Obituaries from October 2003

OBERLIN -- Doyle "Big Zeke" Ruzicka, 48, died Wednesday (Oct. 1, 2003) at Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. He was born Dec. 30, 1954, to George and Willa (Snider) Ruzicka in Denver, Colo. He was raised in Oberlin and attended Oberlin Elementary School and Decatur Community High School...

William James "Bill" Johnson, 51, of Phoenix, Ariz., formerly of Hayes Center, passed away Sept. 16, 2003. He was born Oct. 30, 1951, to Audley M. and Eleanor (Rathbun) Johnson in Hayes Center. He graduated from Hayes County High School in 1969 and was a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. ...

WAUNETA -- Irving J. Skelton, 76, died Thursday (Oct. 2, 2003) at Heritage of Wauneta Nursing Home in Wauneta. Survivors include a daughter, Susan and husband, Ken Wright of Golden, Colo.; two sons, John and wife, Becky Skelton of Mancos, Colo., and James and wife, Lana Skelton of Wauneta; and seven grandchildren...

TRENTON -- E. Jean Welch of McCook, 90, died Wednesday (Oct. 1, 2003) at El Dorado Manor in Trenton. She was born June 29, 1913, to Edward and Sadie (Fleming) Young in Atlantic, Iowa. She grew up in Atlantic where she graduated from high school. On Sept. 18, 1934, she married Howard J. Welch in Atlantic. The couple resided in Lincoln. In 1952, they moved to McCook where her husband was employed at Pat's Bootery until his retirement. She was a former employee of the McCook Daily Gazette...

ARAPAHOE -- Walter Carl Niemeier, 90, died Friday (Oct. 3, 2003) at Cambridge Manor in Cambridge. He was born Oct. 27, 1912, to Ernest and Minnie (Mues) Niemeier in Holbrook. He was raised north of Holbrook and attended school at St. Matthews School. He graduated in 1927...

LEXINGTON -- Glendis Elaine (Mott) Sayer, 61, of Cozad, died Monday (Oct. 6, 2003) at Tri-County Hospital in Lexington. She was born March 26, 1942, to Glenn and Edna (Pavlicek) Mott in Oberlin, Kan. She grew up in Oberlin where she attended school and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1960. ...

Vera Julianne Stoeger, 83, of Boelus, died Saturday, Oct. 4, 2003, at Mount Carmel Home in Kearney. Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2003, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Rockville with the Rev. Tom Ryan officiating...

BENKELMAN -- Eugene Merle "Gene" Stamm, 78, died Monday (Oct. 6, 2003) at Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman. He was born Aug. 13, 1925, to Earnest John and Zella Blanche (Bernard) Stamm at his parents home northwest of Benkelman. In 1929, his parents purchased the Hickman farm. It became the family farmstead. He attended school at District 21. He also attended Benkelman High School for one year...

OBERLIN -- Grace M. Sumner, 102, died Sunday (Oct. 5, 2003) at Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. She was born July 29, 1901, to Wesley and Etta (Aller) Spence in Pleasant Hill. The family lived in Pleasant Hill for a while, but then moved to Wilsonville...

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Charles Louis McCurdy, 74, died Wednesday (Sept. 24, 2003) in Tucson, Ariz. He was born Oct. 16, 1928, in McCook. He served 26 1/2 years in the Air Force. He was preceded in death by his parents and four sisters. Survivors include his wife, Virginia; three daughters, Deborah and husband, Donald, Cheryl, and Christine and husband, Donald; two sons, Michael and wife, Debra, and Patrick; one sister, Delores; and seven grandchildren and two great-granddaughters...

CURTIS -- Karen Farnsworth, 64, of Curtis, formerly of Lyle, Minn., died Oct. 7, 2003, at her home in Curtis. She was born at New Ulm, Minn., on Jan. 30, 1939, to Orlanzo O. and Iona E. Malm Lillegaard. In 1957, she graduated from Lyle High School in Lyle, Minn. She lived in Lyle for most of her life, moving to Curtis five years ago to be close to her son. She enjoyed her pets and family...

