Obituaries from September 2002

WHEAT RIDGE Colo. -- Lela Mae Moler, 99, died Saturday (Aug. 31, 2002) in Wheat Ridge, Colo. She was born Jan. 6, 1903, to Charlie and Sarah (Rodgers) Frase in Furnas County. On April 9, 1930, she married John Ivan Moler at Smith Center, Kan. She was preceded in death by her husband; and her parents. ...

ARAPAHOE -- Clarence Calvin Tracy, 75, died Sunday (Sept. 1, 2002) at his home in Arapahoe. He was born June 9, 1927, to Guy and Elizabeth (Payne) Tracy at Wilsonville. He graduated from Wilsonville High School in 1944. After high school, he served in the U.S. Navy from Sept. 13, 1945 to Oct. 24, 1946. After his discharge, he moved to Arapahoe and began work for Weverka Gravel Company...

Millard Richard Johnson, 92, died Friday morning (Aug. 30, 2002) at the Cambridge Manor Home in Cambridge. His wife, Effie Grace Johnson, 99, died Friday night (Aug. 30, 2002) at the Cambridge Manor. Millard was born March 7, 1910, at Farnam to George Irvin and Clara (McMichael) Johnson. He grew up at Stockville where he graduated from Stockville High School...

IMPERIAL -- Sarah L. Dutton, 88, died Tuesday (Aug. 27, 2002) at the Imperial Manor. She was born Jan. 7, 1914, to John and Ethel Bowley at Victoria Springs, Neb. She graduated from high school at Merna. In 1934, she married Renold E. Dutton at which time they made their home in Anselmo. ...

BARTLEY -- JoAnn Laird, 68, died Tuesday (Aug. 27, 2002) in Colorado Springs, Colo. She was born July 11, 1934, to Charles and Hazel Tomlin at Cambridge. She grew up in the Indianola area and graduated in 1951 from Indianola High School. She married Robert L. Laird and they recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary...

IMPERIAL -- Arnold F. Kunnemann, 80, died Sunday (Sept. 1, 2002) at the Imperial Manor Nursing Home. He was born Feb. 12, 1922, to Henry and Katherine Kunnemann on the family farm in northwest Chase County. He served in the U.S. Army for three years and was stationed in Europe during World War II...

Charlotte Nadine Monroe, 77, died Monday (Sept. 2, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born Nov. 7, 1924, at Holyoke, Colo., to Willis L. and Emma Susan (Haller) Kramer. She graduated from Holyoke High School in 1943. In 1946, she engaged in a relationship with Louie Parrett from Bartelsville, Okla., and to this relationship was born one daughter, Roxanne K. Dinsmore. She was Pro-Life as early as 1947...

Doris G. Green, 92, died Monday (Sept. 2, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born Aug. 28, 1910, at Danbury to Ed Austin and Edith (Newberry) Ruby. She attended school in Danbury and McCook Junior College, and later taught school in the Rising Sun District in Red Willow County...

Mamie W. Shields, 89, died Tuesday (Sept. 3, 2002) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Nov. 4, 1912, to Henry C. and Lena S. (Haase) Kisker in McCook. She grew up in the Ash Creek Community and graduated from Red Willow High School in 1930. She was employed as a bookkeeper at First National Bank for many years...

CAMBRIDGE -- Ralph Helt, Jr., 78, died today (Sept. 6, 2002) at Cambridge Manor in Cambridge. He was born June 6, 1924, to Ralph Sr. and Fern (Larson) Helt in Lebanon. He grew up in Lebanon where he attended Lebanon High School. On July 3, 1943, he entered the U. S. Navy and he served in World War II. He received his general education diploma and then re-entered the Navy and served in the Korean Conflict...

CAMBRIDGE -- Darlene Doris Leis, 75, died Thursday (Sept. 5, 2002) at Cambridge Manor in Cambridge. She was born June 27, 1927, to John and Esther (Schafer) Leis in Scottsbluff. When she was young, the family moved to McCook. She graduated from McCook High School in 1946. She attended McCook College and took business courses. Her family moved to Longmont, Colo., where she was the owner of Darlene's Togs and Toys, a childrens store, for over 20 years...

