Obituaries from December 2001

Louise M. Luther INDIANOLA -- Louise M. Luther, 86, died Saturday (Dec. 1, 2001) at Hillcrest Nursing Home. She was born May 19, 1915, at Orleans to Aloysius and Susanna (Hoxmeier) Streff. She attended rural schools near Orleans. On Feb. 17, 1942, she married Kenneth Luther at Orleans. She lived most of her life at Indianola. They moved to Hillcrest on Aug. 11, 1997...

Mary L. (Henningsen) Decker ATWOOD -- Mary L. (Henningsen) Decker, 91, died Friday (Nov. 30, 2001) at the Cedar Living Center in Oberlin. She was born Oct. 4, 1910, in rural Rawlins County, Kan., to Anders "Andy" and Clara (Bohme) Henningsen. She attended the Tully School District 93, graduated from Atwood Community High School and received normal training...

Rosella (McKillip) Wicke ATWOOD -- Rosella (McKillip) Wicke, 84, died Friday (Nov. 30, 2001) at the Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood. She was born Nov. 9, 1917, at the family farm house in Hayes County to Arch and Mamie (Marquissie) McKillip. She was baptized as an infant at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in rural Hayes County. She graduated from Hayes County High School in 1934 with a normal training certificate...

Jeremy Dean Hunkins TRENTON -- Jeremy Dean Hunkins, 17, died Thursday (Nov. 29, 2001) at his home in Trenton. He was born Feb. 5, 1984, to Gary D. and Jeanne L. (Hanes) Hunkins at Benkelman. He had lived his whole life in Trenton. He was a senior at Lakeside Central High School and a member of St. John's Lutheran Church...

Alpha O. Morgan OXFORD -- Alpha O. Morgan, 95, died Sunday (Dec. 2, 2001) at his home in Oxford. He was born Aug. 31, 1906, east of Elwood in Gosper County to Frank Artimus and Lucy Ann (Harris) Morgan. He graduated from Elwood High School in 1922 at the age of 15...

Mara Crawford TOPEKA, Kan. -- Mara Crawford, 49, died Monday (Dec. 3, 2001) at her home in Topeka. She was born Aug. 25, 1952, at Oberlin to Elmer J. and Colleen (White) Kathka. She was raised in Oberlin and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1970. She attended Kansas State University...

Wilda May Stanley COLWICH, Kan. -- Wilda May Stanley, 84, of Colwich died Monday (Dec. 3, 2001) at her home. She was born July 28, 1917, on a farm near Cambridge to Charles Wesley and Mable Alice (Sears) Meader. On Oct. 2, 1927, she married Lyle Russell Stanley at McCook. She was a homemaker...

Roger E. Taynor NEW CARLISLE, Ohio -- Roger E. Taynor, 74, died Friday, (Nov. 30, 2001) at Wilson Memorial Hospital in Sidney, Ohio. He was born June 20, 1927, at New Carlisle to Ezra and Pearl (West) Taynor. He was a lifelong resident of New Carlisle, served his country during World War II in the U.S. Air Force, and retired as assistant fire chief from WPAFB in 1981...

Ann Elizabeth Trimpey BURLINGTON, Colo. -- Ann Elizabeth Trimpey, 87, formerly of Culbertson, died Friday (Dec. 7, 2001) at The Legacy Nursing Home in Burlington. She was born Feb. 1, 1914, in Frontier County to Peter S. and Bessie Montgomery Smith. She grew up in Culbertson...

Louis Pachner OBERLIN -- Louis Pachner, 82, died Wednesday (Dec. 5, 2001) at Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. He was born Dec. 31, 1918, at Oberlin to Frank and Barbora (Ruzicka) Pachner. He grew up at Center Township of Decatur County, Kan. He attended Center School...

Harry Hein Harry Hein, 92, died Thursday (Dec. 6, 2001) at Hillcrest Nursing Home of McCook. He was born June 19, 1909, at McCook to John C. and Anna Margaret (Lenhart) Hein. He grew up at Culbertson where he graduated from rural school. He began farming on the family farm at Culbertson...

Carl Schafer CULBERTSON -- Carl Schafer, 88, died Thursday (Dec. 6, 2001) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. He was born Jan. 6, 1913, at Frank, Russia, to Jake and Marie (Ditter) Schafer. Following the death of his father, he and his mother came to the United States in 1923 and settled at Culbertson...

