Miguel V. Baeza
Miguel V. Baeza, husband to Carmen (Nieto) Baeza, father, grandfather, brother, businessman, and jack of all trades passed away on April 9, 2025. He was 68 years young.
Born on September 11, 1956, Miguel immigrated to the United States at the age of 14 in search of a better life. With determination and a strong work ethic, he brought the American dream to life. A proud U.S. citizen, he embraced every opportunity to support his family’s future, leading by example with his generosity, laughter, and steady presence. He especially loved sharing his passion for craftsmanship with his sons, teaching them the value of working with their hands and taking pride in what they built together.
Miguel was a loving husband, a man who couldn't sit still for more than two days without picking up a tool or starting a new project—much to the dismay of doctors and family alike. He showed his love not only through words, but through action—supporting his wife’s dream of creating a family restaurant, and transforming their house into a welcoming casa with his craftsmanship and care. All of this he did while working full time in the oil field and managing rental properties. Miguel had a talent for renovating houses and turning them into homes.
Miguel enjoyed the outdoors with his family. Whether it was a day outside with his grandchildren, a project in the yard, or a gathering under the sun, Miguel cherished those moments. Some of his favorite memories were made on fishing and camping trips. He was looking forward to exploring more with his wife and family in a recent RV purchase.
He raised four children with love and guidance: Miguel Angel Baeza and wife Jocelyn Baeza, Edgar Antonio Baeza, Carmen Guadalupe Baeza, and the baby of the family, Kassandra Baeza. He is also survived by four grandchildren: Brenda Alexius Baeza, Blair Alenni Baeza, Xavier Miguel Baeza, and Brynlee Belle Baeza. Miguel was also a brother to 11 siblings, and his love for family extended across generations. He was proud of each one.
Miguel's laughter, spirit, kindness, and love for his family will be remembered with a legacy of strength, joy, and unity.
He will forever be missed, cherished, and loved.
Rosary Services will be held on Sunday, April 13, 2025 at 6:30 PM (MDT) at the St. Raphael Catholic Church in Syracuse, KS.
Funeral Mass Services will be held at 10:30 AM (MDT) Monday, April 14, 2025 at the St. Raphael Catholic Church, burial will follow in Grant County Cemetery, Ulysses, KS.
In Lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be payable to Miguel Baeza Memorial Fund and may be sent in care of Fellers Funeral Home LLC, PO Box 1253, Syracuse, KS 67878. 620-384-5100.
OBITUARIES
Eldon “Skip” Reed
Eldon “Skip” Dwane Reed, age 75, passed away peacefully at home in Syracuse, Kansas surrounded by his family on May 17, 2026. Skip was born January 21,1951 to Eldon “Bub” and Phyllis (Hartshorn) Reed. Bub worked at the John Deere Dealership,... [More]
John “Skip” Conard, Jr.
John Warren "Skip" Conard, Jr, born September 1, 1943, in Syracuse, Kansas, passed away on April 4, 2026, at the age of 82, surrounded by his loving family. He grew up in Coolidge, Kansas with his brother, Edward Dale Conard, and his sister, Barbara (Conard) Latty; his... [More]
Peggy Hatcher
Peggy Dorine Hatcher, 88, of Syracuse, Kansas, passed away peacefully on May 7, 2026, at the Hamilton County Hospital. Peggy was born on January 23, 1938, on the family farm northwest of Holly, Colorado, to Leslie and Helen (Moyer). She was raised on the family farm near... [More]
Sharon Ann (Taylor) Englert
Sharon Ann (Taylor) Englert, 88, of Syracuse, Kansas, passed away peacefully on May 9, 2026, surrounded by family and love. Sharon was born on September 10, 1937, to Elmer L. “Bob” Taylor and Eloise Irene (Bilbery) Taylor. She grew up in rural western Kansas near... [More]
Boyd “Pete” Dwight Bezona
Boyd “Pete” Dwight Bezona, age 88, of Syracuse, Kansas, passed away on May 8, 2026, at his home in Syracuse. He was born on September 8, 1937, in Lamar Colorado, to Otto Ervin Bezona and Ida Rebecca (Armour) Bezona. Pete grew up south of Granada,... [More]
Larry Vaughn Meyer
Lakin—Larry Vaughn Meyer, 67, passed away on Monday, May 4, 2026, at Common Spirit-Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Born September 19, 1958, in Ulysses, he was the son of the late Duane W. and Loretta Mae (Stephen) Meyer. On January 24, 1978, Larry married... [More]
Eva Jane Schmidt
Eva Jane (Jantz) Schmidt, 94, of Syracuse, Kansas, passed away on Thursday, May 6, 2026, at Hamilton County Hospital in Syracuse, Kansas, and went home to be with the Lord. She was born on November 5, 1931, in Copeland, Kansas, to Jonas and Anna (Schmidt) Jantz. Jane received... [More]
Pauline Fecht
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SPORTS
HI-PLAINS ALL LEAGUE
The Hi-Plains League has announced recipients of all-league basketball honors. The selection process begins when individual coaches submit names. The players are then voted on by the other HPL coaches. However, coaches may not vote on their own players. Syracuse High School... [More]
SHS CHEER TAKES SECOND
Small but Mighty! That is the name high school Head Cheerleading Coach, Marcos Valadez put on the 2024-2025 squad last summer, “We may not have the numbers, but our team has overcome adversity and is always stepping up to the challenge.” Proving this, the Syracuse... [More]
BULLDOGS OPEN FALL SEASON WITH FIRST PLACE FINISH IN GOLF
The Syracuse Bulldogs Ladies Varsity Golf Team took first at their season opener in Stanton County on Tuesday afternoon. They shot a team score of 207 at the Prairie Pines Golf Course in Johnson. The varsity team is Lanee Owens, Bronwyn Lewis, Sammy Schwieterman, Maddy... [More]
