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ANDERSEN, Dale E., 86, of Kearney died Tuesday, April 16, 2013, at his home, after a year and one-half's illness
Memorial services: Monday at O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home
Burial will be later at Kearney Cemetery. Born Jan. 11, 1927, in Seneca
Parents: Ernest W. and Verna E. (Yost) Andersen
Married: 1947, to Anna "Grace" Rodewald
Survivors include his beloved Grace; son, Myron Andersen and Ruth Gove; daughter, Patty DeFrance and her husband, Jerry; grandchildren, Chad Andersen and his wife, Tracy, Stacy Andersen Bivona and her husband, Blake, and Audra DeFrance Gilman and her husband, Brian; great-grandchildren, Owen, Tripp and Tye Andersen, Chase and Brandt Gilman and Cash Bivona; sisters, Char Taylor and her husband, Loren, and Kay Wolfenden and her husband, Leroy; brothers, Bill and his wife, June, Wes and Jim; and many cousins, nephews, nieces, friends and neighbors
Was one of 15 children in his family; learned the value of hard work; attended school in Seneca
Worked with his father in his tank wagon business, also for Burlington Northern Railroad until 1949, when the advent of the diesel train engines reduced the roundhouse gang; learned heavy equipment operation with Roberts Construction Co. out of Lincoln; lived in their trailer house, and moved with the company
Settled in Broken Bow, worked for the Custer County Highway Department for 40 year; retired as shop foreman
Purchased a small grocery store in Broken Bow, mostly staffed by Grace and their children; later the store was sold; then purchased Arrow Carwash; retired in 1992
Activities: after retiring, enjoyed traveling, and wintering in Texas; then built a new home in Kearney; member of First United Methodist Church
Was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Joyce, Mae McLaughlin and Verna Ellajean; and brothers, Gerald, Don DeVern, Edwin, Jack, Larry Yost and Dennis Yost
Memorials: Seneca Cemetery or First United Methodist Church in Kearney
Kearney Hub, 20 April, 2013
AYERS, Mark Stephen, 58, of rural Kearney died Saturday, April 6, 2013, at a local residence
Celebration of life service: Saturday at O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home
Burial: Kearney Cemetery
Born Dec. 17, 1954, in Hastings
Parents: Arden "Art" and Joan (Haried) Ayers
Married: March 16, 1991, to Debbie Boulware
Survivors include his wife; son, Sean Ayers; daughters, Kimberly Ayers-Slagle and her husband, Mike, Michelle Ayers and companion Chris Graczyk, Katy Ayers and Megan Ayers, all of Kearney; six grandchildren whom he adored; his father of Kearney; sisters, Pam (Ayers) Paez and her husband, Willie, of Parker, Colo., and Andrea (Ayers) Gwynn and her husband, Robyn, of Dallas, Pa.; brother, Charles Ayers and his wife, Pam, of Omaha; and several nieces and nephews
Was an active co-owner of Kearney's first minigolf course at age 19, was employed at Vend-it and Stewart Sandwiches; was a finance manager at Beneficial and AVCO Finance, a manager at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 759 in Kearney, then co-owner of Ayers Distributing
Activities: active in the Sowers Club of Lincoln, Kiwanis, VFW Post 759, Elks Club 914, American Legion Post 52 and Fraternal Order of Eagles 2272; loved his family and Great Danes; enjoyed watching Husker games, collecting coins, golfing and bowling, and outdoor activities of boating, landscaping, hiking and fishing at his home at Summer Haven Lake
Was preceded in death by his mother; grandparents, Lucille Callahan, LaVerne Ayers, Helen Huffman and Leonard Haried
Kearney Hub, 11 April, 2013
BUTLER, David Ronald, 52, of Kearney died Wednesday, April 17, 2013, at his home
Memorial services: Monday at New Life Assembly
Burial: Kearney Cemetery
Mortuary: O'Brien Straatmann Redinger
Born May 27, 1960, in Kearney
Parents: Donald G. and Ardith E. (Allen) Butler
Married: Feb. 29, 2000, Merry Veal in Kearney
Survivors include his wife; sons, Daniel Butler of Hastings and Zachary Butler and his fiancée, Mary McAtee, of Ames, Iowa; daughters, Jessie McCleary of Pullman, Wash., and Hayden Butler of West Des Moines, Iowa; his parents of Kearney; brothers, Alan Butler and wife, Jill, of Elkhorn, Jon Butler and his wife, Jacquie, of Kearney and Brad Butler and his wife, Chris, of Loomis; several nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends; and special friends, Jake and Abbi Kolar of Kearney and Darrin and Denise Hunt of Elm Creek
Received graduated from Kearney High School, 1978
Worked for several departments, including Kearney Police Department, Kearney County Sheriff's Department, York Police Department and Hall County Sheriff's Department and had recently celebrated his 22nd year with the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department
Activities: enjoyed working on his 1953 Ford F-100 truck named "Hazel" and woodworking
Was preceded in death by his grandparents, an aunt, a nephew
Memorials: CaringBridge, Melanoma Research Foundation or Good Samaritan Hospice
Kearney Hub, 20 April, 2013
CLINEBELL, Theodore "Ted", 51, of Sumner, formerly of Kearney, died Sunday, April 28, 2013, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney
Memorial services: Wednesday at Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney
Burial: Kearney Cemetery
Born May 28, 1961, in St. Louis
Parents: Samuel and Sandra (Shada) Clinebell
Survivors include the love of his life, Sherry Kelly of Sumner; mother, Sandy Ruhter of Kearney; brother, Billyjo Clinebell of Kearney; sisters, Terri Clinebell and Dee Liner and her husband, Dan, of Kearney; 14 grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; stepdaughters, Desiree Liebschwager, Kassidy Hurlbutt and Token Brown, all of Kearney, and Briean Smith of Lincoln; and stepson, Zach Steele of Kearney
Owned his own concrete business in Kearney and Sumner for many years; lived in Kearney, moved to Sumner in 2006; became ill in 2008 but continued to pour concrete
Activities: enjoyed working, fishing, gardening and taking care of his animals; also liked cutting wood, sitting by his wood stove; enjoyed time with friends, and especially with his family
Was preceded in death by his grandparents; his father; brother, Sammy Clinebell; and stepfather, Delmont Ruhter