Kent A. Guthrie, of Arvada, Colo., was born Dec. 19, 1947, in Indianola, Neb., and passed away suddenly Sept. 26, 2003, while at work. The funeral service was held Oct. 1, in Arvada. His parents, LaVerne and Barbara Guthrie preceded in death. Kent graduated from Red Willow High School in 1966. He earned his bachelor's degree from Metro State College in Denver and passed the CPA exam. He was dedicated employee of Sundyne (formerly Sundstrand) Corp. for twenty years...

BENKELMAN -- Estelle Marie (Carlin) Owens, 88, died Wednesday (Oct. 8, 2003) at Sarah Ann Hester Memorial Home in Benkelman. She was born Jan. 2, 1915, to Leo P. and Josephine (Schoenherr) Carlin in Spaulding, Greeley County. She grew up in Omaha and graduated from Omaha Central High School in 1933. She worked as a secretary for several years...

KEARNEY -- Harold M. Stevens, 85, of Lexington, died Thursday (Oct. 9, 2003) at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born April 13, 1918, to Joseph Morgan and Elsie (Browitt) Stevens in Madrid. He graduate from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln with a degree in vocational education and animal science in 1943...

OGALLALA -- Beulah Olmsted, 103, died Friday (Oct. 10, 2003) at Indian Hills Manor. Survivors include three sons, Fred W. Olmsted Jr. and wife, Delpha of Ogallala, Gene E. Olmsted and wife, Natalie of Powell, Wyo., and John I. Olmsted and wife, Karen of Gothenburg; one daughter-in-law, Patsy Hanvey of Alabama; 12 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild...

WAUNETA -- Eleanor Petr, 88, died Wednesday (Oct. 8, 2003) at the Heritage of Wauneta Nursing Home in Wauneta. She was born Jan. 1, 1915, to Albert and Clara (Jirousek) Janda in Lawrence. She attended country school and was only able to attend one year of high school...

WAUNETA -- Raymond Miller of Wauneta died Wednesday (Oct. 8, 2003) at Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. He was born Sept. 3, 1919, to Hiram and Ida Miller in Havre, Mont. When he was two years old, the family moved to Emmett, Idaho where he attended school. He joined the Army in 1940 and was later discharged in October of 1945. His last year of service was spent in France...

Helen Inger Bergh Wells died Oct. 6, 2003, in Sun City, Ariz., at age 92. Preceding her in death was her husband, Stanley F. Wells; parents, Christian William August Bang Bergh and Ann Petersen Bergh; brothers, Axel, Melvin and Emory; and sister Agnes...

ARAPAHOE -- James D. "Jim" Mather, 85, died Sunday (Oct. 12, 2003) at his home in Arapahoe. He was born Feb. 7, 1918, to Delmer and Almeda (Runyan) Mather in Arapahoe. He attended Arapahoe Public Schools where he graduated with the class of 1936. After graduation, he attended the University of Nebraska from 1936-1937 and Peru State College from 1939-1941...

GOTHENBURG -- Myrtle M. Rogers, 89, of Gothenburg, formerly of Farnam, died Monday (Oct. 13, 2003) at Gothenburg Memorial Hospital Long Term Care. She was born July 2, 1914, to Frederick W. and Grace (Stombaugh) Volkman in Frontier County. She graduated from Cambridge High School in 1931...

WICHITA, Kan. -- Roger Pachner, 58, of Oberlin, died today (Oct. 16, 2003) at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. He was born July 11, 1945, to Louis and Donna (Boggs) Pachner in McCook. He was raised in Dresden and Oberlin. He attended Oberlin Elementary School and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1963...

PLAINVILLE, Kan. -- Jesse A. Hunt, 77, of Palco, Kan., died Thursday (Oct. 16, 2003) at Rooks County Health Center in Plainville, Kan. He was born July 24, 1926, to John and Elizabeth (Deirking) Hunt in Lebanon. He was a 1945 graduate of Lebanon High School...