OBERLIN -- Merle D. Pavlicek, 72, died Thursday (Sept. 5, 2002) at the Decatur County Good Samaritan Center in Oberlin. He was born Aug. 15, 1930, to Joseph and Flossie (Cousins) Pavlicek in rural Rexford, Kan. He attended schools in Menlo, Kan., Gem, Kan. and Oberlin...

Wayne Catt, 95, died Thursday (September 5, 2002) at Community Hospital in McCook. He was born March 22, 1907, in Wilsonville to Raymond and Mary Belle (Klepper) Catt. He attended school in Wilsonville. On March 11, 1944, he married Rosemary DeVoe in Norton, Kan. He farmed for a time and was later employed by the Beaver Valley Schools for fifteen years as a school bus driver and custodian until his retirement...

Vesta Fern Weiss, 83, of Kearney, formerly of McCook died Wednesday (September 4, 2002) at St. Luke's Good Samaritan Village in Kearney. She was born June 9, 1919, to Charles and Pearl (McCoy) Harshfield. She grew up and attended school in Arapahoe...

SELDEN -- Leslie Leroy Paulson, 77, died Saturday (Sept. 7, 2002) at the Sheridan County Hospital in Hoxie, Kan. He was born Jan. 30, 1925, to Arvig and Mary (Jones) Paulson in Yuma, Kan. He graduated from Woodston High School in Woodston, Kan. He served in the U.S. Army...

WAUNETA -- Gene Bruce Harchelroad, 73, died Friday (Sept. 6, 2002) at Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. He was born Oct. 23, 1928, at Palisade to Harvey B. and Elizabeth (Curd) Harchelroad. He attended country school near Hamlet and continued his education at Wauneta, graduating from Wauneta High School in 1947...

CAMBRIDGE -- Elizabeth Ann "Babe" Scott, 95, died Wednesday (Sept. 4, 2002) in Thornton, Colo. She was born Jan. 13, 1907, to Joseph and Minnie (Fitzgibbon) Hiatt. On Jan. 26, 1926, she married George B. Scott. The couple made their home on a farm north of Cambridge. She was a homemaker and she worked at the thrift shop in Cambridge...

IMPERIAL -- Arba "Shorty" Norton Yost, 82, died Friday (Sept. 6, 2002) at the Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. He was born Nov. 16, 1919, in Champion to Will and Alta (Inman) Yost. On Feb. 14, 1941, he married Florence Mae Anderson in Goodland, Kan. ...

WAUNETA -- Beverly Ann Troudt, 63, died Thursday (Sept. 5, 2002) at her home north of Wauneta. She was born March 1, 1939, at Ogallala to Jack S. and Georgiann (Fenwick) Brogan. She started her schooling at Keystone and graduated from St. Patrick's Academy in Sidney in 1956. She then attended Loretta Heights in Denver, Colo...

STRATTON -- Adeline M. Stehno, 79, died Saturday (Sept.7, 2002) at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte. She was born June 30, 1923, to Joseph and Rosie (Kacirek) Janousek, south of Stratton in Rawlins County, Kan., and attended Prairie View country school near her home. She later attended Notre Dame Academy in Omaha, where she graduated from high school in 1941. After returning to the Stratton area, she worked as a nurse for Dr. L. B. Brown from 1941 to 1946...

IMPERIAL -- Arba "Shorty" Norton Yost, 82, died Friday (Sept. 6, 2002) at the Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. He was born Nov. 16, 1919, in Champion to Will and Alta (Inman) Yost. On Feb. 14, 1941, he married Florence Mae Anderson in Goodland, Kan...

