Lawrence W. ‘Pete’ Rathert, 86, lifelong resident and farmer of Nortonville, KS, passed away Monday, April 25, 2016 at the Colmery-O’Neil VA Medical Center in Topeka, KS.

Funeral Services will be 11:00 am, Thursday, April 28, 2016 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Nortonville, KS, with Rev. Michael VanVelzer, officiating. Burial will follow in the Nortonville (KS) Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 9:00 am, Thursday, until time of services at St. Matthew Lutheran Church. Friends may call at the O’Trimble Funeral Home, Nortonville, after 1:00 pm Wednesday. Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Matthew – Hugh Rathert Scholarship Fund and may be sent in care of the O’Trimble Funeral Home, PO Box 267, Nortonville, KS 66060. Words of comfort and remembrance may be left online at www.beckerdyer.com.

Lawrence Wilford ‘Pete’ Rathert was born on April 19, 1930 in Nortonville, KS, the son of William F. and Rose (Meier) Rathert. Pete graduated from Nortonville High School and farmed all his life in the Nortonville area. Pete served his country in the US Army from 1954-1956 during the Korean War. He was a member of St. Matthew Lutheran Church. Pete loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandson. Pete also enjoyed feeding his fish on his farm pond and in his younger days, hunting.

Pete and Marilyn Shaeffer were married on April 26, 1958 in Atchison, KS. Marilyn preceded Pete in death on October 25, 1992. Pete later married Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Bekaert and she also preceded him in death along with Pete’s parents; a son, Hugh Rathert (2002); two brothers, Ralph and Floyd Rathert; and a sister, Dorothy Musselman.

Survivors include two daughters, Pam (Tony) Bertels, Olathe, KS and Nancy (Tim) Lewis, Pittsburg, KS; two grandchildren, Trysten Lewis and Lindsey (Mark) Neibling and a great-grandson, Jack Neibling.