Obituaries from June 2003

HOLBROOK -- Clarence "Bud" Rogers, 78, formerly of the McCook area, died Saturday (May 31, 2003) at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born Jan. 5, 1925, at McCook, to Clarence Henry and Sylvia (Mitchem) Rogers. He grew up in the McCook area...

OBERLIN -- Esther Irene Lindquist, 72, died Tuesday (May 27, 2003) at her home in Oberlin. She was born Aug. 18, 1930, in Denver, Colo., to Albert Louis and Nelle (McKinzie) Lindquist. She was raised in Oberlin and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1948. She was an elementary school teacher...

GRAND ISLAND -- Sandra "Sandi" J. Foight, 55, of Grand Island, died Saturday (May 31, 2003) at her home after a lengthy battle with cancer. Services will be Wednesday, 11 a.m., at Faith United Methodist Church with the Rev. Richard Karohl officiating. Burial will be at the Grand Island City Cemetery...

GROSSE POINTE PARK, Mich. -- David Ward Russell, 81, of Grosse Pointe Park died Thursday (May 22, 2003). He was born in Nebraska and graduated from McCook High School in 1939, and from the University of Nebraska with a bachelor's and master's degree He served in the U.S. ...

OBERLIN -- Dennis L. Sloan, 84, died Monday (June 2, 2003) at the Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. He was born March 11, 1919, in rural Selden, to Howard and Emma (Snell) Sloan. He was raised on a farm near Selden. He graduated from Selden Rural High School in 1937 and attended Strickler's Business College in Topeka, Kan., for two years...

ARAPAHOE -- Sophia "Sophie" M. Mock, 94, died Tuesday (June 3, 2003) at the C.A. Mues Good Samaritan Center in Arapahoe. She was born Oct. 8, 1908, at Arapahoe, to Ernest and Minnie (Mues) Niemeier. She was a life-long resident of Furnas County. She grew up in the St. Matthews area...

Bernard J. "Rusty" Schilz, 83, died Thursday (June 5, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born Sept. 9, 1919, at McCook, to Jacob Anthony and Nellie Edith (Spurgin) Schilz. He grew up on a farm in Red Willow County. He went to Zion Hill School and attended Parochial school in McCook...

WAUNETA -- Wayne Morehead, 47, of rural Wauneta, died Wednesday (June 4, 2003) as the result of a two-vehicle accident in rural Hayes County. He was born March 3, 1956, in Grant, to Maynard and Ruth (Hahn) Morehead. He grew up in rural Hayes County, attending school in Hayes Center and later Wauneta High School where he graduated in 1974...

Nellie M. Currie, 90, died Saturday (June 7, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Oct. 5, 1912, at Lost Springs, Kan., to Ernest and Alice (Mailen) Teel. She was a homemaker and had been a waitress in Randolph and Manhattan, Kan., and had worked in the Farm Bureau Cafeteria, before retiring in 1982...

NORCATUR -- Pearl E. Alexander, 89, died Friday (June 6, 2003) at the Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. She was born Sept. 23, 1913, in Fostoria, Kan., to Corrie and Maude (Abbott) Bowser. She spent most of her youth in the Oberlin area. She attended Vallonia Grade School and Decatur Community High School in Oberlin...

TRENTON -- Roy Lewis, 89, died Friday (June 6, 2003) at his home south of Trenton. He was born April 30, 1914, at Tatum, N.M., to Melvin Hoyt and Maggie Elsie (Moore) Lewis. He grew up at Clovis, N.M., and House, N.M. and graduated from high school at House. ...

Bessie Ault, 95, died Monday (June 9, 2003) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born Aug. 6, 1907, at Bartley, to Elmer L. and Charlotte (Burton) Turpen. She attended District No.18 rural school and Bartley High School. She married Dave Ault. They made their home on a farm north of Indianola where she was a homemaker and helped with the family farm. They retired in 1960, and moved to Bartley. She has been residing at Hillcrest since 1997...

KENESAW -- Margaret C. Hinz, 94, died Sunday (June 8, 2003) at Perkins Good Samaritan Village in Hastings. She was born Dec. 6, 1908, in Adams County, to Tieman and Martha (Naggatz) Dudden. She graduated from Kenesaw High School in 1926. On March 16, 1927, she married Reinhold Hinz in Kenesaw. ...

DODGE CITY, Kan. -- Roger W. Brown, 78, died Saturday (June 7, 2003) at his home in Wichita, Kan. He was born Aug. 13, 1924, in McCook, to Orville and Irma (Flitcraft) Brown. He grew up at McCook and graduated from McCook High School. He started out in dairy farming and later changed to raising cattle and farming...

