Obituaries from August 2004

Oct. 25, 1920-July 31, 2004 Cleo M. Potter, 83, died Saturday (July 31, 2004) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born Oct. 25, 1920, to Leo Joseph and Mary Pearl (Chambers) Cross in Pisgah, Iowa. She grew up in Modale, Iowa where she graduated from Modale High School...

April 26, 1929-July 31, 2004 GREELEY, Colo. -- Delbert Dale Donze, 75, died Saturday (July 31, 2004) at the Northern Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, Colo. He was born April 26, 1929, to Emil and Phoebe (Gauger) Donze in Wauneta. He attended Fairview School District No. ...

March 27, 1914-July 30, 2004 Marion Amelia Baker Meeks Koechlein, 90, died Friday, July 30, 2004, at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. Marion was born March 27, 1914, in Plainfield, N.J., to Albert F. and Nancy Ianson (Skellenger) Baker. She graduated from Plainfield High School in 1932 and Savage School for Physical Education in New York City in 1936. ...

June 23, 1918-July, 31, 2004 OBERLIN -- Ray E. Garver, 86, died Saturday (July 31, 2004) in Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. He was born June 23, 1918, to Frank and Jesse (Garver) Wilson in Oberlin. He was raised in Oberlin and graduated from Decatur Community High School. He was in the Army during World War II...

April 30, 1917-Aug. 2, 2004 ALMA -- Edwin Wilford Witte, 87, died Monday (Aug. 2, 2004) at the Colonial Villa Good Samaritan Center in Alma. He was born April 30, 1917, to Clement and Elisabeth (Ostdiek) Witte in Lawrence. He attended school at the St. Stephens School near Lawrence. In 1929, the family made their home on a farm south of Cambridge, where he attended school at Furnas County District No. 45...

Feb. 6, 1921-July 4, 2004 Edgar Charles Graham, 83, of Stockton, Calif., passed away Sunday, July 4, 2004, at a convalescent care facility. Born Feb. 6, 1921, in Parks, he lived in Stockton for 56 years. He was in the building trade and was a member of the Carpenters Union for 54 years...

ATWOOD -- Laurine Margarethe Holste, 92, died Tuesday (Aug. 3, 2004) at Good Samaritan Center in Atwood. She was born June 16, 1912, to Herman G. Mary (Hoffbauer) Holste on a farm in Ludell. She was a homemaker and worked in several cafes and in child care...

Sept. 11, 1969-Aug. 2, 2004 GERING -- LaTisha "Tisha" (Tuller) Durland, 34 of Gering, died Aug. 2, 2004 at the University Hospital in Denver, Colo. Funeral services will be on Aug. 5, 2004, at 1:30 p.m. at the Trinity United Methodist Church of Kimball with the Rev. Roger Gillming officiating. The casket will be closed at the service. Burial will be in the Kimball Cemetery...

Feb. 12, 1916-Aug. 3, 2004 STRATTON -- William "Bill" D. Line, 88, died Tuesday (Aug. 3, 2004) at the Hester Home in Benkelman. He was born Feb. 12, 1916, to Edward and Irene (Herzog) Line near Kearney. He lived near Wilsonville for a time, later moving to Culbertson and then near Trenton...

Jan. 20, 1917-Aug. 3, 2004 JENNINGS, Kan. -- Frank Ray Bennett, 87, died Tuesday (Aug. 3, 2004) at Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. He was born Jan. 20, 1917, at Towner, Colo., to Will and Victoria (Burnett) Bennett and was raised in Paonia, Colo. He attended Paonia Schools, Colorado State University and Fort Hays State College...

July 11, 1967-July 7, 2004 Gregory Dean Jording, 36, died July 7, 2004, at his home in McCook. He was born July 11, 1967, in McCook to Elwood and Ida (McGuire) Jording. He graduated from McCook High School and Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte...

July 21, 1930-Aug. 6, 2004 COLUMBUS -- Donald C. Beckenhauer, 74, died Friday (Aug. 6, 2004) at Columbus Community Hospital in Columbus. He was born July 21, 1930, in Norfolk to Harry and Alyne (Seymour) Beckenhauer. He grew up in Norfolk and graduated from Norfolk High School in 1949. As a youth, he worked as a bricklayer in the family business, Beckenhauer Construction. He attended Norfolk Junior College prior to his service in the U.S. military...

May 17, 1925-Aug. 5, 2004 HOLBROOK -- Raymond D. Massey, 79, died Thursday (Aug. 5, 2004) at his shop in Holbrook. He was born May 17, 1925, to Francis and Hazel (Baker) Massey on the family farm in Phillips County, Kan. He attended school at Republican City...

