Obituaries from January 2005

March 11, 1914-Jan. 1, 2005 Julia Maudlee Urling, 90, died Saturday (Jan. 1, 2005) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born March 11, 1914, to John and Alice (Eby) Nolan in Cambridge. She spent her early years in Arapahoe and went to school there. She and her sister moved to McCook and she graduated from McCook High School in 1932. She received her beautician education from Hastings Beauty Academy and was licensed by the State of Nebraska...

March 15, 1931-Dec. 30, 2004 WAUNETA -- Marlies Sophia (Haarberg) Gauger, 73, died Thursday (Dec. 30, 2004) at Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. She was born March 15, 1931, to Henry and Elise (Nordhausen) Haarberg in Chase County, near Wauneta. She attended school at St. Paul's Parochial School and graduated from Wauneta High School in 1949...

June 3, 1926-Jan. 1, 2005 LEXINGTON -- Delores "Dee" Harder, 78, of Lexington, died Saturday (Jan. 1, 2005) at Cozad Community Hospital in Cozad. She was born June 3, 1926, in Oak Creek, Colo., to Hartley and Blanche McKenzie. She grew up in Benkelman, Nebraska where she graduated high school...

Oct. 18, 1919-Dec. 31, 2004 John Francis Coyle, 85, died Friday (Dec. 31, 2004) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born Oct. 18, 1919, to John and Amanda (Wendele) Coyle at Culbertson. He attended and graduated from the Nebraska School of Agriculture in Curtis in 1939. He lived in Frontier and Hitchcock County all his life...

Feb. 14, 1918-Dec. 30, 2004 CAMBRIDGE -- Beulah Harriet Mousel Trumble, 86, of Cambridge, died Thursday (Dec. 30, 2004). She was born Feb. 14, 1918, in Blackfoot, Idaho, to Grace and Harry Babbitt. She was adopted by her aunt and uncle, Robert and Pluma Mousel. Beulah graduated from Cambridge High School in 1934 at the age of 16 and attended college in Hastings. She taught school in Welfleet and Danbury...

Dec. 6, 1942-Jan. 1, 2005 Bonnie Nadine Sevier, 62, of McCook died Saturday (Jan. 1, 2005) at Community Hospital. She was born Dec. 6, 1942, in Hayes County, the youngest child of Nathan Lee and Dorothy Pearl (French) McNutt. She married George Campbell in California and to this union one son was born. Bonnie taught school for 27 years. She taught in Grant, Sargent, Douglas and Hayes Center...

April 24, 1923-Jan. 1, 2005 Valois "Val" Irene Pullen, 81, of McCook, died Saturday, Jan. 1, 2005, at Community Hospital. She was born April 24, 1923, in Council Bluffs, Iowa to Lewis W. and Anna A. (Weaver) Hall. Her elementary education was in Council Bluffs and Fairbury Public Schools. She graduated from Fairbury High School in 1941...

Oct. 13, 1914-Dec. 31, 2004 ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Ruth Evelyn Witte, 90, died Friday (Dec. 31, 2004) in Englewood, Colo. She was born Oct. 10, 1914, in Kennesaw to Walter and Louise Ernst. On Jan. 11, 1938, she married Gilbert Witte. The couple moved to Denver in 1938. She was a homemaker. She lived at the Meridian Retirement Community in Englewood for the last four years...

March 15, 1931-Dec. 30, 2004 WAUNETA -- Marlies Sophia (Haarberg) Gauger, 73, died Thursday (Dec. 30, 2004) at Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. She was born March 15, 1931, to Henry and Elise (Nordhausen) Haarberg in Chase County, near Wauneta. She attended school at St. Paul's Parochial School and graduated from Wauneta High School in 1949...

Sept. 2, 1932-Jan. 4, 2005 Carol Ann Schoup, 72, died today (Jan. 4, 2005) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Sept. 2, 1932, to Claude and Mamie (Hagerman) Klooz in Burlington, Colo. In 1944, the family move from Burlington to Stratton, where she graduated from Stratton High School in 1949. She attended college in Curtis. She began teaching school in rural Stratton and later at West Ward in McCook...