Kearney Hub, 30 April, 2013
DOUGLAS, Marlene Glee, 80, of Sun City West, Ariz., formerly of Clarks and Ravenna, died of leukemia Sunday, April 14, 2013, at Brookestone Meadows in Elkhorn
Memorial services: Wednesday at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Clarks
Burial: Calvary Cemetery near Clarks
Mortuary: Solt in Central City
Born Jan. 4, 1933, in Fairfield
Parents: Floyd O. and Genevieve L. (Widga) Morris
Married: Aug. 11, 1949, William R. "Bill" Douglas. He died April 28, 2000
Survivors include her sons and their wives, Robert and Connie Douglas of Spearfish, S.D., Greg and Mary Douglas of Clarks and Mike and Cindy Douglas of Crestline, Calif.; daughters and their husbands, Diane and Mark Sutko of Kearney, Debra and Randy Dexter of Central City and Denise and Andy Bolling of Ravenna; grandchildren, Darin Douglas, Tara Newlin, Carrie Schnabel, Katie Twit, Nick Sutko, Doug Sutko, Jessica Sutko, Jason Douglas, Judd Douglas, Willie Douglas, Sarah Tlamka, Anne Haas, Joe Dexter, Ben Holloway, Dan Bolling, Betsy Larkin and Drew Bolling; 31 great-grandchildren and she was looking forward to the birth of her 32nd; sisters and their husbands, Patricia and Bill Wurtz of Clarks, Janice and Dale Hogan of Lincoln and Floydene Brown of Hershey; brother, Gary Morris and his wife, Elaine, of Waverly; and many nieces, nephews and friends
Grew up in and attended school in Chapman and Clarks
After marriage, lived in Clarks, owned and operated Wm. Douglas and Co. Grocery; moved to Ravenna, 1982, owned and operated Doug's Super; retired in 1987, spent time between Sun City West and Clarks; moved permanently to Sun City West, 1993; continued to live in Sun City West until her illness
Activities: belonged to St. Peter's Catholic Church in Clarks, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Ravenna and Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Sun City; member of the Red Hats, Nebraska Club, Elks, Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary and P.E.O. Chapter CB; enjoyed traveling, baking delicious pies, reading the newspaper, and playing cards and games, especially spending time with family and friends
Was preceded in death by her husband, parents and two great-grandchildren, Elizabeth and Joseph Tlamka
Kearney Hub, 16 April, 2013
FLORELL, Russell B. "Rusty", 90, of Kearney, formerly of Elm Creek, died Monday, April 22, 2013, at Mother Hull Home
Services: Friday at Kearney Evangelical Free Church
Burial: Kearney Cemetery with military
Mortuary: O'Brien Straatmann Redinger
Born Sept. 15, 1922, in Holdrege
Parents: Oscar and Hazel (Bragg) Florell
Married: Aug. 31, 1942, to Arlene Reiter at Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Holdrege
Survivors include his wife; sons, Eugene and his wife, Barbara, Arlin and his wife, Sally, and Kelly and his wife, Robin, all of Elm Creek; daughter, Shelly Miller and her husband, Larry, of Kearney; 19 grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and sister, Audrey Reiter of Holdrege
Was one of three children in his family; attended the Snow Ball Country School in Phelps County, received an honor for 32 months of perfect attendance; completed the ninth grade and then quit school to work on building a swimming pool in Holdrege to earn money and to help at home; had many jobs, including working in beet fields, watermelon fields, at the Elm Creek alfalfa mill and for Union Pacific Railroad on the extra gang; also worked in the coal mines in Rock Springs, Wyo., with his three brothers-in-law
Military: U.S. Army Air Corps, served during World War II, sent to India where he flew "The Hump" (China, India, Burma) as a fuel tender; was discharged in 1946
Returned to Nebraska, farmed and raised livestock at Wilcox; in 1953, purchased a country filling station, which later became known as Rusty's Platte Service; had a tank wagon service and service shop;also shelled corn; expanded into the fertilizer business; retired in 1990
Activities: enjoyed many years of traveling, and wintering in Arizona; member of VFW and American Legion, was honored to be a part of the Hero Flight, which honored WWII veterans; active member of Holcomb Evangelical Free Church near Holdrege where he was confirmed, baptized and served many years; had a passion for cars, enjoyed golfing, stock car and drag racing, and bowling
Was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Edward
Kearney Hub, 24 April, 2013
GLASER, Alfred Cletus "Alf", 83, of Kearney, formerly of Spalding, died Friday, April 26, 2013, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney
Services: Tuesday at St. Michael's Catholic Parish Center in Spalding
Burial: parish cemetery with military honors
Mortuary: Dolce-Scheef in Spalding
Born Nov. 25, 1929, in Spalding
Parents: Albert A. and Mary E. (Langer) Glaser
Married: Nov. 29, 1958, to Rosella "Rosie" Crosby at St. John's Catholic Church in Omaha
Survivors include his wife; sons, Greg Glaser and Allen Glaser and his wife, Tammie, all of Kearney, Jerry Glaser and his wife, Vickie, of Seward, Kenny Glaser and his wife, Stacy, of Shelton and Larry Glaser and his wife, Angie, of Springfield, Mo.; 18 grandchildren; sisters, Sister Joan Miriam Glaser of St. Catharine, Ky., and Mary Helen Cannon and her husband, James, of Grand Island; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends
Was baptized and confirmed at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Spalding, received his elementary and high school education at Spalding Academy and graduated in 1948
Military: U.S. Army during the Korean War, served two years in Army Aviation
Attended University of Nebraska at Omaha and Emporia State University while flying back and forth to operate a seed house and aerial crop dusting business he started in Spalding
After marriage, lived on a farm near Spalding, continued to operate the seed house and crop dusting business along with farming; was also a certified aircraft mechanic and commercial, instrument and multi-engine rated pilot, flying both airplanes and helicopters; was in aircraft sales and service and was a distributor for North American Aircraft; lived in the Spalding area, moved to Kearney in 2003
