Stories from Monday, July 11, 2016

Roderick D. 'Rick' Waltemath, Sr. Sept. 15, 1944 - July 8, 2016 HASTINGS, Neb. -- Hastings resident, Roderick D. "Rick" Waltemath, Sr., 71, passed away July 8, 2016, at Perkins Pavilion Good Samaritan Society-Hastings Village in Hastings. Services will be Wednesday, July 13, 2016, 10:30 a.m. ...

Zackery A. Schnabel Oct. 14, 1996 - July 6, 2016 BRULE, Neb. -- Zackery A. Schnabel, 19, of Brule, passed away Wednesday, July 6, 2016, at McCook Community Hospital as a result of an automobile accident. Zack was born Oct. 14, 1996, at Ogallala, Neb., to Leon and Melanie (McConnell) Schnabel. He attended school in Big Springs and was a member of the graduating class of 2015...

Alma Jean (Ahlquist) Wilson Farr July 31, 1955 - July 8, 2016 NORTH PLATTE, Neb. -- Alma Jean (Ahlquist) Wilson Farr passed away Friday, July 8, 2016, at her home in North Platte after a courageous battle with cancer for the past 11 years. She was 60 years old...

Carol (Brecht) Erickson Nov. 10, 1936 - July 14, 2016 HOLDREGE, Neb. -- Mass of Christian Burial for Carol (Brecht) Erickson will be on Thursday, July 14, 2016, at 10:30 a.m. at the All Saints Catholic Church in Holdrege with Father Jamie Hottovy and Deacon Tim Danek officiating. Rosary will be recited prior to the Mass at the church at 9:30 a.m. Interment will be held at the Prairie Home Cemetery following the services...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The Southwest Nebraska Leadership Institute conducted its annual orientation for the 2016-17 class members in two sessions this year -- one in May and one in June to accommodate class members' busy schedules. Each evening began with an ice breaker followed by an overview of the history, requirements, expectations and rewards of going through the program...

McCOOK, Neb. -- The City of McCook's new contractor licensing program does not apply to companies doing siding, paint and certain other home improvements, according to officials. The city hopes to have the program fully implemented by Aug. 1 and questions pertaining to applicable services prompted McCook Building Inspector Barry Mooney to provide additional details this morning...

McCOOK, Neb. -- All the pieces came together just right. Someone donated an unfinished quilt kit to the church's Bargain Bazaar thrift shop. Then the shop's management and the church's Altar Society members asked shop volunteer and veteran quilt maker Eva Hofman if she would put it together for the church's annual fall festival...

Brad Hershberger, owner of Hershberger Music Co. in McCook, delivers a papier mache sculpture of his father, Floyd Hershberger (Jan. 12, 1927--March 7, 2011), to the High Plains Museum in downtown McCook, Tuesday afternoon. The sculpture, called "Always Fiddlin' Around" and dated November 1992, now looks over the museum from the mezzanine music room. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- When shoppers turn on to West C Street in downtown McCook, it's hard for them to miss the big new sign which now hangs alongside the Dream Day Spa letters on Alanna O'Byrne's massage therapy studio. The new sign's message comes through large, loud and clear: Quacky Quilter Haberdashery...

On one hand, the newest video game craze encourages exercise. On the other, it can have dangerous consequences. If you see someone staring at their screen and walking down the street, they may be playing a new "augmented reality" game. The game, Pokemon Go, has exploded in popularity since it was released Wednesday, sending players out into the real world to find online "pocket monsters" -- Pokemon. ...

My dad grew up in Presho, S. D. He came from a family of bakers and in that family everyone worked at the bakery and I suppose he expected to stay there indefinitely. However, with strong encouragement from my mother, in 1930 he took the step of leaving the family in South Dakota and locating in Plainview, in Northeast Nebraska. This leap of faith had its rewards, but it also was packed with uncertainty, hard work, and disappointments...

McCOOK, Neb. -- McCook Rotary Club recently recognized several members with various club awards. Perfect attendance was awarded to Ann Barger, Steve Batty, Melissa Propp, and Steve Rasmusen (1 year); Terri Shipshock (2); Tim Wiebe (3); Bryant Books (4); Melanie Goodenberger (8); Kellie Soden (9); Duane Tappe (10) and Joyce Anderson (13 years). ...

Douglas Jerome Talle Dec. 17, 1946 - July 9, 2016 MAYWOOD, Neb. -- Douglas Jerome Talle of Maywood, passed away Saturday, July 9, 2016 at Bryan LGH East in Lincoln, Neb. He was 69 years old. Doug was born on Dec. 17, 1946, in Steele County, North Dakota, to parents, Leonard Melvin and Ella Artha (Sorenson) Talle...

Howard L. Sumner Nov. 12, 1924 - June 29, 2016 NORCATUR,Kan. -- Howard L. Sumner passed away at home in rural Norcatur on June 29, 2016, at the age of 91 years old. He was born on Nov. 12, 1924, to Robert C. Sumner and Gracie Mae Spence Sumner in their Limestone rock home on the Long Branch Creek in Northwest Norton County. He continued to live in the small rock house with his parents and older sister, Dixie, until graduating from Norcatur High School...