KEARNEY -- Robert L. Adams, 87, of Trenton, died Thursday (Oct. 16, 2003) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born Feb. 12, 1915, to Ethan Claude and Daisy L. (Harrison) Adams in Hitchcock County. He grew up on a farm in the Cornell Community and attended Trenton High School...

HASTINGS -- Dale A. Dack, 85, died Thursday (OIct. 16, 2003) at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital in Hastings. He was born July 30, 1918, to Frank and Myrtle (Laster) Dack in McCook. He attended school in rural McCook. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II...

Col. Donald W. Eisenhart (USAF, Ret.) passed away Oct. 8, 2003, at age 92. A graduate of the University of Nebraska, Don was born in Culbertson on April 4, 1911. He first came to San Antonio in 1933 to attend the Air Corps Training Center at Randolph and Kelly Fields and began a 33-year career in the United States Air Force. During World War II he served in the Asia-Pacific Theater as Commander, 9th Bombardment Group, 20th Air Force on Tinian and as Operations Officer, 1st Air Division, Okinawa...

NORTH PLATTE -- Shirley Ann Hansen, 66, died Wednesday (Oct. 15, 2003) at the Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte. She was born Oct. 24, 1936, at McCook, to Earl Harold and Cecile Viola (Larrington) Beebe. She attended McCook Public Schools...

IMPERIAL -- Eva Ambrosek, 85, died Tuesday (Oct. 14, 2003) at Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. She was born May 30, 1918, in Wauneta to Jack and Mary (Vasabel) Tepley. She attended grade school in a small country school and graduated from Wauneta High School in 1936. She took normal training in teaching...

IMPERIAL -- Madeline Cox, 80, died Tuesday (Oct. 14, 2003) at her home in Imperial. She was born Jan. 8, 1923, to Harry L. and Selma (Nelson) Dixon in rural Dundy County. She attended District No. 70 in rural Dundy County and she graduated from high school in Benkelman...

OBERLIN -- Florence Geraldine Hudson, 81, died Saturday (Oct. 18, 2003) at Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. She was born May 10, 1922, to Walter Roy and Lola Fern (Baugher) Vaughn in Sheridan County, Kan. She was raised on a farm near Selden in Sheridan County. She attended consolidated No. 2 school district and Selden Rural High School...

BAGHDAD, IRAQ -- Staff Sgt. Christopher Wayne Swisher, 26, of Fort Polk, La., died Thursday (Oct. 9, 2003) in Baghdad, Iraq. He was born May 5, 1977, to Bruce and Sharon (Kathman) Swisher in Lincoln. He is a 1995 graduate of Lincoln Northeast High School. He was a former employee of King's Drive Inn and Kess Drywall...

BEAVER CITY -- Clyde Swartz, 82, died Sunday (Oct. 19, 2003) at the Beaver City Manor. He was born Aug. 7, 1921, in Red Willow County, to Fred and Mary (Hansjosten) Swartz. He entered the Army July 7, 1942, and served during World War II. He was awarded the Purple Heart and was honorably discharged Aug. 30, 1945...

Wanda Mae Bodeman of Hayes Center, died Saturday, Oct. 18, 2003, at the Sutherland Care Center. She was 73 years old. Wanda was born on Nov. 1, 1929, in Culbertson, to Ross Sidney and Joyce Dee (Johnson) Mosley. She attended rural school in northwest Hayes County and graduated from Hayes Center High School in 1948. She graduated from McCook College in 1950 earning a teaching certificate. She went on to teach in the same rural school she attended until her marriage...

WICHITA, Kan. -- Glendola A. Evans, 78, formerly of Hayes Center, died Sunday (Oct.19, 2003) at Harry Hynes Memorial Hospital in Wichita, Kan. She was born Aug. 8, 1925, to Glen Harold and Wreatha Mae (Wilson) Scott in Hayes County. On Sept. 14, 1942, she married Raymond Rodger Evans in Champion, Ill. She was employed as an administration assistant in programming planning and controlling (PPC) for Boeing. She retired from Boeing in 1983, after working more than forty years with them...