Received numerous awards, including Airman of the Year in 1980 from the Nebraska Aviation Trade Association and the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award in 2007 for 50 years of aircraft mechanics service; was inducted into the Nebraska Aviation Hall of Fame in 2006; survived six airplane crashes and one helicopter crash during his flying career
Activities: member of St. Michael's Church in Spalding and more recently St. James Church in Kearney; member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Knights of Columbus, Flying Farmers of America and the NATA, in which he served as president for several years; was an accomplished player of the accordion and piano and enjoyed singing; loved the Lord, wife Rosie and their five sons, enjoyed flying, fishing, hunting, trapping, music, attending auctions and spending time with family and friends
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Vincent J. and his wife, Irene, Donald A. and his wife, Mary, and Jerome "Mick"; sister, Elaine Cannon and her husband, Robert D.; and nephew, Robert A. Cannon
Kearney Hub, 29 April, 2013
HARVEY, Everett W., 96, of Ashland, formerly of Gibbon, died Monday, April 22, 2013, at Ashland Care Center
Services: Monday at Faith United Church in Gibbon
Burial: Riverside Cemetery in Gibbon
Mortuary: O'Brien Straatmann Redinger - Miller Godberson of Gibbon
Born Nov. 28, 1916, in a sod house on the family homestead in Wheeler County near Spalding
Parents: James and Rosa (Hemenway) Harvey
Married: Aug. 11, 1935, to Mabel Webb. She died Nov. 10, 1999
Survivors include his son, Don Harvey and his wife, Sharon, of Ashland; daughter, Shirley Morgan and her husband, Galen, of Lincoln; six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews
Attended District 37 school
After marriage, worked on ranches in the area until March 1946, then moved to Ingam on a rented farm; bought a farm near Loup City, 1951; also worked in the Sherman County Assessor's Office; later moved to Kearney and worked for Rockwell Manufacturing Co. for 15 years; moved to Gibbon and was active in the Good Samaritan Camping Club; lived at Hearthside Assisted Living Center in Gibbon, and recently moved to Ashland Care Center to be closer to family
Activities: served on school boards, was chairman of the Sherman County Farm Bureau; loved to travel, visited all 50 states and most of the provinces in Canada
Was preceded in death by his wife; sister, Minnie Wolf; brother, Marion Harvey; and great-grandson, Brandon Morgan
Memorials: Gibbon Volunteer Fire Department
Kearney Hub, 27 April, 2013
HAWTHORNE, Russell "Rusty", 48, of Kearney, formerly of Minden, died Friday, April 26, 2013, near Minden
Memorial services: Wednesday at Kuper Field in Minden
Burial of cremains: Minden Cemetery
Mortuary: Layton-Craig in Minden
Born Feb. 28, 1965, in Lincoln
Parents: Kenneth and Sandra (Miller) Hawthorne
Married: Aug. 25, 1984, to Shelly Madsen
Survivors include his wife of Summer Haven; sons, Ryan and Zach, both of Summer Haven; his parents of Waverly; sisters, Kendy Pagles of Waverly and Terri Hawthorne of Lincoln; father-in-law, Tom Madsen and his wife, Franny, of Kearney; mother-in-law, Betty Wood and her husband, Bruce, of Lincoln; sister-in-law, Norie Phelps and her husband, Doug, of Salem, Ore.; and brother-in-law, Jamie Madsen and his wife, Jenny, of Minden
Grew up in Waverly, graduated from Waverly High School in 1983
Began working at Goodyear in Lincoln; after marriage, lived in Waverly, moved to Minden, 1999, farmed in the Minden area; moved to Summer Haven four years ago
Activities: enjoyed boating, camping, hunting and fishing, sprint car racing, motorcycles, being at the lake, "Grandma Madsen's" cooking, but mostly food in general; enjoyed spending time with his family and friends; was great with his hands and could tackle any remodeling, home improvement or gear-head project with ease
Was preceded in death by his grandparents and a brother in-law, Rob Pagles
Memorials: Rusty Hawthorne memorial fund
Kearney Hub, 29 April, 2013
HEGARTY, Thomas J., 77, of Kearney died Monday, April 8, 2013, at Good Samaritan Hospital
No burial
A traditional Irish wake: Friday at Play Pen Lounge
Mortuary: O'Brien Straatmann Redinger
Born April 6, 1936, in Heartwell
Parents: John, and Margaret (Cahill) Hegarty
Married: 1968, to Sandra (Sandy) Moore in McCook. In 2003, she preceded him in death
Survivors include his loving children: son, Terry Sayer of Stamford and daughters, Raegan Hegarty of Arvada, Colo., and Deborah Hegarty of Kearney; and his two favorite grandchildren, Jessica Rheome of Thorton, Colo., and Daniel Rheome of Kearney
Graduated from Minden High School in 1955
Military: U.S. Army
Was manager of the Holdrege Elks Lodge 1968-1978, then was owner/operator of O'Hegartys steakhouse in Heartwell; later was manager of the Elks Lodges in Kearney, Lakewood, Colo., and Farmington, N.M.; was manager of Sonic in Bloomfield, N.M., and was Bloomfield Citizen of the Year in 1999
Activities: member of the Elks Club, Eagles and American Legion Post 52; enjoyed eating at the Senior Center; was a Chicago Cubs fan; enjoyed cooking
Was preceded in death by his wife, four brothers, two sisters and countless friends
Kearney Hub, 11 April, 2013
HELSER, Laurene C., 94, of Kearney died Tuesday, April 16, 2013, at her home
Services: Thursday at O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney
Burial: Shelton Cemetery
Born May 26, 1918, in Shelton
Parents: Cleo and Nellie (Ross) Mayfield
Married: Jan. 1, 1935, to Marvin Helser in Smith Center, Kan. He preceded her in death
Survivors include her daughters, Marlene Andrews and her husband, Loyd, of Kearney and Marcella Helser of Cheyenne, Wyo.; and nephew, Don Mayfield of Shelton
Grew up in Shelton, graduated from Shelton High School in 1935
After marriage, lived in Shelton; moved to Kearney, 1969; worked at the turkey hatchery in Shelton, Silas Mason Ordnance Plant, the turkey plant in Gibbon and Baldwin Filters
Activities: was baptized a Presbyterian and attended the United Methodist Church; was a former member of the "Extra Mile in Shelton" extension club; hobbies included crocheting and gardening; enjoyed roses and canning
Was preceded in death by her husband; parents; brother, Stewart Mayfield; and sister-in-law, Charlotte Mayfield
Memorials: Shelton Historical Society
Kearney Hub, 17 April, 2013
