Obituaries from April 2002

Grace N. Kennedy, 98, died Wednesday (March 27, 2002) at Mapel Crest Care Center in Omaha. She was born Sept. 6, 1903, to Clarence and Nellie (Pinkham) Runyan at Minden. She graduated from Minden High School in 1921. On Nov. 28, 1929, she married Donald G. Kennedy, who was a train dispatcher. They moved to McCook in 1928...

IMPERIAL -- Earl Dean Francis, 64, died Saturday (March 30, 2002) at the Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. He was born June 19, 1937 in Ringwood, Okla., to John and Bertha (Campbell) Francis. He grew up in the Ringwood and Ames communities and graduated from Ames High School in 1955. ...

DENVER -- Esther Pate Stone, 89, died Friday (March 29, 2002) at Denver, Colo. She was born April 5, 1912, in McCook, to Delbert O. and Drucilla (Traphagen) Pate. She grew up and attended schools in Nebraska. She moved to Denver and worked for the federal government during the World War II years...

OMAHA -- Helen Frick, 78, died Monday (March 25, 2002) in Omaha. She was born Sept. 15, 1923, in Herndon. She and her husband, Edward were former residents of Culbertson where she operated a beauty shop. She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward...

WAUNETA -- Merle O'Neil, 82, died Friday (March 29, 2002) at the Heritage of Wauneta nursing home. He was born Feb. 18, 1920, in Chase County to Barney and Mary (Powell) O'Neil. He grew up on the family farm north of Wauneta and attended rural school through the 8th grade. He later graduated from Wauneta High School...

Vincent Don Brown LINCOLN -- Vincent Don Brown, 66, died Wednesday (March 27, 2002) in Lincoln. He was born Nov. 1, 1935, in the family farm house south of Trenton to Joseph and Alma Brown. He graduated from Trenton High School in 1953. He then attended Nebraska Wesleyan University from 1953-54, McCook Jr. College from 1954-55, and the University of Nebraska from 1955-60 where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1958 and a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1960...

Wayne R. Matson, 68, died Friday (March 29, 2002) at Community Hospital in McCook. He was born March 8, 1934, at Culbertson, to Clifford LeRoy and Cleo Ethel (Hoskins) Matson. He graduated from Culbertson High School. He served for a time in the U. S. Air Force until he was honorably discharged...

GRAND ISLAND -- Alice Marie Smith, 60, of Grand Island, died Saturday (March 30, 2002) at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island after a long battle with cancer. She was born on June 19, 1941, at home in Arapahoe to Ivan and Goldie (Edmonds) Randolph. She was a 1958 graduate of Culbertson High School...

Robert G. Jezek, 70, died Sunday (March 31, 2002) at his home in McCook after a long battle with cancer. He was born July 2, 1931, at Tobias to Alois and Ollie (Cummings) Jezek. He graduated from Geneva High School in 1949. On Jan. 31, 1978, he married Marilynn C. Callen. They made their home in McCook where he was manager in grocery retail for many years. They moved to Omaha and returned to McCook in 1996...

STRATTON -- Robert L. Turpin, 59, died Friday (March 29, 2002) at his home in rural Stratton. He was born April 18, 1942, at Haigler to Robert N. and Mary F. (Holt) Turpin.  He attended school at Cedar Bluffs, and Wauneta before joining the United States Navy...

BURKE, S.D. -- Gerald Duane "Jake" Swanda, 57, died Sunday (March 31, 2002) at Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton, S.D. He was born Aug. 19, 1944, to John and Mary (Shanahan) Swanda at Burke, S.D. He farmed most of his life on the family farm south of Bonesteel, S.D...

AURORA, Colo. -- Albert Mack Hedke, 64, died Saturday (March 30, 2002) at the Aurora Hospice Care Center in Aurora, Colo., following a battle with lung cancer. He was born Dec. 19, 1937, to Floyd and Wauneta (Preecs) Hedke in McCook. He lived his early childhood on a farm south of Trenton. ...