HERNDON -- Rose (Hutfles) Scheve-Marintzer, 86, died Monday (June 9, 2003) at St. John's Nursing Home in Victoria, Kan. She was born Oct. 27, 1918, at Herndon, to Joseph and Mary (Pettera) Hutfles. She grew up in the Herndon area and graduated from St. Mary's High School. In 1934, she attended a business secretarial college...

ATWOOD -- Venza B. (Larreau) Persinger, 90, died Monday (June 9, 2003) at the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. She was born May 28, 1913, in rural Decatur County near Oberlin, to Henry Jonathan and Grace Mae (Bryant) Larreau. She was married to Ernest Loyd Persinger. ...

Bessie Ault, 95, died Monday (June 9, 2003) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born Aug. 6, 1907, at Bartley, to Elmer L. and Charlotte (Burton) Turpen. She attended District No.18 rural school and Bartley High School. She married Dave Ault. They made their home on a farm north of Indianola where she was a homemaker and helped with the family farm. They retired in 1960, and moved to Bartley. She has been residing at Hillcrest since 1997...

Keith M. Sheldon of McCook passed away Wednesday (June 11, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook at the age of 88. He was born Sept. 6, 1914, in Keith County. He was preceded in death by his parents, Burton and Minta Mae Sheldon; three brothers, Wallace, Stanley and Robert; two sisters, Beulah and Roseley; and his first wife, Lucille Sheldon on June 15, 1997...

WILSONVILLE -- Esther A. (Ruf) Meader, 79, died Wednesday (June 11, 2003) at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge. She was born April 9, 1924, in rural Red Willow County, to Henry and Anna Marie (Amen) Ruf. She attended and graduated from Lebanon High School on May 22, 1941. She then attended McCook Junior College and completed the one-year teacher training course. She taught in area rural schools until her marriage...

CULBERTSON -- Geraldine "Jeri" Lee Bemis-Ecker, 65, died today (June 12, 2003) after a lengthy battle with cancer. She had worked at the Chief Motel and Community Hospital in McCook. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gale Wayne Ecker. Survivors include two sons, Matt Ecker and wife, Cheri and Craig Ecker and wife, Cecilia; a daughter, Connie Ecker; brothers, Kenneth, Garrey, Nathan and Glenn Bemis; and seven grandchildren...

Dorothy Josephine "Jo" Gerver, 87, died Wednesday (June 11, 2003) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born July 17, 1915, at St. Joseph, Mo., to Edward Joseph and Mamie Ruth (Wooley) Toohey. Her father died the day she was born. Her mother remarried in 1916, to James Henry Cross. ...

Delbert Leroy Olsson, 74, died Friday (June 13, 2003) at his home in McCook. He was born Sept. 24, 1928, to Carl W. and Katie E. (Jensen) Olsson at Curtis. He received his education in Curtis and graduated from the Nebraska School of Agriculture. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II from February 1946 to December of 1947...

ANSON, Texas -- Vivian Arlene Cain Hockman, 84, formerly of McCook, died Saturday (June 14, 2003) at a local nursing home. She was born Sept. 2, 1918, in Red Willow County, to George Edward and Dorothy (Doyle) Cain. On Oct. 3, 1936, she married Kenneth Hockman in Oberlin. She was a homemaker and a founding member of the Berean Fundamental Church in McCook in 1952. She moved to Jones County in 1991, and was a member of Bethel Baptist Church...

OBERLIN -- Melba L. Anderson, 94, died Friday (June 13, 2003) at the Cedar Living Center in Oberlin. She was born March 21, 1909, in Traer, to Wade and Maude (Claussen) Waldo. She attended grade school in Traer and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1926. She attended one year of college at the University of Colorado at Boulder in Boulder, Colo...

LINCOLN -- Mildred J. "Millie" (Rice) Yamamoto, 73, died Thursday (June 12, 2003) in Lincoln. She was born Oct. 24, 1929, in Randolph to Leander and Esther (Johnson) Rice. She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1947, and from the University of Nebraska in 1951...

Kenneth "Lee" Davidson, 80, died Tuesday (June 17, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born July 20, 1922, at Indianola, to Archibald Lorne and Floy Almina (Carpenter) Davidson. He graduated from Indianola High School in 1940. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force on Sept. 9, 1942, serving during World War II, on the Island of Saipan, Pendleton, Ore., Moses Lake, Wash., Salina, Kan., and Tinker Field, Okla. He was honorably discharged Dec. 27, 1945...

ATWOOD -- Victor "Vic" F. Cahoj, 78, died Friday (June 13, 2003) at the Lutheran Home in Wakeeney, Kan. He was a resident of Bogue, Kan. He was born Jan. 8, 1925, in Atwood to Mike and Olga (Stupka) Cahoj. He attended Atwood Schools. On Oct. 1, 1946, he married Margaret Heble in Atwood...