HESS, Bonnie B. (Swearingen), 82, of Kearney died Wednesday, April 24, 2013, at Mount Carmel Home Keens Memorial
Graveside services: Saturday at Overton Cemetery
Mortuary: O'Brien Straatmann Redinger in Kearney
Born Sept. 12, 1930, at home north of Miller
Parents: Clyde and Pricilla (Wood) Swearingen
Married: 1988, to Glenn Hess. He preceded her in death
Survivors include her brothers, Leonard Swearingen of Litchfield and Junius Swearingen of Ogallala; and sister, Carolyn K. Richards of Riverdale
Kearney Hub, 25 April, 2013
HOFFMAN, Dick L., 61, of Kearney died Saturday, April 27, 2013, at Good Samaritan Hospital
Memorial services: Thursday at Litchfield Cemetery
Mortuary: Rasmussen in Ravenna
Born July 28, 1951, in Kearney
Parents: Darwin and Arline (LeDroit) Hoffman
Survivors include his son, Michael Workman of Denver; mother, Arline Slocum of Kearney; brothers and sisters-in-law, Tim and Dianne Hoffman of Loup City and Greg and Pam Hoffman of Ravenna; and sister and brother-in-law, Brenda and Kevin Malsbury of Aurora
Graduated from Broken Bow High School, attended Kearney State College in Kearney
Worked road construction all of his life in many places
Was preceded in death by his father and four brothers
Kearney Hub, 29 April, 2013
HOLSCHER, Willis Dean, 86, of Kearney died Sunday, April 14, 2013, at Mother Hull Home
Services: Wednesday at Holy Cross Lutheran Church
Burial: Highland Cemetery in Bertrand
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl
Born May 3, 1926, in Phelps County
Parents: William and Bernice (Dannehl) Holscher
Married: April 29, 1951, to Alice Debban
Survivors include his wife; sisters-in-law, Clarice Schievelbein of Kearney and Corrine Schumacher of Jeffersonton, Va.; and eight nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends
Was baptized on May 23, 1926, and confirmed on June 23, 1940, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Bertrand; received his education in rural schools in Phelps County
After marriage, lived on a farm northeast of Bertrand; moved to Kearney in 1989
Activities: was an active member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Bertrand, served terms as an elder, financial secretary and chairman of the congregation; member of the co-op elevator board of directors, served on the rural fire district board and did volunteer work at the Phelps County Museum in Holdrege; in Kearney, member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church; did volunteer work at Holy Cross, the Lutheran Chapel at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kearney Area Children's Museum, Habitat for Humanity and Kearney Area Community Theatre; donated toys that he had made or repaired; sewed more than 3,000 quilts and quilt tops for various charities
Was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Bernard; sister-in-law, Delores; and brothers-in-law, Carroll Schumacher and Glen Schievelbein
Memorials: Lutheran Family Social Services in Omaha
Kearney Hub, 16 April, 2013
HOTHEM, Naomi Marie, 81, of Sumner, died Sunday, April 28, 2013, at Mount Carmel Keens Memorial in Kearney
Celebration of life: Saturday, United Church of Sumner - East Campus
Burial: Sumner Cemetery
Mortuary: Reynolds-Love in Lexington
Born Aug. 8, 1931, in Amherst
Parents: Trever and Lindsay (Patterson) Williams
Married: Dec. 24, 1949, to Jake Hothem near Lexington
Survivors include her husband of 64 years; son, Greg Hothem and his wife, Kathy, of Sumner; daughters, Cheryl Brazee and her husband, Tom, of Hickman, Leslie Hollibaugh and her husband, Dale, of Omaha and Rochelle Johnson and her husband, Mike, of Waverly; 12 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; sisters, Audrey Naef and her husband, Norm, of Winchester, Ore., and Doris White of Woodland, Calif.; brothers, Thurman Williams of Eddyville, Johnnie Williams and his wife, Dorothy, of Coquille, Ore., and Marion Williams and his wife, LaVaughn, of Winchester; brother-in-law, Dick Kleiber of Denver; sister-in-law, Hope Williams of Overton; and many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends
Was the youngest of 12 children in her family, graduated from Riverdale High School in 1948, then earned her teaching certificate; taught for a time at Park Valley School District 79, which was about seven miles north of Sumner
After marriage, lived on a farm; worked at Plectron Corp. in Overton, Walmart and the United Church in Sumner
Activities: was a faithful member of her church in Sumner, taught vacation Bible school, directed the choir; loved children and music; sang in a quartet called Redeemed; volunteered with the American Red Cross Bloodmobile
Was preceded in death by her parents; grandson, Brian; great-granddaughter, Angelita; sister, Lois Huff; brothers, Silas, Dwight, Stan, Bob and Bill; sisters-in-law, Luella Williams, Audrey Williams, Jean Williams, Bonnie Porter, Marjorie Potter, Esther Hothem, Susan Triplett and Rea Kleiber; and brothers-in-law, Bill Potter, Charles Hothem, Roland Triplett, Harold Huff, Lloyd Porter, Glen Naffziger and Joe White
Memorials: Naomi Hothem Memorial Music Scholarship Fund
Kearney Hub, 1 May, 2013
LEAF, Alfred C. "Al", 78, of Kearney died Saturday, April 20, 2013, at Ravenna Good Samaritan Society Nursing Home
Services: Thursday at Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney
Burial: Kearney Cemetery with military honors
Born May 2, 1934, in Brady
Parents: Alan and Nancy (Johnson) Leaf
Married: Dec. 30, 1964, to Helen White in Ogallala
Survivors include his wife; stepdaughter, Shari Hoos and her husband, Ron, of Amherst; stepgrandsons, Monte Trampe and his wife, Tammy, and Wade Trampe, all of Amherst; stepgranddaughters, Stacy Shada and her husband, Damon, of Grand Island and Stephanie Simmons and her husband, Craig, of Miller; brother, Gordon Leaf and his wife, Joan, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; 10 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews
Graduated from Brady High School in 1951
Military: U.S. Army, Nov. 28, 1956 - Nov. 19, 1958
Moved to Kearney, sold seed corn for Dekalb; was a truck driver for Yellow Freight in Kearney for 29 years, retired in 1994
Activities: enjoyed tinkering and working on projects in his garage; member of the Kearney American Legion and the Kearney Eagles Club
