Stories from Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Ellen Melissa Buk Palmer Jan. 21, 1916 - March 9, 2013 ATWOOD, Kansas -- Ellen Melissa Buk Palmer, 97, of Atwood, died Saturday March 9, 2013, at Good Samaritan Nursing Home. She was born Jan. 21, 1916, in Beaver City to Peter and Edith Keely Buk of Herndon. She married RJ (Buzz) Palmer in 1944 and she helped raise the children of her late husband...

Barbara Jean Goodrich Palmer Jan. 29, 1940 - March 10, 2013 ATWOOD, Kansas -- Barbara Jean Goodrich Palmer, 73, died March 10, 2013, at the Rawlins County Health Center. She was born Jan. 29, 1940, to Dorthy Ilene Chambers and David Franklin Goodrichin Cortez, Colorado...

94th birthday Kay Clesson of McCook, Nebraska, will celebrate her 94th birthday March 15. Cards of congratulations will reach her at Hillcrest Nursing Home, 309 W. Seventh, Room 212, McCook, NE 69001

Mary Pate of McCook manages to photograph a small clump of snow March 10, before it melts. The weekend storm left little on the ground in McCook, and contributed a scant .05 of an inch of precipitation. Mary used these settings: f/9.0,1/250, ISO 100, 135 mm. ...

I have been accused of being a "Pollyanna" more than once in my life, as if that was a bad thing. Pollyanna, you may recall, believed that hope held is hope fulfilled, and that hope shared is hope doubled, not halved. But where does hope come from? You can't buy it at the local discount store, saving by buying in bulk. ...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A plea agreement was reached in Red Willow County District Court with a McCook woman that admitted guilt to third offense drunk driving. The woman, 44-year-old Penny L. Sullivan of 1409 E. Fairacres, registered a blood alcohol content of (.29), more than triple the legal limit, following an eventful drive in October that led to her arrest...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A McCook man was sentenced to 240 days in Red Willow County jail after his probation was revoked for missing probation appointments and testing positive for marijuana. The offender, 21-year-old George W. Blankenship of 1407 West 16th Street, was originally sentenced to 24 months probation in 2010, after selling marijuana to a Nebraska State Patrol informant...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The USDA Farm Service Agency reminds farmers, ranchers and landowners of the sales closing date of Friday March 15, for the Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program. Red Willow-Frontier County's (FSA) Executive Director Kenneth Carriker, urges producers who want to purchase coverage through the Noninsurable Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) to do so before the sales closing date this Friday...

LINCOLN, Nebraska -- Attorney General Bruning has joined First State Bank Nebraska in issuing a consumer alert regarding letters claiming to be from Publishers Clearinghouse International Lotto Division. Fraudulent cashier's checks drawn on fake accounts from First State Bank Nebraska have been included in hundreds of letters received nationwide...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Upgrades are now in progress for an improved concession area, at the commons area at McCook Senior High. McCook Public School business manager Rick Haney told the McCook School Board Monday night at its regular meeting that the project is being done in-house and involves using an existing closet. He estimated the project to be completed by the end of the school year and that it will "serve kids faster and better for games."...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A bill pending in the Nebraska Legislature could affect matching retirement contributions at the McCook School system. McCook School Superintendent Grand Norgaard updated the school board Monday night at its regular meeting on LB 553, that creates reduced benefits for employees who are employed on or after July 1, 2013. ...

The population of Holbrook, Nebraska -- 225 -- grows by leaps and bounds and by the hundreds during the Lions Club's annual consignment sale Saturday. Matt McCann of Edison ran one of six rings of auction crews; his ringman, Dennis Long of Kearney, sold a Holbrook Co-Op advertising picture. ...

Otto W. 'Swede' Nilsson April 3, 1917-March 10, 2013 OMAHA, Nebraska -- Otto W. Nilsson of McCook and Omaha, Nebraska, died Sunday, March 10, 2013, at Oakland Manor Nursing Home in Oakland, Iowa. Otto would have turned 96 years old on April 3. Otto was born in 1917, in Almhult, Sweden, to Betty (Anderson) and Carl Nilsson. He was the second youngest of seven children: sisters Anagreta, Elsa, Ogda and Christina, and brothers Arvid and Gustaf...