LITTLETON, Colo. -- Aubrey J. Heller, 85, died Saturday (March 30, 2002) at Porter Hospice in Littleton, Colo. He was born Jan. 14, 1917, to George and Minnie (Ludwig) Heller at Kanona, Kan. He grew up in McCook and attended McCook High School. He graduated from high school at Marion...

Albert H. Alberts, 87, died Monday (April 1, 2002) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born June 21, 1914, to Harman J. and Rika (Groothius) Alberts at Sacramento, Neb. He grew up on a farm at Culbertson and graduated from Lutheran Church School in 1928. He entered the U. S. Army on Oct. 24, 1940, where he was a Tec 5 in the Medical Department, serving during World War II...

BARTLEY -- Kenneth L. Downer, age 76, died Tuesday (April 2, 2002) at his home north of Bartley. He was born on October 4, 1925 in Harrisburg, Neb. to Herbert and Mary (Shafar) Downer. Kenneth graduated from Banner County High School in Harrisburg. He married Maxine Leafdale in 1945 and they had 6 children. Kenneth farmed with his brothers in Banner County until 1961. At that time Kenneth and Maxine moved to their farm north of Bartley...

FRANKLIN -- William "Bill" Nielsen, 77, died Saturday (March 23, 2002) in a motor vehicle accident north of Franklin. He was born on Aug. 25, 1924 to James F. and Hulda (Johnson) Nielsen at the family home in Upland. In 1929, the family moved to Trenton and he graduated from Trenton High School in 1942. ...

BEATRICE -- Norma Charlotte Anna Walker, 84, died Thursday (April 4, 2002) at her home in the Homestead House. She was born on June 14, 1917, to Henry and Louise (Deeke) Scheiding in DeWitt. On Jan. 21, 1940, she married Harold L. Walker in DeWitt. They lived on a farm southeast of DeWitt until they moved to Beatrice in 1941. She taught Sunday School for around 10 years...

SEWARD -- Loyd Franklin Reichert, 91, died Wednesday (April 3, 2002) at the Sundermann Home in Seward. He was born Sept. 9, 1910, to Christian and Margaretha (Bruning) Reichert in Bruning. He graduated from Bruning High School in 1928. On Feb. 22, 1939, he married Kathryn Lichti on the family farm near Bruning. He was a farmer...

BENKELMAN -- Martha Elizabeth (Darby) Walter, 89, died Saturday (April 6, 2002) at Sarah Ann Hester Memorial Home in Benkelman. She was born June 20, 1912, to Theodore and Christina Elizabeth (Wall) Darby on their farm south of Haigler in Cheyenne County, Kan.  She attended first through eighth grades at Pleasant Hill country school and helped her parents on the farm.  On weekends, she was a housekeeper.  In 1929, she went to LeSalle, Colo., to live with her Uncle Charles Darbin and his family.  After living with them for two years, she moved to Fort Collins, Colo. ...

ELWOOD -- Rosella Harm, 87, died Monday (April 8, 2002) at the Elwood Care Center. She was born Sept. 21, 1914, at Crofton to William and Freida (Filter) Schinkel. As a child, she lived in Brazil Mills before moving to Norfolk. On Dec. 18, 1932, she married William Harm. They lived on a farm southwest of Elwood. In 1969, they moved from the Salem community southwest of Elwood into Elwood...

Ronald Eugene Wach was born on July 10, 1938, to Harold and Anna Mae (Graves) Wach at the rural home near Hamlet. He departed this life on April 4, 2002, in McCook, Neb., at the age of 63. He was preceded in death by his parents. He attended a rural grade school north of Hamlet and graduated from Wauneta High School in 1956. On June 5, 1960, he married Jean Maris at Hamlet Union Church in Hamlet, NE. To this union were born two sons, Loran and Jared...

LINCOLN -- Esther Ruth McLeland, 82, died Thursday (April 4, 2002) at the Village Manor Home in Lincoln. She was born Aug. 10, 1919, at Culbertson to Jacob and Katherine (Kissler) Frick. She graduated from Culbertson High School in 1938. On July 17, 1938, she married Lester Roy McLeland at Oberlin. They spent their married lives in McCook where she was employed in retail sales and later as a dental assistant. She moved to Lincoln in 1996...

