Osage City--Harold "Ed" Poertner, 73, passed away on Friday, December 29, 2017 near Topeka, Kansas. He was born on September 3, 1944 in Wamego, Kansas, the son of Maxwell and Marie Baggs Carley. He was adopted and raised by Fred and Mabel Burkdoll Poertner.
Harold grew up around the Vassar and Lyndon communities, had lived in Emporia from 1967 to 2011 and has lived southeast of Osage City since then.
Harold served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. He taught 6th grade at Maynard Elementary in Emporia and then became Principal there. He was the Director of Career Education in Emporia, owned a computer service business and retired from the State of Kansas as the Drug and Rehabilitation Director. He earned his Bachelor's, Masters and Specialist in Education from Emporia State University. Harold was a member of the Emporia Masonic Lodge #12, was on the board of the Vassar Funfest and was a member of the Lyndon United Methodist Church.
On June 26, 1966 Harold was married to Nancy Failor in Lyndon.
Harold was preceded in death by his birth parents, Maxwell and Marie and by his adopted parents, Fred and Mabel.
Harold is survived by his wife Nancy of the home; his daughter, Gina Poertner of Shawnee; his son, Brian (Angel) Poertner of Osage City; his brother, Frank Poertner of Kansas City, MO.; his half brother, Gary (Sharon) Rainwater of Bowie, Texas; his half sister, Gail Sharp of Bowie, Texas; adopted siblings, Kathy Isaacs, Jane Ann Whalen, Susan Scheid, Richard Burkdoll and Gary Burkdoll; and his three grandchildren, Lauren, Lindsey and Logan.
Funeral services for Harold will be 11:00am on Friday, January 5 at the Lyndon United Methodist Church. Burial will be in the Lyndon Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00pm on Thursday at the Feltner Funeral Home in Lyndon. Memorial contributions may be made to the Lyndon United Methodist Church, sent in care of Feltner Funeral Home, 818 Topeka Avenue, Lyndon, KS. 66451.