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Gene Marvin Colson was born June 19, 1961, in Cambridge to Marvin and Charlene Colson. He was the second of three children. Gene passed away on Aug. 29, 2002, in St. Paul, Minn. at the age of 41. He is survived by wife Tanya; children, Joey, Jessica, Blake and Trevor; his parents, Marvin and Charlene Colson of Bartley; one sister, Julie and husband, Ivan Hansen, Eric and Casey of Imperial; one brother, Brian and wife, Amy Colson of Lincoln; and his grandmother, Leatha Colson of Cambridge. ...

CAMBRIDGE -- Elizabeth Ann "Babe" Scott, 95, died Wednesday (Sept. 4, 2002) at the Elms Haven Care Center in Thornton, Colo. She was born Jan. 13, 1907, to Joseph and Minnie (Fitzgibbon) Hiatt. She attended Cambridge High School and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln...

CURTIS -- Helen Mae Hosick, 91, died Saturday (Sept. 7, 2002) at Sunset Haven Nursing Home in Curtis. She was born Dec. 20, 1910, at Moorefield to Robert James and Maude Mae (Todd) McLaughlin. She graduated from Moorefield High School in 1929. On Nov. ...

DENVER, Colo. -- W. Thomas Cook, 69, died Wednesday (Sept. 4, 2002) at Aurora Regional Medical Center. W. Thomas Cook was born Oct. 5, 1932, in McCook, the son of William Lafayette and Carrie M. Cook, and the brother to Morris L. He received his education in the McCook schools, graduating in 1950. ...

ARAPAHOE -- Clyde E. Chambers, 73, died Monday (Sept. 9, 2002) at his home in Arapahoe. He was born Nov. 27, 1928, at Lyle, Kan. to Arthur L. and Mary A. (Warner) Chambers. He attended grade school through eighth grade at a country school. He graduated from Decatur County High School in 1946. After graduation, he started farming and ranching in the Wilsonville and Lebanon areas and also in Kansas. He retired for health reasons in 2001...

CAMBRIDGE -- Helen M. (Currie) McCarville died Wednesday (Sept. 11, 2002) at Cambridge Memorial Hospital. She was 68 years old. Helen was born on Feb. 13, 1934, on a farm near Wayne, Kan., to Joseph Milek and Amelia Edna (Klaumann) Proft. Amelia died May 26, 1946. Joseph then married Sarah (Washburn) Milner in 1951...

OXFORD -- Dorothy Marie Scharvin, 78, died Tuesday (Sept. 10, 2002) at her home in Oxford. She was born Sept. 17, 1923, in Merrick County to William Walter and Anna Matilda (Otto) Blauhorn. The family made their home in rural Merrick County. She received her elementary education in country schools and graduated from Archery High School with the class of 1942. After high school she worked in the Aerospace Industry in California during the war years...

OBERLIN -- Ronald Ray Carlson, 59, died Thursday (Sept. 12, 2002) at Hays Regional Medical Center in Hays, Kan. He was born June 24, 1943, to Raymond and Esther (Olson) Carlson in Oberlin. He was attended Oberlin Elementary School and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1961. Following graduation, he moved to McPherson, Kan., and later to Salina, Kan., before moving back to Oberlin. He worked as a meat cutter...

IMPERIAL -- Lois Ruth (McFadden) Molzahn, 83, died Sunday (Sept. 14, 2002) at Chase County Hospital in Imperial. She was born Oct. 27, 1918, to Troy and Edna Mae (Beck) McFadden. She grew up on a farm east of Imperial. She attended school in Rural District 21, Chase County High School and the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She taught in Rural District 23 Northeast of Imperial after receiving her education...

ASHLAND -- Marvin "Shorty" L. Gerard Sr., 55, died at his home in Ashland. He was born Dec. 14, 1946, to Charles Marvin and Edna Mae (Nelson) Gerard in McCook. He attended McCook Schools, graduating in 1964. After graduation, the family moved to Loveland, Colo., to farm...