Elinor D. Brown LINCOLN -- Elinor D. Brown, 86, of Lincoln, died Saturday (Dec. 8, 2001). She was born July 25, 1915, at Curtis to Forrest Earl and Blanche (Taylor) Dillman. She was an office manager. She was a member of the First Congregational Church of McCook, the Eastern Star Chapter No. 86, PEO, and the Golden Kiwanis Club...

Harold L. Schaffer COZAD -- Harold L. Schaffer, 82, died Friday (Dec. 7, 2001) at Cozad. He was born Jan. 8, 1919, at Mobridge, S.D., to Jacob and Ida (Miller) Schaffer. He attended schools in South Dakota, Kansas and North Platte. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

John C. Pollmann John C. Pollmann, 83, died Tuesday (Dec. 11, 2001) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born April 20, 1918, at Culbertson to Henry W. and Anna (Volroth) Pollmann. He lived in the Culbertson area all his life. He attended rural schools...

Gail Thomas Collicott YUMA COUNTY, Colo. -- Gail Thomas Collicott, 48, of Max, died Friday (Dec. 7, 2001), in Yuma County as a result of an automobile accident. He was born Aug. 21, 1953, at Benkelman to LaVoine and Opal (Myer) Collicott. He attended school in Haigler, graduating from Haigler High School in 1972. ...

Lee Eugene Beeson BIRD CITY, Kan. -- Lee Eugene Beeson, 76, died Monday (Dec. 10, 2001) at the Good Samaritan Village in St. Francis, Kan. He was born Sept. 7, 1925, in Cheyenne County, Kan., to Earl Foster and Mary Jane (Penn) Beeson. He was a farmer and rancher...

Onamae Ratcliff-Dechert ATWOOD -- Onamae Ratcliff-Dechert, 93, died Monday (Dec. 10, 2001) at the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. She was born June 3, 1908, at Yakima, Wash., to Charles Edgar and Margaret Mae (Biddle) Minnick. In 1928, she married Dewey J. Ratcliff. He preceded her in death on Oct. 23, 1980...

Virginia M. (Howard) Griffith CLAYTON, Kan. -- Virginia M. (Howard) Griffith, 81, died Tuesday (Dec. 11, 2001) at the Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. She was born March 7, 1920, at Stockton, Kan., to Fred and Elizabeth (Montgomery) Howard. She graduated from Logan High School and Kansas State University...

Lois Audrey Boson ROSEVILLE, Calif. -- Lois Audrey Boson, 87, died Monday (Dec. 10, 2001) at Roseville. She was born Nov. 19, 1914, in Red Willow County. She moved from McCook to Pollock Pines, Calif., in 1937, and then spent 46 years in El Dorado, Colo. She later moved to Yearington, Nev., and for the past 10 years has lived in Rocklin, Calif...

Stephen M. Hussey STRATTON -- Stephen M. Hussey, 85, died Tuesday (Dec. 11, 2001) at the Sarah Ann Hester Memorial Home in Benkelman. He was born Nov. 2, 1916, at Pendennis, Kan., to Richard Stephen and Iva Elizabeth (Averill) Hussey. He entered the U.S. Navy in 1937, serving during World War II, and was honorably discharged in 1945...

Mary Jeanette Smith Mary Jeanette Smith, 72, died Thursday (Dec. 13, 2001) at her home in McCook. She was born July 19, 1929, on a farm near Haigler to Frank Ernest and Mabel Maude (Leech) Bullock. She graduated from Haigler High School in 1946. On April 12, 1947, she married Donald Melvin Smith at Benkelman. ...

Walter E. 'Pete' Westerbeck ARAPAHOE -- Walter E. "Pete" Westerbeck, 89, died Tuesday (Dec. 11, 2001) at his home in Arapahoe. He was born June 23, 1912, at Arapahoe to William H. and Louise (Wendland) Westerbeck. He was raised in Arapahoe and graduated with the class of 1932 from Arapahoe High School. After graduation he worked for a road construction crew in Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado...

Celia Hurlbut Hollister THORNTON, Colo. -- Celia Hurlbut Hollister, 91, died Dec. 6, 2001, at Sunny Acres in Thornton. She was born Oct. 4, 1910, in Grundy County, Iowa, to Ward and Beulah (Hollister) Hurlbut. She was raised in Norcatur, Kan. She earned her bachelor's of science degree from the University of Colorado...