Was preceded in death by his sisters, Johanna and Virginia; and brothers, Harlan and Derald
Kearney Hub, 23 April, 2013
MATHENY, Evelyn L., 91, of Kearney, died Saturday, April 27, 2013, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney
Services: Thursday at Evangelical Free Church
Burial: Kearney Cemetery
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl
Born Dec. 8, 1921, in Kearney
Parents: Herman and Minnie (Olson) Frideen
Married: Aug. 18, 1948, to Frank H. "Sam" Matheny in Minden. He preceded her in death
Survivors include her son, Robert "Bob" Matheny and his wife, Jean, of Rapid City, S.D.; daughter, Anita Spencer and her husband, Roger, of Funk; grandchildren and spouses, Ben and Mindy Matheny of Elkhorn, Chris Matheny of Kearney, Beth and Patrick Bukowski of Edwards, Colo., and Erin and Jesse Doyle of Ames, Iowa; and two great-grandchildren
Grew up north of Elm Creek, attended Capitol Hill School and Fairview Sunday school; went to many special evangelistic services in Holdrege with her parents; graduated from Sumner High School in 1938, attended Kearney State Teachers College and received a rural teaching certificate; taught at rural schools in Dawson and Buffalo counties for three years
Moved with her father to Kearney after the death of her mother in September 1944; worked as a bookkeeper for Beshore Western Manufacturing Co., which made aircraft parts for planes during World War II
Activities: sponsored junior and senior youth activities at First Baptist Church; later became a member of Kearney Evangelical Free Church, was active in many church activities, including cradle roll call superintendent, more than 20 years as the second- and third-grade Sunday school teacher and women's missionary activities; enjoyed traveling, and boating at Cottonmill Lake
Was preceded in death by her parents and her husband
Memorials: Kearney Evangelical Free Church
Kearney Hub, 1 May, 2013
MAULER, Laurence E., 93, of Greeley, Colorado, formerly of La Salle, Colorado, died Monday, April 15, 2013, at Hospice of Northern Colorado in Greeley
Graveside inurnment: Thursday at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Greeley
Mortuary: Stoddard in Greeley
Born May 29, 1919, in Pleasanton, Neb.
Parents: Maurice and Lydia (Bergt) Mauler
Married: July 17, 1946, to Marilyn O. Throne in Kearney, Neb. She preceded him in death
Survivors include his son, K.C. Mauler and his wife, Suzann, of Greeley; daughter, Diane Milner and her husband, Dennis, of Carrollton, Va.; and grandson, Tyrell Milner of Fairbanks, Alaska
Military: U.S. Army, 1941-1945, was stationed in Fort Eustis, Va.; served in New Caledonia during World War II with the rank of private first class; played the bass fiddle in a band while serving
Farmed on his father's wheat farm, then moved to Red Cloud, Neb.; moved to Platteville, Colo., in 1960 and then to La Salle in 1962; worked as a groundskeeper for Colorado State Teachers College, now the University of Northern Colorado, until he retired
Activities: was proud of his home in La Salle; loved spending time in his shop, inventing and tinkering to find ways to make daily tasks easier; was very active well into his 90s, enjoyed cross-country skiing, cycling and his daily walks; pastimes included organic gardening, reading and cooking; loved music, could play the bass fiddle, guitar and trombone; member of Trinity Lutheran Church
Was preceded in death by his wife; parents and eight siblings
Memorials: Trinity Lutheran Church and/or Our Savior's Lutheran Church Hand Bells
Kearney Hub, 20 April, 2013
McELVAIN, Edgar William "Bill", 91, of Holdrege, formerly of Kearney, died Friday, April 26, 2013, at Christian Homes Care Community in Holdrege
Memorial services: May 6 at Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Holdrege, military honors
Inurnment: Prairie Home Cemetery at Holdrege
Mortuary: Nelson-Bauer in Holdrege
Born Dec. 12, 1921, at Wilcox
Parents: Nicholas E. and Tressa (Overholser) McElvain
Married: March 17, 1948, to Carolyn Johnson at her parents' home east of Loomis
Survivors include his wife of 65 years; sons, Nick McElvain and his wife, Connie, of Lincoln, Dan McElvain and his wife, Susie, of Kearney, Tom McElvain and his wife, Jackie, of Redding, Calif., and Dick McElvain and his wife, Donna, of Lincoln; daughters, Peg Johnston and her husband, Don, of Kearney and Patty Sullivan and her husband, Dave, of Fruita, Colo.; 17 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; sisters, Mary Pearson of Holdrege and Margaret Dyer and her husband, Daryl, of Grinnell, Iowa; sister-in-law, Dorothy Johnson of Holdrege; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends
Was the eldest of four children in his family; received his primary education from a district school north of Funk in rural Phelps County, graduated from Wilcox High School, 1940
Military: U.S. Navy, Sept. 15, 1942-Jan. 19, 1946, served his country during World War II, stationed in the South Pacific
Farmed west of Loomis; after marriage, lived on the family farm northeast of Holdrege; also provided repair work on pivots for Quinten Peterson and several area neighbors; after retiring, rented the ground to Soneson Farms and continued to assist on the farm for several years; moved to Kearney in 2004, then returned to Holdrege in July 2012
Activities: member of Emmaus Evangelical Free Church north of Funk and most recently enjoyed chapel services at Christian Homes Care Community; member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars; member of the Civil Air Patrol, longtime member of the NRA and was a member of Grange for several years; was an avid bowler, and loved spending time with his family and friends
Was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Robert McElvain and his wife, Inez; brothers-in-law, Cecil Stevenson, Roy Pearson, Ralph Johnson and his wife, Mary, Roger Johnson and Royce Johnson; and sister-in-law, Rachel Miserintino and her husband, Joe
Memorials: Christian Homes Care Community
Kearney Hub, 29 April, 2013
MITTON, Mary L., 91, of Kearney died Thursday, April 18, 2013, at St. John's Good Samaritan Center
Graveside services and celebration of life: later
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl
Born Aug. 6, 1921, in La Grande, Ore.