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Kenneth A. Lipps, 51, died Saturday (Sept. 14, 2002) in Laramie, Wyo. He was born May 8, 1951, in Killeen, Texas, to Raymond and Olive (Baker) Lipps. At a young age, he moved with his family to Wheatland, Wyo. where he attended Wheatland Public Schools before joining the U.S. Army and serving for 23 years. He was stationed in several locations including Vietnam, Germany and Korea as well as Kansas and Oklahoma...

Ethel Loretta Henry, 92, died Tuesday (Sept. 17, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home. She was born Aug. 7, 1910, at Rapid City, Iowa, to Claude and Lillian (Rosebury) Long. She moved with her parents to a homestead in Montana near Glasgow in 1913. She attended rural school until the eighth grade...

ATWOOD -- Lyle Gene McCain, 68, died Wednesday (Sept. 18, 2002) at his home in Atwood. He was born March 6, 1934, in Oberlin to Louis H. and Bethel (Maw) McCain. He attended country school at District 10 before graduating from Atwood High School. He later attended McCook Junior College...

SCHUYLER -- Harrison Everett "Shorty" Walters, 94, died Thursday (Sept. 19, 2002) at the Ambassador Care Center in Lincoln. He was born July 4, 1908, in Danbury to Marion and Eunice (Townley) Walters. After graduating from Lebanon High School and attending the University of Nebraska, he joined the U.S. Army and served in England during World War II...

STAMFORD -- Tim E. Daley, 36, died Friday (Sept. 20, 2002) at his home in Stamford. He was born Nov. 21, 1965, at Grand Island. He spent his early years in Colorado. He graduated from Wood River High School in 1984. Following graduation he attended mechanics school in Phoenix, Ariz. He worked construction in Texas for several years. He returned to Nebraska in 1999. He had worked for Furnas County Farms truck wash at Arapahoe...

HARVARD -- Wilma Arlene Martin, 78, died Thursday (Sept. 19, 2002) at the Rest Haven Nursing Home in Harvard. She was born March 7, 1924, to William and Sadie (Gorton) Breinig in Arapahoe. She grew up in the Arapahoe area. She attained her General Equivalency Diploma at age 50...

COZAD -- Emma Kay Fields, of Cozad died Thursday (Sept. 5, 2002) at University Hospital in Omaha and Grace Anna Fields, of Cozad died Friday (Sept. 6, 2002) at University Hospital in Omaha. Both Emma and Grace were born Sept. 4, 2002, at University Hospital in Omaha...

BRIGHTON, Colo. --  Ronald Anthony Rugg, 40, died Wednesday (Sept. 18, 2002) near Brighton, Colo. He was a former resident of Indianola. He was born Feb. 10, 1962, to Robert Peter and Shirley Joan (Sughroue) Rugg. He graduated from Republican Valley High School in 1980 and attended McCook Community College...

TRENTON -- Terry Lee Brown, 38, died Saturday (Sept. 21, 2002) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born July 19, 1964, to DeWayne "Pepper" and Cecellia Brown in McCook. He grew up in Trenton where he graduated from Trenton High School in 1982. He attended the Mid Plains VoTec School at North Platte and the T.I.P. Institute of Technology in Phoenix, Ariz...

Michael Jason Fisher, 15, died Saturday (Sept. 21, 2002) at McCook Community Hospital. He was born Nov. 11, 1986, at Dodge City, Kan., to Mark Eugene Fisher and Michelle Denise (Mommer) Fisher. He was a sophomore at McCook Public Schools. He enjoyed all kinds of sports and played football in Jr. High. He also enjoyed cars and listening to music...

SELDEN -- Albert "Red" J. Campbell, 81, died Saturday (Sept. 21, 2002) at the Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. He was born March 3, 1921, to Melvin and Rose (Zimmerman) Campbell at Beresford, S.D. He was raised in Beresford and Hawarden, Iowa. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

Richard "Stanley" Williams,86, died Saturday (Sept. 21, 2002) at the Veteran's Nursing Home in Grand Island. He was born Feb. 3, 1916, at Orleans to Herbert E. and Olga M. (Samuelson) Williams. He graduated from Atlanta High School on May 23, 1934...

