Obituaries from January 2003

Dorothy F. Lunkwitz, 92, died Monday (Dec. 30, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born July 27, 1910, at Basehor, Kan., to Thomas Elmer and Mary Ella (Morach) Tirrill. On April 12, 1936, she married John E. Lunkwitz at the West Side Congregational Church in McCook. She took care of foster children at different times. She was a seamstress. They sold their farm southwest of McCook and moved to town in 1963...

BEAVER CITY -- Charles A. Crawford, 86, died Wednesday (Jan. 1, 2003) at the Beaver City Manor. He was born June 14, 1916, to John and Mable (Tonkinson) Crawford at Madrid. He was raised in the Lexington area. He moved to the Denver, Colo., area in the mid 1930's...

SENECA, S.C. -- Merrill Eddie Best Jr., 73, a longtime resident of McCook, died Monday (Dec. 30, 2002) in Westminister, S.C. He was born Dec. 31, 1928, in Denver, Colo., to Etta May (Henderson) and Merrill E. Best Sr. On March 10, 1945, he married Darlene E. Blume in Atwood. They owned and operated Best Floral and Merrill's Greenhouses in McCook for more than 30 years. He retired to the South in 1989, finally making Seneca, S. C., his home in retirement...

McDONALD -- Margaret M. Jenik, 76, died Tuesday (Dec. 31, 2002) at the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. She was born Sept. 3, 1926, in Rawlins County to Clarence Ralph and Lela Belle (McDonald) Long. She was a 1944 graduate of McDonald High School. On Oct. ...

ENDERS -- Donald Grosbach, 73, died Tuesday (Dec. 31, 2002) at his home near Enders. Survivors include his wife, Pauline of Enders; son, Duane Grosbach and wife, Tina of Enders; daughter, Anita and husband, Martin Rediger of Geneva, Ind.; two sisters, Maxine and husband, Vincent Gennaro of Fort Lauderhill, Fla., and Gladys and husband, Dwight Hoff of Imperial; a sister-in-law, Alberta Grosbach of Enders; and five grandchildren...

LINCOLN -- Mary Lou (Miner) Kelly, 42, died Wednesday (Dec. 18, 2002) at the Tabitha Health Care Center in Lincoln after a three-year battle with cancer. She was born June 20, 1960, to Melvin and Beulah (Brown) Miner at Cambridge. She attended Republican Valley High School and graduated from Platte Valley Academy in Shelton in 1978...

OBERLIN -- Beldon Jenik, 82, formerly of McDonald, died Tuesday (Dec. 31, 2002) at the Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. He was born May 6, 1920, on a farm near Menlo, Kan., to Benjamin and Rose (Volock) Jenik. He was a World War II Army veteran, serving in the 22nd Antiaircraft Search Light Battalion, obtaining the rank of Technical Sergeant...

TOPEKA, Kan. -- Dorthy Mae (Voyles) Sublett was born to Julius Wilson and Mattie Preston Voyles on Dec. 5, 1909, in Parker County, Texas, and passed away Wednesday (Jan. 1, 2003) at her home in Topeka, Kan., at the age of 93. She married Carl T. Sublett, Jan. 9, 1933, and to this union two children were born; Kenneth Merle who lived just eight days, and Laverta May (Mrs. Don Murphy)...

Marvin O. Andrijeski, 61, died Thursday (Jan. 2, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born July 22, 1941, in McCook to Dorothy Faye (Romine) and George C. Andrijeski. He attended rural grade school, and then McCook High School where he graduated in 1959...

LAWSON, Mo. -- Timothy "Tim" Paul Brown, 47, died Friday (Jan. 3, 2003) in Alamogordo, N.M. He was born Feb. 5, 1955, in McCook to Thomas (Bud) and Leraine (Loker) Brown. He spent his childhood on a small farm south of Trenton and graduated from Trenton High School with the class of 1974...

Kenneth F. Petersen, 82, died Sunday (Jan. 5, 2003) at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte. He was born June 3, 1920, in McCook, to Edward and Christina Jensen Peterson Sr. He grew up in McCook and after graduation, joined the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Alaska...

BENKELMAN -- Virginia Mayme (Wine) Jensen, 95, died Saturday (Jan. 4, 2003) at Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman. She was born July 7, 1907, in Chase County, to David G. and Lottie (Keller) Wine.  She graduated from Imperial High School, and taught for several years in the Prairie Schooner, Enders, and Blue Ridge schools...

