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AKERSON, Dempsey Jennings, 7 weeks, of Kearney died Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019, at his home
Memorial service: Monday at First Lutheran Church
Mortuary: O’Brien Straatmann Redinger
Born: Sept. 2, 2019
Parents: Adam and Mollie (Sheffield) Akerson
Had multiple health challenges, spent much of his life in Children's Hospital, spent his final days in the loving arms of his family in his home, enjoying countless snuggles and kisses
Survivors include: his parents, Adam and Mollie Akerson and sisters, Collins and Winnie Akerson, all of Kearney; grandparents, Jeff and Tanny Akerson of Bellevue and Monte and Ruth Sheffield of Wallace; aunts and uncles, Aaron and Amy (Akerson) Bomgaars of Dakota Dunes, S.D., Matt and Wendy Sheffield of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Mike and Wendi (Sheffield) Hadley of Holdrege; 11 cousins; and an army of family and friends
Memorials: Division of Pediatric Palliative Care, at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Foundation, Omaha, Nebr.
Kearney Hub, 25 October 2019
AUSTIN, Nelva Glennece (Walker), 97, of Kearney died Friday, Nov. 15, 2019, at the Central Nebraska Veterans’ Home
Graveside service: later. at Moulton Cemetery in Loup County, next to Stan and Gaylen Austin
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl
Born: in Blue Springs on Sept. 16, 1922
Married: Stanley (Stan) Austin of Burwell in Loup City
Worked as a medical assistant in Dr. Roy Cram’s office for many years until they left Burwell
Spent 37 years of her adult life in California; after Stan's death in 1985 in Chico, Calif., remained in California, then returned to Burwell in 1994; due to declining health, in 2015 moved to Kearney and lived with her granddaughter, Kristi, and husband, Gene Svec, and later moved to assisted living and a long-term care facility; was accepted into the veterans home in October 2019
Survivors include: her son, Gary and wife Kathy Austin of Omaha; granddaughter and husband, Kristi and Gene Svec of Kearney; grandson and wife, Brian and Jodie Austin of Elkhorn; seven great-grandchildren; daughter-in-law, Jan Austin of Burwell; sister-in-law, Sharon Walker of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and seven nieces and nephews
Was preceded in death by her husband, Stan; son, Gaylen Austin; two brothers; and two sisters
Memorials: Central Nebraska Veterans’ Home or AseraCare Hospice
Kearney Hub, 18 November 2019
BENNETT, Scott A., 57, of Kearney died Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, at CHI Health Good Samaritan
Service: Tuesday at First United Methodist Church
Burial: Kearney Cemetery
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl
Born: July 25, 1962, in Kearney
Parents: Walter and Marla (Bailey) Bennett
Graduated from Gibbon High School in 1980; attended Kearney State College, and then became certified as a dental technician
Married: Robin Beavers on June 23, 1984, in Gibbon
After marriage, lived in Kearney; was an owner of Sickler Dental Studio in Kearney
Activities: was a devoted husband, a loving father of his two daughters and his son-in-law, and a fun poppy who adored his granddaughter; was involved in his daughters' activities; was a genuine, loyal friend; was a gifted musician with a passion for drumming, a past Gibbon volunteer firefighter and EMT, a DJ, a handyman and even Santa Claus; was an avid Husker and New England Patriots fan; was a godly man who loved the Lord and shared that love with his family
Survivors include: his wife, Robin Bennett of Kearney; daughters, Chantelle Batie and husband Adam, and Rhiannon Bennett, all of Kearney; granddaughter, Collyn Elise Batie of Kearney; mother, Marla Dadey of Blounts Creek, N.C.; brother, Kent Bennett of Lincoln; sisters, Brenda Butcher and husband Marty of Lincoln and Barbra Hernandez and husband Jesse of Blounts Creek; sister-in-law, Tiffani Young and husband Mike of Kearney; nieces, Makayla, Hannah, Bailey, Sydney, Riley, Annie, Jessica and Jamie; and nephews, Brennan and Brekken
Was preceded in death by his father; brother, Jimmy Bennett; and mother-in-law and father-in-law, Betty and Robert Beavers
Kearney Hub, 4 November 2019
BOHN, Margaret Ann (Shea), 88, of Spencer, Iowa, formerly of Kearney, Neb., died Monday, Nov. 4, 2019, at St. Luke Lutheran Home in Spencer
Service: Saturday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Spencer
Burial: Tuesday at Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell
Mortuary: Warner in Spencer
Born: Feb. 27, 1931, in Washington, D.C.
