Obituaries from March 2003

Rochelle A. Cox, 66, died Saturday (March 1, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Dec. 27, 1936, in Jefferson, S.D., to Louis and Eva E. (Beaubien) Girard. At the age of four, her family moved to Long Beach, Calif., where she grew up and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School at Long Beach in 1953...

ATWOOD -- Albert Joseph Reeh, 78, died Friday (Feb. 28, 2003) at the Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood. He was born Feb. 22, 1925, in a sod house north of Beardsley, Kan., to Paul and Cledy Reeh. He graduated from the Forest Hill Grade School, with honors. ...

PLAINVILLE, Kan. -- Clarence W. Hageman, 78, died Thursday (Feb. 27, 2003) at his home in Plainville, Kan. He was born Aug. 3, 1924, in the same house that he passed away, to George and Catherine (Stahl) Hageman. He graduated from Plainville High School in 1942. He was a farmer and rancher all of his life and worked as a bridge foreman for Rooks County, Kan., for 20 years, retiring in 1993...

Robert Dean Potthoff passed away Wednesday (Feb. 19, 2003) in Rangely, Colo. He was born May 29, 1931, in McCook, to John and Amelia Potthoff and grew up in the Palisade area where his family farmed. He joined the Marine Corps in 1952 where he served for 10 years...

TRENTON -- Mary A. Stupka, 95, died Wednesday (March 5, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born May 12, 1907, in Rawlins County, to Frank V. and Mary Ann (Horinek) Sis. She grew up on the family farm where she received her education. On Dec. ...

Hazel Leota (Blake) Lashley, 86, died Wednesday (March 5, 2003) at McCook Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Feb. 26, 1917, in Frontier County, to Charlie and Jennie (Schoonover) Blake. She attended rural Washington School in Frontier County...

DENVER, Colo. -- Irma "Kayee" Thomason, 80, of Denver, formerly of McCook, died Jan. 6, 2003, in Denver. She was born Sept. 28, 1922, in Denver, to Sallie O. (Wierman) and Arthur H. Scaggs Sr. She married Emmett Thomason Jr.; they later divorced. She graduated from South High School in Denver in 1940, and lived in Boulder, Colo., from 1940 until 1941, while attending the University of Colorado...

RALEIGH, N.C. -- LeRoy J. Wacker, 77, of Raleigh, N.C., passed away peacefully in his home on Tuesday (Feb. 25, 2003). He is survived by his wife, Eileen, of 55 years; two daughters, Cynthia Nelson of Raleigh and Lynette Johnson of Rio Rico, Ariz.; one son, Steven Wacker of Moorpark, Calif.; one grandson, Matthew Johnson of Creston, Iowa; three granddaughters, Alexis Nelson of Atlanta, Ga., Whitney Nelson of Raleigh, and Stephanie Wacker of Moorpark, Calif.; one aunt, Henrietta Fahrenbruch of Cheyenne, Wyo.; and two sisters, Genevieve Lovell of Memphis, Tenn., and Marjorie O'Brien of Scottsdale, Ariz.. ...

NORTON, Kan. -- Mildred Dean, 79, died Thursday (March 6, 2003) at her home in Norton, Kan. She was born Sept. 22, 1923, on a farm southeast of Dresden, to Ross and Mabel (Beckwith) Tice. She attended Fairview Country School and graduated from Dresden High School in 1941...

Hayes Center -- William E. Smith, 66 died Wednesday (March 5, 2003) at Community Hospital in McCook. He was born May 25, 1936, to Earl Raymond and LaRue G. (Walbridge) Smith. He graduated from Palisade High School in 1954, and from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1958. He served in the U.S. Army from 1958-1961...

CAMBRIDGE -- Bernard Karash, 87, died Friday (March 7, 2003) at the Cambridge Manor. He was born Dec. 23, 1915, near Cambridge, to John and Mary (Kaveny) Karash. He worked on the farm with his dad. He later bought a pickup and did deliveries around Cambridge for Ralph King at the Lumber Yard. He moved to the Cambridge Manor in 1989, and has lived there until his death...