OBERLIN -- Cleta Faye Wenger, 72, died Monday (Jan. 6, 2003) at her home in Oberlin. She was born Dec. 10, 1930, in Rawlins County, to James E. and Ethel A. (Meyers) Gilbert. She attended grade school at Rose Dale School and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1948...

BENKELMAN -- Grace Rebecca (Alsbury) Whiteley, 90, died Saturday (Jan. 4, 2003) at the Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman. She was born Oct. 24, 1912, at Hiawatha, to Frederick Levi and Addie Rebecca (Faris) Alsbury.  On July 30, 1938, she married Alvin James Whiteley at Sterling, Colo. ...

BEAVER CITY -- Hazel Christensen, 86, died Monday (Jan. 6, 2003) at the Beaver City Manor. She was born March 9, 1916, at Beaver City, to Fred and Catherine (Inman) Hardenbrook. She was a life long resident of the Beaver City area and graduated from Beaver City High School with the Class of 1933...

Clara L. Hoppe, 95, died Monday (Jan. 6, 2003) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born April 21, 1907, in Frontier County, to Elmer and Nancy Lee (Campbell) Shepherd. She grew up in Frontier County and graduated from high school in Kimball. She also graduated from Chadron State College with a degree in education. She began teaching school in Wyoming and later at Maywood...

CURTIS -- Leon Banzhaf, 52, died Tuesday (Jan. 7, 2002) at the Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte. He was born March 20, 1950, to Roy and Mildred (Lemmon) Banzhaf in Cambridge. The family farmed north of Cambridge until 1965. He attended Orafino School in rural Frontier County where he graduated from the eighth grade. The family moved to Nampa, Idaho in 1965, where he completed his education. In the fall of 1987, the family moved back to Cambridge...

CURTIS -- Mayme Ardena Dodson, 89, died Tuesday (Jan. 7, 2003) at Sunset Haven Nursing Home in Curtis. She was born Nov. 17, 1913, at Frontier County, to Leo and Sophia Seigel Dold. She attended school in Maywood. On March 1, 1938, she married John Stanley Dodson. They farmed and ranched in Frontier County until moving to Curtis after his retirement...

CULBERTSON -- Dennis Gary Ryschon, 60, died Wednesday (Jan. 8, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born Sept. 20, 1942, at Valentine, to Frank and Helen Irene (Weller) Ryschon. He graduated from Valentine High School. On Dec. 22, 1970, he married Dorothy E. Huggins Henne at Pierre, S.D. They moved to the Culbertson community in 1979. He was employed by the Peter Kewitt Construction Company as a heavy equipment operator in road construction...

BLOOMFIELD, N.M. -- Sandra "Sandy" Hegarty, 61, died Thursday (Jan. 9, 2003) at her home in Bloomfield, N.M. She was born Sept. 25, 1941, in McCook to Thomas and Elaine Moore. She graduated with the Class of 1959. She was preceded in death by her parents...

HASTINGS -- Cora Mae Steen, 82, died Thursday (Jan. 9, 2003) at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital in Hastings. She was born Nov. 9, 1920, in Haywarden, Sask., Canada, to William and Isa M. (Smith) Haight. On Feb. 14, 1939, she married Wilbur M. "Bill" Bonar. They moved to Hastings in 1946. In 1950, they moved to McCook, where she worked as an optician assistant. In 1962, they returned to Hastings and she worked for City National Bank...

Glenn L. Meyer, 80, died Saturday (Jan. 11, 2003) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born Dec. 12, 1922, in Lincoln, to Martin and Mabel (Loetterle) Meyer Sr. He grew up in Lincoln where he received his education. He began working for the Lincoln Gas Company...

Idell M. Crall, 87, died Saturday (Jan. 11, 2003) at the El Dorado Manor in Trenton. She was born Nov. 30, 1915, to Elvis and Lulu Daisy (Turner) Duke in Shamrock, Texas. She grew up at Shamrock where she graduated from Shamrock High School. She received her teachers degree from South Western University at Weatherford, Okla. She began teaching school at Lokeba, Okla...

ATWOOD -- Hazel A. Graves, 88, died Sunday (Jan. 12, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Dec. 23, 1914, in Hastings, one of two sets of twins born to Thomas B. and May (Goodwin) McGowan. She received her education in Hastings, graduating from high school in 1932...

