Obituaries from December 2002

COZAD -- Harry Propp, 87, died Friday (Nov. 29, 2002) at Southview Manor in Cozad. He was born May 25, 1915, at McCook, to Henry and Anna Marie (Schrieber) Propp. He graduated from Culbertson High School in 1934. On Feb. 24, 1941, he married Sylvia Lee Graybeal at McCook. They made the McCook community their home. He was a truck driver for the McCook Packing Plant for more than 15 years. He was also associated with WEW Cattle Company for many years...

CULBERTSON -- Alvere H. "Butch" Frecks, 79, died Friday (Nov. 29, 2002) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born Dec. 7, 1922, to John J. and Etta D. (Meints) Frecks at Culbertson. He grew up on the family farm where he was born. He graduated from rural school and continued farming...

CAMBRIDGE -- Freda Sophia Rebecca Forsberg, 93, died Thursday (Nov. 28, 2002) at the Cambridge Manor. She was born Nov. 30, 1908, to John and Lena Hermann on a farm near Avoca. She was raised in a German community. She graduated from the eighth grade at age 12. ...

Gerald H. Packard, age 88 of Arthur, died Friday (Nov. 29, 2002) at the Indian Hills Manor Nursing Home. He was born Aug. 14, 1914, in Keystone, to George C. and Bessie L. Barnt Packard. He received his early schooling in rural Arthur County. Gerald attended and graduated from Arthur County High School in 1932. He married LaVonne P. Lloyd in 1932...

CAMBRIDGE -- Vesta Lucille Proud, 90, died Sunday (Dec. 1, 2002) at the Cambridge Manor. She was born Oct. 11, 1912, on a farm south of Bartley to Guy and Daisy (Bush) Ritchie. She attended rural school and graduated from Bartley High School with the class of 1930. She taught in rural schools for five years...

WILSONVILLE -- James E. Haught, 64, died Sunday (Dec. 1, 2002) at his home in Wilsonville. He was born Aug. 7, 1938, to Okey and Anna (Krakauskas) Haught at New Britain, Conn. He grew up in Connecticut. On Feb. 27, 1960, he married Carol Lee Scibek at Farmington, Conn. They moved to Colorado in 1969. In 1984, they moved to Nebraska where they opened their own restaurant. They moved to Wilsonville in 1994 where they operated the Wilsonville Cafe. She died Aug. 15, 1996...

MCDONALD -- Claribel Shaw Bell, 85, died Monday (Dec. 2, 2002) in Denver, Colo. She was born Feb. 1, 1917, in Bonus, Texas, to George and Minnie (Cruse) Shaw. She grew up in Caldwell, Texas. She attended Mary Hardin Baylor College and then worked in the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Services office in Caldwell...

ARAPAHOE -- Charles A. Breinig, 71, died Wednesday (Dec. 4, 2002) at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born May 24, 1931, in Furnas County to Floyd and Mamie (King) Breinig. He grew up and attended school in Arapahoe and graduated with the class of 1948 from Arapahoe High School. After school he farmed with his father and later his sons...

HOLBROOK -- Maurice R. Schrock, 76, died Tuesday (Dec. 3, 2002) at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born Oct. 21, 1926, at Seldon, Kan., to Glen A. and Sylvia M. (Crabill) Schrock. He grew up in Northwest Kansas and graduated from Rexford High School...

CULBERTSON -- Don Hagan, 73, died Tuesday (Dec. 3, 2002) at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge. He was born Aug. 15, 1929, in Hamlet to Roy and Florence (Cole) Hagan. He grew up at Hamlet and graduated from the Oklahoma University School of Technology. He entered the U.S. Navy during the Korean Conflict...

CULBERTSON -- Ruth Hagan, 69, died Tuesday (Dec. 3, 2002) at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge. She was born Feb. 23, 1933, to Frank and Freda (Miller) Carroll in the Quick Community in Frontier County. She grew up in McCook where she graduated from McCook High School in 1952...

CULBERTSON -- Merle F. Dack, 87, died Thursday (Dec. 5, 2002) at the El Dorado Manor in Trenton. He was born Oct. 31, 1915, to George and Ruth (Swanson) Dack in McCook. He grew up in McCook where he received his education. On Feb. 26, 1941, he entered the U.S. Army where he served during World War II. He served two years in Panama and other tours in Germany, the United States and during the Korean Conflict. He retired from the military as a Chief Warrant Officer after 22 years...