LEWIS HEADS TO STATE TRACK
Qualifying members of the high school track team traveled to Hill City Thursday, May 16 to compete in the 2-A regional meet against 15 teams, Ellinwood, Ellis, Hill City, Hoxie, Lincoln, Meade, Medicine Lodge, Oakley, Plainville, Smith Center, Stanton County, Sublette, Thomas... [More]
BULLDOGS TAKE SECOND AT REGIONALS - HEADED TO STATE
The Syracuse High School boys golf team battled breezy conditions on Monday May 13 competing in the 2-A Regional meet on their own Tamarisk Golf Course. Adjusting to windy conditions and competing at home paid off for the Bulldogs Monday, placing second, qualifying... [More]
STATE GOLF RESULTS
State golf on Monday had the Varsity Bulldogs miss playing in the finals as a team by one stroke. They finished seventh out of twelve teams. On Day 1, Brody Keller shot a 92 missing day two by two strokes. Ian Brummett shot a 95, Mason Scott and Johnny TeVelde shot... [More]
JH BASKETBALL WINS
Junior High Boys Basketball A, B, and C teams travelled to Elkhart on Monday, November 21. The A team won 41-34, B team won 26-21, and C team lost to Elkhart 13-20. Head Coach Vance Keller said, “Elkhart was a tough win for both the A and B teams but both grinded... [More]
LADY BULLDOGS BORDER WARS CHAMPIONS!!
The Lady Bulldogs were undefeated during the Border Wars, defeating Eads on Friday, 42-7 and Walsh on Saturday 62-5, bringing their record to 3-1. But the winner wasn’t announced until Tuesday evening. Syracuse Athletic Director Josh Johnson explained, “It came down... [More]
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NEWS
Angie Moser Retiring, Running For Commissioner
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C Double Liquor Open House
It was a busy Saturday as alumni gathered all over town. The Sand Dunes were busy, and It was a beautiful day to check out the new, improved, and redesigned C Double Liquor store, formerly the Liquor Shack. C Double Liquor & Laundry, LLC is owned by brothers Casey... [More]
Airborne electromagnetic survey of Ogallala aquifer conditions planned in southwest Kansas
LAWRENCE — Beginning in late May and continuing until late July, residents of southwest Kansas may see a low-flying helicopter towing a large hexagonal frame. This aerial arrangement is part of a project to map groundwater conditions in the Ogallala aquifer in Southwest... [More]
Everybody Has A Story: Jenny (Verry) Holdredge - From Syracuse to Doctorate
“If you want to get it done, get a woman to do it! “SHE” is Jennifer Suzanne Verry (ALWAYS known as Jenny), born October 1, 1977 to James and Valerie Verry in the small town of Belle Fourche, located on the northern slopes of the famous Black Hills... [More]
Area Rain Brings Hope To Farmers
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Cruisin’ Into Car Show - Best Turnout In Ten Years
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Coolidge Bridge Opens
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Plunkett Elected to Kansas Angus Association
Aaron Plunkett has been a member of Kansas Angus Association since his start in the commercial cattle business. His dad Richard ran cows. “I remember my dad bought some cows in La Junta and they had babies. I was about 7 years old. He sold me a baby calf and... [More]
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OPINIONS
God Shows Up
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More love, less hate
Happy Thursday! I am writing this Wednesday morning . When this paper goes out, I need to start on next week’s, the final edition of the year. There won’t be a newspaper for January 1, 2026. The calendar last year left zero room for a break and I am desperately... [More]
Purpose in the Pain
It’s November! It’s a beautiful cool, fall Wednesday morning as I write this. I took a walk with my dogs, chatted with my friend, and coughed. But the cough has been way better! Tuesday was Election Day. The contest for mayor of Coolidge was one many were watching.... [More]
Fruit of the Spirit
October is here! The cool mornings are lovely! Looking forward to cooler afternoons too! Thought I would share some quick updates. My respiratory junk is not wanting to exit this human. Got another round of antibiotics and more breathing treatments. Thankfully I am improving. ... [More]
Where Can God Use You Today?
A long haired shaggy white dog, likely a Great Pyrenees, showed up at our farm last week. After a couple of days, we saw it wasn’t going anywhere. We started to feed it. He let us get closer. What we found was a skinny, malnourished dog with a horrible case... [More]
How Vulnerable Are You?
Thanks for your patience last week. I am still recovering but have returned to the land of the living! I get frustrated with how slow it takes to recover sometimes when really I should focus on the fact that I am recovering. I truly feel like I am getting stronger and then... [More]
Let God
It’s the first week of September. After I get the paper onto stands, we are headed to the state fair. They changed some of the stalling procedures this year for sheep which leaves some unknowns for us. But every year we go, we learn new things. After my irritation and frustration... [More]
Breathing Space
I slipped away for a quick getaway for back to school clothes shopping, visiting family, some good food, and a trip to Barnes and Noble. We left Thursday afternoon and returned Sunday. It was triple digit heat when we left our sheep in good hands to be taken care... [More]
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