COZAD -- Doris Swanson, 63, died Monday (April 8, 2002) at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She was born April 23, 1938, at Stockville to Alva and Velma (Masters) Greenlee. She graduated from high school at the University of Nebraska School of Agriculture at Curtis...

BOISE, Idaho -- Clarice A. (Frank) Quigley, 77, died Feb. 8, 2002, at a Boise, Idaho, hospital of pneumonia complications. She was born Sept. 8, 1924, at Beaver Crossing to Edgar and Ruby (Winters) Frank. The family moved to the Indianola area shortly after she was born. She attended Indianola schools, graduating in 1942...

Bradley King, 50, of McCook died Tuesday, (April 9, 2002) at Rochester, Minn. He was born March 21, 1952, to Bernard (Bud) and Gertrude (Clapp) King in McCook. Brad graduated from Bartley High School in 1970, and went on to graduate from the Vocational-Technical College of Sidney, Neb. He was employed by the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Railroad for 29 years...

LINCOLN -- Esther Ruth McLeland, 82, died Thursday (April 4, 2002) at the Village Manor Home in Lincoln. She was born Aug. 10, 1919, at Culbertson to Jacob and Katherine (Kissler) Frick. She graduated from Culbertson High School in 1937. On July 17, 1938, she married Lester Roy McLeland at Oberlin. They spent their married lives in McCook where she was employed in retail sales and later as a dental assistant. She moved to Lincoln in 1996...

Carla Ann Solomon, 43, died Wednesday (April 10, 2002) at her home in McCook. She was born June 10, 1958, to Richard and Twyla (Hall) McClung in Anadarko, Okla. She grew up in Nevada and Idaho before graduating from St. Anthony High School at St. Anthony, Idaho in 1976. She graduated from Idaho State University and began teaching elementary education in Culbertson...

HAYS, Kan. -- Andrew "Andy" B. Schmid, 72, died Tuesday (April 9, 2002) in Hays, Kan. He was born Oct. 1, 1929, to Martin and Eva Marie (Haller) Schmid on the family farm Northeast of Atwood. He attended country schools and graduated from Atwood High School in 1948...

CURTIS -- Mary Lea (Robeson) Lashley, 77, died Thursday (April 11, 2002) at her home in the Senior Living Choices at Curtis. She was born July 28, 1924, in Sharon Springs, Kan., to Steven and Elizabeth (Gregor) Robeson. The family moved to Nebraska in 1928 and lived in the Curtis community where she attended grade school and the Nebraska School of Agriculture. ...

LINCOLN -- Susan J. Brooks, 49, died Tuesday (April 9, 2002) at her home in Lincoln. She was born Oct. 8, 1952, in McCook to Bruce and Martha (McKillip) Brooks, Sr. She attended Cambridge Public Schools and graduated in 1970. She worked as a business manager for a pharmaceutical company in Oregon and also as an office manager in health care. She also volunteered at a daycare with battered and abused children...

LONGMONT, Colo. -- Cecil V. Chapman, 82, died Sunday (April 14, 2002) at Northern Colorado Medical Center. He was born May 31, 1919, in Rifle, Colo., to Milton Thomas Green and Mary Iris (Slack) Chapman. On Oct. 15, 1945, he married Dena L. McMahen in McCook. They moved to Johnstown, Colo., in 1964 before moving to Longmont in 1967. He worked for the St. Vrain Valley School District following his retirement from Red Dale Coach Company, retiring completely in 1998...

Opal I. Hager, 78, died Sunday (April 14, 2002) at McCook Community Hospital. She was born Sept. 11, 1923, at Riverton to Ernest and Lula (Johnson) Secrest. She graduated from Red Cloud High School in 1941. She moved to the McCook community in 1954. She was employed by the Electric Hose and Rubber Co...