June 14, 1943-Jan. 3, 2005 COLBY, Kan. -- Karren R. (Griggs) Donaldson, 61, died Monday (Jan. 3, 2005) in Levant, Kan. She was born June 14, 1943, in Colby, Kan. She lived most of her life in Colby. She was a retired apartment manager. Survivors include her companion, Dave Donaldson of Colby, Kan.; sons, Gerald Bieker of Paola, Kan., and Douglas Bieker of Culver, Kan.; daughters, Carrie Zodrow of Oberlin; mother, Nettie Griggs of Colby; brother, John Griggs of Colby; sisters, Barbara Turner of Colby and Ginny Curry of Levant; and 11 grandchildren.. ...

Dec. 23, 1917-Jan. 1, 2005 Helen Irene Jewell of Santa Barbara, Calif., passed away peacefully in her home Jan. 1, 2005. She was born in Wilsonville on Dec. 23, 1917, to Edward and Jesse (Walker) Cuckler. Helen was watched over by her three children, Robert, Nancy and Diane and her two devoted caregivers, Gloria and Carol...

March 21, 1938-Jan. 4, 2005 YUMA, Colo. -- Phyllis Pauline (Kotschwar) Traphagan, 66, died Tuesday (Jan. 4, 2005) at the Yuma Life Care Center in Yuma, Colo., after a battle with cancer. She was born March 21, 1938, to Leo and Anastasia (Wasia) Kotschwar in Dickens. She was raised in McCook and graduated from McCook High School in 1956...

March 18, 1921-Jan. 8, 2005 Elaine Helen Schilz, 83, of McCook, died Saturday (Jan. 8, 2005) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born March 18, 1921, in Herndon to Paul Louis and Anne Alice (Bobinmyer) Berger. She graduated from Herndon High School in 1939. ...

Feb. 9, 1947-Dec. 28, 2004 Marlene Ann Adair entered her eternal rest on Dec. 28, 2004, following a courageous battle with cancer. Throughout her illness, she showed amazing courage, spirit and determination. Marlene was born on Feb. 9, 1947, in Benkelman, to Bob and Marian (Jackson) Owens. Following her graduation in 1965, Marlene attended Kearney State College and then moved to Denver, Colo., where she lived until 1974, when she moved to California...

Sept. 24, 2004-Jan. 7, 2005 PALISADE -- Kyla Nichae Martinez, three-months-old, died Friday (Jan. 7, 2005) at Community Hospital of McCook. She was born Sept. 24, 2004, in North Platte to Charity Bateman and Floyd Martinez. Survivors include her parents of Palisade; brother, Kaleb Bateman; sister, Sharese Bateman; grandparents; great-grandparents; great-great-grandmother, Viola Sneddon; uncles; aunts; great-uncles; and great aunts...

Jan. 7, 1955-Jan. 11, 2005 STERLING, Kan. -- Bruce Lee Fichtner, 50, of Sterling, Kan., died Tuesday (Jan. 11, 2005) at the Hospice House in Hutchinson, Kan., after battling with pancreatic and liver cancer since October 2004. He was born Jan. 7, 1955, in North Platte to Lesley and LaVada (Lucas) Fichtner. He was baptized as an infant on February 6, 1955 and confirmed on May 25, 1969 at St. John's Lutheran Church in White. He was active in Walther League...

March 15, 1929-Jan. 11, 2005 Melvin Gilbert Welp, 75, died Tuesday (Jan. 11, 2005) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born March 15, 1929, in Vernon, Colo., to Walter H. and Wilma G. (Fagan) Welp. He grew up in Vernon and graduated from rural school. He moved to McCook in 1940...

Dec. 7, 1942-Jan. 6, 2005 Terry K. Rieke, 62, died Thursday (Jan. 6, 2005) at his home in Aurora. He was born Dec. 7, 1942, in Colorado Springs, Colo., to Willard and Anita (Day) Rieke. He grew up in Chester where he graduated from Chester High School in 1960. He attended Fairbury Junior College and graduated from Kearney State College where he received his bachelor and masters degrees in education...

Nov. 2, 1933-Jan. 11, 2005 HOLDREGE -- Richard Joseph "Dick" Sullivan, 71, died Tuesday (Jan. 11, 2005) at Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege. He was born Nov. 2, 1933, to Richard and Clementine (Vontz) Sullivan in McCook. He attended school in McCook and Trenton. After his education he served in the Air Force during the Korean War and was stationed in California, Greenland and England...