Parents: Walter and Maude (Viehmann) Shea
Married: April 27, 1950, to George Bohn. He preceded her in death
Survivors include her children, Molly McLaughlin of San Francisco, Michael Bohn of La Crosse, Wis., and Peg Deffer of Spencer; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild
Kearney Hub, 7 November 2019
BOSWELL, Robert S. II, 38, of Elm Creek died Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, in Kearney as a result of an automobile accident
Memorial service: Friday at Elm Creek United Methodist Church
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl
Born: May 3, 1981 Huntington Beach, California
Parents: Robert S. Boswell Sr. and Gale L. (Voightlander) Boswell
Activities: loved life and loved family; enjoyed camping, boating, and the outdoors; especially enjoyed the Fourth of July holiday
Survivors include: his mother Gale Boswell, of Elm Creek; daughter Roree Boswell; his brothers Greg (Marlo) and Tom (Sarah), their children and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends
Was preceded in death by his father, Robert
Kearney Hub, 24 October 2019
BURTON, Ivan L., 82, of Riverdale died Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019, at CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney
Memorial service: Friday, Nov 15, at Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl Funeral Home
Burial of ashes: Bingham Cemetery, Bingham, Nebr.
Born October 17, 1937 in Alliance
Parents: William and Pearl (Jones) Burton
Lived in Arkansas, then on a ranch near Bingham; after high school graduation, attended tech school to be a Dragline Operator in Oklahoma
Worked several years on the home ranch and for other ranchers in the area; also worked as a lumberjack in the Chadron/Crawford, Nebraska area; later worked in the oil fields in Casper Wyoming; moved to Kearney, Nebraska and worked at Rockwell as a Machine Tool Operator and later a CNC programmer until Rockwell closed their doors; moved to Bradshaw, Nebr., to work at Sunstrand; retired in 1969, lived in Riverdale, Nebraska
Activities: member of the United Nebraska Muzzleloaders Association, life member of the NRA; enjoyed reading, attending auctions, having coffee with close friends and sharing his life experiences with others; was a wealth of information on many topics; had extensive knowledge of firearms and their history, enjoyed sharing that with the 4-H members; enjoyed attending the UNMLA conventions and rendezvous and connecting with friends
Survivors include: his sister-in-law, Vivian (Wayne) Burton of Wasilla Alaska, numerous nieces and nephews, cousins and great nieces and nephews
Was preceded in death by his parents; sisters Mary Burton of Riverdale, Gwendolyn Burton Darby of Pleasanton and brother Wayne Burton of Wasilla Alaska
Memorials: River’s Edge Outdoorsmen 4-H Club
Kearney Hub, 13 November 2019
CAFFERTY, Elsie Irene, 85, of Kearney died Friday, Oct. 18, 2019, at CountryHouse Residence
Service: Thursday at First United Methodist Church
Burial: Kearney Cemetery
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl
Born: north of Elm Creek on Aug. 8, 1934
Parents: Earl and Marcella (Horton) Shuck
Grew up in Elm Creek, moved to Holdrege her senior year and graduated with the Holdrege High School class of 1951
Married: Nov. 11, 1951,to Clarence Cafferty in Kearney; had two daughters together; later divorced
Earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in home economics from Kearney State College; earned her Doctorate of Education in curriculum and administration at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Worked as a graduate assistant, teacher and then professor at the University of Nebraska at Kearney during her nearly 30 years of teaching; was recognized by the University of Nebraska at Kearney Council of Deans for her Distinguished Contributions to the University in Service in 1993; also was recognized for her eight years of service on the State of Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Regulation and Licensure Board, and was an outstanding vocational educator by the Nebraska Professional Counselors Association
Activities: member of Eastern Star, Sigma Beta Delta, Phi Delta Kappa, American Vocational Association, American Counselor Association and First United Methodist Church; loved watching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren with the delight of Christmas and birthdays on their faces; enjoyed playing bridge with her friends, reading, sewing and quietly coloring
Survivors include: her daughters, Lisa Robison of Green River, Wyo., and Marsha Nelson and her husband, Dennis, of Kearney; brother, Duane Shuck and his wife, Pat, of Lenexa, Kan.; grandchildren, Amy Heine, Gregory Heine and wife Janelle, Andrea Steffen and husband Chris, Christie Heacock and husband Tom, Carissa Crocker and husband Nate, and Casey Nelson and wife Jacqueline; and 13 great-grandchildren