BUTTE -- Emmett Doyle, 94, died Sunday (April 14, 2002) at Avera St. Anthony's Hospital in O'Neill. He was born June 5, 1907, at Brocksburg to Edward and Dora (Munger) Doyle. In 1928, he married Hazel Williams in Winner, S.D. They made their home in Brocksburg where they operated a family ranch...

NORTH PLATTE -- Zachary Dion Peters, 26, died Tuesday (April 16, 2002) as a result of a car accident. He was born Dec. 12, 1975, in North Platte to Don and Sandy Peters. He graduated from North Platte High School in 1994 and Mid Plains Community College in 1996 with an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice. ...

INDIANOLA -- Wanda L. Malleck, 79, died Wednesday (April 17, 2002) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She was born Jan. 8, 1923, to Harley and Neva (Gueck) Kelley at Cambridge. She graduated from Cambridge High School. On April 13, 1949, she married Lester Malleck at McCook. She lived in Indianola for 53 years...

OBERLIN -- Mary C. Francis, 95, died Thursday (April 18, 2002) at Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. She was born Feb. 19, 1907, to John and Artie (Barnes) Stastney in Oberlin. She grew up in Oberlin and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1927...

OMAHA -- Donna LaVone Allen, 65, died Wednesday (April 17, 2002) at Clarkson Hospital in Omaha. She was born March 11, 1937, to Ivan and Helen (Cotton) Allen at Cambridge. She graduated from Cambridge High School and received a teaching certificate from McCook Junior College...

OBERLIN -- Norbert Adam Sulzman, 82, died Wednesday (April 17, 2002) at the Decatur County Hospital. He was born on Nov. 28, 1919, to John and Antonette (Simpson Zodrow) Sulzman in Selden. He attended Selden Grade School and graduated from Selden Rural High School...

Melanie Jean Lee, 37, died Sunday (April 21, 2002) at her home in McCook. She was born July 17, 1964, to James M. and Erma J. (Adams) Lee at Columbus. She began school at Vernal, Utah and graduated from High School at South Jordan, Utah in 1983. She moved to McCook in 1994, where she has spent the remainder of her life...

Robert Leo "Bob" Vontz, McCook, born February 17, 1930, passed away Saturday, April 20, 2002. He married Dorothy Kircher at St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Indianola on February 3, 1951. Bob served in the US Navy during the Korean Conflict and worked many years for the McCook School System, retiring 7 years ago. ...

GREELEY, Colo. -- Donna Mae (Latta) Grosse, 75, died Wednesday (April 17, 2002) at Greeley, Colo. She was born August 27, 1926, at Trenton, to Albert M. and Zelma B. (Harding) Latta and taught at rural schools after graduating from high school. On Sept. 26, 1946, she married Morton "Bud" Grosse at Stratton and ran a grocery store in Stratton for 23 years...

OMAHA -- Donna LaVone Allen, 65, died Wednesday (April 17, 2002) at Clarkson Hospital in Omaha. She was born March 11, 1937, to Ivan and Helen (Cotton) Allen at Cambridge. She graduated from Cambridge High School and received a teaching certificate from McCook Junior College...

FARMINGTON, N.M. -- Helen Mary Haag, 72, died Saturday (April 13, 2002) at San Juan Medical Center, Farmington, N.M. She was born Aug. 16, 1929, at Superior, to George T. and Fannie Kempkes. She graduated from Superior High School. On July 2, 1955, she married Joseph Anthony Haag at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Superior. They moved to San Juan County in July 1960. She was a housewife and bookkeeper for Haag Auto Restoration until 2000...

Fredie A. Boehm, 77, died Wednesday (April 24, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. He was born March 7, 1925, to Fred and Mary Etta (Dwyer) Boehm in Lindsay, Neb. He grew up in McCook where he attended Saint Patrick's High School. In 1941, he entered the U. ...

ARAPAHOE -- Darrel Roger "Swede" Graning, 67, died Tuesday (April 23, 2002) at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island. He was born July 19, 1934 at Arapahoe to Harry and Laura (Monter) Graning. He graduated from Arapahoe High School with the Class of 1952...

