Veterans in the Legion Cemetery section

One of the services our society provides is researching historical people or places. Michael Simmonds, our new Red Willow/Furnas County Veteran Service Officer, contacted Chris Christensen concerning an area in Memorial Park cemetery where a flag pole exists.

Chris, being a veteran himself, did the research and came back with not only the information requested but also the obituaries of the six servicemen laid to rest there. These, of course, are not the only veterans buried in Memorial Park.

There is a designated area listed for American Legion lots and specifically two of the headstones applications mentioned the Legion Lot by name. These six men are covered: John Leese, Lewis Lewison, Ellis Finney, Budd Browne, George Dooley and Harry S. Eichelberger. Chris found extensive service records on all six, so if any of them are ancestors of yours, you can contact SWNGS and he will provide those records to you.

I’m going to cover two of those men in this column, Browne and Finney.

Budd Browne obituary, July 27, 1934: Wednesday morning relatives and friends were shocked to learn of the death of Budd Browne at the Veterans hospital in Lincoln the night before. He was born in Hastings, December 14, 1888 and died at Lincoln July 25, 1934 at the age of 45 years, 7 months and 10 days. He came to this city with his parents when a small boy and has lived here most of the time since. After finishing school here he went to Alabama where he lived on a farm for several years. While there he went into the army and served overseas for 18 months on the various fronts, during which service he was gassed. No doubt this experience weakened his resistance to disease. After being discharged from the army he came here, where he has lived ever since. He was employed by the railroad until laid off because of the depression. Budd as he was familiarity known was a genius in many lines. He had a mechanical and inventive trend; as an architect and draftsman he was in the superior class, and had he chosen cartooning as a profession he no doubt could have been one of the topnotchers. He was entertaining and as a story teller of life’s experiences, sorrows and joys was unbeatable. Instead of commercializing on any one line he worked at all of them for the pleasure he received and which he disseminated to his friends. Budd was generous, good hearted and was a friend to everyone who knew him. One of his ambitions was to run the boat he made down to his farm in Alabama, return to the source of the Mississippi and travel on its various tributaries. The deceased is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Browne, sisters: Mrs. Minnie Ward and Mrs. Marvel Clark of McCook; Harmony Bragity of Denver; Gladys Stampe of Boise, Idaho; brothers Jay of Columbia, PA; Clifford of Waupua, Wisconsin and Eddie of Los Angeles. The body was brought back Thursday morning on No. 3 from Lincoln. A consort of Legionnaires met the body at the train and acted as a guard of honor while it was taken to the Pade Funeral home. Burial will be in the Legion Lot in Memorial Park.

Ellis Finney obituary from November 15, 1935: Funeral services for Ellis Finney of Athens, Texas, who died here October 23rd, were held Wednesday from the Gregg and Herrmann funeral home, in charge of the Legion. Mr. Finney was found ill in a box car (at Indianola by Clyde Prime) and brought here for treatment and died at St. Catherine’s hospital. Efforts have been made to have the remains returned to his former home but as arrangements could not be completed, the burial was here. It is understood his wife is a patient in a Texas sanitarium. Finney was thirty three and had an honorable discharge from the Navy. The American Legion has taken charge of the remains. He is survived by his wife, Pearl Finney of Athens and a sister, Mrs. Arie Thomas of Overton, Texas.

Two very different stories for two men who served our country but in both the American Legion made sure their service was honored in death.

SWNGS new location is 322 Norris Ave, Suite 2-7, in the Temple Building.