Obituaries from July 2002

SELDEN, Kan. -- Blanche L. Cheney, 78, died Saturday (June 27, 2002) at Presbyterian St. Lukes Hospital in Denver, Colo. She was born May 22, 1924, to Joseph and Avis (Phillips) Turrell at Rexford. She was raised on a farm north of Rexford. She attended Hopewill Country School...

GRAND ISLAND -- Betty Dean Linnemeyer Durham, 77, died Sunday (June 28, 2002) at Lincoln. She was born Feb. 26, 1925, at Brownsville to William Valentine and Ora Mae (Miheal Parker. She lived in Lincoln as a child before moving to Curtis and then to McCook, where she lived until 1986...

Richard "Jody" LeRoy Jordan passed away Friday (June 7, 2002) in Kimball. He was a resident of Salt Lake City, Utah. He was born April 22, 1930, in Kansas City, Mo. to Albert Henry and Elsie Gertrude (Childers) Jordan. He grew up in Wausa, Neb. and then joined the United States Navy to see the world. He was a Korean War Veteran...

SELDEN, Kan. -- Blanche L. Cheney, 78, died Thursday (June 27, 2002) at Presbyterian St. Lukes Hospital in Denver. She was born May 22, 1924, to Joseph and Avis (Phillips) Turrell in Rexford. She was raised on a farm north of Rexford and attended Hopewill Country School...

ELLIOT, Iowa -- Joan Baumbach, 70, died Tuesday (May 21, 2002) at the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital in Iowa. She was born March 1, 1932, to Buck and Augusta (Cozior) McKern in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She attended school in Council Bluffs. On Aug. 21, 1970, she married Lee Baumbach in Fremont. The couple moved to Elliot in 1988. She worked at the Good Samaritan Care Center in Red Oak, Iowa, a nursery and she was a homemaker...

Benjamin E. Gottschalk, 87, died Tuesday (July 2, 2002) at Community Hospital in McCook. He was born Oct. 17, 1914, to Herbert and Elizabeth (Deyle) Gottschalk at the family home seven miles south of Max, in Dundy County.  As a child, he attended country school - District #52, near his home through the eighth grade. He was a 1933 graduate of Benkelman High School...

ARAPAHOE -- Mary Marguerite Palmer, 91, died Sunday (July 7, 2002) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She was born June 18, 1911, to Edward and Emma (Baker) Collins at Rapid City, S.D. She was raised in McCook and attended McCook Public Schools. After school she worked and lived in Denver, Colo. and then moved southwest of Arapahoe in 1944...

PALISADE -- Gary Owen Petsch, 65, died Wednesday (July 3, 2002) at Guide Rock. He was born April 8, 1937, to Jess and Mabel Carmen (Hill) Petsch on his family's farm near Stratton. As a young boy, he attended country school near his home, and later attended Stratton High School where he was a member of the graduating class of 1955. After high school, he attended McCook Community College...

Caroline Wilhelmina Reiners, 91, died Friday (July 5, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born Sept. 29, 1910, to Henry and Dorothea (Wall) Hofman at McCook. She attended rural schools in the Ash Creek area. On June 18, 1931, she married Edward R. Reiners at St. John's Lutheran Church. She lived in the Ash Creek area all her life. She was a member of the St. John's Lutheran Church and a charter member of the St. John's Guild-LWML...

HERNDON -- Rose Mary "Rosie" Solko, 96, died Friday (July 5, 2002) at her home in Herndon. She was born March 25, 1906, to Joseph and Elizabeth (Neuberger) Solko in a sod house in rural Rawlins County. She attended a country school, call the Brown School and later attended St. Mary's Parochial School at Herndon. She was a lifelong resident of Herndon...

EDISON -- Memorial services for Jesse E. Miller were conducted from the Evangelical Free Church in Oxford, today (July 8, 2002) with Pastor Wes Holen officiating. Interment was in the Edison Cemetery at Edison. Jesse Eugene Miller, 59 years of age of Edison, passed away July 2, 2002, in Council Bluffs, Iowa of natural causes...

BEAVER CITY -- Opal E. Penrod, 97, died Friday (July 5, 2002) at Cambridge Memorial Hospital from an auto accident which occurred June 27, 2002, north of Norton, Kan. She was born July 11, 1904, to Rosswell and Tillie (Wolfe) Shellenbarger at Hendley. She grew up on a farm near Beaver City...