HOLBROOK -- Maurice R. Schrock, 76, died Tuesday (Dec. 3, 2002) at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born Oct. 21, 1926, at Seldon, Kan., to Glen A. and Sylvia M. (Crabill) Schrock. He grew up in Northwest Kansas and graduated from Rexford High School. He then enlisted in the United States Navy. After his time of service with the Navy, he returned to Rexford...

Frances L. Poush, 90, died Thursday (Dec. 5, 2002) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Sept. 24, 1912, to Roy and Ethel (Peters) Albrecht in McCook. She grew up in McCook where she graduated from rural school. On July 6, 1943, she married Harold "Shorty" Poush in McCook. They spent their married lives in McCook where her husband was employed by A & M Rexall Pharmacy...

GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. -- Tom J. Budig, 85, died Sunday (Sept. 29, 2002) at his home in Green Valley, Ariz. He was born Jan. 23, 1917, in Leed, S.D. and grew up in McCook. He was a graduate of the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a 1st Lieutenant, piloting P-38s and P-51s during World War II...

James "Jim" R. Short, 78, died Friday (Dec. 6, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. He was born April 20, 1924, at Titus, Ala., to Jessie B. and Ethel E. (Gantt) Short. In 1943, he graduated from Wetumpka High School, Wetumpka, Ala. On Feb. 5, 1943, he entered the U.S. Army Air Force and was stationed at the McCook Air Base. He was later transferred to the U.S. Army and served during World War II. He was honorably discharged on April 21, 1946...

STRATTON -- Leota Lucille "Lucy" Harris Hanson, 87, died Friday (Dec. 6, 2002) at her daughter's home in Lincoln. She was born April 4, 1915, at Lamar, Colo., to Jesse Forrest and Caroline (Neu) Baker. She attended school in Lamar and was a member of the graduating class of Lamar High School in 1933. She later attended Western State College in Gunnison, Colo., and graduated from Marinello Beauty School in 1935...

Louie E. Dixson, 85, died Saturday (Dec. 7, 2002) at the Cambridge Manor. He was born Dec. 19, 1916, to Thomas H. and Elizabeth Marie (Schroeder) Dixson 14 miles northeast of Cambridge in Frontier County. On Oct. 21, 1936, he married Thelma I. Campbell in Cambridge. ...

CULBERTSON -- Merle F. Dack, 87, died Thursday (Dec. 5, 2002) at the El Dorado Manor in Trenton. He was born Oct. 31, 1915, to George and Ruth (Swanson) Dack in McCook. He grew up in McCook where he received his education. On Feb. 26, 1941, he entered the U.S. Army where he served during World War II. He served two years in Panama and other tours in Germany, the United States and during the Korean Conflict. He retired from the military as a Chief Warrant Officer after 22 years...

ATWOOD -- Clark R. Macfee, 90, died Friday (Dec. 6, 2002) at the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. He was born April 3, 1912, to Milburn Arnold and Viola Martha (Thomas) Macfee in Decatur County near Oberlin. He was a graduate of Atwood Community High School in 1932. He had been a resident of Atwood since 1916...

Lorena M. Harris, 89, died Friday (Dec. 6, 2002) at Hilltop Estates Nursing Home in Gothenburg. She was born March 22, 1913, to Asa and Maple (Turley) O'Donnell, in Cheyenne County near Bird City. She was the oldest of three children and was raised on a farm, eight miles Northeast of Bird City...

HAYES CENTER -- Allen L. Bodeman, 63, died Sunday (Dec. 8, 2002) at the Blue Valley Lutheran Care Home in Hebron. He was born Sept.1, 1939, at Palisade, to Chester J. and Hannah Marie (Banister) Bodeman. He graduated from Hayes Center High School in 1956. He attended Hastings College and graduated from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1960. He also attended the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis...

BERTHOUD, Colo. -- Helen "Heinz" Larington, 75, died Tuesday (Nov. 26, 2002) at her home in Berthoud, Colo. She was born in Culbertson to Andrew and Amelia Heinz. She was baptized and confirmed in Congrational Church in Culbertson. Later she attended the Methodist Church in McCook. She graduated from Culbertson Public School in 1945, and also attended McCook Junior College...

ARAPAHOE -- Harley H. Einspahr Sr., 94, died Tuesday (Dec. 10, 2002) at the Tri-County Area Hospital in Lexington. He was born June 20, 1908, at Kenesaw, to Bernhardt C. and Emma (Plambeck) Einspahr. He was raised in Kenesaw where he attended school. After school, he worked various jobs as a farm hand and mechanic in Nebraska and Colorado...

ATWOOD -- Clark R. Macfee, 90, died Friday (Dec. 6, 2002) at the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. He was born April 3, 1912, to Milburn Arnold and Viola Martha (Thomas) Macfee in Decatur County near Oberlin. He was a graduate of Atwood Community High School in 1932. He had been a resident of Atwood since 1916...