MODESTO, Calif. -- Larry Gene Hayes, 77, died Sunday (Sept.15, 2002) at his home in Modesto, Calif. He was born June 2, 1925, at McCook to Francil and Viola (Niccolson) Hayes. As a young man, he attended school in McCook to the eleventh grade and continued his education in Wauneta, graduating from Wauneta High School in 1943...

TRENTON -- Ronald F. Drain, 69, died Monday (Sept, 23, 2002) at his farm south of Trenton. He was born Aug. 20, 1933, to George and Marion (Fassler) Drain at Culbertson. At an early age, Ron moved with his family to their farm near Trenton and he attended country school near his home. He later attended and graduated from Trenton High School...

IMPERIAL -- Wayne Donald Schilke, 57, died Monday (Sept. 23, 2002) at the Chase County Community Hospital. He was born Nov. 23, 1944, to Robert F. and Anna (Johnson) Schilke at Imperial. On Feb. 6, 1971, he married Helen Mae Dixon. They made their home in rural Champion, where they engaged in farming and ranching...

BEDFORD, Texas --  Dolores M. Gray, 90, died Monday (Sept. 23, 2002) at Harris Methodist Hospital in Bedford, Texas. She was born Nov. 23, 1911, at McCook to Chuck and Mollie (Doyle) Simmerman. She married Norris Gray. She was employed for many years as a stock clerk for a retail business...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Herbert Edgar Conboy Sr., 72, died Aug. 20, 2002, at the Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque, N.M. He was born Aug. 17, 1930, to Virgil and Charlotte (Bailey) Conboy in Hayes County. He graduated from the University of Nebraska School of Agriculture at Curtis. After graduation he moved to Gunnison, Colo., where he worked as a ranch hand and then for Homestake Mining before moving to Albuquerque. He worked as a laborer under Labor Union Local No. 16 until his retirement...

ARAPAHOE -- Alec Marshall Koller, 4 1/2 months, died Tuesday (Sept. 24, 2002) at Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge. He was born May 8, 2002, to Steven and Jana (Dawson) Koller at Kearney. He was preceded in death by grandparents, Lloyd "Barney" and Betty Barnhart, John H. Koller, Lowell Dawson, Edward Schroder and Clayton Witt...

Wesley M. "Skip" Derauf, 53, died Thursday (Sept. 26, 2002) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born April 9, 1949, to Robert and Arvera (Petersen) Derauf at Trenton. He graduated from Trenton High School in 1967. He entered the U.S. Navy and served during the Vietnam War. Following his honorable discharge, he returned to McCook...

DANNEBROG -- Donald Hochstetler, 71, died Wednesday (Sept. 25, 2002) at the Veteran's Affairs Medical Center in Omaha. He was born Dec. 31, 1930, to Ezra and Sadie Roth Hochstetler at Wood River. He received his education at Wood River. As a young man, he was employed at Cate's Tire in Grand Island...

ATWOOD -- Alice (Collier) Samson, 98, died Saturday (Sept. 28, 2002) at the Lantern Park Manor in Colby, Kan. She was a longtime resident of Rawlins County. Funeral services will be Wednesday, 10 a.m., at the Williams Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Kent Morgan officiating. Interment will be in the Atwood Fairview Cemetery...

CULBERTSON -- Florence M. Barth, 80, died Saturday (Sept. 28, 2002) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She was born Sept. 3, 1922, to Herman Otto and Rosa Henrietta Augusta (Steinke) Redmer at Trenton. She graduated from Trenton High School. On June 22, 1946, she married Willis W. Barth at Garden City, Kan. They farmed north of Culbertson and moved to Culbertson in 1952. They spent their married lives in the Culbertson community...

ARAPAHOE -- Lester John Haussler, 82, died Sunday (Sept. 29, 2002) at the C.A. Mues Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Arapahoe. He was born May 28, 1920, at Fremont and was adopted by Herman C.W. and Marie Sophie E. (Luhman) Haussler. He attended country school near Holbrook...