John E. Gallatin, 97, died Wednesday (Oct. 22, 2003) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. He was born July 24, 1906, to Eugene and Wilametta (Eckhard) Gallatin in Bartley. He graduated from Bartley High School in 1925. On July 23, 1927, he married Helen Ann Hoffstrand in Bartley. John was a farmer in Red Willow County all his life. Helen preceded him in death on Feb. 23, 1961...

Mary Ellen Kerchal, 60, died Monday (Oct. 20, 2003) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She was born Aug. 30, 1943, in Seward County. She was adopted as an infant by Walter J. and Lucille (Traphagan) Middleton. She attended school in Oxford, graduating from Oxford High School in 1961...

BENKELMAN -- Lyle Wiese, 75, died Tuesday (October 21, 2003) at Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman. He was born Dec. 8, 1927, to Henry and Margaretha (Mumm) Wiese in Bloomfield. He graduated from high school in Osmond. In 1946, he moved with his parents to Pierce...

ARAPAHOE -- LaVinnia McCoy, 95, formerly of Arapahoe, died Thursday (Oct. 23, 2003) at her home in Littleton, Colo. She was born June 20, 1908, to George and Harriet J. (Stockton) Trollope in Holdrege. She attended school and graduated from Orleans High School...

DENVER, Colo. -- Joseph "Joe" G. Nemeth, 79, died Sept. 20, 2003, in Denver, Colo. He was born May 6, 1924, to Joseph and Elizabeth (Kuebler) Nemeth in Herndon. He was raised on a farm near Herndon. He attended Herndon schools and graduated from there. He continued to live in Herndon for a while after graduation, but eventually moved to Denver...

OBERLIN -- Alice M. Clark, 85, died Sunday (Oct. 26, 2003) at Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. She was born Dec. 8, 1917, to Andrew M. and Elizabeth (Schiessler) Wurm in Traer. She was raised on a farm near Traer in Decatur County. She attended Traer Grade School and graduated from Decatur Community High School in 1935. After graduation she moved to Denver, Colo...

ATWOOD -- Florence Caroline (Peterson) Learned, 80, died Friday (Oct. 24, 2003) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She was born June 11, 1923, to Albert and Florence Peterson in Gassville, Ark. The family moved to Ottawa, Kan., shortly after her birth. She attended Ottawa Public Schools...

Grace Marie Dack died Monday, Oct. 27, 2003, at McCook Community Hospital. She was 86 years old. Grace was born on March 10, 1917 at Oxford, to August and Mary (Wolfram) Grafel. She graduated from Herndon High School. On May 13, 1942, she married Clyde F. "Bud" Dack. They farmed southwest of McCook until 1960, at which time they moved to McCook. Grace was employed as a sales clerk and later became manager of Fashion Fabric for many years...

ARVADA, Colo. -- Pauline (Brenning) Trupp was born Feb. 23, 1913, to Jacob and Elizabeth (Miller) Brenning in McCook. She passed away at her home in Arvada on Oct. 19, 2003, at the age of 90 years, 7 months and 26 days. She grew up in the German immigrant community and was baptized and confirmed in the Westside German Congregational Church in McCook. She was employed by the J.C. Penney store in McCook...

GOTHENBURG -- Lillian M. Kuhlman, 90, of Gothenburg, died Saturday, Oct. 25, 2003, at Hilltop Estates in Gothenburg. She was born Nov. 14, 1912, at Cozad to Martin and Alma (Fickenscher) Block. On April 4, 1934, she married John "Jack" Kuhlman at Christ Lutheran Church in Gothenburg. They lived on their farm north of Gothenburg where they raised four children...