HAYES CENTER -- Hershel R. Evans died Monday (Dec. 9, 2002) at Community Hospital in McCook. He was 79 years old, one day short of his 80th birthday. He was born Dec. 10, 1922, in rural Hayes County, to Hershel R. and Edith Vivian (Green) Evans. He graduated from Hayes Center High School in 1940...

Lola Mae Johnette, 89, died Tuesday (Dec. 10, 2002) at the El Dorado Manor in Trenton. She was born May 25, 1913, at Riverdale to Albert and Ebba (Knutson) James. She grew up north of Kearney and attended rural school there. She graduated from Kearney High School in 1930. ...

BENKELMAN -- Georgia Earnest, 87, died Wednesday (Dec. 11, 2002) at her home in Benkelman. She was born Feb. 18, 1915 in Dundy County, to Elmer and Grace (King) Cannon, and attended school in Benkelman where she was a member of the graduating class of 1932...

Frank Suda died Wednesday (Dec. 11, 2002) at Community Hospital of McCook at the age of 78. Frank was born June 27, 1924, in New Bohemia Prince George County, Va., to Frank M. and Helen Annie Zebedee (Vesley) Suda. He moved to Nebraska in 1935 as a young boy. He lived in Lincoln County, around the Wallace area until moving to Hayes County in 1943. He married Avis Nadine Weston in 1944 and to this union two children were born...

Edith L. Heidemann, 85, died Thursday (Dec. 12, 2002) at Community Hospital in McCook. She was born Aug. 22, 1917, to Fred and Wilhelmina (Kisker) Heidemann in Bielefeld, Germany. She worked as a sales clerk for many years at JC Penney and Schilz Jewelry...

Oberlin -- Janice Claudine Berry, 66, died Sunday (Dec. 15, 2002) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born June 10, 1936, to Michael and Myrtle (Henningson) Schiessler at Herndon. She grew up around Herndon and attended the Oberlin schools. On Dec. 11, 1953, she married Marlin Berry in Oberlin and lived in the Oberlin and McCook areas all her life...

Edith L. Heidemann, 85, died Thursday (Dec. 12, 2002) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Aug. 22, 1917, to Frederick and Wilhelmina (Kisker) Heidemann in Bielefeld, Germany. They came to the United States in 1923, where they resided south of McCook before moving to Atchinson, Kan., in 1925. ...

Archie Merle Bishop was born Oct. 12, 1915, to Mabel and Orville Bishop in Yuma, Colo. He attended schools in Wray, Colo. In his early years, he helped with his grandfather, Arch Romine's farm near Hamlet, finding one of his life work loves. He also did numerous jobs including fur trading with Kenneth Romine and being an electrician with his father...

ATWOOD -- Gertrude A. (Larson) Wederski, 82, died Thursday (Dec. 12, 2002) at Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center in Denver, Colo. She was born Dec. 31, 1919, to Nels and Ada (VanWinkle) Larson in Cheyenne County. On Feb. 29, 1940, she married Luduish E. ...

ARAPAHOE -- Ella G. Johnson, 85, of Greenwood Village, Colo., died Thursday (Dec. 12, 2002) at Mariner Health Center in Greenwood Village. She was a former resident of Arapahoe. She was born March 15, 1917, to Henry and Lydia (Walz) Lampe at St. Francis. She attended country school in Cheyenne County...

Leonard W. "Link" Sines, 82, died Sunday (Dec. 15) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born Nov. 15, 1920, at Marion, to Guy Brentz and May A. (Lafferty) Sines. He attended McCook High School and graduated in 1939. On Sept. 1, 1939, he enlisted in the U.S. ...

ARAPAHOE -- Maude Edith Breinig, 93, died Sunday (Dec. 15, 2002) at the Elwood Care Center in Elwood. She was born Aug. 12, 1909, to Albert S. and Ida M. (Oatney) King at Arapahoe. She attended country school south of Arapahoe and then went to Arapahoe High School through the tenth grade...

TRENTON -- Helen Yvonne Campbell was born May l, 1925 and died Dec. 14, 2002, at the age of 77 after an extended battle with cancer. Helen was born to George and Margaret Sander and grew up on the farm north of Trenton. She met her future husband, Fred Robert Campbell, while selling poppies on Main Street to support the veterans. Helen and Fred were married in July 8, 1945 and celebrated their 57thwedding anniversary last summer...