Benjamin E. Gottschalk, 87, died Tuesday (July 2, 2002) at Community Hospital in McCook. He was born Oct. 17, 1914, to Herbert and Elizabeth (Deyle) Gottschalk at the family home seven miles south of Max, in Dundy County. As a child, he attended country school - District #52, near his home through the eighth grade. He is a 1933 graduate of Benkelman High School...

TRENTON -- Jarod Lee Berry, 21, died Friday (July 5, 2002) in McCook. He was born Sept. 26, 1980, to Randy and Darlene (Dickey) Berry in Colby, Kan. He grew up in Trenton and he was a 1998 graduate of Trenton High School. He was attending McCook Community College and was employed at El Dorado Manor Nursing Home in Trenton...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Belmont E. "Butch" Shreffler, 85, died Sunday (June 16, 2002) in Sacramento, Calif. He was born Aug. 24, 1916, to Edmond and Cora Belle (Duter) Shreffler in Fairbury. He grew up in the Palisade area and moved to Sacramento in 1937. ...

EUSTIS -- Arthur "Art" Ficken, 83, died Friday (July 5, 200) at Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdredge. He was born Dec. 29, 1918, to John and Joanna (Noltensmeier) Ficken south of Eustis. He lived his entire life on the family farm. He was a farmer...

AUBURN -- J.B. Choate, 71, died Thursday (July 4, 2002) at the Nemaha County Good Samaritan Center in Auburn. He was a former minister of the the First United Methodist Church in Auburn. He also ministered in Culbertson, Trenton and Wilsonville. Survivors include his wife, Sue of Auburn; two sons, Jerry and wife, Jayne Choate of Hawthorne, Wis., and David and wife, Elizabeth Choate of Beatrice; two daughters, Wanda and husband, Rich Carr of Lincoln and Yolanda and husband, Justin Wheelson of Sterling; and two brothers, Dawson and Doyle Choate.. ...

ATWOOD --Frank "Doc" Rudolph Horinek, 91, died Friday (July 5, 2002) at the Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood. He was born March 20, 1911, to Rudolph and Agnes (Janousek) Horinek in Atwood. He graduated from Queen of Driftwood rural school. He received several degrees in veterinary medicine and surgery from Dr. David Roberts Veterinary School in Waukesha, Wis. He served in the 1852nd Calvary Unit at Ft. Bliss, Texas during World War II where he was given a medical discharge...

IMPERIAL -- Helen Clara (Egle) Stahly, 91, died Sunday (July 7, 2002) at the Ambassador Care Center in Lincoln. She was born Feb. 28, 1911, to William and Judith (Schindler) Egle south of Stratton. During her childhood, the family moved to California, back to Nebraska and then to Berne, Ind. where she graduated from high school. She attended Taylor University at Fort Wayne, Ind. before returning to Nebraska...

IMPERIAL -- Retha Maxine Lakey, 82, died Monday (July 8, 2002) at the Chase County Hospital in Imperial. She was born Sept. 16, 1919, to Guy and Lena (Smith) Landis at Haddam, Kan. She graduated from Haddam High School in 1937. On Nov. 23, 1937, she married Russell Harold Lakey in Haddam, and the couple settled in Oregon for a short time. ...

NORCATUR, Kan. -- Everett N. Pruitt, 86, died Wednesday (July 10, 2002) at the Norton County Hospital in Norton, Kan. He was born March 1, 1916, to Everett Newton Casto Pruitt, Sr. and Veda Lillian Bailie at Osawatomi, Kan. He served in the United States Army during World War II...

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Larry Edward Rasser was born May 20, 1938, in McCook, the first-born and only child of Bob and Gerri Rasser. In his schoolboy years he was involved in Boy Scouts and participated in track. Early on, many though that Larry "would make his living by his hands." He graduated from McCook High School...

OBERLIN -- Francis G. Hackney, 88, died Thursday (July 11, 2002) at the Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. He was born March 13, 1914, to George W. and Hattie Helen (Ginther) Hackney in Decatur County. He attended Plainview Grade School and graduated from Decatur County High School in 1933. He served in the U. S. Army with Company D 554th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion. He moved back to Oberlin where he lived on the family farm southwest of Oberlin. He was a farmer...

HASTINGS -- Francis L. Sprenkle, 73, died Sunday (June 14, 2002) at Bryan LGH Medical Center East in Lincoln. He was born Feb. 27, 1929, to Benjamin F. and Ruth (Pond) Sprenkle at Spencer. He graduated from high school and attended college for two years. He served in the U. S. Air Force from 1948-68...