Dec. 11, 1902-Aug. 7, 2004 ARAPAHOE -- Lellia Leising, 101, died Saturday (Aug. 7, 2004) in Arapahoe. She was born Dec. 11, 1902, in a blinding snowstorm five miles south of Holbrook to August and Sophia (Droste) Warner. She attended school in District No. 75 in Furnas County for eight years and attended high school in Holbrook where she graduated as salutatorian in 1922. She then began a teaching career that spanned 31 years...

Aug. 13, 1924-Aug. 5, 2004 McDONALD -- Joe Charles Wahrman, 79, died Thursday (Aug. 5, 2004) at Presbyterian St. Luke Hospital in Denver, Colo. He was born Aug. 13, 1924, in Rawlins County, Kan. He was a farmer. Survivors include his brother, Ray Wahrman of McCook...

Aug. 30, 1924-Aug. 8, 2004 ARAPAHOE -- Vernon D. Gardner, 79, died Sunday (Aug. 8, 2004) at St. John's Good Samaritan Center in Kearney. He was born Aug. 30, 1924, at Arapahoe to George and Daisy (Morse) Gardner. He served in the Air Force during World War II as a tail gunner on a B-17, completing 30 missions...

A graveside memorial inurnment service will be held for Thomas Kendall Quigley, at 2 P.M. Thursday, August 12, 2004, at the Indianola City Cemetery. Indianola American Legion Post 344 will be in charge of the military burial rights. Kendall died April 15, 2004, at his home in Pensacola, FL...

Jan. 6, 1947-Aug. 6, 2004 BOLINBROOK, Ill. -- Suzanne Irene (Wolters) Hodge, 57, died Friday (Aug. 6, 2004) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Bolinbrook, Ill. She was born Jan. 6, 1947, at McCook, to Herman "Pete" and Joan Wolters. She spent her youth in Rawlins County, Kan., and graduated from Atwood High School. She earned a bachelor's degree at Boise State University and was a civil servant working for the federal government for many years...

May 30, 1934-Aug. 8, 2004 LINCOLN -- Charles H. "Chuck" McDonald, 70, died Sunday (Aug. 8, 2004). He was born May 30, 1934, at McCook, to Floyd and Lillian (Brisbane) McDonald. He served in the U. S. Air Force and was a member of the Red Devil Squadron during the Korean War...

Sept. 3, 1932-Aug. 8, 2004 Richard Merrill Griffing, 71, died Sunday (Aug. 8, 2004) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born Sept. 3, 1932, in Thornburg, Kan., to George G. and Bessie (Logan) Griffing. He graduated in 1949 from Smith Center High School in Kansas...

Feb. 25, 1922-Aug. 9, 2004 HOLYOKE, Colo. -- Richard Ray Modrell, 82, died Monday (Aug. 9, 2004) at the Prairie Vista Nursing Home. He was born Feb. 25, 1922, at McCook, to Walter and Bessie (Doyle) Modrell. He grew up on the family farm north of McCook and attended school in Frontier County...

June 24, 1918-Aug. 8, 2004 Dorothy Mae Duval, 86, died Sunday, August 8, 2004 at Community Hospital in McCook. She was born June 24, 1918 in Harlan County to Philip F. and Margaret (Pyell) Dietz. She grew up on the family farm near Orleans and attended school at District 60. Over the years she lived in Paxton, Ansley, Sumner and then returned to Orleans in 1973. She moved to McCook in 1996...

Nov. 19, 1929-Aug. 9, 2004 GREELEY, Colo. -- Aletha "Sue" Sughroue, 74, died Monday (Aug. 9, 2004) at the Hospice and Palliative Care Inpatient Unit in Greeley, following a lengthy battle with acute leukemia. She was born Nov. 19, 1929, at La Junta, Colo., to Arnold and Nora (Menter) Muller. She graduated from East High School in 1947 and was an eligibility supervisor for the Weld County Department of Social Services for 31 years...

Dec. 9, 1923-Aug. 11, 2004 Elda M. Walker, 80, died Wednesday (Aug. 11, 2004), at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Dec. 9, 1923, in Frontier County to Alfred C. and Effie Marie (Blake) Cheney. She graduated from Indianola High School. On July 1, 1946, she married Benjamin F. Walker in Denver, Colo. She had lived in McCook since 1943 and worked as a pharmacy clerk...

IMPERIAL -- Sylvia Large, 47, died Monday (Aug. 9, 2004) at the Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. Survivors include her husband, Dale of Imperial; three daughters, Alisha, Kimberly and Samantha, all of Imperial; her parents, Joe and Gloria Green of McCook; a sister, Annette and husband, James Hazuka of Monument, Colo., and her parent-in-laws, Marvin and Arlene Large of Imperial...