Feb. 6, 1921-Jan. 12, 2005 CURTIS -- Melvin M. Towne, 83, of Curtis, died Wednesday (Jan. 12, 2005), at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. He was born Feb. 6, 1921, north of Maywood, to William and Jessie Barry Towne. He graduated from the Nebraska School of Agriculture in Curtis in 1940. He then attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln for two years. He worked as a welder during World War II in Oakland, Calif., in the shipyards...

Nov. 17, 1948-Jan. 12, 2005 Janice M. Renfro, 56, of Silver Lake, KS., died Tuesday, Jan. 12, 20205, at her home from brain cancer. She was born Nov. 17, 1948, in Hastings, the daughter of Kenneth Lytle and Evelyn Knosp Lytle. She graduated from Seaman High School in 1966...

July 9, 1911-Jan. 13, 2005 Ella Peterson, 93, died Thursday (Jan. 13, 2005) at Decatur County Good Samaritan Center in Oberlin. She was born July 9, 1911, to Oliver and Esther (Lundquist) Johnson in Lund, a community of Decatur County. She was raised on a farm in Lund and attended Swede Home School...

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Kay Loren Reeves, 79, died Wednesday (Jan. 12, 2005) at the Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colo. Services are Monday, 10 a.m., at the United Methodist Church in Atwood with the Rev. Terry McGuire officiating. Interment will be in the Atwood Fairview Cemetery with fraternal rites by the Masonic Lodge No. 164 AF and AM of Atwood and military honors by the American Legion, Sam Hubbard Post No. 46 of Atwood...

KEARNEY -- Dr. Kent P. Estes, 60, of Kearney, died Thursday (Jan. 13, 2005) at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. Services are Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., at First Baptist Church in Kearney with the Rev. Stan Murdoch will officiate. Interment will be in the Kearney Cemetery...

Dec. 2, 1921-Jan. 14, 2005 John Eckhardt, 83, died Friday (Jan. 14, 2005) at Community Hospital of McCook. He was born Dec. 2, 1921, to Jacob and Katie (Heinbigner) Eckhardt in McCook. In 1926, the family moved to a farm near Culbertson where he grew up and graduated from Culbertson High School in 1938...

Jan. 8, 1923-Jan.13, 2005 Beatrice "Betty" Jean Burns died Thursday, Jan. 13, 2005, at McCook Community Hospital. She was 82 years old. Betty was born on Jan. 8, 1923, at Waterloo, Iowa, to James R. and Marguerite (Anderson) McMullen. She graduated from St. Mary High School in Waterloo and attended Loretta Heights College in Denver, Colo...

May 9, 1916-Jan. 14, 2005 ARAPAHOE -- Maxine Butter, 88, died Friday (Jan. 14, 2005) at the Arapahoe Good Samaritan Center in Arapahoe. She was born May 9, 1916, in Hayes County to Thomas and Essie (Wiley) Ungles. She grew up and graduated from rural school in Palisade...

March 6, 1913-Jan. 14, 2005 HOLDREGE -- Juddson Odell Davenport, 91, died Friday (Jan. 14, 2005) at the Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege. He was born March 6, 1913, to Isaac and Ella (Dempsey) Davenport in Hubbell. In March of 1920, the family moved to Orleans. He attended rural school and high school in Orleans, graduating from high school in 1931...

Nov. 14, 1932-Jan. 14, 2005 Arthur Lee Fritzler, 72, died Friday (Jan. 14, 2005) at Cambridge Manor Home in Cambridge. He was born Nov. 14, 1932 to Arthur and Leah Adalyn (Lebsock) Fritzler in Lincoln. They lived in Lincoln and York before coming to McCook. He was active in music and SWATS. He received many medals and ribbons in the Special Olympics. He was a member of 4-H for many years and attended Junior League Games...

May 27, 1933-Dec. 31, 2004 Harold Dean Williamson, 71, died Dec. 31, 2004, at New Braumfels, Texas, after a long battle with brain cancer. He was born May 27, 1933, to Clifford and Esther (Woods) Williamson in Stratton. After growing up in Nebraska he served in the Army and the Charlotte, S.C., police department...

Nov. 29, 1919-Jan. 15, 2005 HAYES CENTER -- James J. Griffiths, 85, of Hayes Center, died Saturday (Jan. 15, 2005) at Great Plains Regional Medical Center of North Platte. He was born Nov. 29, 1919, in Dickens to George and Gertrude Piper Griffiths...

