Stories from Tuesday, February 12, 2002

LINCOLN -- Kent and Lois Dodson of Lincoln announce the birth of their son, Joshua Kent on (Saturday) Feb. 2, 2002. He weighed 9 pounds, 5 ounces. He has a 21/2-year old brother, Joseph John. Grandparents are Joe and Gloria Dodson of North Platte and Marge and Gene Malleck of McCook...

HOLDREGE -- LaVada Harriette Havens, 80, died Friday (Feb. 8, 2002) at the Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege following a brief illness. She was born Feb. 24, 1921, in Minden, to Arthur and Mabel (Schneider) Pitts. She graduated from Minden High School and taught in rural schools until joining the Women's Army Corp in 1942...

TRENTON -- The Rev. Peter D. Todd, 72, died Friday (Feb. 8,2002) at his home in Trenton. He was born April 18, 1929 at Bristol, England to Miss Elsie Mae Cross. He was raised in Dunfermline, Scotland until the age of 15 when he joined the Royal Navy as a boy seaman. ...

ATWOOD -- Frank A. Vrbas, 90, died Monday (Feb. 11, 2002) at Omaha. He was a former resident of Rawlins County as well as Stratton. A Mass of Christian burial will be Friday, 10:30 a.m., at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church in rural Atwood with the Rev. Beryl Gibson officiating. Interment will be in the St. John's cemetery near Beardsley, Kan. A parish vigil and rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Thursday at the church...

NORTH PLATTE -- Hester D. Young, 88, died Saturday (Feb. 9, 2002) at Kenesaw. She was born Aug. 17, 1913, in Moorefield, to John and Sarah (Flanagan) Carlson. She grew up in the Moorefield area and graduated from Gothenburg High School in 1934. She married Spencer Young in 1938. They lived in various states while he was in the military and moved to North Platte following his discharge. She worked as a waitress...

ORLEANS -- Wayne L. Larison, 79, died Sunday (Feb. 10, 2002) at Harlan County Hospital at Alma. He was born June 8, 1922 at Orleans to James and Ethel (Russell) Larison. He was a lifelong resident of Orleans. On July 19, 1952, he married Maxine Shearer at Phillipsburg, Kan. He worked for Harlan County Road & Bridge Department for many years as well as farming southwest of Orleans...

BEAVER CITY -- Mary Jo Dutton, 55, died Saturday (Feb. 9, 2002) at the University Hospital in Omaha. She was born Oct. 28, 1946, in Lincoln, to Eugene and Eileen (Hayes) Messersmith. She graduated from Cambridge High School in 1965 and later attended Lincoln School of Commerce...

If I were to move my computer mouse, position a cursor directly over you, then double-click to open the file of your life, what desktop icon would you be? I asked that question a few days ago, in an "informal" survey of students, friends and workmates. (If Barbara Walters can go on national television and ask Katharine Hepburn what kind of tree she would be, can't I have a little harmless fun on my own time?)...

Dear Editor, Football fans, by now it is pretty well known that we have all survived the Rose Bowl and Super Bowl. I think we had another good year of football to enjoy, whether we were a winner or not. I know our family did, and at this time, I would like to express my thanks to the McCook Gazette for carrying another year of the Pigskin Picks Contest...

Now that we city taxpayers own a huge farm eight miles north of town, how about giving 40 acres to the car race noise-makers to move their track out of our residential area in McCook. We will certainly avoid future lawsuits with illegal noise levels created by the car race groups. And, homeowners who want some peace and quiet this summer on our tax-owned fair grounds land...

What sets America apart? Why have we become the greatest civilization in the history of the world? Of all the reasons -- and there are many -- nothing ranks higher in importance than the guarantee, for all, of a free public education. After leaving countries that favored the privileged few, America's founders had the common sense to realize that the benefits of education should be shared by all, no matter what their lot in life might be...

Margaret Ann "Peggy" Castle, 62, died Tuesday (Feb. 5, 2002) at Regional Medical Center in Sterling, Colo. She was born August 27, 1939, to Ira and Ann Castle in Indianola. In January of 1960 she married Gerold Fisher. She then married Charles David Ortiz in McCook . She later married Jhon Mattenklodt in Flemming, Colo...