March 7, 1908-Aug. 13, 2004 Wilma F. Benjamin, 96, died Friday (Aug. 13, 2004) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born March 7, 1908, to William P. and Bessie B. (Endsley) Broomfield in Red Willow County. She grew up in Red Willow County and graduated from Red Willow High School in 1924...

Oct. 15, 1933-Aug. 13, 2004 Maria Feliz Dimas-Mendoza was born to Zenon Mendoza and Anastacia Ortiz on Oct. 15, 1933, at Zacatecas, Mexico. She passed away Aug. 13, 2004, at the Jefferson Health Center in Fairbury at the age of 70 years, 9 months and 28 days. She was one of eight children in the family...

Aug. 4, 1957-Aug. 16, 2004 Charles Eugene "Chuck" Stewart, 47, of Kearney, died Monday (Aug. 16, 2004) at his parents home in McCook. He was born Aug. 4, 1957, to William Arthur and Bettye Anne (Solace) Stewart in Alliance. He graduated from McCook High School in 1976. He attended Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte and graduated with an associates degree in heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology...

Sept. 29, 1910-Aug. 17, 2004 HOLDREGE -- Robert E. Harman, 93, died Tuesday (Aug. 17, 2004) at Phelps Memorial Hospital in Holdrege. He was born Sept. 29, 1910, to John and Florence (Clark) Harman in Edison. He grew up on a farm north of Edison and attended rural Gosper County School District No. 12...

Jan. 31,1925-Aug.18, 2004 ORD -- Lois Arlene Zapp, 79, died Wednesday (Aug. 18, 2004) at Valley Hospital in Ord. She was born Jan. 31, 1925, to Charles and Winona (Ruby) Boyer in Danbury. She was raised in Danbury and graduated from Danbury High School in 1942. She attended Kearney State Teacher College where she received her teaching certificate. She taught in rural schools in the McCook area...

Dec. 30, 1918-Aug. 17, 2004 ST. FRANCIS -- Irene A. Day, 92, of Haigler, died Tuesday (Aug. 17, 2004) at Cheyenne County Hospital in St. Francis. She was born Dec. 30, 1918, to Ott and Essie (Martin) Motherhead in Atwood. She spent most of her childhood near the Esban, Kan., area...

Feb. 20, 1921-Aug. 18, 2004 BENKELMAN -- Irene Alice Warning, 83, died Wednesday (Aug. 18, 2004) at Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman. She was born Feb. 20, 1921, to Robert and Leland (Boswell) Passmore in Parks. She graduate from Benkelman High School in 1939...

Oct. 30, 1924-Aug. 19, 2004 KEARNEY -- Doris Lucille Snyder, 79, of Arapahoe, died Thursday (Aug. 19, 2004) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She was born Oct. 30, 1924, to Roy and Rena (Scott) Holloway in Gosper County. She attended rural school in Gosper County and graduated from Arapahoe High School in 1942...

May 10, 1914-Aug. 8, 2004 Funeral services for Margaret Towle of Hobbs, N.M., were Aug. 12, 2004, at Griffin Funeral Home Chapel. Todd Dyess, minister of First United Methodist Church, officiated. Burial was in Lubbock, Texas, at Resthaven Mausoleum under the direction of Griffin Funeral Home of Hobbs...

June 1, 1916-Aug. 19, 2004 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Frances E. Teeter, 88, of Benkelman, died Thursday (Aug. 19, 2004) at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colo. She was born June 1, 1916, to Fay and Della (Gagnon) Louch in Dundy County. On Jan. 15, 1936, she married Foster N. Teeter. She worked as a nutritionist at Sarah Ann Hester Home in Benkelman...

June 9, 1914-Aug. 20, 2004 BENKELMAN -- Guy V. Main, 90, died Friday (Aug. 20, 2004) at his home in Benkelman. He was born June 9, 1914, to Glen and Ella (Brethower) Main in Stratton. On June 8, 1937, he married Alberta Burkhalter in St. Francis. For 32 years he was a rural mail carrier. He also worked at a lumberyard, repaired radiators, hauled freight for the drey line, worked at a theater, hung the mail pouch for the Zephyr and sharpened saws in his spare time...

Aug. 30, 1924-Aug. 20, 2004 LINCOLN -- Marie E. (Esslinger) Toomey, 79, of Lincoln, died Friday (Aug. 20, 2004) in Lincoln. She was born Aug. 30, 1924, to Jacob and Frances (Sander) Esslinger in Gosper County. She grew up in Gosper County and attended Emanuel Lutheran School...

Nov. 18, 1909-Aug. 22, 2004 YUMA, Colo. -- Edmond M. Unger, 94, died Sunday (Aug. 22, 2004) at the Yuma Life Care Center in Yuma, Colo. He was born Nov. 18, 1909, to John and Stella (Lang) Unger. On April 19, 1934, he married Bertha Tongish at St. Mary's Church in Herndon. The couple lived on a farm north of Herndon until 1967, when they moved to McCook, where he worked for Southwest Bell until 1990...