MERRIAM, Kan. -- Joe Bill Tickles, 59, died Monday (Dec. 9, 2002) in Branson, Mo. He was born Feb. 20, 1943, to Charlie and Ada Katrina (Hamm) Tickles Jr., in Banner, Va. In 1961, he moved to the Kansas City area. On June 26, 1982, he married Yvonne S. Rice at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Overland Park, Kan. For 30 years he worked as a truck driver for Safeway, Food Barn and Associated Grocers...

SCOTTSBLUFF -- James A. Matson, 70, died Tuesday (Dec. 17, 2002) at the Western Nebraska Veteran's Home in Scottsbluff. He was born May 10, 1932, in Hayes Center to Archie and Mary Hazel (Westcamp) Matson. He received his education in McCook. He entered the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict and was honorably discharged on Oct. 4, 1954...

BARTLEY -- Kenneth D. Schmidt, 78, died Tuesday (Dec. 17, 2002) at the C.A. Mues Memorial Good Samaritan Center in Arapahoe. He was born July 23, 1924, to John and Ella (Bridgeford) Schmidt. He grew up on a farm in the Bartley area. On April 5, 1943, he married Luella Purvis. He farmed with his father until 1944, when he entered into the U.S. Army...

CULBERTSON -- Lydia Alberts, 92, died Wednesday (Dec. 18, 2002) at the El Dorado Manor in Trenton. She was born Dec. 6, 1910, to Henry and Elizabeth (Rutz) Schlager in Neudenhof, Russia. In 1913, the family came to the United States where she grew up in Culbertson and graduated from Culbertson High School in 1930...

CAMBRIDGE -- Jeanette Elizabeth Arthaud, 97, died Thursday (Dec. 19, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born Dec. 18, 1905, to Henry and Mary (Hougnon) Arthaud. She graduated from Cambridge High School and received her bachelor's degree in education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She taught high school English in Table Rock, Odell, Dunning and Tobias, as well as other Nebraska high schools...

ATWOOD -- Claude G. Kisling, 87, died Wednesday (Dec. 18, 2002) at the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. He was born Oct. 11, 1915, to Charles and Lydia (Gatlin) Kisling in Rawlins County. On April 27, 1937, he married Irene Leebrick in Rawlins County. ...

ATWOOD -- Howard E. Curry, 87, died Wednesday (Dec. 18, 2002) at the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. He was born Aug. 25, 1915, to Hawley Everett and Flora Almeda (Hanna) Curry in Hayes Center. He was a farmer. He was preceded in death by his parents; and a daughter, Phyllis Ginn in 1998...

Tami Lynn Allen was born Oct. 26, 1960, in Pender to Lyle and Janice Nolting, and died of breast cancer on Dec. 22, 2002, at the age of 42. She was raised on the family farm near Rosalie, was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Bancroft and graduated from Rosalie High School in 1978. Tami attended Southeast Community College in Lincoln where she earned an associate's degree in Early Childhood Development...

Alta Neva Lashley, 95, died Sunday (Dec. 22, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home. She was born, March 14, 1907, in Chase County near Wauneta to Zebedee Delmer and Lulu Hariet (Davis) Hill. She attended school in rural Chase County. She married Charlie Lashley here in McCook on June 15, 1926. ...

QUINTER, Kan. -- Dennis "Jim" H. Corder, 87, died Friday (Dec. 20, 2002) at the Gove County Medical Center Long Term Facility in Quinter, Kan. He was born Nov. 20, 1915, to Joseph and Rosa (Hetrick) Corder on a farm in Sheridan County. He was raised in rural Quinter and attended Pleasant Ridge County School. He graduated from Quinter High School in 1934. In the fall of 1934, his family moved to Selden...

INDIANOLA -- Esther Bridget Sweetman, 94, died Sunday (Dec. 22, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home. She was born May 7, 1908, at Edina, Mo., to John N. and Mary Catherine (Dolan) Sweetman. She lived most of her life in Indianola. She cleaned homes for the priests, traveling to Kansas and Oklahoma. She moved to Hillcrest eight years ago...

CULBERTSON -- Anna Frances Korell, 90, died Sunday (Dec. 22, 2002) at Community Hospital in McCook. She was born Sept. 18, 1912, at Litchfield, to Jacob and Agnes (Klippinstein) Tessman. She grew up in Stockham. On Feb. 16, 1937, she married Glenn Korell at Culbertson. She lived most of her life in Culbertson...

SELDEN -- August "Gus" W. Bruggeman, 90, died Saturday (Dec. 21, 2002) at his home in Selden. He was born May 11, 1912, to Tony and Margaret (Wolf) Bruggeman on a farm east of Selden. He was raised on the farm where he was born. He attended Cresco Country School and graduated from Selden Rural High School in 1931...

