Obituaries from July 2003

ARVADA, Colo. -- Leon Conrey Keyes, 65, died Friday (June 27, 2003) in Arvada, Colo. He was born Nov. 2, 1937, in North Platte. On June 26, 1985, he married Shirley Walkenshaw in Golden, Colo. He owned a construction company and numerous nightclubs in the Denver, Colo., metropolitan area, including Thornton, Colo. He was a country-western singer and was inducted in the Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame. Later in life, he owned a car dealership in Trenton and Lexington...

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- LaVonne Gail "Vonnie" Sappenfield, 58, formerly of Atwood, died Wednesday (Feb. 5, 2003) in San Antonio, Texas. She was born July 26, 1944, at Kansas City, Kan., to Delbert Fay "D.F." and LaVergne (King) McClelland. She graduated from Atwood Community High School in 1961. ...

William G. "Bill" Clark, 74, died Monday (July 1, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born Dec. 27, 1928, at White, to Earl N. and Katherine E. (Jewel) Clark. He graduated from El Monte High School, El Monte, Calif., in 1946. On Jan. 19, 1949, he married Glora P. ...

GOODLAND, Kan. -- Kathryn Louise Brim, 69, died Tuesday (July 1, 2003) at Goodland Regional Medical Center. She was born Aug. 18, 1933, at Longmont, Colo., to Glen and Thyrza (Woodcock) Knaus. She graduated from high school in Longmont. On July 27, 1957, she married John Joseph "Jack" Brim at St. John's Catholic Church in Longmont. From 1957-1978 they lived in McCook, and then in 1978, they moved to Goodland...

PALISADE -- Mae Catherine Curtis, 83, of Palisade, died Wednesday (July 2, 2003) at Chase County Hospital in Imperial. She was born May 31, 1920, to Elmer Christian and Laura Catherine (Miller) Wrightsman at Holmsville. She attended and graduated from Beatrice High School...

NORTH PLATTE -- Richard "Dick" Rowe, 60, died Monday (June 30, 2003) at Omaha. He was born March 26, 1943, at Lexington to Miles Milton and Geraldine Mae Armstrong Rowe. He graduated from Cozad High School in 1961, and later served in the U.S. Navy...

LIBERTY, Mo. -- Philip Arnold Orvis, 56, died Tuesday (July 1, 2003) at North Kansas City Hospital following a battle with the cancer Multiple Myeloma. He was born Sept. 6, 1946, in Orleans to Oliver and Camilla Orvis. He was raised in Wilsonville and graduated high school there. He attended McCook Junior College before becoming employed with United Airlines where he worked for more than 35 years as a customer service representative. He retired in 2001...

McDONALD -- J. Marion Hallagin, 88, died Thursday (July 3, 2003) at the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. He was born May 8, 1915, in Cheyenne County to Lee and Bertha (Banister) Hallagin. He was a heavy equipment operator for Rawlins County, a farmer, harvester and bus driver...

ATWOOD -- Rosa Pearl (Ferguson) Pratt, 93, died Wednesday (July 2, 2003) at the Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. She was born Dec. 26, 1909, in Graham County near Hill City, Kan., to James Thomas and Emma Virginia (Carson) Ferguson. She attended rural grade school and graduated from Morland High School in 1928. She then attended Fort Hays State College during the summer months, after which she taught in a rural, one-room grade school in Graham County for five years...

CAMBRIDGE -- Jessie Lois Holliday, 90, died Saturday (July 5, 2003) at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge. She was born June 19, 1913, near Lyle, Kan., to James Robert Florence and Amanda (Campbell) Murphy. The family moved to Nebraska when she was two. She graduated from Lebanon High School in 1931...

BEAVER CITY -- Eugenia "Gene" Lorraine Wyatt, 91, of Holdrege, formerly of Beaver City, died Tuesday (July 8, 2003) at Bertrand Nursing Home in Bertrand. She was born May 5, 1912, at Hollinger to Edward and Cordelia (Dowell) Harman. She grew up in the Hollinger area. She graduated from Beaver City High School with the class of 1932. Following graduation, she taught county school for a few years...

Bertilla Ann "Bert" Conroy, 70, died Monday (July 7, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Nov. 6, 1932, in Decatur County, to Albert Nicholas and Martha Amanda (Gilleece) Hickert. She attended Lone Star School and graduated from Jennings High School, Jennings...

