Viela June Eskew

April 13, 1913-July 1, 2011

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Viela June Eskew, the second daughter of Clemet Samuel and Eliza Alice (Dewey) Fleming, was born April 13, 1913, in Morgan County, Colorado, and departed this life Friday, July 1, 2011, at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook, Nebraska. She was 98 years old.

June grew up in a sod house and was the second of five girls. She attended school in Trenton, Nebraska and graduated from the eighth grade as valedictorian. She moved to Scottsbluff and Mitchell, Nebraska area, graduating from the Mitchell High School in 1931, and Phillips University Nursing School in Enid, Oklahoma, in 1938.

From the premie station at Cook County Hospital in Chicago to the U.S. Army was quite a change for this Nebraska farm girl. She served her country in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, as a Captain, from Nov. 3, 1942 to April 20, 1946, in the 31st General Hospital as a surgical nurse and taught surgical technique to corpsman, during World War II in the Pacific Theatre in the Philippines.

June began work in Imperial, Nebraska as the Superintendent of the Imperial Community Hospital, where she worked assisting in emergency surgery, obstetrics and was in charge of the nursing staff. She met and married Virgil Milton (Bud) Eskew in Oberlin, Kansas on Jan. 3, 1947. They adopted a baby girl, born in October of 1948, and named her Kathryn Lynn. She became their pride and joy!

They moved to Lincoln, Nebraska where June worked at Bryan Hospital as obstetric supervisor. Shortly thereafter, Bud moved the family to Washington, D.C. where he worked for the Department of Agriculture. They lived there for eight years before moving back to Colorado, where they lived until Bud's death in 1985. They had the opportunity to travel to many places in the United States and around the world. After Bud's death, she moved to Lincoln for seven years and then to McCook in 1997.

June was a member of the Order of Eastern Star, the American Legion Auxiliary and McCook Christian Church. She enjoyed her 50 year career in nursing, her family, and the many friends from her travels.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Clem and Eliza; husband, Bud in July of 1985; four sisters, Alice Brott, Gladys Thumser, Neva Myers and Beulah "Boots" Jenkins; great-nephew, Jeffrey Myers; and special friends, William and Flora McKune;

Survivors include daughter, Kathryn of Manassas, Virginia; nieces and nephews, Richard and Jolene Myers of Boulder, Colorado, Cheri and Jerry Beckenhauer of McCook, Steven Myers of Boston, Massachusetts, Neva June Beaver of Mexico, Missouri, Vera Ferne and Clyde Johnson of Georgetown, Texas, and Duane Fleming Brott of Chico, California; great nieces and nephews, Bob and Monica Myers, Brock and Lori Myers, Lynette and Michael Holloway, Scott and Michalene Beckenhauer and Lisa and Daniel Pomajzl; great-great nieces and nephews, Dane, Hanna, Natalie, Taylor, Mackenzee, Josiah, Christian, Regan, Brooklynn, Grant, Gabe and Luke.

Memorials may be given in her name to McCook Christian Church.

Visitation is Wednesday morning, 9-11 a.m. CDT, at McCook Christian Church.

Funeral services are Wednesday, July 6, at 1:30 p.m. CDT, at McCook Christian Church in McCook with Jerry Beckenhauer officiating. Burial is Wednesday, 2:30 p.m. MDT, in the Mount Hope Cemetery in Imperial, Nebraska.

Friends may sign her book at the funeral home or send condolences online at www.carpenterbreland.com.

Carpenter Breland Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.