John Jacob Brunk OBERLIN -- John Jacob Brunk, 84, died Friday (Dec. 14, 2001) at the Cedar Living Center in Oberlin. He was born April 27, 1917, in Decatur County, Kan., to John J. and Luella Jom Brunk. He was raised in the Norcatur, Kan., area. He attended country grade school near Norcatur, and Norcatur High School...

Harold L. Robison OBERLIN -- Harold L. Robison, 80, died Wednesday (Dec. 12, 2001) at the Casa Grande Regional Medical Center. He was born Sept. 21, 1921, in Harlan County to Ira Elmer and Clara Edith (Fringer) Robison. He was raised in Oberlin, and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1938...

Rev. Walter John Fredrick Klipp GREELEY, Colo. -- Rev. Walter John Fredrick Klipp, 80, of Greeley, formerly of McCook, died Friday (Dec. 7, 2001) at the Northern Colorado Medical Center. He was born April 26, 1921, at Wilton Junction, Iowa, to Adolph and Marie (Schacht) Klipp. He attended grade school at Lowden, Iowa, and graduated from high school in Milwaukee, Wis. He attended the seminary at Concordia in St. Louis, Mo., graduating in 1945...

Norman 'Joe' Joseph Spicka ATWOOD -- Norman "Joe" Joseph Spicka, 41, died Sunday (Dec. 16, 2001) at the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. He was born Aug. 15, 1960, at Denver, Colo. When he was three years old he came to live on a farm in the St. ...

Gerald 'Jerry' M. Allen LINCOLN -- Gerald "Jerry" M. Allen, 60, died Friday (Dec. 14, 2001) at the Bryan LGH West hospital in Lincoln. He was born May 31, 1941, at Port Huron, Miss., to Harold and M. Beulah (Cunningham) Allen. He enlisted in the U.S. ...

Anna Ellen Barnett GARDEN CITY, Kan. -- Anna Ellen Barnett, 89, died Monday (Dec. 17, 2001) at St. Catherine's Hospital in Garden City. She was born June 23, 1912, at Selden, Kan., to Allen and Rena (Jensen) Cheney. She was raised in the Hawkeye community in Decatur County, Kan. She attended Fairview Country School...

Lenora Marie Johnson WESTCLIFFE, Colo. -- Lenora Marie Johnson, 95, died Sunday (Dec. 16, 2001) at Westcliffe. She was born Nov. 11, 1906, at McCook to Joseph Alfred and Lenora Mary (Smith) Schmidt. She was raised and attended school in McCook. In 1926 she married Arthur Johnson at McCook. They owned and operated a restaurant. In 1959 they moved to Denver, Colo. He preceded her in death that same year...

John W. Walz INDIANOLA -- John W. Walz, 85, died Tuesday (Dec. 18, 2001) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born July 21, 1916, at Sauk Centre, Minn., to Adolph Frank and Anna (Santer) Walz. On Nov. 20, 1945, he married Mary C. Kometscher. They made their home on a farm near Indianola...

Brandon Lee Hendricks Brandon Lee Hendricks was born March 13, 1972, in Oklahoma City, Okla. He graduated from Russellville High School in Arkansas in 1990. Brandon interrupted his college in 1999 to enter the U. S. Navy. He attended Hospital Corps School in Great Lakes, Ill., and graduated with Honors and Distinction as the Class Valedictorian. ...

G. Randall Amack OBERLIN -- G. Randall Amack, 68, died Wednesday (Dec. 19, 2001) at the Hays Medical Center, St. Anthony's Campus, in Hays, Kan. He was born July 11, 1933, at Prairie Dog Township in Decatur County, Kan., to Stanser James and Minnie Elva (George) Amack. He was raised in rural Decatur County and attended the District No. 102 school and the Selden Grade School. He graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1951...

Florence L. Wickersham Florence L. Wickersham, 91, died Wednesday (Dec. 19, 2001) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born May 10, 1910, in Pierce County to William and Elizabeth (Davids) Schroeder. On Aug. 17, 1938, she married Harold Allen Wickersham at Lincoln. They spent their married lives farming west of Seward until retiring and moving into Seward in 1991. She moved to McCook in August 2000...

Velma F. Greenlee GOTHENBURG -- Velma F. Greenlee, 92, died Thursday (Dec. 20, 2001) at Southview Manor Care Home in Cozad. She was born March 11, 1909, at Red Willow County to Thomas and Ida Mae (Downs) Masters. On Oct. 1, 1925, she married Alva William Greenlee. They farmed in the McCook and North Platte areas before retiring in 1971. They moved to Gothenburg in 1978. Alva preceded her in death in 1987...