Boulder, Colo. -- Veta Mae Ray, 91, died Wednesday, July 9, 2003, at Frazier Meadows Manor in Boulder, Colo. She was born to Otto and Emma Poore in Minden, NE on June 15 of 1912. Her family farmed her grandparent's property in Minden until 1922, when they moved to Traer, KS. Five years later the family moved to the Summerville farm just west of McCook. Veta Mae completed high school at McCook High School and entered McCook Junior College in 1930...

Genevieve Janrose Terry TRENTON -- Genevieve Janrose Terry, 87, died Saturday (July 12, 2003) at El Dorado Manor in Trenton. She was born February 6, 1916, to Belmont and Tillie (Benson) Chapman in Denver, Colo. She grew up in Denver, and graduated from North High School in 1934. ...

Evelyn L. Marshall LINCOLN -- Evelyn L. Marshall, 75, of Lincoln, died Saturday (July 12, 2003) at Bryan LGH East Hospital in Lincoln. She was born Feb. 12, 1928, to Lee and Doris (Hamilton) Dinnel in Hayes County. Her family moved to McCook in the 1940's where she grew up and graduated from McCook High School in 1945. She completed two years at McCook Junior College...

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

Josie Fay Haussler ARAPAHOE -- Josie Fay Haussler, 91, died Sunday (July 13, 2003) at Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge. She was born May 2, 1912, to David and Emma (Richardson) Cross in Edison. She attended Edison Public Schools. On May 4, 1930, she married Otto George Haussler at St. Matthews Church in Holbrook. In 1932, she was confirmed at St. Matthews. The couple made their home on a farm north of Holbrook. They farmed for 60 years before retiring and moving to Arapahoe...

Traci Jo Slater Traci Jo Slater, 37, died Sunday (July 13, 2003) near McCook. She was born Sept. 19, 1965, in Cambridge, to Richard Blaine and Alice Marie (Randolph) Hiatt. She graduated from Republican Valley High School in 1984 and attended McCook Community College...

KEARNEY -- Robert Reed McClung, 54, formerly of McCook, died Thursday (July 10, 2003) at the Mother Hull Home in Kearney. He was born Nov. 29, 1948, to Cecil Ardell and Lucille Rose (Malleck) McClung in McCook. He graduated from Indianola High School in 1966. On April 1, 1969, he entered the Army and served during the Viet Nam War. He was honorably discharged on January 19, 1972...

IMPERIAL -- Phillis Gertrude Mick, 83, died Sunday (July 13, 2003) at the Imperial Manor Nursing Home in Imperial. She was born Sept. 15, 1919, to Foster S. and Ethel May (Humphrey) Van Dyke near Enders. She attended school in Enders. On Oct. 13, 1934, she married Harold Eugene Mick in Osceola, Iowa. The couple made their home in Enders where she was employed at several locations before starting her career as a nurse's aid at Chase County Hospital in 1959...

DENVER, Colo. - Dr. Richard "Dick" Powell, 52, died Tuesday (July 8, 2003) at his home in Denver, Colo. He was born June 4, 1951, to Robert and Verna (Harper) Powell in McCook. He moved with his family to Liberal, Kan., where he attended school and was raised as a member of the First United Methodist Church.  He was an Eagle scout and graduated from Liberal High School in 1969...

KEARNEY -- Sheri S. (Meyers) Huffman, 57, died Wednesday (July 9, 2003) at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. She was born May 8, 1946, to Robert E and Joan D. (Stonehocker) Sidders in Hastings. She grew up in Hastings, Colorado Springs, Colo., and McCook. She graduated from McCook High School in 1964...

EATON, Colo. -- Janie Margaret Dinnel, 73, of McCook, died Monday (July 14, 2003) in Eaton, Colo. She was born March 31, 1930, to Samuel and Elizabeth (Hoover) Rowley in Wauneta. She grew up in Hitchcock County and graduated from Stratton High School in Stratton in 1946. She began working for Mountain Bell Telephone as an operator in Colorado Springs, Colo., before coming to McCook where she worked with North Western Bell. She later became a service representative for the telephone company...