LINCOLN -- Agnes L. Arthaud, 90, died Sunday (Oct. 26, 2003) in Lincoln. She was born July 23, 1913, on her parents' farm near Cambridge. Her parents were Henry A. and Mary M. (Hougnon) Arthaud. After graduating from Cambridge High School she received a bachelor of science degree in home economics from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and a master of science degree in educational administration from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y...

ATWOOD -- Vernon W. Reunitz, 89, died Sunday (Oct. 26, 2003) at Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood. He was born April 2, 1914, to Frederick H. and Emma Marie Dorothea (Luebring) Reunitz at Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood. He served in the Air Corps during World War II between 1941 and 1945 and served in the Pacific Theater...

SENECA, Kan. -- Merle Alvin Rhoades, 81, died Sunday (October 26, 2003) at Crestview Manor in Seneca, Kan. He was born Sept. 18, 1922, at Culbertson to George and Fairy (Seybold) Rhoades. He attended grade school at District 20 and graduated from Culbertson High School in 1939...

BENKELMAN -- Rajean F. Rambo, 52, of Palisade, died Sunday (Oct. 26, 2003) at Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman. She was born Feb. 5, 1951, to Elmer and Dorothy (Smith) Rambo in Urbana, Mo. She grew up in Urbana where she attended high school. On Feb. ...

Vera Marie Remington, 73, died Tuesday (Oct. 28, 2003) at her home in McCook. She was born July 3, 1930, to Isaac Elmer and Leretta Stella (Bush) Lewis in Wauneta. She grew up in Wauneta where she graduated from Wauneta High School in 1947. She graduated from McCook Junior College...

Sally Jean Williams died Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2003, at McCook Community Hospital in McCook at the age of 59. She was born in Glendale, Calif., to Frank Madison and Fern Adele (Parsons) Spore on Jan. 4, 1944. She grew up in the Eagle Rock section of Los Angeles, Calif., and graduated from high school in 1961. She also attended the Pasadena City College...

IMPERIAL -- Dorrence Dwight Scott, 72, died Tuesday (October 28, 2003) at Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. He was born Feb. 15, 1931, to Harley Allan and Helen Marie (Phelps) Scott in Trenton. He attended school in Palisade. On Dec. 26, 1950, he entered the Navy and served on the USS Piedmont during the Korean Conflict. He was honorably discharged Oct. 11, 1954...

Julianne Faye Garrett, 56, died Wednesday (Oct. 29, 2003) at her home in McCook. She was born Sept. 4, 1947, at Omaha, to Kenneth L. and Angela M. (Lennemann) Pape. She graduated from St. Agnes Academy in Alliance and Alliance Nursing Academy. On Jan. ...

OBERLIN -- Martha M. Euhus, 75, died Wednesday (Oct. 29, 2003), at Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. She was born Nov. 22, 1927, to Herman W. and Adele (Bridges) Noles in Charlotte, N.C. She was raised in Charlotte. She graduated from Central High School in Charlotte...

Betty June Dugger, 79, died Wednesday (Oct. 29, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Feb. 22, 1924, to Arthur Earl and Esta Helen (Brown) Lawver in Oberlin. She graduated from Oberlin High School in 1943. On Aug. 26, 1947, she married Murray E. Dugger Sr., in Denver, Colo. The couple made their home in McCook where she was a homemaker...

Riley Burns II, 88, of Trenton, died Thursday (Oct. 30, 2003) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born March 27, 1915, to Riley and Della May (Lentz) Burns in Barlow, Ky. He grew up in Caro, Ill., where he graduated from rural school. In 1938, he married Alice Eastwood. The couple spent their married lives farming in southern Illinois...

TRENTON -- Elfie M. Johnson, 90, died Friday (Oct. 31, 2003) at El Dorado Manor in Trenton. She was born Jan. 11, 1913, to Alfred and Mabel (Haining) Edwards in Hitchcock County. She grew up in the Stone Church community southwest of Culbertson. She graduated from McCook High School in 1936. She attended McCook Junior College, Kearney State College and the University of Nebraska...