ATWOOD -- Nyla J. (Brown ) Beall, 51, died Friday (July 12, 2002) at the Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. She was born Feb. 23, 1951, to Joseph T. and Wilma L. (Wederski) Brown at Atwood. On Aug. 17, 1970, she married Herman L. Beall at Atwood. She worked as a certified nurse's aide and medication aide. She was also an emergency medical technician and a homemaker...

PARKS - Inez Neomi (Teachman) Tecker, 97, died Sunday (July 14, 2002) at Hillcrest Care Center in Wray, Colo. She was born Nov. 19, 1904, on a farm home near Ceresco, to James Henry and Ruth Miller Teachman. She attended country school until the sixth grade when her family moved to University Place, a suburb of Lincoln. ...

ATWOOD -- Nyla J. (Brown) Beall, 51, died Friday (July 12, 2002) at the Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. She was born Feb. 23, 1951, to Joseph T. and Wilma L. (Wederski) Brown at Atwood. On Aug. 17, 1970, she married Herman L. Beall at Atwood. She worked as a certified nurse's aide and medication aide. She was also an emergency medical technician and a homemaker...

ATWOOD -- Grace (Birrer) Vap, 93, died Monday (July 15, 2002) at the Cedar Living Center in Oberlin. She was born Oct. 31, 1908, to William and Agnes (Beck) Birrer in Atwood. She graduated from Atwood Community High School in 1926. She attended Fort Hays State College the summer of 1926 and 1927 and Colorado State Teachers' College the summer of 1929. She received her teachers certificate and Elementary Emergency Certificate from 1943-44. She taught in Rawlins County for seven years...

GARDNER, Kan. -- Ella May Handley, 61, died Tuesday (June 25, 2002) at Olathe Medical Center in Olathe, Kan. She was born May 27, 1941, to Harry and Mattie (Redden) North in Imperial. She was employed by Honeywell. She also drove a bus for Laidlaw in Olathe...

CARPINTERIA, Calif. -- John Leo "Jack" Dambach, 74, died Monday (June 17, 2002) following a severe stroke. He was born Dec. 6, 1928, in Palisade. He was paralyzed as a result of polio in 1947, and spent a year at the Children's Hospital in Denver. ...

AMERICAN FORK, Utah -- John M. Wendel, 44, died Friday (July 12, 2002). He was born Dec. 17, 1957, to Clarence J. and Florence Hurst Wendel. He graduated from Spanish Fork High School in Spanish Fork, Utah and served in the Portland Oregon Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- James B. Kircher, 72, died Saturday (July 13, 2002) at his home in Cheyenne. He was born May 4, 1930, in Red Willow County to Joe and Hazel Kircher. He served in the U. S. Army in the Korean Conflict. Following his discharge, he worked as a surveyor for the Department of Interior, United States Bureau of Reclamation. He retired in 1977...

TRENTON -- Eugene Owens, 70, died Wednesday (July 17, 2002) at his home in Trenton. He was born Jan. 16, 1932, to Melvin and Dortha (Davis) Owens in Hitchcock County. He grew up in Trenton and attended Trenton High School. He worked construction on the Trenton Dam until the late 1950s. He then began working in the oil fields in Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado. He retired in 1980. Following his retirement he opened up taverns in Stratton and Trenton...

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Dorothy J. (Harder) O'Brien, 75, died July 7, 2002, at her home in Long Beach, Calif. She was born June 2, 1927, to George and Emma Harder in Lafayette, Colo. The family lived in Oxford and Benkelman, where she graduated from high school...

LONGMONT, Colo. -- Roland B. Conlin, 96, died Tuesday ( July 9, 2002) at Peaks Care Center in Longmont, Colo. He was born Nov. 26, 1905, to Bert and Ellen (Hanlon) Conlin in Auburn. On Aug. 27, 1930, he married Gretta Carmichael at St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Indianola. The family farmed in the Indianola and Cambridge areas for many years before moving to Colorado. They returned to live in McCook and Western Nebraska. He moved back to Colorado following the death of his wife...

Leonard C. "Curly" Olney passed away Saturday morning (July 20, 2002) at his home in McCook. Curly was born on June 12, 1922, to Henry W. and Sophia (Petitjean) Olney at Hollinger, Neb. He grew up on the family farm southwest of Stamford, Neb. and graduated from the Stamford High School in 1939. In 1938, he was a representative member of the first Boys State class of Nebraska...

BEAVER CITY -- Annabelle R. Linner, 74, died Sunday (July 21, 2002) at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island. She was a former resident of McCook and Beaver City. She was born July 5, 1928, to Floyd and Cora (Thayer) Maret at Moorefield. She attended school in Frontier County. In 1941, the family moved to Hendley where she completed her education...