McCOOK, Nebraska -- June E. Bahl, age 98, of McCook, Nebraska, died at the McCook Community Hospital on March 13, 2013. She was born in Marion, Nebraska, on June 9, 1914, to John and Ella (Worley) Sines. She grew up in McCook, graduating from McCook High School in 1932. She married L. "Bus" Bahl on February 16, 1935, he preceded her in death on Jan. 18, 2008. She was a member of the St. Patrick's Catholic Church Altar Society, American Legion Auxiliary and the VFW Auxiliary. June enjoyed bowling. She was employed for 32 years by the McCook Gazette, delivering the paper to all the small towns around McCook. Often she would take her mother or sister along to keep her company on the drive. June was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Bus; daughter, Judi Capple; four sisters, Myrtle Lafferty, Arvilla Smallburger, Ellen Keith, Ruth McKee; eight brothers, Harold, Guy, Lester, Iamn, Lyman, Merle, Garth, Ermil Sines. Survivors include her daughter, Janet and husband, Ron Thompson of Idaho Falls, Idaho; son, Jack and wife, June of North Platte; six grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and six step-great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be graveside at Fort McPherson National Cemetery in Maxwell on Friday, March 15, 2013, at 2 p.m. Memorial maybe in left in June's name to the McCook Humane Society. Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

July 13, 1908 - March 9, 2013 MAX, Nebraska -- Torsten Rickard Anderson was born July 13, 1908, in Osthamar, Sweden. Torsten was the third child of six children born to Joakim and Ellen (Willners) Andersson, spending his earlier childhood in Sweden. Torsten's uncle, Sanford Stoneberg, had emigrated from Sweden in 1886 and established a ranching operation in Dundy County, Nebraska. During a trip to Sweden by Mr. Stoneberg, it was decided that Torsten and his older brother, Carl Birger (Bill) would join their uncle in America. After crossing on the Swedish-American liner 'Gripsolm' and completing the necessary procedures at Ellis Island and elsewhere, Torsten, age 17 and Bill, age 21, arrived in Max, Nebraska, in December 1925. They made their home on the ranch northwest of Max and began learning the language, customs, and routines of rural southwest Nebraska life. Since immigrating to the United States, Torsten has returned to his native Sweden 14 times, the first time in 1954 on the same ship, the 'Gripsolm' that he and his brother sailed on their initial trip 29 years earlier. His latest trip to Sweden was in 1998 during which he celebrated his 90th birthday with family and friends. During his years of service and benefit to this area, Torsten served as a director of State Bank, Benkelman for twenty-two years, on the board of trustees of the Sarah Ann Hester Memorial Home for six years, as the Treasurer of rural school district No. 10 for many years and on the Dundy County Cemetery Board for over nineteen years. Torsten was a truly remarkable individual, quick of mind and wit. His ability to remember events past and current, and attaching them to names was amazing. He made an effort to work at something on the ranch for a part of each day, piling deadfall tree limbs, hoeing musk thistle, checking fence, whatever.... even though he was in his nineties!! Torsten passed away Saturday afternoon, March 9, 2013, at the Sarah Ann Hester Memorial Home of Benkelman. He was 104 years of age. Survivors include a sister, Svea Nilsson; twelve nieces and nephews, many grand-nieces and nephews and other relatives, all living in Sweden, as well as a great number of friends living here and elsewhere in the United States. Torsten was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Gosta, Carl Birger, Nils, and Ake. Funeral services will be Saturday morning, March 16, 2013, 10:30 a.m. (MT) at the Forch Funeral Chapel, Benkelman, with Pastor Sheila Taylor officiating. Interment will follow at the Benkelman Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday afternoon, March 15, 2013, 2- 6 p.m.. (MT) at Forch Funeral Chapel, Benkelman. A memorial has been established to the Sarah Ann Hester Memorial Home of Benkelman or donor's choice. Forch Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Penny Faye Havel Nov. 27, 1943 - March 12, 2013 McCOOK, Nebraska -- Penny Havel died Tuesday (March 12, 2013) at the Golden Living Center in Cozad. Funeral services will be Monday, March 18, 2013, at 10 a.m. at Evangelical Free Church in McCook with the Rev. Jon Albrecht officiating. Burial will follow at 3:30 p.m. at the Kearney Cemetery, Kearney, Nebraska. Visitation will be Sunday, March 17, 2013, from 4-8 p.m. at Carpenter Breland Funeral Home. Friends may go online at www.carpenterbrelan.com to extend condolences. Memorials may be given in her name. Carpenter Breland Funeral Home of McCook is in charge of the arrangements.