HAYES CENTER -- Wilma Marie Goetze, 63, died Friday (July 11, 2003) at her home after a long battle with Multiple Sclerosis. She was born Jan. 9, 1940, to Fred and Lucille (Hunter) Burchett in LaJunta, Colo. She was active in the Martha Chapter of Eastern Star in Castle Rock, Colo...

Robert C. Bosley, 78, died Friday, June 20, 2003. He was born March 14, 1925, to Charles and Verna (Gruver) Bosley in Palisade. He was preceded in death by one daughter, Rene and her husband, Marvin Dye and granddaughter, Amanda Dye. Survivors include five daughters, Claudia Potter and husband, Dexter of Hill City, Kan., Trish Sanchell of Lubbock, Texas, Beth Messersmith and husband, Bill of McCook and Jerri Collicott and husband, Dick of Culbertson; one brother, Warren Bosley and wife, Alleen of Grand Island; one sister, Nadien McCreary of Hot Springs, Ark., 16 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.. ...

BEAVER CITY -- Gracie Johnson, 80, died Tuesday (July 15, 2003) at Hutchinson Hospital in Hutchinson, Kan. She was born March 15, 1923, to Roscoe and Lois (Schillinger) Fisher in Wellington, Colo. She grew up in the Wellington area and graduated from Wellington High School with the class of 1941. Following graduation, she attended beauty school in Denver, Colo. She moved to Alma in 1950 where she worked at the "Dime Store."...

CAMBRIDGE -- Richard L. Lewis, 92, died Wednesday (July 16, 2003) at Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge. He was born July 7, 1911, to Guy and Jessie (Story) Lewis in Hendley. He grew up in the Hendley area and graduated Hendley High School Class of 1927. He attended Kearney State College in Kearney for a year...

Maynard W. Smalberger, 74, died Friday (July 18, 2003) at Community Hospital in McCook. He was born May 23, 1929, to Glenn and Arvilla (Sines) Smalberger in Decatur County, Kan. Hee was raised northeast in Oberlin and attended Sherman Center District 104 and graduate from Decatur Community High School in 1948...

Helen Gertrude Grill, 91, died Saturday (July 19, 2003) at Community Hospital in McCook. She was born March 3, 1912, to George and Goldie (Fisher) Sandrock in Enterprise, Kan. She graduated from Falls City High School and from the University of Nebraska...

TRENTON -- Joanne Carol Lund, 47, died Saturday (July 19, 2003) at Bryan LGH East Hospital in Lincoln. She was born April 22, 1956, to Carl and Audrey (Johnson) Jacobson in Farmington, Minn. She grew up in Denver, Colo., where she attended Lincoln High School and later received her GED...

HOLBROOK -- Clarence "Smitty" Schmid, 80, died Thursday (July 17, 2003) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born Sept. 22, 1922, to Fred and Anna (Obermiller) Schmid. He grew up north of Arapahoe and graduated in 1941 from Arapahoe High School...

OBERLIN -- Sylvia L. Martin, 87, died Saturday (July 19, 2003) at Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. She was born Dec. 31, 1915, to Irl and Mary (Combs) Gilliland in Rooks County, Kan. She was raised in Webster, Kan., and graduated from Webster High School in 1933...

Arthur "Art" Arnold Phelps, 95, died Monday (July 21, 2003) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. He was born June 4, 1908, to Arthur Stanley and Myrtle (Miller) Phelps in Orleans. He graduated from Orleans High School in 1928. On February 28, 1941, he entered the US Army and served during World War II. He was honorably discharged on October 14, 1945...

Dennis James Marchant, 27, died Monday (July 21, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born Sept. 9, 1975, to Donald and Laura (Miller) Marchant in McCook. He graduated from Oakley High School in Oakley, Kan., in 1994. He attended Dodge City Community College, Fort Hays State in Hays, Kan., and Black Hills State at Spearfish, S.D. He played football on a scholarship at Dodge City...

Dorothy Grace Sawyer, 82, died Tuesday (July 22, 2003) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born July 5, 1921, to Henry Francis and Cora Edna (McNish) Offner in McCook. She graduated from McCook High School in 1939. On April 12, 1941, she married Lorence Edgar Sawyer in Oberlin. She was a homemaker...

