Coburn Eugene Van Sickle

Coburn E. “Van” Van Sickle formerly of Emporia died May 16, 2020 at Cedar Lakes Village in Olathe, Kansas of natural causes.  He was 96.

Coburn was born on May 9, 1924, at Emporia, Kansas to Lewis Ernest and Edith Jones Van Sickle.  He had an older brother, Warren, and an older sister, Marie.  He married Helen Eileen Briggs on May 28, 1944 in Reading, Kansas.  They moved to Emporia in 1952 and lived there for the rest of their married lives.  Helen died July 17, 2013 in Emporia.

He was a distributor for Standard Oil, later Van Sickle Oil Company.  During WWII, he was an infantryman in the US Army.  He was honorably discharged after being awarded the Purple Heart.  Coburn was a member of the Emporia Presbyterian Church.  He was a man of integrity whose life’s work was providing for his family.

He is survived by two daughters, Sally (Fred) Linhart of Olathe; Lori (Jerry) Schwilling of Hillsboro; grandchildren Jessica (Brigham) Joy of Spring Hill; Daniel (Lisa) Linhart of Olathe; Cameron (Valerie) Grant of Kansas City, MO; Aaron Grant of New York City; and Kelsey (Max) Parker of Olathe, and eight great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his parents and siblings; his wife; and two children, Deborah Lynn and John David.

Private graveside services will be held at a later date at the Lincoln Cemetery in Lebo.  Memorials to the Emporia Presbyterian Church can be sent in care of the funeral home.