SALEM, Ore. -- Otho Stone, 78, died Friday (March 7, 2003) at his home in Salem, Ore. He was born Jan. 6, 1925, in Hayes County, to Cecil and Zelma (Wright) Stone. He grew up in Hayes County where he attended school. He was preceded in death by his parents; and four brothers...

SELDEN -- Edward "Bill" Vaughn, 81, died Saturday (March 8, 2003) at Via Christi Medical Center in Wichita, Kan. He was born Nov. 4, 1921, in Medford, Ore., to Bert S. and Muriel (Custard) Vaughn. He was raised in Selden. He attended Selden Grade School and High School where he graduated in 1939. He attended Hays Electrical School in Chicago, Ill...

BENKELMAN -- Evert Leon Preston, 91, died Saturday (March 8, 2003) at the Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman. He was born Jan. 30, 1912, on a farm near Oglesby, Okla., to Zachariah T. and Perlina J. (Chadwell) Preston. In 1927, the family bought a fruit orchard just outside of Harrison, Ark. ...

BEAVER CITY -- Estas "Bill" Williams, 83, of Albuquerque, N.M., formerly of the Beaver City and Precept area, died Friday (March 7, 2003) at a nursing home in Albuquerque. He was born Dec. 17, 1919, at Plattsmouth, to Calvin and Gladys (Cook) Williams. He was raised in the Precept area near Beaver City and Stamford. He moved to California as a teenager...

DRESDEN -- Cynthia "Cindy" Schillig, 48, died Sunday (March 9, 2003) at her home in rural Dresden. She was born Feb. 27, 1954, in Detroit Lakes, Minn., to Maurice and Leila (Yoder) Grieser. She attended grade school and high school in Washington, Iowa...

ATWOOD -- Edythe C. (Whisler) Ragain, 77, died Monday (March 10, 2003) at the Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood. She was born May 16, 1925, in Atwood, to William and Ellen Fern (Zimmerman) Whisler. She was a 1943 graduate of Atwood High School...

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Captain Edward H. McDowell, 82, died Tuesday (March 11, 2003) in San Diego, Calif. He was born July 16, 1920, in Brush, Colo., to Elvy and Grace (Hayward) McDowell. At an early age, the family moved to McCook where he received his elementary education through the eighth grade. The family moved to Hayes County where he graduated from Hayes Center High School in 1939...

PALISADE -- Zella Izetta Kerchal, 91, died Tuesday (March 11, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. She and her twin sister, Zora, were born July 18, 1911, to Martin and Bertha (Ruettimann) Price in their country home northeast of Palisade. After graduating from Palisade High School in 1929 and McCook Junior College in 1931, she began a teaching career that spanned over 30 years...

Mildred Isobel Smith Frick, 88, died Tuesday (March 11, 2003) at Community Hospital in McCook. She was born March 25, 1914, to Sam and Lucy Belle (Weekly) Adkins at Oxford. In childhood she moved to a farm near Trenton where she attended District No. 75 grade school. She graduated from Culbertson High School in 1931...

Stanley Gene Webster, 72, died Tuesday (March 11, 2003) at Community Hospital in McCook. He was born Nov. 12, 1930, at Brush, Colo., to Frank and Lydia (Freehling) Webster. He graduated from McCook High School in 1949. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1951-1954. He graduated from McCook Community College in 1956, and Kearney State Teachers College in 1959...

PLAINFIELD, Ill. -- Virgil A. Miller, 72, died Tuesday (Feb. 18, 2003) at Edward Hospital in Naperville, Ill. He was born June 24, 1930, in Omaha and was reared and educated in McCook, graduating with the McCook High School Class of 1948. He went on to attend the University of Nebraska, graduating with a bachelor of science degree in chemistry...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Jane "Ernst" Smith, 88, died Tuesday (March 11, 2003) at Sutter General Hospital in Sacramento, Calif. She was born April 18, 1914, in Aurora, to Gale and Grace (Merrill) Ernst. She grew up in McCook and graduated from McCook High School in 1932. ...

