Stories from Monday, August 7, 2006

Jon and Ronda Graff of McCook announce the birth of a daughter, Emma Diane. She was born July 21, 2006, at Community Hospital in McCook. She weighed 8 pounds, 13.2 ounces and was 21 inches long. She has one sister, Anna, and four brothers, Alex, Andrew, Erik and Ethan. Grandparents are Pete and Dolores Graff and Ron Larson, all of McCook and the late Linda Larson...

Kyle and Kathy Smidt announce the birth of their daughter, Ashlyn Marie Smidt. She was born June 11, 2006, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces and was 22 inches long. Grandparents are Gilbert and DeEtte Smidt of Superior and Duane and Pat Fortkap of McCook. Great-grandparents are Leona Smidt of Superior, Martin and Erma Fortkamp of Wauenta and Don Smith of McCook...

Heath and Keri Wilkinson of Lincoln, announce the birth of their son, Josiah John. He was born June 30, 2006 and weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces and was 21 1/2 inches long. He was two sisters, Shayli Jane and Shawna Marie. Grandparents, great grandparents and great-great grandparents are Lew and Bev Gutherie of Holbrook; Earl Wilkinson, Grace Hanthorn, Marty and Jane Gutherie, and Ethel Beebe, all of McCook; Vernon and Bonnie Brenning of Culbertson and Les and Sue Fahrenbruch...

Kasandra Jo Drennan of Stinnett, Texas and Donnie Lynn Davis of Morse, Texas, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Greg and Carla Drennen of Stinnett and Scott and Debbie Davis of Morse. Grandparents are Roy and Karen May of Stinnett, Kathy and Louis Dodson of Fritsch, Texas, Lynn Davis of Morse, Texas and Edith Persinger of Oberlin. ...

Katherine Meyer and Blake Winder, both of Lincoln, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Jon and Annette Wacher of Murdock, Ron and Estela Meyer of Pittsford, N.Y., Dave and Michelle Bunnell of McCook, and Doug and Shellie Winder, also of McCook. ...

Jody Haag and Jeremy Joel, both of Lincoln, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Charles D. and Betsy Haag of Oberlin and Edward and Suzanne Joel of North Platte. Grandparents of the bride-to-be are Robert K. Cox of McCook and Charles and Nadean Haag of Wilsonville. ...

The children of Paul and Delores (Refior) Schneider request a card shower in honor of their parent's 55th wedding anniversary. They were married Aug. 9, 1951, at the Maranatha Bible Camp at Maxwell. Their children are Sherry and Bob Shults of Aurora, Colo., Pamela and Darrell Daum of Murdo, S.D., Paul and Diane Schneider of Newnan, Ga., Carl and Cindy Schnieder of Luthersville, Ga., and Robert and Karon Schneider of Luquillo, Puerto Rico. ...

The family of Joe and Thelma Matson of Trenton are hosting an open house celebration, Saturday, Aug. 12, 2-4 p.m., at the United Methodist Church in Trenton in honor of the couple's 50th wedding anniversary. The couple was married Aug. 18, 1956, in Winwick, England. Their children are Gary and Katy Matson of Trenton; Chuck and Denise Matson of Omaha; Kirt Matson of McCook; and Angie and Doug Rufenacht of Colorado Springs, Colo. They have 15 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren...

Kevin and Teresa Hodgson of McCook announce the birth of their daughter, Sydney Danielle Hodgson. She was born June 30, 2006, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte. She weighed 7 pounds, 101/2 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long. She has a sister, four year old Megan. Her grandparents are Paul Plummer and Dee Kenning-Plummer of Elwood and Alan and Alyce Hodgson of Aurora Ill...

The McCook Tennis Association in conjunction with the United States Tennis Association, sponsored a clinic and open tournament over the weekend. The clinic drew about 40 participants on Friday, with instruction given by North Platte native John Lehmer. Lehmer is a certified professional specializing in instruction, who also gives lessons to many players in the southwest Nebraska area...