Parents: Howard and Irene (Castle) England
Survivors include her daughters, Patty Geist and Cammie Pettit-Richmond and son-in-law, John Richmond, all of Kearney
Grew up in Oregon, lived in South Dakota, Nebraska and Minnesota
Activities: enjoyed her flower and vegetable gardens; watching and feeding the unique Minnesota birds, ducks, and loons; and nature in general; enjoyed her children and grandson Was preceded in death by her husband and grandson, Derek Logan Pettit
Kearney Hub, 20 April, 2013
MORROW, Eleanor Elaine, 82, of Kearney, formerly of Mesa, Ariz., and Auburn, Wash., died Tuesday, April 9, 2013, at Good Samaritan Hospital
A celebration of life: Saturday at Ainsworth United Methodist Church
Burial: Ainsworth Cemetery
Mortuary: Hoch in Ainsworth
Born July 12, 1930, in Ainsworth
Parents: Clarence D. and Velleta (Baker) Morrow
Survivors include her sister-in-law, Leona Morrow of Ainsworth; nieces, Sherry Morrow of Kearney and Joyce Richardson and her husband, Kevin, of Broken Bow; grandniece, Mishayla Richardson of Omaha; and several cousins and a host of friends
Started elementary school at District 43, then attended Ainsworth Public Schools, graduated in 1948
Worked for Northwestern Bell Telephone Co.; then worked as a telephone operator in Grand Island, Omaha, Port Orchard, Wash., Fort Lawton, Wash., also spent time at the Bangor U.S. Naval Depot serving as a Navy secretary; after a six-month stint at the switchboard at Offutt Air Force Base, returned to Port Orchard, Auburn, Wash., Fort Lewis, Wash., and in Seattle; retired in 1990 as the communications supervisor at the Veterans Administration in Seattle
Activities: was always a sports enthusiast; in her early years played on various Nebraska softball teams in Ainsworth, Grand Island and Omaha; was a fan of Nebraska Cornhuskers, Washington Huskies, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, Phoenix Suns and the Arizona Diamondbacks; enjoyed playing pool; loved to laugh and always enjoyed a good meal and a good hand of poker; in retirement, lived in Washington and Arizona; returned to Nebraska in January 2013 to be closer to family
Was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Eldon Morrow
Memorials: Ainsworth United Methodist Church, Brown County Historical Society or to the donor's choice
Kearney Hub, 12 April, 2013
NELSON, Dorothy A., 79, of Kearney, died Saturday, April 20, 2013, at Good Samaritan Hospital
Services: Wednesday at First Lutheran Church
Burial: Kearney Cemetery
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl
Born Oct. 22, 1933, in Phelps County
Parents: Thurston and Leaf (Rodine) Norman
Married: June 13, 1953, to Gary Nelson in Waynesville, Mo., where he was stationed in the service; he preceded her in death
Survivors include her daughters, Cheryl de la Motte and her husband, Kurt, of Fleming Island, Fla., Cindy Busch and her husband, Tim, of Kearney and Diane Jones and her husband, Ron, of Green Cove Springs, Fla.; grandchildren, Shannon Tenga and her husband, Joe, of Fleming Island, Lance de la Motte of Miami, Justin Cagler and his wife, Michelle, of Elm Creek, Corey Cagler and his fiancée, Micaela Ingram, of Amherst, Kevin Cagler and Jason Jones, both of Kearney, Christopher Jones of Norfolk, Va., and Ronni Jones of Green Cove Springs; great-grandchildren, Matt, Marissa, Tanner and Sophia Tenga, MaKenzie and Maddex Cagler and Destiny and Trey Jones; brother, Don Norman and his wife, Marilyn, of Axtell; sisters, Marilyn Dannehl and her husband, Hoss, of Riverdale, Peggy Ingold and her husband, Floyd, of Wheatland, Wyo., and Karen Deterding and her husband, Wayne, of Kearney
Graduated from Axtell High School
Moved to the Kearney area in 1966; owned Dot's Floral and Gifts in Minden, then worked at Platte Valley State Bank in Kearney until retiring
Activities: enjoyed spending time with her family and friends; member of First Lutheran Church
Was preceded in death by husband, and sister, Ruthie Waters
Kearney Hub, 23 April, 2013
ORTH, Geneva "Genie" Gillespie, 89, of Sun City, Arizona, died Tuesday, April 2, 2013, in Sun City
Burial: National Veterans Cemetery in Cave Creek
Born Aug. 22, 1923, in Kearney, Neb.
Parents: Elmer and Emma (Neal) Gillespie
Married Mel Orth in Kearney. He preceded her in death
Survivors include her son, Jim Orth and his wife, Susan, of Newport Beach, Calif.; daughter, Jan Orth of Sun City, Ariz.; grandchildren. Alex and Tricia Orth, Corey Trumbull and Cody Coburn; and great-granddaughter, Lilly Trumbull
Was a graduate of the University of Colorado; spent 32 years in Laramie, was an elementary teacher, a retired administrative secretary and a real estate broker; moved to Arizona in 1985
Was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years; parents and five brothers and sisters
Passed away after a long-fought battle with Parkinson's disease; will be interred next to her husband, Mel, at the National Veterans Cemetery in Cave Creek
Kearney Hub, 10 April, 2013
PAAR, F.H. "Kay", 71, of Kearney died Monday, April 22, 2013, at Mount Carmel Home Keens Memorial
Services: Tuesday, at the Pavilion at Kearney Manor
Burial of cremains: Greenwood Cemetery in Sauk Centre, Minn.