Mildred Arline Stitt, 79, formerly of Benkelman, died Tuesday (March 11, 2003) at Community Hospital in McCook. She was born Nov. 27, 1923, to George and Lelia (West) Morrison at Parks. She graduated from McDonald High School in McDonald, and began her lifelong career of being a beautician and hairstylist when she started working in a beauty salon in Benkelman...

CULBERTSON -- Harvey E. Moore, 95, died Thursday (March 13, 2003) at the El Dorado Manor Nursing Home in Trenton. He was born July 20, 1907, in Beardsley, Kan., to Thomas and Chloe Ollie (Hanners) Moore, Sr. He grew up in Southwest Nebraska where he graduated from rural school in Hitchcock County...

ARAPAHOE -- Leona A. Warner, 90, died Wednesday (March 12, 2003) at the Cambridge Manor in Cambridge. She was born Jan. 1, 1913, at Milton, in Gosper County, to Henry W. and Maria F.C. (Schievelbein) Monter. She attended Immanuel Lutheran Parochial School in Gosper County...

PURDUM -- Virginia Mac "Virg" Botts, 93, died Tuesday (March 11, 2003) at Heritage Hall Nursing Home in Broken Bow. She was born May 18, 1909, at Archer, to Charles and Jeanette "Nettie" Sporer Lindgreen. She grew up on the family farm and attended school graduating from Central City High School. She then attended college at Central City. After her education she taught rural school at Cascade...

LEXINGTON -- Malvin M. James, 85, of Lexington, died Thursday (March 13, 2003) at the Plum Creek Care Center in Lexington, where he had been a resident for just two months. He was born Jan. 7, 1918, at Hayes Center, to Marion and Mary (Hayes) James. He grew up near Hayes Center, where he attended school...

TRENTON -- E.D. Jones, 80, died Friday (March 14, 2003) at El Dorado Manor Nursing Home in Trenton. He was born Dec. 9, 1922, in Hitchcock County, to Thomas William and Mamie R. (McNair) Jones. He grew up on a farm southwest of Trenton and graduated from Trenton High School in 1941...

Gaylord P. Cappel passed away Friday (March 14, 2003) at his home with his daughter by his side and his family around him. He was 71 years old. He was born to George Peter and Pauline (Koch) Cappel on July 3, 1931 at Campbell. He was the youngest of five children and spent most of his childhood on a farm...

OBERLIN -- Bernice Lucille Meixner, 86, died Sunday (March 16, 2003) at the Decatur County Good Samaritan Center in Oberlin. She was born March 15, 1917, in Oberlin, to Earl C. and Mabel M. (McLalain) Wilson. She grew up in the Oberlin area and attended Mount Pleasant Rural Grade School. She graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1935...

John Brenning, 95, died Saturday (March 15, 2003) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. He was born Jan. 9, 1908, at McCook, to Henry and Christina (Yost) Brenning. He grew up in McCook. He served the U.S. Army during World War II. On Sept. 29, 1945, he married Marie Yeager. They farmed and he worked for the State of Nebraska Department of Roads for many years...

KEARNEY -- Ida Rose Serr, 56, died Monday (March 17, 2003) at the Good Samaritan Hospital following a lengthy illness. She was born Oct. 22, 1946, in Thedford, to Richard and Caroline (Swisher) Hackbart. She received her schooling and moved to Kearney 38 years ago...

DANBURY -- Robert Jeralee Foote, 67, died Tuesday (March 18, 2003) at the Great Plains Medical Center in North Platte. He was born Aug. 25, 1935, at Denver, Colo., to Bernice and Dorothy (Johnson) Foote. He graduated from high school in Rawlins, Wyo., in 1953...

TRENTON -- Charles L. Nealeigh, 91, died Wednesday (March 19, 2003) at the El Dorado Manor in Trenton. He was born Nov. 29, 1911, in Hitchcock County, to William and Amy (Perkins) Nealeigh. He grew up in the Cornell Community where he graduated from rural school...

