Mona Elaine Kessinger

Graveside Services for Mona Elaine Kessinger, 89, Junction City, will be 10:00AM, Saturday, January 26, 2008 at Ida Cemetery near Munden, Kansas with Larry Divel officiating. A Celebration of Life service will follow at the Junction City Little Theatre, 335 West 18th, at 2:00PM, Saturday, January 26, 2008 with Jan Kessinger, presiding. Visitation will be held from 6:00PM – 7:30PM, Friday, January 25, 2008 at Penwell-Gabel Johnson Chapel, 203 N. Washington. Mona passed away Monday, January 21, 2008 at her home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Junction City Opera House Foundation, P. O. Box 3005, Junction City, KS.

Mona was born to Royal Bonham Henderson and Cora Maria Torbert, October 7, 1918 in Rosecreek Township, Republic County, Kansas. She attended the University of Wichita, studying Fine arts. She married Edward L. Kessinger in 1938 and divorced in 1976. The couple had five children.

Mona and her husband owned and published the Junction City Republic, one of the oldest weekly newspapers in Kansas, from 1950 to 1976. The column, "Second Helpings", appeared weekly for 26 years and won many state and national awards. She was named the top female columnist in the state by the Kansas Press Women numerous times, including 11 straight years.

In 1961, the National Presswomen Association honored her with first place in special editions for her work on an issue commemorating the Kansas Centennial. Mona was named "Woman Journalist of the Year", in 1965 by the Kansas State University chapter of Theta Sigma Phi. In 1966, she was named "Kansas Woman of Achievement" by the Kansas Press Women in honor of her newspaper and civic work.

Mona was a founder of the Junction City Little Theater, had served on the board since its incorporation and as president three separate terms. She has appeared in more than 50 productions for the theater and was wardrobe mistress for several years.

Some of her other civic activities included being a charter member and secretary of the Junction City Arts Council, past president of the Ladies Reading Club, charter member of the Pilot Club, Knife and Fork Club and Geary County Historical Society. She was also a charter member of the Southwind Yacht Club.

In 1973, Mona was named an honorary life member of the PTA and nominated as Kansas Mother of the Year.

She was the first woman named to the local Salvation Army Advisory Board. Mona was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a member of the Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas.

After leaving the newspaper, she worked civil service at Fort Riley for 13 years as a Public Affairs Specialist and editor of the Third Region ROTC newspaper. She was honored with the Keith L. Ware award for publishing the best ROTC newspaper in the nation


Mona is survived by:

3 Daughters: Judy Hilton and husband, Ralph, of Abilene, KS
Kristin Benjamin, Woodland Hills, CA
Lisa Divel and husband, Larry, of Abilene, KS

1 Son: Jan Kessinger and wife, Jeanne, of Overland Park, KS

1 Daughter-In-Law: Kathleen Kessinger, Burlingame, KS

11 Grandchildren

5 Great-Grand Children

She was preceded in death by her parents and one son, Kurt Kessinger.