Jay C. Hauxwell ARAPAHOE -- Jay C. Hauxwell, 90, died Thursday (Dec. 20, 2001) at his home in Arapahoe. He was born May 13, 1911 near the Willow Creek in Red Willow County to Rue and Angeline Janette Hauxwell. The family attended church at Box Elder which later became part of the Indianola Church of Christ where he was baptized as a teenager...

Krista Ka Parker BENKELMAN -- Krista Ka Parker, 12., died Sunday, (Dec. 16, 2001). She was born April 11, 1989, at North Platte to Jeff and Sherri (Kilthau) Parker. She was a member of the Girl Scouts and 4-H. She was a published photographer with a Barn Again picture traveling across Nebraska and a photograph published in the Mid-West Messenger...

Jeffrey Michael Parker BENKELMAN -- Jeffrey Michael Parker, 37, died Sunday (Dec. 16, 2001). He was born Oct. 12, 1964, at Benkelman to Roger and Florence (Manning) Parker. He attended school in Benkelman and graduated from Benkelman High School in 1983. He was baptized into the Christian faith Oct. 5, 1976, at the Church of Christ in Imperial...

Frances ?Fran? A. Search, 64, died Saturday (Dec. 22, 2001) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born July 22, 1937, at McCook to G. Raymond and Helen (Frossard) Search. She grew up in McCook and graduated from McCook Senior High School in 1956. ...

LINCOLN ? Charles A. Jacobs, 84, of McCook died Saturday (Dec. 22, 2001) at LGH West in Lincoln. Services are pending and will be announced later by Carpenter Breland Funeral Home of McCook which is in charge of the arrangements.

MCDONALD , Kan. ? Richard A. Faimon, 90, died Saturday (Dec. 22, 2001) at the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. Services will be Thursday at the St. John Nepomecene Catholic Church in rural Atwood with the Rev. Beryl Gibson officiating. Interment will be at St. ...

BEAVER CITY ? Glenn W. Cornell, 89, died Saturday (Dec. 22, 2001) at the Beaver City Manor. He was born Feb. 25, 1912, at Beaver City to Walter and Laura (Teeter) Cornell. He grew up in the Beaver City and Hendley areas. He started flying in 1948 and flew for 15 years. ...

Fred ?Fritz? Ernst Kleesick, 97, died Saturday (Dec. 22, 2001) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. He and his twin brother were born March 26, 1904, in Otoe County near Plattsmouth. The family moved to Bartley in 1905. He was baptized in the Lutheran Church but as a young man attended the Bartley Christian Church. ...

Edna M. (Stennett) Morris of Denver, Colo., died Dec. 12, 2001, at Littleton, Colo. She was 91 years old. Services were Dec. 15 at the Fairmont Ivy Chapel. Interment was at the Fairmont Cemetery. John R. Riter Jr. officiated. Visitation took place one hour before the services. ...

Dianne Ruth Lavery, 49, died Monday (Dec. 24, 2001) at the Great Plains Medical Center in North Platte. She was born Jan. 30, 1925, at Galesburg, Ill., to Duayne and Helen (Frederick) Imel. She grew up at Kearney, and graduated from Kearney High School in 1970. ...

Charles A. Jacobs, 84, of McCook died Saturday (Dec. 22, 2001) at LGH West in Lincoln. He was born Nov. 9, 1917, at Voltaire, N.D., to Charles D. and Florence (Sharp) Jacobs. He graduated from Sandstone High School in Sandstone, Minn., in 1937. On April 3, 1941, he married Inger M. ...

GREELEY, Colo. ? Ruben ?Red? Melvin Wach, 87, formerly of Hayes Center, died Sunday (Dec. 23, 2001) at the Bonell Good Samaritan Center in Greeley. He was born Oct. 17, 1914, in Hayes County to Herman Julius and Anna Karolina (Schulz) Wach. He graduated from Hayes Center High School, and attended college in Kearney. ...

MCDONALD, Kan. ? Richard Albert Faimon, 90, died Saturday (Dec. 22, 2001) at the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. He was born Sept. 1, 1911, on a farm south of Stratton, to Joseph F. and Mary C. (Kopriva) Faimon. He grew up on the farm south of Stratton except for a brief period when his family lived in Auburn, Kan. ...