NORTH PLATTE -- Shawn J. Polanco, 37, died Monday (Dec. 23, 2002) in North Platte. He was born Nov. 26, 1965, to John Davis and Mildred Corrine Arensdorf Polanco at North Platte. He graduated from North Platte High School in 1984. He was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church...

GREELEY, Colo. -- Charles James "Hi" Schuster, 99, died Saturday (Dec. 21, 2002) at Fairacres Nursing Home in Greeley. He was born May 23, 1903, in Pittsburgh, Pa., to Francis A. and Elizabeth A. (Laubal) Schuster. The family moved to Lincoln where he attended and graduated from elementary and Lincoln High Schools. He served with the National Guard, State of Illinois from March 1927 to April 1931...

INDIANOLA -- Zolona Marie Chinn, 91, died Sunday (Dec. 23, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born Dec. 30, 1910, to Herbert and Charlotte (Derrick) Winters in Webster, Kan. In 1911, the family moved to Red Willow County where she grew up and received her education...

WELLFLEET -- Robert James Garner, 80, died Wednesday (Dec. 25, 2002) at Linden Court in North Platte. He was born March 11, 1922, to James Martin and Eveline Rebecca (Brown) Garner at Wellfleet. He graduated from Curtis High School in 1940. On Nov. 30, 1942, he married Mildred Lucille Embrey at McCook. He had several jobs throughout his life with the most notable being more than 16 years at the North Platte West Central Research and Extension Center where he retired at the age of 62...

Leona G. Holst, 96, died Thursday (Dec. 26, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born Sept. 24, 1906, to Robert T. and Emma Louise (Cordes) Meyer in Hamilton County. She grew up northeast of Hampton. She graduated from Pierce High School and received her bachelor of science degree in education from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. She taught for several years...

CAMBRIDGE -- Fern Irene Ross, 79, died Tuesday (Dec. 24, 2002) as the result of an automobile accident near Grand Island. She was born Dec. 19, 1923, in Trenton to Wib and Junetta (Hall) Seybold. She graduated from Trenton High School in 1943. She was married to Dan Ross. He preceded her in death in October of 1996. She worked at Frontier Cafe in Cambridge as a cook...

ATWOOD -- Rose E. (Sis) Ruda, 89, died Monday (Dec. 23, 2002) at Dodge City, Kan. She was born Dec. 3, 1913, to Frank and Apolena (Dobry) Sis in Rawlins County. She attended Prairie View rural school and Atwood High School. On Aug. 1, 1934, she married John E. Ruda at St. John's Catholic Church in rural Atwood. She was a homemaker...

ARAPAHOE -- Patty G. "Jerry" Olsen, 71, died Friday (Dec. 27, 2002) at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge. She was born Aug. 25, 1931, to Robert and Ida (Bell) Cooper in Palisade. She attended school in Hendley and Beaver City. She also worked at the Hendley School...

Leona G. Holst, 96, died Thursday (Dec. 26, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born Sept. 24, 1906, to Robert T. and Emma Louise (Cordes) Meyer in Hamilton County. She grew up northeast of Hampton. She graduated from Pierce High School and received her bachelor of science degree in education from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. She taught for several years...

Anna M. Cottingham, 92, died Friday (Dec. 27, 2002) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born May 21, 1910, to Henry and Katherine (Gettman) Lebsack at McCook. She grew up in McCook and attended McCook High School. On Aug. 30, 1931, she married Carl E. Cottingham at McCook. They spent their lives in McCook...

ATWOOD -- Harrell L. Shannon, 66, died Thursday (Dec. 26, 2002) in Atwood following a long battle with renal disease. He was born Oct. 18, 1936, to Bernard Shannon and Alice (Ginther) Shannon Shankle in Atwood. He graduated from Atwood Community High School in 1955. He engaged in farming for numerous years and also operated an auto body shop in Atwood...

BENKELMAN -- Berniece M. Russell, 89, died Sunday (Dec. 29, 2002) at Sarah Ann Hester Memorial Home in Benkelman. She was born June 7, 1913, on her family's farm north of Benkelman to Earl "Vic" and Mayme (Bond) Ham, and attended country school near her home.  She later attended Benkelman High School and was a member of the graduating class of 1931...

BEAVER CITY -- Eleonora "Ellie" L. (Rathe) Smith, 88, died Saturday (Dec. 28, 2002) at the Beaver City Manor. She was born August 3, 1914, in Matteson, Ill., to Albert H. and Bertha (Braun) Rathe. In May of 1956, she married Eugene L. Smith. She was a member of the Lutheran faith...