HOLBROOK -- Lonny G. Klinkebiel, 43, died Monday (Jan. 13, 2003) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born May 25, 1959, in Cambridge to Paul and Marilyn (Jackson) Klinkebiel. He attended and graduated from Cambridge High School in 1977. He went on to attain a degree from Great Plains Community College in North Platte in automotive mechanics...

BLOOMFIELD, N.M. -- Sandra "Sandy" Hegerty, 61, died Thursday (Jan. 9, 2003) at her home in Bloomfield, N.M. She was born Sept. 25, 1941, in McCook to Thomas and Elaine Moore. She graduated with the Class of 1959. She was preceded in death by her parents...

Evelyn P. Norris, 90, died Tuesday (Jan. 14, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Nov. 3, 1912, in McCook, to Milo and Cordelia (McGuire) Harbaugh. She graduated from McCook High School in 1930. She trained as a telegrapher and worked for the McCook Telegraph Office during World War II...

Lyle Eugene Springer died Tuesday (Jan. 14, 2003). He was 56 years old. Lyle was born Jan. 18, 1946, on the family farm north of Danbury, to Cloyce and Bertha (Goltl) Springer. He attended grade school in Danbury and graduated from Beaver Valley High School in 1964. He also attended McCook Community College and Kearney State College, receiving a degree as an Industrial Arts Teacher...

CLINTON, Utah -- Omalea Gwen McCormick, 72, died Sunday (Jan. 12, 2003) at her home. She was born Jan. 17, 1930, in Hayes County, to Delbert L. and Ilah M. Fornoff. She grew up on the family farm and attended school in a one-room schoolhouse to eighth grade, then moved into town to complete her high school. ...

SYRACUSE, Kan. -- Thomas Roger Malleck, 64, died Tuesday (Jan. 14, 2003) at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. He was born Sept. 30, 1938, at Indianola, to James John and Genevieve Elizabeth (Powers) Malleck. He attended school at Indianola Public Schools where he graduated from high school in 1957...

SALINA, Kan. -- Dr. Katharine Virginia Bickford Smith, 71, died Tuesday (Jan. 14, 2003) at the Salina Regional Health Center in Salina, Kan. She was born Feb. 24, 1931, in Kansas City, Mo., to Donnel and Catherine (Kenney) Pearson. She was raised in Tonganoxie, Kan. ...

Evelyn P. Norris, 90, died Tuesday (Jan. 14, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Nov. 3, 1912, in McCook, to Milo and Cordelia (McGuire) Harbaugh. She graduated from McCook High School in 1930. She trained as a telegrapher and worked for the McCook Telegraph Office during World War II...

IMPERIAL -- Mabel Bernard, 95, died Wednesday (Jan. 15, 2003) at the Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. Survivors include a daughter, Jeannine and husband, Arlyn Cox of Champion; son, Royce Bernard and wife, Cathy of Imperial; three sisters, Vernace Groff of Imperial, Sue Jackson and Maxine and husband, Carl Matson all of Cheyenne, Wyo.; 11 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild...

SYRACUSE, Kan. -- Thomas Roger Malleck, 64, died Tuesday (Jan. 14, 2003) at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. He was born Sept. 30, 1938, at Indianola, to James John and Genevieve Elizabeth (Powers) Malleck. He attended school at Indianola Public Schools where he graduated from high school in 1957...

Mildred M. "Mickey" Woofter, 78, died Wednesday (Jan. 15, 2003) at Sunset Haven Nursing Home in Curtis. She was born Aug. 9, 1924, at Steele City, to Edward S. and Jessie (Carter) Davis. She was educated in McCook and Culbertson schools. For many years she was employed by J.C. Penney in McCook. She was a former McCook resident and had been living at Sunset Haven Nursing Home in Curtis for the past five months...

Edna M. Zick, 94, died Wednesday (Jan. 15, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Dec. 20, 1908, in Cline, Okla., to James Manley and Maude Merla (McCormack) Cassel. She grew up at Norton, Kan., and came to McCook in 1917. She attended the McCook Schools where she received her education...

Mildred M. "Mickey" Woofter, 78, died Wednesday (Jan. 15, 2003) at Sunset Haven Nursing Home in Curtis. She was born Aug. 9, 1924, at Steele City, to Edward S. and Jessie (Carter) Davis. She was educated in McCook and Culbertson schools. For many years she was employed by J.C. Penney in McCook. She was a former McCook resident and had been living at Sunset Haven Nursing Home in Curtis for the past five months...