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl
Born April 7, 1942, in Charleston, W.Va.
Was raised by her mother and stepfather, Joseph and Charlotte (Cain) Sanders
Married: April 7, 1958, to James F. Baughman
Married Gerald Kimpling
Survivors include her son, John Baughman of Kearney; daughters, Charline Moorman of Kearney, Tammy Proell and Sheila Stafford, both of Sauk Centre, Lea Baughman of Rosemont, Minn., Rhonda Thompson of Mankato, Minn., and Betty Simonson of Sedan, Minn.; 21 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren
Kearney Hub, 23 April, 2013
PETERSEN, Laura J., 57, of Kearney died Thursday, April 11, 2013, at Good Samaritan Hospital
Services: Monday at New Life Assembly
Burial: Kearney Cemetery
Mortuary: O'Brien Straatmann Redinger
Born March 10, 1956, in Lexington
Parents: LeRoy and Bonnie (Flint) Woodside
Married: 1977, to Lee Petersen in Lexington. They divorced
Survivors include her parents, Bonnie Smith and LeRoy Woodside of Kearney; brothers, Roger Teel of Minden and Mark Woodside of Kearney; sisters, Kelly Bliven of Bertrand, Hannah Metzger of Elwood, Kathy Hunt of Kearney, Kim Carlson of Omaha and Billie Root of Indiana; stepdaughter, Jeanne Lakey of Kearney; and several nieces, nephews and extended family. She leaves behind her dog, Sissy
Received her education in Lexington
Lived in various areas including Omaha, Gulfport, Miss., and Washington, D.C.; worked for Mid-Nebraska Individual Services in Kearney as an instructor at the time of her death
Activities: pastimes included genealogy, writing, reading, playing keno, online gaming and time spent with family
Was preceded in death by her brother, Del Ray Woodside; sister, Joannie Woodside; grandparents; nephew, Blake Teel; and stepmother, Merna Woodside
Kearney Hub, 13 April, 2013
RASMUSSEN, Gerald W. "Jerry", 72, of Gibbon died Wednesday, May 1, 2013, at his home
Services: Monday, May 6, Faith United Church in Gibbon
Burial: Riverside Cemetery at Gibbon
Memorials: Gibbon Volunteer Fire Department or the Boy Scouts of America
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl
Born October 7, 1940 in Lexington
Parents: Arthur and Hanna (Christensen) Rasmussen
Grew up in the Elm Creek and Amherst areas then moved to Kearney, graduated from Kearney High School in 1959
Married: November 27, 1960 to Phyllis McAuliff in Riverdale
After marriage, lived in Minden, then moved to rural Gibbon and farmed for Dick McKean; moved to Gibbon in 1970, was a self employed contractor; managed Comfy Bowls portable restrooms, then bought the business in 1992, sold it to his son in 2010; also built portable buildings and did construction
Activities: member of the Kearney Eagles Lodge; liked to dance, do crafts and restored John Deere tractors
Survivors include his wife Phyllis of Gibbon, son; Steve and wife Pam Rasmussen of Gibbon, daughters; Brenda and husband Ben Medina of Kearney, Ronda and husband Bob Schomburg of Kearney, Sonda and husband Darren Deterding of Kearney, Michelle and husband Monte Lane of Westerville, NE, sisters; June Haynes of Fremont, NE, Gladys Tool of Minden, NE, Doris Furby of Amherst, NE and Mary Hall of Kearney; and 14 grandchildren. Was preceded in death by his parents, sisters; Esther Schuler, Nellie Rasmussen and Ruby Mays
Kearney Hub, 4 May, 2013
ROBERTS, Marian, 97, of Kearney, formerly of Atkinson, died Monday, April 8, 2013, at Mount Carmel Home Keens Memorial
Memorial services: Saturday at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Kearney, and April 27 at the Presbyterian Church in Atkinson
Burial: Phoenix Cemetery north of Atkinson
Mortuary: Seger in Atkinson
Born Jan. 17, 1916, on her grandfather's farm northeast of Atkinson
Parents: Clyde and Elsie Nilson
Married: 1933, to Fred Roberts. He died in 1984
Survivors include her son, Richard "Bud" Roberts and his wife, Betty, of Lawton, Okla.; daughter, Patricia Butterfield and her husband, Floyd, of Kearney; daughter, Mickie King and her husband, Bill, of Lawton; son, Gary and his wife, Elizabeth, of Denton, Texas; daughter, Mona Scott of Frederick, Colo.; sister, Mavis of Colorado; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren
Attended a one-room rural school; moved with family to Atkinson, completed high school there
Activities: member of First Presbyterian Church in Atkinson; helped organize the Firemen's Wives Auxiliary; was a den mother for several years,was active in a 4-H Club
Became an assistant mail carrier on her 50th birthday, then served as a star route carrier on a route that covered nearly 100 miles on country roads north of Atkinson, retired from the mail route after 20 years, then became more involved in church work
After her 90th birthday, fell and fractured her leg; moved into an assisted living facility in Kearney to be near her daughter, Pat; moved to the Mount Carmel Home in 2011
Was an avid reader, was an expert in crossword puzzles and loved to travel, was an excellent photographer with her point-and-shoot camera
Was preceded in death by her son, Ron, and son-in-law, Dick Scott
Kearney Hub, 13 April, 2013
SHIMP, Gwen D., 87, of Holdrege, formerly of Elm Creek, died Saturday, April 27, 2013, at Christian Homes in Holdrege
Services: Wednesday at O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Chapel in Elm Creek
Burial: Elm Creek Cemetery
Born May 29, 1925, at Elm Creek
Parents: Frank and Rosa (Leddy) Witmer
Survivors include two grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild
Attended rural school and high school in Elm Creek
Lived in various places, including Michigan, Wisconsin and Colorado; worked for the nursing program at the Tuberculosis Hospital in Kearney, the ammunition plant in Grand Island, Baldwin Filters and as a union steward at Anchor Hocking in Kenosha, Wis.