TACOMA, Wash. -- Harold E. Brehm,77, died Sunday (June 23, 2002) at Federal Way, Wash. He was born Sept. 20, 1924, to Sam and Katie Brehm in McCook. He spent his youth in McCook and graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1951. He served in the Europeon Theatre as a Surgical Technician in the U. ...

NORTH PLATTE -- Mary Ann Elizabeth Harvey, 61, died Monday (July 22, 2002) at Linden Court in North Platte. She was born July 19, 1941, to Henry and Nellie Vass Kalb in Chappell. She graduated from Chappell High School. She received an Associate Degree in Applied Science at McCook Community College...

Ruby Gladys Steinke died Monday (July 22, 2002) at McCook Community Hospital. She was 81 years old. Ruby was born Feb. 7, 1921, to Simon and Minnie (Bornemeier) Brakhage at Alvo, Neb. She attended the University of Nebraska. She worked for the War Department in Washington, DC and on May 27, 1942, she married John Adams Steinke in Los Angeles, Calif. ...

James Leroy McConville, 45, died Wednesday (July 24, 2002) at McCook Community Hospital. He was born Sept. 21, 1956, at McCook to John Eldon and Patricia Louise (Miller) McConville. He graduated from McCook High School in 1975. He was employed by the McCook Police Department since 1980, receiving Officer of the Year Award in 1987. He also served for the McCook Ambulance Squad as an Emergency Medical Technician, McGruff Crime Dog Program, and Neighborhood Watch...

ST. FRANCIS -- Harriette F. Draper, 85, died Wednesday (July 27, 2002) in St. Francis. She was born May 1, 1917, to Margaret Mae Mossburgh in Concordia, Kan. She married Charles Draper. She was a homemaker. She was preceded in death by one granddaughter, Heather Draper in 1996...

KEARNEY --  Phillip P. Brown Jr., 39, formerly of Indianola, died Tuesday (July 23, 2002) at Kearney. He was born, May 24, 1963 to Phillip P. and Anna L (Sprenkle) Brown at Boulder, Colo. He graduated from McArthur High School in San Antonio, Texas, in 1983. He was employed by Captain's Table, Saline-Kenworth Trucking and most recently by Wal-Mart in Kearney...

ST. FRANCIS -- Harriette F. Draper, 85, died Wednesday (July 24, 2002) in St. Francis. She was born May 1, 1917, to Margaret Mae Mossburgh in Concordia, Kan. She married Charles Draper She was a retired homemaker. She was preceded in death by her granddaughter, Heather Draper in 1996...

OBERLIN -- Mariam F. Allison, 92, died Saturday (July 27, 2002) at the Decatur County Good Samaritan Center in Oberlin. She was born July 28, 1909, to Randolph J. and Lula (Bradly) Forrest in El Reno, Okla. She attended school in El Reno, Carrizozo, N.M. and Edmond, Okla...

WICHITA, Kan. -- William "Bille" Rogers, 75, died Saturday (July 20, 2002) in Wichita, Kan., of heart failure. As a young man, he worked near Hayes Center on his uncle's farm. He married Arles Bruce of Hayes Center. He joined the U.S. Army and served in Korea where he was awarded a Silver Star for heroism in battle. ...

CURTIS -- Valena Wilson, 84, died Sunday (July 28, 2002) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She was born July 6, 1918, to John and Sarah Slightom Weiss east of Stockville. She graduated from Stockville High School in 1935. On Oct. 16, 1935, she married Lee Wilson at Oberlin. They farmed south of Moorefield for most of their lives. She moved to Sunset Haven in 2001, and was presently a resident of Hillside Estates Assisted Living in Curtis...

FORT MORGAN, Colo. -- Goldie Jane Waterman, 77, died Sunday (July 28, 2002) at Colorado Plains Medical Center in Fort Morgan, Colo. She was born Nov. 22, 1924, in Yuma County, Colo., to Leslie and Rosa (Kibel) Kier. On Nov. 17, 1941, she married Earl Kenneth Waterman in Oberlin. The couple moved to Colorado in 1954 and have lived in the Fort Morgan area since 1963...

CAMBRIDGE -- Sophia C. O'Brien, 96, died Tuesday (July 30, 2002) at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital. She was born May, 23, 1906, to John F. and Caroline (Arthaud) Brinkman in Gosper County. She graduated from Cambridge High School in 1923. On April 10, 1929, she married Joseph L. O'Brien. The coupled farmed in the Cambridge area. She later moved to the Parkside Manor and resided there until her death...