July 25, 1931-Jan. 14, 2005 Eugene Milton "Gene" Hanson, 73, of McCook, died Friday (Jan. 14, 2005) at Bryan LGH in Lincoln. He was born July 25, 1931, in Beardsley, Kan., south of Stratton, to Clark and Edna (Canton) Hanson. He grew up in Stratton and graduated from Stratton High School in 1949...

Aug. 5, 1940-Jan. 15, 2005 TRENTON -- Bertha Lucille Jones, 64, died Saturday (Jan. 15, 2005) at her home in Trenton. She was born Aug. 5, 1940, to Henry and Lena (Cole) Anderson in Ovid, Colo. She grew up in Trenton and graduated from Trenton High School in 1958...

WAUNETA -- Hilda Roschewski, 93, died Saturday (Jan. 15, 2005) at Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. Survivors include her daughter, Elaine Jones and husband, Wally of Skialook, Okla., and Carolyn Anderson and husband, Ted of Wauneta; son, Danny Roschewski and wife, Sharla of Imperial; brothers, Martin Fortkamp and wife, Erma of Wauneta and Art Fortkamp and wife, Nina of Wauneta; sisters, Violet Long of Wauneta; daughter in law, Elaine Roschewski of Palisade; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.. ...

Dec. 29, 1925-Jan. 16, 2005 HAYS, Kan. -- Donald Leslie Brown, 79, died Sunday (Jan. 16, 2005) at Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kan. He was born Dec. 29, 1925, to Leslie and Vergie (Feaster) Brown in Rexford. He was raised in Rexford and attended school there...

Feb. 17, 1919-Jan. 17, 2005 LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Frederick Glenn "Fred" Harvey, 85, died Monday (Jan. 17, 2005) at Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Lawrence. He was born Feb. 17, 1919, to Freddie Lee and Dora (Denchfield) Harvey in Indianapolis, Ind. He was a graduate of Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis. ...

Oct. 20, 1924-Jan. 16, 2005 ATWOOD -- Lorraine Wilma (Dankert) Fleischacker, 80, died Sunday (Jan. 16, 2005). She was born Oct. 20, 1924, to Herbert and Anna (Nietfeld) Dankert in Palmer. On Sept. 19, 1943, she married Math Fleischacker of Ludell at Zion Lutheran Church. The couple made their home east of Ludell...

Dec. 4, 2001-Jan. 18, 2005 SELDEN -- Tristan George Michael Wessel, 3, died Tuesday (Jan. 18, 2005) at Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. He was born Dec. 4, 2001, to Michael and Heather (Waterman) Wessel in Oberlin. He was being raised on a farm northwest of Selden...

April 22, 1940-Jan. 19, 2005 Virginia "Ginny" Lavonne (Mitchem) Moore died Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2005, at her sister's home in Lincoln. She was 64 years old. Ginny was born on April 22, 1940, in McCook to Dale Jess and Fern Elizabeth (Worske) Mitchem. She was the second born of ten children. She attended McCook Public Schools. She moved to Milwaukee, Wis., and was employed as a nurse's aid at a hospital...

Nov. 5, 1951-Jan. 20, 2005 STANBERRY, Mo. -- Deva K. (Bentley) Vaught, 53, of Stanberry, Mo., died Thursday (Jan. 20, 2005) at Stanberry Health Care Center. She was born Nov. 5, 19551, to Ellis E. and Ruby L. (Wharton) Bentley in Gentry County, Mo. She was a member of the Church of Christ...

Sept. 24, 1909-Jan. 22, 2005 OBERLIN -- Ruby L. McKenna, 95, died Saturday (Jan. 22, 2005) at Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. She was born Sept. 24, 1909, to Louis and Carrie (Akers) Rolland near Bogue, Kan. She was raised in Bogue and attended country school...

Oct. 10, 1915-Jan. 20, 2005 Ella L. Porter, 89, died Thursday (Jan. 20, 2005) at the home of her niece in Sterling, Colo. She was born Oct. 10, 1915, to Lonnie and Pearl Jennie (Schroeder) Porter in Huntley. She grew up in Huntley and graduated from Huntley High School in 1933...

OMAHA -- Mona G. Phelps, 84, died Saturday (Jan. 22, 2005) at her home in Omaha. Mona obtained her psychiatric social work masters degree in 1957, from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and University of Nebraska at Lincoln combined. She worked 9 years at the Nebraska Psychiatric Institute in Omaha, leaving there in 1966. ...