April 11, 2004-Aug. 24, 2004 BURLINGTON, Kan. -- The Rev. Francis Marion Hatch, 93, died Tuesday (Aug. 24, 2004) at Coffey County Hospital in Burlington, Kan. He was born April 11, 1911, to EB and Myrtle Hunt Hatch in Yates Center, Kan. He was raised in Yates Center and was licensed as a minister in the Assembly of God in 1944. ...

Jan. 30, 1934-Aug. 23, 2004 IMPERIAL -- Bill DeWayne "Billy" Baker, 70, died Monday (Aug. 23, 2004) at the Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. He was born Jan. 30, 1934, to Clyde and Pearl Baker in Ragen. He later moved to Hamlet where he attended school. The family moved to rural Hamlet and he started to attend country school. He continued his education in Palisade...

Dec. 31, 1930-Aug. 22, 2004 HOLDREGE -- Virginia Mae (Pfeil) Chipperfield, 73, died Sunday (Aug. 22, 2004) at Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege. She was born Dec. 31, 1930, to Clarence Lavelle and Nellie Pearl (Sparks) Pfeil in Doniphan. She attended schools in the Grand Island and Kearney area and a school north of McCook. She graduated in 1949 from McCook High School...

May 18, 1930-Aug. 23, 2004 LINCOLN -- Wilma J. (Kompus) Tongish, 74, of Herndon, died Monday (Aug. 23, 2004) at Bryan LGH Medical Center in Lincoln. She was born May 18, 1930, to John and Theresa (Toth) Kompus in Herndon. She graduated valedictorian of her high school class...

July 11, 1916-Aug. 22, 2004 OBERLIN -- Thelma Karthauser, 88, died Sunday (Aug. 22, 2004) at the Cedar Living Center in Oberlin. She was born July 11, 1916, to Paul and Angelina (Fields) Karthauser in Danbury. She was raised in Danbury and attended schools there...

Kenneth 'Kenny' Golden Aug. 25, 1944-Aug. 23, 2004 Kenneth "Kenny" Golden, 59, formerly of the Scottsbluff area, died Aug. 23, 2004, at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Grand Island. Memorial services will be at a later date in Sidney, at Lake McConaughy, and in Ogallala. Kleine Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements...

July 3, 1982-Aug. 25, 2004 Derek James Hamilton, 22, died Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2004, at his home in McCook. Derek was born July 3, 1982, to James Jr. and Debra (Lytle) Hamilton. He graduated from McCook High School in 2001, Wyoming Tech in Laramie, Wyo., in 2002, and was valedictorian at Audi Academy, ITT, in Chicago in 2002...

Dec. 22, 1912-Aug. 21, 2004 Wayne Ralph Porter of Lafayette died Saturday, Aug. 21, 2004, in Lafayette, Colo. He was 91 years old. Mr. Porter was born Dec. 22, 1912, to Almer Porter and Elsie May in Winona, Kan. On Aug. 23, 1933, he married Gladys Sharrah Porter in Colorado. The couple later divorced...

July 30, 1931-Aug. 28, 2004 IMPERIAL -- Beverly K. Gleason, 73, of Palisade, died Saturday (Aug. 28, 2004) at Chase County Hospital in Imperial. She was born July 30, 1931, to Velma and Aaron Shook in Marion County, Ill. She grew up in Centralia, Ill., and then relocated to Arvada, Colo...

Dec. 30, 1925-Aug. 28, 2004 KEARNEY -- Billie W. "Billie" Hill, 78, died Saturday (Aug. 28, 2004) at his residence in Kearney. He was born Dec. 30, 1925, to Owen and Ferdella (Reed) Hill in Arapahoe. He graduated from Arapahoe High School in 1943. He enrolled at the University of Nebraska Lincoln where he played football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers until he entered the service on March 30, 1944...

Nov. 15, 1925-Aug. 28, 2004 ARAPAHOE -- Betty L. Murphy, 78, died Saturday (Aug. 28, 2004) at the Good Samaritan Center in Arapahoe. She was born Nov. 15, 1925, to Everett and Mabel (Kraay) DeMoss near Wilsonville. She graduated from Wilsonville High School in 1942. She attended Hastings Beauty School where she received her beauty operator's license...

Feb. 19, 1946-Aug. 30, 2004 HOLDREGE -- David R. Sayer Jr., 58, of Cambridge, died Monday (Aug. 30, 2004) at Phelps County Health Center in Holdrege. He was born Feb. 19, 1946, to David and Elizabeth Ann (Hayes) Sayer in Cambridge. He graduated from Cambridge High School in 1964...