Lois Opal Wellman was born March 1, 1922, in Elkhart, Kansas, to Merle and Carrie (Doke) Wellman. She was the third child born of five. Her siblings were Clifford, Lillian, Ruth and Red.

The Wellman family lived on a farm 15 miles south of Walsh. Lois attended Richards School. One story Lois told was on a wet and cold winter day, after walking a mile to school she was cold and a little damp. Everyone was crowded around the pot-belly stove so she sat down on the knee of a young man in order to get closer to the warmth. She was expelled!

For 20 years the family worked and farmed. Like everyone else in those days they had good times and hard times. The hard times won out during the Dust Bowl days. Merle and Carrie lost everything they had worked so hard for and had to move to town. Lois was 16 when they moved to Walsh.

Lois enrolled in Walsh High School and attended until she met and married Hardin Dykes on July 8, 1939. Lois wasn't allowed to go to school after she married. Consequently she began her long career as a bookkeeper/secretary when at the age of 17 she started working for Ely Walker. She worked for Mr. Walker off and on for 8 years. During this time she also drove the ambulance and was bookkeeper for Dykes and Morich Furniture and Undertaking. Hardin and Lois were married 17 years before Kenton David was born in June of 1956 and Carla Jane arrived in December of 1958. Lois's grandson, Cullen, was born in 1993. He truly was the "apple of his grandma's eye".

In 1970, after the death of Granny Dykes, Hardin and Lois began operating Dykes Funeral Home. Hardin suffered a debilitating stroke in 1978. Lois cared for him in their home until his death in 1985. She also continued to run the funeral home during this time. Lois married Ivan Gruber in 1991. Their time together was brief but they had many enjoyable experiences.

Memories of Lois include what a hard worker she was. Lois cleaned and ironed clothes and American flags and was always busy as long as her health allowed her to be. She was a good cook and her fried chicken was incomparable. Her chocolate sheet cake wasn't too bad either! She made innumerable jars of crab apple jelly from the tree in her own back yard. She enjoyed watching the progress of the peaches on her peach tree and was generous in sharing them. Before she became unable to travel Lois enjoyed going to Santa Fe to the casino. She will be missed by her family.

Lois is preceded in death by her parents, Merle and Carrie Wellman; husbands, Hardin Dykes and Ivan Gruber; siblings, Clifford Wellman and wife Elma, Lillian and husband Arden Dillinger, Ruth and husband Melvin Stults and Red Wellman. She is survived by daughter, Carla Hair; grandson, Cullen Hair; son, Kenton and wife Sandy and their family, Jessica, Chuck and Wyatt Friedrichs and Jordan Brink. She is also survived by sister-in-law, Bobbie Wellman, 3 nieces, a nephew and cousins.