Robert L. "Bob" Laird, 71, of Bartley, died Sunday (Jan. 23, 2005) at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital. He was born in Rocky Ford, Colo., to Edward and Velma (Sheets) Ritthaller. He was adopted by Chester "Chet" Laird on July 26 after his birth father died while he was still an infant...

Oct. 13, 1910-Jan. 24, 2005 CAMBRIDGE -- Lucile Williamson, 94, died Monday (Jan. 24, 2005) at the Cambridge Manor. She was born Oct. 13, 1910, in Furnas County to Alfred and Hilma (Olson) Johnson. She attended Blacktop School and Cambridge High School, graduating in 1928. While in high school she was the captain of the basketball team...

June 18, 1910-Jan. 25, 2005 ARAPAHOE -- Iva Pearl Breinig, 94, died Tuesday (Jan. 25, 2005) at CA Mues Good Samaritan Center in Arapahoe. She was born June 18, 1910, to Robert A. and Silva (Fischer) Richardson in Edison. She attended rural school and graduated from Arapahoe High School in 1929. She taught at a rural school northeast of Arapahoe called The Lone Tree School and then taught at Gardner School...

Sept. 22, 1907-Jan. 27, 2005 Burdette McGuire, 97, died Thursday (Jan. 27, 2005) at Hillcrest Nursing Home of McCook. He was born Sept. 22, 1907, to Walter J. and Katherine (Reiners) McGuire in Red Willow County. He grew up the Marion community and he attended Marion High School. He farmed on the family farm...

June 11, 1922-Jan. 26, 2005 GARDEN CITY, Kan. -- Floye Elizabeth "Betty" Ellis, 82, died Wednesday (Jan. 26, 2005) at the Garden Valley Retirement Village in Garden City, Kan. She was born June 11, 1922, to Fred and Flora (Bryan) Strohwig in Norton, Kan. She was raised in Selden and graduated from Selden High School in 1939. She attended Fort Hays State and Kansas University...

Feb. 18, 1914-Jan. 27, 2005 Viola Darlene Trout, 90, died Thursday, Jan. 27, 2005, at Community Hospital in McCook. She was born Feb. 18, 1914, to Glen and Wretha (Wilson) Scott in Hayes County. She grew up in Hayes Center and graduated from Hayes Center High School in 1932. She taught rural school for six years...

June 1, 1916-Jan. 27, 2005 OBERLIN -- Maxine Chambers, 88, died Thursday (Jan. 27, 2005) at Cedar Living Center in Oberlin. She was born June 1, 1916, to Wesley Amer and Matie Marie (Myers) Caster in Oberlin. She was raised in Nebraska and Canada. She had lived in Nampa, Idaho, Norcatur and Oberlin. She was a homemaker...

March 6, 1927-Jan. 26, 2005 TOPEKA, Kan. -- James Dean Godfrey died Wednesday (Jan. 26, 2005) at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Topeka, Kan. He was born March 6, 1927, to James and Goldie (Johnson) Godfrey in rural Selden. He was raised in Selden and attended country school there. He graduated from Selden High School...

Feb. 9, 1925 -- Jan. 28, 2005 Victor Peter Schneider died Friday (Jan. 28, 2005) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook at the age of 79. He was born Feb. 9, 1925, in Hayes County, the son of the late Peter T. and Mary C. (Giespert) Schneider. He grew up on the family farm in Hayes County where he graduated from rural school...

July 29, 1925-Jan. 29, 2005 ARAPAHOE -- Dorville Dale Whitson Sr., 79, died Saturday (Jan. 29, 2005) at Southview Manor Care Center in Cozad. He was born July 29, 1925, to Josiah W. and Alpha (Howe) Whitson in Birds, Ill. He attended school at Birds Public School through the eighth grade. He graduated from Lawrenceville High School in Lawrenceville, Ill., in 1942...

April 25, 1935-Jan. 28, 2005 Jackie Boehm, 69, of McCook, died Friday (Jan. 28, 2005) at her home in McCook. She was born April 25, 1935, to Leo and Anastasia (Wasia) Kotschwar at Hayes Center. She graduated from McCook High School in 1952. She lived in this area most of her life...