ARAPAHOE -- Laura Elizabeth Huxoll, 98, died Tuesday (March 18, 2003) at Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege. She was born Dec. 23, 1904, south of Arapahoe, to Henry and Maudie (Trunnell) Koeteman. On Dec. 19, 1923, she married Fred W. Huxoll in Norton, Kan. They lived on a farm near the Muddy Creed in Furnas County. They purchased their home south of Holbrook. She moved to the Sunshine Village in Arapahoe in August of 1984. In 1992, she moved to the C.A. Mues Good Samaritan Center...

Charles Levi Nealeigh died Wednesday, March 19, 2003, at the El Dorado Manor in Trenton, at the age of 91. He was born Nov. 29, 1911, in Hitchcock County, the son of the late William and Amy (Perkins) Nealeigh. Charles grew up in the Cornell Community where he graduated from country school. ...

OBERLIN -- Dorothy Eva Fisher, 99, died Tuesday (Dec. 24, 2002) at the Mariner Health Center in Denver, Colo. She was born June 23, 1903, in Oberlin, to William and Mary (Zwickle) Cook. She graduated from Decatur Community High School with the Class of 1921. She lived and worked in Oklahoma for a time and later moved to Denver...

HAMLET -- Jim Taylor, 84, died Thursday (March 20, 2003) at the Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. Survivors include his wife, DeLores of Hamlet; daughters, Cindy and husband, George Hallett of Imperial, Lorna Taylor of Rosamond, Calif., and Doreen "Dodi" and husband, Gary Mohr of Enders; a son, Joshua Taylor of Parker, Colo.; sisters, Frona and husband, Leonard Kerchal and Anita and husband, Bill Reade all of Benkelman; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren...

WAUNETA -- Maryan Rosamond (Feese) Rider, 102, died Thursday (March 20, 2003) at Heritage of Wauneta Nursing Home in Wauneta. Survivors include one son, Gene and wife, Marilyn of Wauneta; daughter-in-law, Marcia Rider of Imperial; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandson...

LOGAN, Kan. -- Evelyn A. Perrill, 84, died Friday (March 21, 2003) at the Logan Manor in Logan, Kan. She was born Feb. 20, 1919, in the Devizes Community in Norton County, Kan., to C. Leslie and Viva B. (Thompson) Mathes. She graduated from Norton Community High School. She lived in Pasadena, Calif., for a time before moving back to Norton...

WAUNETA -- Maryan Rosamond (Feese) Rider, 102, died Thursday (March 20, 2003) at Heritage of Wauneta in Wauneta. She was born Dec. 24, 1900, to Urias D. and Elizabeth (Zerbe) Feese at Alma. She grew up on a farm north of Alma. She graduated from Alma High School in 1919. ...

OBERLIN -- Agnes Brown, 94, died Friday (March 21, 2003) at the Decatur County Good Samaritan Center in Oberlin. She was born Jan. 28, 1909, in Herndon to Adam and Theresia (Ecker) Wahrman. She attended Bolte School and Herndon High School. On April 14, 1942, she married Charles Brown at St. Mary's Assumption Catholic Church in Herndon. She was a farm wife and homemaker. She resided in Herndon until moving to the Decatur County Good Samaritan Center in Oberlin...

OBERLIN -- Mileham "Miles" E. Ray, 87, died Monday (March 17, 2003) at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colo. He was born June 22, 1915, at Orleans, to Jesse and Eva (Robertson) Ray. He graduated from high school at Republican City and later graduated from Denver University...

HAMLET -- Darrel Donald "Jim" Taylor, 74, died Thursday (March 20, 2003) at the Chase County Community Hospital. He was born June 22, 1928, on the family homestead six miles south of Wauneta, to Frank and Mabel (Hartzer) Taylor. He attended grade school at the country school south of Wauneta and graduated from Wauneta High School in 1946...

William L. Coe, 83, died Saturday (March 22, 2003) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. He was born Feb. 9, 1920, to Roy E. and Maude C. (Ballard) Coe at McCook. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1937. On Dec. 27, 1941, he married Felice C. Carriero in New York City, N.Y...