LINCOLON -- Jessika Eckhardt and Christopher Botruff were united in marriage June 17, 2006, at Grace Chapel in Lincoln, with the Rev. Mike Hsu officiating. Parents of the couple are Darwin and Deb Crawford of McCook, John and Sherri Eckhardt of Minden and Barry and Penelope Botruff of Chadds Ford, Pa...

July 31, 1923 - Aug. 5 , 2006 Bernard H. "Matt" Mathews, died Saturday (Aug. 5, 2006) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook, at the age of 83. He was born July 31, 1923, at Leoti, Kan., the son of the late Roy T. and Edna May (Strobridge) Mathews. He grew up in Benkelman and Stratton area, where he graduated from Benkelman High School in 1940 and attended McCook Jr. College...

July 7, 1940 - Aug. 5, 2006 BEAVER?CITY -- Marvin F. Werner, Sr., 66, died Saturday (Aug. 5, 2006) at his home in Beaver City after a battle with cancer. He was born July 7, 1940, at Centerlia, Ill., to step-father Robert and mother Mildred N. (Speer) Russell...

Dec. 18, 1939 - July 31, 2006 ARLINGTON -- Rodney E. Esch, 66 of Arlington, died Monday (July 31, 2006) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha He was born Dec. 18, 1939, in Danbury, to Carl H. and Pauline (Burton) Esch. He attended Red Willow School and graduated in 1957 from Indianola High School. He attended McCook Community College and graduated from Northwest Missouri State College in Maryville, Mo...

Feb. 22, 1910 - Aug. 4, 2006 TRENTON -  Pauline Jones, 96, died Friday  (Aug. 4, 2006) at El Dorado Manor in Trenton.  She was born Feb. 22, 1910, at Culbertson to Frederick and Marie K. (Jugert) Rehn.  She grew up and attended school in Culbertson and married Lewis D. Jones in Culbertson on March 23, 1933.  They lived nine and a half miles southeast of Trenton until retiring and moving into Trenton. ...

The McCook City Council appears ready to offer a city manager contract, at its regular meeting tonight at 7:30 at the City Council Chambers. The council will reconvene in public session after the first of three scheduled executive sessions, to authorize City Attorney Rhonda Vetrovsky to enter into negotiations with a city manager candidate and report back to the City Council at the next meeting...

A record $43,000 was raised at the annual Relay For Life at Norris Park Friday night and Saturday morning, said Shane Smith, coordinator. With donations still coming in, a final amount will be tallied later this week, he said, with the money going to the American Cancer Society for cancer research...

McCook Junior College was able to field a football team the very first year (1926) that the College was in existence. They finished with a 2 win, 1 defeat season. However that was the last winning season until 1934---they did not field a team in 1933 for lack of numbers. Things picked up a bit in the late '30s and by World War II McCook teams were consistently respectable -- only to be stopped once more by the war. The 1944 and 1945 seasons were canceled altogether...

We're parochial enough to wish that someone from our immediate area could have been selected to replace David Hergert on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, and there were several qualified applicants. State Sen. Tom Baker of Trenton, Stewart Minnick of Cambridge and Kathy Wilmot of Beaver City all threw their hats in the ring, as did McCook Mayor Dennis Berry, before he withdrew his name...

Carli Jean Goodenberger of McCook and Alan Ross Oberg of Culbertson, were united in marriage on Saturday, May 6, 2006, at the McCook Christian Church. The candle light service was officiated by the Rev. Brandon Smith of Omaha. Parents of the couple are Gene and Deb Goodenberger of McCook and Alan and Kindra Oberg of Culbertson. ...

Sara Richter and Zac Richards, both of Hayes Center, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Randy and Lana Richter and Barry and Marion Richards, all of Hayes Center. Both are 2004 graduates of the University of Nebraska at Kearney. An Aug. 11, 2006, ceremony at Memorial United Methodist Church in McCook is planned...

The children of George and Peggy Pearson are hosting an open house and card shower in honor of the couple's 50th anniversary. They were married Aug. 12, 1956. The open house will be from 3 to 7 p.m. on Aug. 20, 2006 at the Community Building located on the Red Willow County fairgrounds. Cards of congratulations can reach the couple at #5 Brassie Drive, McCook, Ne 69001...