Activities: attended various churches in Elm Creek through the years; loved to fish and remodel houses; raised parakeets and made jewelry and crafts; loved to work crossword puzzles; enjoyed time with family andfriends
Was preceded in death by her parents, one daughter, one sister and four brothers
Memorials: Christian Homes in Holdrege
Kearney Hub, 29 April, 2013
SOWL, Jerry D., 53, of Kearney died Saturday, April 20, 2013, at Good Samaritan Hospital
Graveside services: Friday at Kearney Cemetery.
Mortuary: O'Brien Straatmann Redinger
Born Nov. 8, 1959, in Kearney
Parents: Wayne and Maude (Short) Sowl
Survivors include his sisters, Susan Weilein of Ontario, Calif., Sara-Etha Schneider of Eugene, Ore., and Merril Milberger and her husband, Daniel, of Axtell; brother, Mike Sowl and his wife, Linda, of Kearney; sister-in-law, Paula Sowl of Bellevue; aunts, Margaret Johnson and Sharon Sowl; nine nephews; eight nieces; 14 grandnephews; and eight grandnieces
Lived in numerous places in Nebraska such as Hastings, Columbus and Axtell; enjoyed music, reading, fishing, daily walks and spending time with his nieces and nephews
Was preceded in death by his parents; infant daughter, Jenny Lynn; and brother, David Sowl
Kearney Hub, 24 April, 2013
THORELL, Robin Lee, 77, of Waterford, Michigan, died Thursday, April 18, 2013, in White Lake
Memorial services: May 10 at Coats Funeral Home in Waterford
Born Nov. 11, 1935, in Riverdale, Neb.
Parents: Ross and Ella Croissant
Married Stuart E. Thorell
Survivors include her husband of 55 years; children, Heidi Richardson and her husband, Ken, and Toby Thorell and his wife, Mary; grandchildren, Rachel, Ross, Tyrus and Teagan; siblings, Rozella Pope and David Croissant; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family
Graduated from Riverdale High School, 1953; graduated with honors from Kearney State Teachers College in 1956 where she was also the homecoming queen; was a former teacher with the Waterford School District and was an avid tennis player
Was preceded in death by her parents and a brother-in-law, Russell Pope
Memorials: Henry Ford Cancer Division or Michigan Humane Society
Kearney Hub, 20 April, 2013
THUROW, Ronald Paul, 69, of Hixson, Tennessee, formerly of Kearney, Neb., died Thursday, March 28, 2013, at Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga
Memorial services: this summer at Pinehurst (N.C.) United Methodist Church
Mortuary: Lane in Chattanooga
Born Jan. 20, 1944, in McCook, Neb.
Parents: Henry and Ruth Thurow of Kearney
Survivors include his wife, Pat C. Thurow; son, Jeff; daughter, Amy; sisters, Shirley Kennedy and Sharon Schau; and two grandchildren
Kearney Hub, 12 April, 2013
WATERWORTH, Francis Lorain, 85, of Greybull, Wyoming, formerly of Kearney, Neb., died Tuesday, April 16, 2013, at South Big Horn County Critical Care Hospital between Basin and Greybull
Graveside services: Saturday April 20, at the Donald J. Ruhl Memorial Cemetery in Greybull
Mortuary: Atwood Family
Born July 22, 1927, at Fort Smith, Ark.
Parents: Joeseph and Rosie (Lacy) Smith
Married: April 8, 1950, to Doyal I. Waterworth
Survivors include her husband of 63 years; daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Gary Patrick of Greybull; son and daughter-in-law, Doyal D. and Cari Waterworth of Worland; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren plus one more to arrive in May 2013
Received her schooling in Arkansas and Bell, Calif.
Was a secretary/clerk at doctors' offices and hospitals in Iowa, Nebraska and Wyoming; lived in Kearney, 1974-1984; moved to Greybull in 1984
Activities: family came first, loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; enjoyed hunting for Indian beads, was an avid reader and enjoyed antiquing
Was preceded in death by her parents
Memorials: Alzheimer's Association Of The Great Plains
Kearney Hub, 25 April, 2013
WORTHING, Mathew W., 55, of Elm Creek died Wednesday, April 10, 2013, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney
Services: Monday at Immaculate Conception Church in Elm Creek
Burial: Immaculate Conception Cemetery
Mortuary: O'Brien Straatmann Redinger of Kearney and Elm Creek
Born Nov. 24, 1957, in Kearney
Parents: Caleb and Mary (Fitzgerald) Worthing
Married: Dec. 17, 1977, to Susan Mitchell at Immaculate Conception Church
Survivors include his wife; son, Brad and his wife, Sadie, of Lexington; daughter, Sarah of Kearney; grandchildren, Jovie and Lawson of Lexington; brothers, Greg and his wife, Elaine, of Venango and Pat and his wife, Blanche, and Dave, all of Elm Creek; sister, Helen Cruise and her husband, Dale, of Salem, Ore; parents-in-law, Bill and Lou Mitchell; brothers-in-law, Kurt Mitchell and his wife, Kate, and Dave Mitchell and his wife, Connie; sisters-in-law, Jan Mitchell and Peg Worthing of Omaha; and many nephews and nieces
Grew up in Elm Creek, attended kindergarten in Omaha, returned to Elm Creek and graduated from Elm Creek High; attended Kearney State College for a year
After marriage, lived in Elm Creek; was employed with PepsiCo as a service technician, had been with them for 23 years; in the 1980s had his own center pivot business and before that worked with his brother, Pat, repairing pivots
Activities: enjoyed working outdoors; loved wildlife, the Platte River and his pets; loved his family, especially his children and grandchildren
Was preceded in death by his parents; oldest brother, Dan; niece, Diane Brich; and nephews, Kevin Cruise and Greg Cruise
Kearney Hub, 13 April, 2013