Letha Darlene (Cossman) Dugger

Letha Darlene (Cossman) Dugger, 88, died on December 2 at Brookdale Assisted Living in Dodge City. 

She was born November 2, 1928, at Dodge City, KS, to John V. and Dessie (Glunt) Cossman. On August 25, 1948, she married Leon C. Dugger at her parents’ farm home in Hodgeman County. He preceded her in death on December 31, 2009. 

Darlene attended Pleasant View grade school in rural Hodgeman County and graduated from Jetmore High School in 1946. She then graduated from the Wilcox Beauty Academy in Dodge City and began working at Graham’s Beauty Shop. Darlene moved to Jetmore and purchased her own beauty salon where she worked until the mid 1950’s. She sold her shop, moved to rural Hodgeman County then worked part-time at salons in Cimarron and Kalvesta to have more time with her family and help with the farming. She was active in her daughters’ lives with school, church and 4-H activities along with camping and fishing. When her daughters were in high school, she enjoyed taking them to all the basketball & football games. Darlene loved entertaining family and friends in her home for any occasion and was an excellent cook. She and her husband also loved to square dance and traveled throughout Kansas to square dance festivals. 

In 1969, the family moved to Kalvesta, where Darlene worked part-time out of her home as a hairdresser until she accepted a position at the Kalvesta Post Office in 1979. In 1983 she was appointed postmaster, where she worked until her retirement in 1996. They sold their home and moved to Dodge City in 2007, due to her husband’s failing health. 

Darlene was a member of the United Methodist Church of Kalvesta, the Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW in Dodge City, the Jolly Janes and Pla-Mor card clubs in Cimarron. She enjoyed quilting, playing cards, reading books, crossword puzzles and game shows on TV. She hand stitched a quilt for each grandchild. Darlene loved spending time with her family and friends, and dearly loved her grandchildren. 

Survivors include her two daughters, Pamela Whitaker and husband Jerry, Dodge City; and Marla Wenta and husband Larry, Fowler; one brother, Jim Cossman, Jetmore; one brother-in-law, Richard Maxwell, Dodge City; one sister-in-law, Deloris Addison, Cimarron; 4 grandchildren, Mindy Klein and husband Tim Martinez, Wichita; Jolyn Sena and husband Jeramy, Lawrence; Miles Klein, Meade; and Mariah Legleiter and husband Devin, Hays; 6 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Darlene was also preceded in death by her parents; one brother, John (Johnny) M. Cossman; one sister, Thelma Maxwell; two sisters-in-law, Evelyn Cossman and Mary Cossman; one brother-in-law, Eugene (Doc) Addison; and one infant granddaughter, Tamsen Lea Whitaker. 

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am, Tuesday, December 6, 2016, at Ziegler Funeral Chapel, Dodge City with Rev. Dick Robbins officiating. Burial will follow at Greencrest Memorial Gardens, Dodge City. Friends may call from noon to 8:00 pm on Monday at the funeral chapel. 

The family suggests memorials to the VFW Post 1714 of Dodge City or the United Methodist Church of Kalvesta both in care of Ziegler Funeral Chapel, 1901 N. 14th, Dodge City, KS 67801.