Cornelia L. “Cora” Hammes, 71, of Seneca, Kansas, died suddenly at her home on Tuesday, July 15, 1975. Her death was due to an apparent stroke.

Cornelia Lenora, or “Cora” as she was known, was born March 31, 1904, on a farm near St. Benedict, Kansas to George and Elizabeth Engelken Stallbaumer. She grew up in the St. Benedict area and attended a country school and St. Benedict School.

On April 14, 1926, she married Lawrence A. Hammes at St. Mary’s Church in St. Benedict. They farmed southwest of Seneca until 1944, when they moved to their present farm three miles west of Seneca. They raised a family of 12 children. A son, Donald, preceded her in death November 21, 1967.

Cora was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Baileyville and St. Ann’s Altar Society at the church. She always had time for her family and was interested in their projects as well as having several interests of her own to keep well occupied.

Survivors include her husband Lawrence of the home; six sons, Alvin (Sara) of Shawnee Mission; Gerald (Cleta Mae); Galen (Dorothy) and Leo (Mary Jane), all of Seneca, Kenneth (Alice) of Vermillion, Larry of West Richland, Washington; five daughters, Cleta Mae (Remi) Haverkamp of Centralia; Dorothy (Vern) Bergman of Topeka; Bernice (Gene) Heiman of Baileyville; Mary Rose (Mark) Feuerborn of Richmond; Jeanette (Orville) Dick of Meriden; six brothers, Alfred, Cyril, Adrian, Emmett and Raymond Stallbaumer, all of Seneca, Hubert Stallbaumer of Atchison; three sisters, Minnie Haug of Seneca, Leona Nolte of Atchison, Rita (Frank) Broxterman of Baileyville; and 37 grandchildren.

Rosaries were prayed at Lauer Funeral Home on Wednesday evening led by Fr. Albert Hauser, and on Thursday evening led by Fr. George Klasinski. Mass of Christian Burial was offered on Friday morning, July 18, at Sacred Heart Church by Fr. George Klasinski. Servers were Steve Haverkamp, Bob Hammes, Danny Heiman and Eddie Bergman.

Burial was in the church cemetery. Pallbearers were Joe Olberding, Richard Feldkamp, Conrad Feldkamp, Clarence Reinecke, August Olberding Jr. and Francis Larkin.