Myron L. Schmidt, 58, died Monday (Dec. 24, 2001) at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born Feb. 26, 1943, at Gothenburg to Monroe and Mae (Morris) Schmidt. Survivors include his wife, Carolyn Schmidt; one son, Aaron L. Schmidt; and his mother, Mae Schmidt, all of McCook. Services will be Saturday, 10:30 a.m., at the Our Saviors Lutheran Church in McCook with the Revs. Harold and Barbara Laursen officiating. Herrmann Funeral Home of McCook is in charge of the arrangements...

Dianne Ruth Lavery Dianne Ruth Lavery, 49, died Monday (Dec. 24, 2001) at the Great Plains Medical Center in North Platte. She was born Jan. 30, 1952, at Galesburg, Ill., to Duayne and Helen (Frederick) Imel. She grew up at Kearney, and graduated from Kearney High School in 1970...

Claudine B. Eisenhart CAMBRIDGE -- Claudine B. Eisenhart, 83, died Monday (Dec. 24, 2001) at BryanLGH in Lincoln. She was born Feb. 28, 1918, at Lincoln to Claude E. and Bernice (Casteel) Burt. She attended Lincoln High School and graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1939. She was active in theatre, a cellist and an accomplished pianist...

Jane 'Louise' P. Austin EMPORIA, Kan. -- Jane "Louise" P. Austin, 87, formerly of McCook, died Monday (Dec. 24, 2001) at the Holiday Resort Rehabilitation Center in Emporia. She was born June 3, 1914, at Denver, Colo., to William Bryan and Emma Louise (Smith) Pegram. She graduated from Denver High School...

Raymond E. Callahan GRAND ISLAND -- Raymond E. Callahan, 60, died Monday (Dec. 24, 2001) at BryanLGH Medical Center East in Lincoln as a result of a heart attack. He was born Oct. 15, 1941, on a farm west of Wood River to William and Lena (Bohnardt) Callahan. He was raised in Wood River, and graduated from Wood River High School in 1959. Following high school he joined the Army National Guard...

Donald 'Bounce' Ray Herbert PALISADE -- Donald "Bounce" Ray Herbert, 43, died Saturday (Dec. 29, 2001) at his home in Palisade. He was born Dec. 1, 1958, at Stratton to Charles and Marcella (Worske) Herbert. He was baptized into the Christian faith and attended school in Palisade. During high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps at San Diego, Calif...

Kenneth Duane Brush LEXINGTON -- Kenneth Duane Brush, 62, died Sunday (Dec. 30, 2001) at the Good Samaritan Hospital at Kearney. He was born Dec. 12, 1939, at Stockville, to Myron and Luella (Halley) Brush. He graduated from Curtis High School. He served for three years in the U. S. Naval Air Force...

Beth B. Harris DANBURY -- Beth B. Harris, 82, died Saturday (Dec. 29, 2001) at Sutherland Care Center. She was born Dec. 15, 1919, at McCook to John Edward and Iva (Utter) Harris. She graduated from Danbury High School in 1937. She worked at Schmidt's Grocery. She purchased the store in 1955, renamed it Beth's Store, and operated it until 1992. She lived in Danbury until moving to Sutherland Care Center in 1992...

Mildred Faye Zink INDIANOLA -- Mildred Faye Zink, 92, died Sunday (Dec. 30, 2001) at the Cambridge Manor Nursing Home in Cambridge. She was born Oct. 3, 1909, in Red Willow County to W. H. Meyers and Luetta (Helm) Meyers. She grew up in the Red Willow community and graduated from Red Willow High School in 1927. She graduated from McCook Junior College and taught elementary grades in Wilcox and in the rural district northwest of Indianola...

Loren D. Welsh DANBURY -- Loren D. Welsh, 77, died Saturday (Dec. 29, 2001) at McCook. He was born May 29, 1924, at Danbury, to Nathaniel Welsh and Adda Alma (Miller) Welsh. He grew up in Decatur County, Kan., and graduated from Oberlin High School in 1942...

Michael Joseph Mirto Jr. MCDONALD, Kan. -- Michael Joseph Mirto Jr., 58, died Wednesday (Dec. 26, 2001) at the Rawlins County Health Center. He was born Dec. 1, 1943, at Tewksbury, Mass. He was a self-employed carpenter in McDonald. Survivors include his wife, Peggy Enfield Mirto of McDonald; three sons, Anthony and Michael Mirto III, both of Massachusetts, and Michael Anthony Mirto of McDonald; four half-brothers, Gerald, David and George Howe, all of Springfield, Mass., and Donald Howe of Key Largo, Fla.; and one sister, Debbra Howe of Georgia.. ...