OBERLIN -- Irene Powell, 82, died Thursday (Jan. 16, 2003) at the Decatur County Good Samaritan Center in Oberlin. She was born Oct. 10, 1920, in Lebanon, to Fred C. and Gladys Irene (Zweigle) Jolly. She was raised in the Lyle, Kan., area and attended Jolly Hill Grade School. She graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1938...

ATWOOD -- Shirley A. (McClarey) McCain, 68, died Friday (Jan. 17, 2003) at her home in rural Atwood. She was born Aug. 22, 1934, in Santa Monica, Calif., to James and Dorothy (Shinn) McClarey. She graduated from high school in Van Nuys, Calif., in 1952...

IMPERIAL -- Mabel Viola Leach Bernard, 95, died Wednesday (Jan. 15, 2003) at the Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. She was born April 18, 1907, at Dorchester, to Andrew and Fern Leach. Her father was a carpenter and the family moved wherever his work took them...

Virginia R. Hamrick, 84, died Friday (Dec. 27, 2002) at Hillcrest Nursing home after a long battle with Alzheimer's. She was born Dec. 13, 1918, to Arthur B. and Vienna R. (Brocius) Cain in Burnsville, W.Va. She grew up in Burnsville and graduated from the Burnsville High School in 1935...

COZAD -- Eleanor M. Seberger, 89, of rural Cozad, died Sunday (Jan. 19, 2003) at her home. She was born Feb. 4, 1913, to George and Mary Prentice at Hebron. Her grade-school years were spent in Pondera County, Mont., on a homestead her parents bought in 1917. The family moved to Lincoln in 1926, and she attended Cathedral High School there. She was a 1933 graduate of the University of Nebraska School of Journalism and worked for three Lincoln newspapers, and in a farm loan office...

CAMPBELL -- Elsie I. Collison, 97, died Monday (Jan. 20, 2003) at the Grandview Manor Nursing Home in Campbell. She was born April 12, 1905, in McCook, to John and Marie (Lawitson) Fredrickson. She graduated from McCook High School. She attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and graduated with a teachers certificate in May 1927. She taught for two years at Wymore and then Ord...

CAMBRIDGE -- Clarence Sandman, 88, died Monday (Jan. 20, 2003) at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge. He was born July 21, 1914, to Ralph and Gertrude (Richards) Sandman near Harvine. On Aug. 1, 1937, he married Onna Stock in Wauneta. They made their home in the Wauneta area until they moved to Cambridge in 1942. They then farmed and ranched north of Cambridge until 1975, when they retired from the farm and moved into Cambridge...

NORTH PLATTE -- Larry D. Wiezorek, 53, died Wednesday (Jan. 22, 2003) at Great Plains Regional Medical Center of North Platte. He was born July 24, 1949, in Roanoke, Va., to Anton and Janice Meadows Wiezorek. He attended North Platte schools and then served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam from February 1969 until September 1970...

CULBERTSON -- Alan L. Harms, 44, died Tuesday (Jan. 21, 2003) as the result of an auto accident in Frontier County near Maywood. He was born Sept. 16, 1958, in Gothenburg to Marvin and Betty (Aden) Harms. He grew up at Gothenburg where he attended Gothenburg High School until his junior year. The family moved to Culbertson where he graduated from Culbertson High School in 1976. He attended Mid-Plains Community College at North Platte...

CURTIS -- Marvin D. Amstuz, 75, died Wednesday (Jan. 22, 203) at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born Oct. 11, 1927, at Wellfleet, to Oscar and Rachel (Hall) Amstuz. He graduated from the Nebraska School of Agriculture in Curtis in 1945. He farmed with his father south of Stockville before entering the military. He served in the Army from Sept. 11, 1950 to Aug. 18, 1952. He returned to the farm after begin discharged...

Mildred Wing Hauxwell, 98, passed away at Linden Court in North Platte on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2003. She was born Nov. 7, 1904, at Harvard to Harry and Ella (Peterson) Wing. When two years old, she moved with her parents to a farm near Indianola, where she spent her childhood. She attended the Indianola school and graduated with the class of 1922...

