended schools in Meriden, KS and graduated from high school there in 1946. He married Leila K. Erp on September 4, 1949. She preceded him in death in 1997. He then married Dorothy McHugh on September 10, 1999. Dorothy survives of the home. In 1955, he moved to Wamego to help his parents run Dyer’s IGA grocery store at the original store located on the south end of Lincoln St., and then moved to a new store location on 5th street in 1956. He took sole ownership of the store in 1967, and built a new Dyer’s IGA store located on Highway 24 in 1974. He continued to be active in managing the store until his retirement in 1992. Eldon was a past member of the Wamego Optimist Club and also the First United Methodist Church of Wamego. He owned several motor homes, and traveled over 300,000 miles to many destinations including Alaska, and Canada (twice), down to Mexico, Nova Scotia, and nearly every state in the U.S. Eldon particularly enjoyed traveling to footall and baseball games to watch his step-grandsons play. He also enjoyed woodworking, was a collector of all types of general store and grocery store items, and also collected memorabilia from the civil war period. Survivors include his four sons: David Dyer, Oklahoma City, OK, Mike Dyer (Tina), Olathe, KS, John Dyer (Debbie), Wamego, KS, Mark Dyer (Mary Lou), Elliott, IA; three grandchildren: Jennifer Walsh (Watrick), Malvern, AR, Heather Carpenter (Ken), Wamego, KS, Beth Purdom (Jeff), New Lenox, IL; five great-grandchildren; five step-children: Ralph McHugh (Mary Jo) and Rhonda Briggs (Kelly), all of Manhattan, KS, Geralyn Carstenson and Pam Hendricks (Greg), all of Wamego, KS, Randy McHugh (Kris), Spring Ranch, NE; 15 step-grandchildren and 17 step-great-grandchildren. He was also preceded in death by his parents, and a brother and sister: Kenneth L. Dyer, Jr., and Geneva Mc Keever. Mr. Dyer has been cremated. A visitation celebrating his life with family and friends will be from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 25, 2015 at the Stewart Funeral Home of Wamego. A private inurnment will be held at Wamego City Cemetery on Monday, October 26, 2015. In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested memorials to the Riley County Humane Society and the Alzheimer’s Association, and may be left in care of the Stewart Funeral Home, PO Box 48, Wamego, KS 66547.