Long time resident, Maryan Rosamond (Feese) Rider passed away at Heritage of Wauneta nursing home Thursday (March 20, 2003) at age 102. She was the youngest of seven children born to Urias D. Feese and Elizabeth (Zerbe) Feese at Alma on Dec. 24, 1900. ...

HERNDON -- Alice Julia (Kompus) Hutfles, 90, died Sunday (March 23, 2003) at the Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood. She was born Dec. 5, 1912, at Lamoure, N.D., to Joseph and Lena (Toth) Kompus. As an infant, the family moved to a farm northwest of Herndon. She attended Walsh Country School and graduated from Herndon High School with the Class of 1930...

NORTH PLATTE -- Berdean M. Hazen, 84, died Saturday (March 22, 2003) at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She was born Nov. 3, 1918, at Wallace, to Elmer and Jessie (Clemens) Russell. She attended school at Wallace and Grainton. On Aug. 3, 1935, she married John Light and they lived and worked in various places in Nebraska...

EL PASO, Texas -- Erin Lynne Rose, 20, died Tuesday (March 18, 2003) from unexpected complications of heart failure. She was born April 16, 1982, to Dennis and Cynthia Rose. Her father was a McCook High School graduate. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Karen Carr and John Morrison...

DAVID CITY -- David Priest Jr., 47, died Saturday (March 22, 2003) in Lincoln. He was born March 27, 1955, in Lincoln, to David and Betty (Weyand) Priest Sr. On June 7, 1986, he married Jody Kopecky in Lincoln. He was a manager at Kabredlos in Lincoln...

Katherine Hastings, 90, died Monday (March 24, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Jan. 15, 1913, in Lincoln, to John and Anna (Dering) Worster. She grew up in Lincoln where she attended high school. She married George Glantz and he preceded her in death...

Gilbert William Schumacher, 65, died Wednesday (March 26, 2003) at Bryan Lincoln General Hospital West in Lincoln. He was born Aug. 5, 1937, at Fort Collins, Colo., to Theodore F. and Louise M. (Zimmerman) Schumacher. He had resided at the McCook South West Area Training Service, Dorm No. 5, since 1998. He also participated in the SWATS activities winning several medals...

EL PASO, Texas -- Erin Lynne Rose, 20, died Tuesday (March 18, 2003) from unexpected complications of heart failure. She was born April 16, 1982, to Dennis and Cynthia Rose. Her father was a McCook High School graduate. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Karen Carr and John Morrison...

BENKELMAN -- Elizabeth Emma (Brown) Phillips, 93, died Tuesday (March 25, 2003) at the Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman.  She was born June 18, 1909, to Ellen Louise Breedon and John William Brown on the homestead north of Max.  When she reached the eighth grade, she moved to Ashland, and stayed with her uncle and aunt, Louis and Ola McReynolds, and attended country school.  She then attended high school in Lincoln, where lived with families and worked as a nanny.  She moved to Eagle, and continued to work as a nanny and graduated from Eagle High School in 1927.. ...

SAN ANGELO, Texas -- Lois McGowne, 73, died Thursday (March 27, 2003) at her home in San Angelo, Texas. She was born Sept. 10, 1929, in Decatur County, to Phillip and Laura May (Gilbert) Hackney. She was raised in Decatur County and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1947. She earned a bachelor of arts degree from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kan...

Charles "Charlie" B. Boehm, 69, died Thursday (March 27, 2003) at his rural McCook home. He was born May 29, 1933, at McCook, to Fred and Etta (Dwyer) Boehm. He attended McCook Public Schools. He entered the U.S. Army on May 21, 1953, and served during the Korean Conflict. He was honorably discharged on May 13, 1955...

ARAPAHOE -- L. Fern Johnson, 96, died Saturday (March 29, 2003) at the C.A. Mues Good Samaritan Center in Arapahoe. She was born Aug. 27, 1906, at Arapahoe, to Oscar F. and Grace L. (Horton) Moore. She grew up and attended school in Arapahoe and graduated with the class of 1924. After graduation she attended college at Hastings. She then taught several years in Gosper and Furnas Counties...