Mildred Wing Hauxwell, 98, passed away at Linden Court in North Platte on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2003. She was born Nov. 7, 1904, at Harvard to Harry and Ella (Peterson) Wing. When two years old, she moved with her parents to a farm near Indianola, where she spent her childhood. She attended the Indianola school and graduated with the class of 1922...

Johnny Eugene Keane, 61 years, seven months, died Thursday, Jan. 23, 2003, at his home in McCook, from advanced stages of primary progressive multiple sclerosis. He was born June 17, 1941, in Alliance, to John Robert and Gatha Beatrice (Hack) Keane. ...

ARAPAHOE -- Robert Byron Tull, 84, died Friday (Jan. 24, 2003) at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge. He was born Aug. 3, 1918, at Arapahoe, to Otto E. and Emma L. (Vandruff) Tull. He graduated from Arapahoe High School and then enlisted in the Army in July 1941 until October 1945. He returned to Arapahoe for the rest of his life. He was a farmer...

Caroline "Carolyn" Melton, 86, died Friday (Jan. 24, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Oct. 2, 1916, at Muscotah, Kan., to Mortimer and Minnie (Christ) Roach. She graduated from Muscotah High School. On Nov. 10, 1939, she married James William Melton at McCook. ...

BEAVER CITY -- Everett Lewis Vise, 97, died Sunday (Jan. 26, 2003) at the Beaver City Manor in Beaver City. He was born May 12, 1905, near Wilsonville, to Samuel and Nancy Ann (Jones) Vise. On Feb. 25, 1926, he married Florence McConnell at Norton, Kan. He farmed south of Cambridge and Wilsonville. He retired and moved from the farm to Beaver City in 1994, where he lived in his home until 1996. Since that time, he has lived in the Beaver City Manor...

ATWOOD -- Elsie L. (Flick) Bergling, 97, died Sunday (Jan. 26, 2003) at the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. She was born March 8, 1905, in Braman, Okla., to John and Clara (Lawrence) Flick. On Dec. 30, 1927, she married Andrew A. Bergling in Newkirk, Okla. ...

Helen May Bagan, 82, died Sunday (Jan. 26, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Feb. 22, 1920, to Charlie and Lillian B. (Groves) Doyle in McCook. She graduated from Red Willow High School in 1938. On April 3, 1946, she married Gerald L. Bagan in McCook. She has lived in the area all her life...

SIDNEY -- Ronald C. Holsinger, 73, of Sidney died Thursday (Jan. 23, 2003) at the Denver Veterans Hospital. A memorial service will be held at Gehrig & Son Funeral Home Thursday, 10 a.m. Following the service, military honors will be held in Sidney at Greenwood Cemetery...

CULBERTSON -- Walter M. Bauer, 94, died Sunday (Jan. 26, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born Sept. 13, 1908, in Culbertson, to Jacob and Katherine (Lutz) Bauer. He grew up at Culbertson where he graduated from rural school. He began farming on the family farm...

CURTIS -- Ernest Tyre Nelson was born July 14, 1924, on a farm south of Curtis, to Alvah and Rissena (Jorgensen) Nelson. He died Sunday (Jan. 26, 2003) at the McAllen Medical Center in McAllen, Texas. Ernest was baptized as a baby and became a member of the Curtis Methodist Church, August 1935, and remained a member for 67 years...

OBERLIN -- Joseph H. Barber, 83, died Wednesday (Jan. 28, 2003) at the Decatur County Good Samaritan Center in Oberlin. He was born Nov. 11, 1919, in WaKeeney, Kan., to Joseph Abraham and Minnie Mable (Hawks) Barber. He was raised on a farm in Rooks County, Kan. He attended Sand Creek School and graduated from Codell High School...

ALMA -- Robert A. Pfeil, 76, died Sunday (Jan. 26, 2003) at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born Sept. 13, 1926, in Doniphan, to Clarence LaVelle and Nellie Pearl (Sparks) Pfeil. He attended school in Doniphan and Grand Island, and his first three years of high school at Kearney. He graduated from McCook High School class of 1944...

BENKELMAN -- Robert Wayne Oakley, 75, died Monday (Jan. 27, 2003) at Community Hospital in McCook. He was born March 24, 1927, at Denver, Colo., to Oscar Otto and Bertha (Phillips) Oakley.  He moved with his family to a farm west of St. Francis at an early age, and attended country school near his home.  He later moved with his family to Benkelman where he attended Benkelman High School...