CAMBRIDGE -- Anna June (Lynn) Walkington, 83, died Wednesday (April 24, 2002) at the Cambridge Manor in Cambridge. She was born June 10, 1918, to Albert Edwin and Karen Marie (Engaard) Lynn in Minden. She graduated from Minden High School in 1936. She took her undergraduate and graduate work at the University of Nebraska in home economics and education, receiving her degree in 1940. She taught high school in Minden, North Platte, Stapleton, Brainard, Indianola, Cambridge and Red Willow schools...

WESTCLIFFE, Colo. -- Burial services will be Thursday (May 2, 2002) at 10 a.m. at Memorial Park Cemetery in McCook for Lenora Marie (Schmitz) Johnson, late of Westcliffe, Colo. She died at her home Dec. 16. 2001. She was 95. Born Nov. 11, 1906, to Joseph Alfred and Lenora Mary (Smith) Schmitz, she was raised on a farm southwest of McCook, and attended McCook High School, graduating with the Class of 1924...

OBERLIN -- Ardith Gail Bartels, 77, died Wednesday (April 24, 2002) at her home in Oberlin. She was born Dec. 24, 1924, to McKinley and Neta (Dawson) Gettle in Goodland, Kan. She grew up in Goodland and graduated from Goodland High School in 1942. She attended Colby Community College and received an associated degree as a licensed practical nurse...

Viola S. Millard, 88, died Wednesday (April 24, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born April 8, 1914, to John and Anna (Lalley) Stritt at Lawrence. She graduated from Indianola High School. She graduated from St. Joseph's Hospital Nursing School in 1940 as a registered nurse and worked at the POW camp in Indianola and then at the Denver Veteran's Hospital for 40 years, retiring in 1976...

WAUNETA -- Eva Agnes Polly, 84, died Wednesday (April 24, 2002) at Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. She was born June 19, 1917, to Joseph Iznac and Olga Cecelia (Vlasin) Kerchal on the family farm north of Wauneta. She attended grade school in Hayes County and she graduated from Wauneta High School in 1935. ...

Fredie A. Boehm, 77, died Wednesday (April 24, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. He was born March 7, 1925, to Fred and Mary Etta (Dwyer) Boehm in Lindsay, Neb. He grew up in McCook where he attended Saint Patrick's High School. In 1941, he entered the U. ...

LEBANON -- Harry Dean Warner, 76, died Thursday (April 25, 2002) at his home. He was born May 10, 1925, to Harry and Aril (Ankenman) Warner at Lebanon. He graduated from Lebanon High School in 1943. On July 29, 1950, he married Elizabeth "Betty" Hope Ward in Lebanon. He worked for Winchester Firearms as Gun Club manager for many years. He had lived in Lebanon for 75 years...

BEAVER CITY -- Verda E. Dillin, 94, died Thursday (April 25, 2002) at the Beaver City Manor. She was born Sept. 5, 1907, to Lewis Jerome and Mary Ellen (Schooner) Lomax in Wilsonville. She grew up in the Wilsonville area and graduated from Wilsonville High School in 1924...

WAUNTEA -- Opal P. Russell, 88, of Benkelman, died Wednesday (April 24, 2002) at Heritage of Wauneta. She was born July 10, 1913, to Joseph Ferdinand and Emma Fredericka Wilamina (Behlke) Paul at their home in the Indian Creek Precinct in Dundy County. ...

GERING -- Charlie A. Roe, 97, died Wednesday (April 24, 2002) at Heritage Health Care Center in Gering. He was born March 6, 1905, to Frank and Sarah Roe and was raised on a farm north of Hayes Center. He graduated in 1923 in Hayes Center and worked for two years for Ben Kemp...

WAUNETA -- Brenda Mae Theobald, 54, died Thursday (April 25, 2002) at the Aurora Medical Center in Aurora, Colo. She was born Feb. 25, 1948, to George "Dale" and Phyllis Laverne (Kitt) Theobald. She began grade school in Lisco before the family moved to Powell, Wyo. ...