ATWOOD -- Reno Ray Fikan, 83, died Tuesday (June 17, 2003) at the Lantern Park Nursing Home in Colby, Kan. He was born May 9, 1920, to Ralph Otto "Rusty" and Clara Ella (Davis) Fikan at their home southeast of Atwood. He attended country school at Pleasant View School District No. 47 and then graduated from Atwood Community High School in 1938...

LONGMONT, Colo. -- Darlene M. Grotelueschen, 64, died Tuesday (June 17, 2003) at the Longmont United Hospital in Longmont, Colo. She was born May 8, 1939, in Herndon, to Ernest and Frieda (Klawonn) Allacher. On July 19, 1959, she married Donald Grotelueschen in Herndon. They lived in Columbus for a time and moved to Longmont in 1984. She was a work coordinator for U.S. Bank in Longmont for 19 years...

Robert Bosley, 78, died Friday (June 20, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born March 14, 1925, in Palisade, to Charles M. and Verna (Gruver) Bosley. He grew up at Palisade and graduated from Palisade High School in 1942. He attended the University of Nebraska before entering the U.S. ...

George Allen Lee, 83, died Thursday (June 19, 2003) at the Veteran's Hospital in Omaha. He was born Oct. 7, 1919, at Madrid, to Emery and Sadie Frances (Shuler) Lee. At the age of four, he and his family moved to Ogallala where he attended school. He worked for his father on the family farm and also helped work on the Kingsley Dam at Lake McConaughey. While living in Ogallala he managed the Veterans of Foreign Wars Club for a year...

TRENTON -- Dale E. Nowka, 79, died Friday (June 20, 2003) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. He was born July 22, 1923, in Culbertson, to Albert and Alice (Rousselle) Nowka. He grew up at Culbertson and graduated from Culbertson High School. He began farming north of Culbertson...

Sherman E. Gillett, 74, died Friday (June 20, 2003) at the Florence Home in Omaha. He was born May 13, 1929, at home in Havelock, to Wendell and Emma (Zaspel) Gillett. The family moved to rural Sioux County, where he attended three different rural schools. ...

HOLDREGE -- Elsie L. Lockhart, 92, died Saturday (June 21, 2003) at the Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege. She was born Nov. 27, 1910, near Arapahoe, to Frank and Gertie (Cavanaugh) Brecks. She attended elementary school at rural Snowball School near Arapahoe and attended high school in Arapahoe...

FREDONIA, Kan. -- Harlan Gilbert, 76, died Thursday (June 19, 2003) at the Kansas Heart Hospital in Wichita, Kan. He was born Oct. 1, 1926, in Rexford, Kan., to William Ira and Eva Lucinda (Keefer) Gilbert. He served for 21 1/2 years as a major in the U.S. Navy and Army National Guard. He retired in 1987 after 38 years as a resident engineer for the Kansas Department of Transportation State Highway Department...

OBERLIN -- Dean L. Gallatin, 72, died Tuesday (June 24, 2003) at the Cedar Living Center in Oberlin. He was born May 27, 1931, in Norton County, Kan., to William and Mildred (Hayes) Gallatin. He grew up in the Clayton, Kan., area and attended school in Clayton...

CAMBRIDGE -- Roy G. Hageman, 81, died Wednesday (June 25, 2003) at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge. He was born Feb. 22, 1927, in Hayes, Kan., to George and Catherine (Stahl) Hageman. He grew up in the Plainville, Kan., area. He graduated from Plainville High School in 1940...

Mae Ellen Schmidt, 79, died Saturday (June 21, 2003) at her home in McCook. She was born Jan. 29, 1924, at Cozad, to Albert and Florence Pearl (Hutchinson) Morris. She grew up at Cozad and graduated from Cozad High School in 1924. In 1942, she married Monroe Schmidt and they farmed in the Gothenburg area before moving north of Bartley in 1952. In 1983, she moved to McCook where she has spent the remainder of her life. She worked as a home care provider...

NORTH PLATTE -- Marion Earle "Gus" Larsen, 74, died Wednesday (June 25, 2003) at Centennial Park Retirement Village in North Platte. He was born March 22, 1929, to Joy Earle and Pearle Esther (Clark) Larsen at Eskridge, Kan. He was raised in the sandhills area before entering the U.S. Navy where he was stationed in China...

TRENTON -- Denelda V. Hamill, 70, died Wednesday (June 25, 2003) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born Aug. 25, 1932, at Wauneta, to Donald and Vada (Petsch) McCollam. She grew up in the Eden Precinct at Wauneta. They moved to Trenton where she attended Trenton High School...