LYONS, Kan. -- Velda Maxine Mack Gray, 83, died Tuesday (July 22, 2003) at Lyons District Hospital in Lyons, Kan. She was born April 27, 1920, to Clarence E. and Etta Avery Mack in Clay County, Kan. On Oct. 1, 1941, she married Carol W. Gray in Salina, Kan. The couple resided in Chase, Kan., from 1951 to 1995 and then moved to Lyons. She was a secretary at Chase High School...

ROSEVILLE, Calif. -- Dorothy Marie Hansmeyer, 81, died Saturday (June 28, 2003) in Roseville, Calif. She was born July 29, 1921, to Sander and Margaret (Bates) Hizel in Colorado. She and her family moved to McCook, where she grew up. She graduate from McCook High School in 1939...

BENKELMAN -- Elizabeth Belle (Eddingfield) Speck, 92, died Sunday (July 20, 2003) at Hospice of St. John in Lakewood, Colo., of lymphoma cancer. She was born April 29, 1911, to Howard Ellis and Elinor Elizabeth (Law) Eddingfield near Brady. She grew up in Brady and graduated from Brady High School in 1928. After graduation, she taught school for seven years in the rural school districts of Lincoln County...

NORTH PLATTE -- Royce G. Wilson, 44, died Wednesday (July 23, 2003) at Sutherland Care Center in Sutherland after a lengthy battle with illness. He was born Oct. 1, 1958, to Gordon and Louise (Black) Wilson in Oberlin. He graduated from Oberlin High School in 1977. He attended the American School of Broadcasting in Tulsa, Okla. He returned to Oberlin and worked at KFNF radio. He then worked at KSNK television station in Oberlin as news director and anchor for seven years...

Merlin W. Needham, 68, died Thursday (July 24, 2003) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. He was born Sept. 15, 1934, to Harold and Hazel (Stivers) Needham in Imperial. He graduated from Imperial High School in 1950. On Sept. 12, 1954, he married Ruth A. Hazzard in Imperial. The couple moved to McCook in 1978 where he was employed at Dayco Hose Plant for 27 years...

Joshua Keenan Howard, 19, of Hayes Center died Saturday (July 26, 2003) near Hayes Center. He was born Nov. 24, 1983, to Jimmie E. and Marylin Rae (Richards) Howard at North Platte. He graduated from Hayes Center High School in 2003 where he played football and was a member of FFA...

Ira Lee Howard, 22, of Hayes Center, died Saturday (July 26, 2003) near Hayes Center. He was born Aug. 24, 1980, to Jimmie E. and Marylin Rae (Richards) Howard at North Platte. He graduated from Hayes Center High School in 1999 where he played football and was a member of FFA. He attended voch-ag diesel tech school of the Mid-Plains Community College Area in North Platte...

CURTIS -- Margaret P. Stewart, 94, died Monday (July 28, 2003) at Sunset Haven Nursing Home in Curtis. She was born Dec. 7, 1908, to Lester C. and Cora M. (Gilson) Kitchen on a farm east of Farnam. She graduated from Overton High School in 1926 and went to Kearney State College for two years...

Robert "Bob" Edward Trout, Sr., 83, died Saturday (July 26, 2003) at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island. He was born Oct. 22, 1919, to Robert Roy and Emelie (Meier) Trout in Mascoutah, Ill. He attended Blair Hadley Vocational School in St. Louis, Mo. On Oct. 8, 1941, he entered the US Army and served during World War II. He was honorably discharged on Nov. 6, 1945...

Glenn Elmer Redden, 47, died Saturday (July 26, 2003) at his home in McCook. He was born March 6, 1956, to Frank David and Letha Alberta (Wright) Redden at Benkelman. He attended school at Indianola and Republican Valley High School. He was preceded in death by an infant brother, Gailen Redden; an infant sister, Brenda Redden; and maternal and paternal grandparents...

Lawrence "Larry" Vrbas, 52, died Tuesday (July 29, 2003) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born Aug. 2, 1950, to Charles and Mary (Keeney) Vrbas in Atwood. He grew up in Trenton, until the family moved to Palisade. He graduated from Palisade High School in 1968...

Adam Hook, 97, died Wednesday (July 30, 2003) at McCook Community Hospital in McCook. He was born April 5, 1906, to Jacob and Catherine (Eckhart) Huck in Huck, Russia. In 1907, the Huck family moved to the United States and resided in Lincoln, before moving to Culbertson in 1924, where he began to farm...