Was preceded in death by her parents and a son-in-law, Dave Robison
Memorials: First United Methodist Church or AseraCare Hospice
Kearney Hub, 23 October 2019
CATLIN, A. Rojane, 81, of Kearney died Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, at Mother Hull Home
Service: Nov. 23 at Faith United Church in Gibbon
Burial: Riverside Cemetery in Gibbon
Mortuary: O’Brien Straatmann Redinger
Born: March 3, 1938, near Gibbon
Parents: Carl and Minnie (Osborne) Rasmussen
Attended Gibbon Public Schools and graduated with the class of 1956
Married: Aug. 19, 1956, to Ronald Catlin at the Methodist Church in Gibbon
Was a longtime employee of the City of Gibbon, spending 25 years as the utility clerk
Activities: lifetime member of Faith United Church, was active in several church committees, including United Methodist Women; longtime member of the Gibbon Fire Department Auxiliary and Mrs. Jaycees; loved playing cards and the relationships she made while doing so over the years; enjoyed camping and traveling throughout the United States
Survivors include: her husband of 63 years, Ron Catlin of Kearney; children, Daniel (Kay) Catlin of Kearney, Lisa (Mark) DeBord of North Platte and Lori (Rusty) Nichols of Kearney; grandchildren, Amber Piller, Nicole Hull, Brandy Luce, Brittney Stenger, Kristin Nichols and Seth Catlin; eight great-grandchildren; sisters, Carol (Charles) Prescott of Lincoln, Verla (Tom) Walker of Stafford, Texas, and Linda Grassmeyer of Kearney; brother-in-law, Larry Fruhling of Broken Bow; stepbrother, Roger (Pat) Standage of Ravenna; as well as several nieces, nephews, extended relatives and friends
Was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Carl Rasmussen; sisters, Dolores Rasmussen and Janis Fruhling; stepfather, Roy Standage; and one great-granddaughter, Livia Hull
Memorials: Faith United Church in Gibbon
Kearney Hub, 16 November 2019
CORDER, Edward “Ed” Lee Jr., 53, of Kearney, died Friday, Nov. 8, 2019, at his home
Service: Friday at Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl Funeral Home
Cremation will follow
Born: Aug. 9, 1996, in El Paso, Texas, on the Fort Bliss, Texas, military base
Parents: Edward Lee Corder Sr. and Maria Garber
Was the youngest of five siblings, with sisters Patricia and Marliessa, a half-brother, Karl, from Germany, and a half-sister, Janet; attended school in Kearney, as well as in Lincoln, for a few short years; enjoyed horseback riding; loved old cars and motors
Married: in Kearney in 1987, to Michele Medley, his high-school sweetheart
Worked for Markus Tree Service; later bought the business in 1995 and named it We Care Tree Care; was self-driven and meticulous; gave his customers quality, efficiency and affordable tree service
Activities: loved to celebrate the Fourth of July with loads of fireworks; often traveled to visit family in Lincoln and Missouri; enjoyed camping, four-wheeling, go-karting, Saturday morning garage saling and antique shopping as a family; enjoyed barbecuing, doing poker runs, demolition derby, stock car racing and riding his Harley; cared deeply for people in a tough spot and would be the first person to give someone an opportunity to work, to make something of themselves, no matter who they were or where they came from; as a young adult learned many skills
Survivors include: his four children, Jessica and husband Chris McDonald, Carl and wife Rae Corder, Ryan and Jordan; four grandchildren, Jaylynn, Jesyha and Jeslynn, and Corbin; nieces and nephews, Jeromy and wife Renee Corder, Clayton Jr., Amber and husband Mike Neson, and Mason and wife Casey Jones; his ex-wife Michele; brother, Karl and wife Ingeborg; sister, Marliessa and husband Clayton Jones Sr.; half-sister, Janet Smith; and Ed’s girlfriend, Lisa Borges
Was preceded in death by his parents, Maria and Edward, and sister, Patricia
Kearney Hub, 13 November 2019
CUNNINGHAM, Nancy Jane, 66, of Miller died Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, at her home near Miller
Service: Wednesday at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Kearney
Burial: later; donated her body to science following services
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl
Born: Feb. 3, 1953,
Parents: LaVerne and Darlene Jeffery
Attended Watertown school until seventh grade, then went to Sumner-Elm Creek-Miller (S-E-M) public school
Married: Dec. 4, 1971, Tom Cunningham
Completed her bachelor’s degree in music education at Kearney State College; began her teaching career at Pleasanton followed by Sumner, Glenwood, Riverdale and Amherst, and 22 years at Kearney Public Schools at Bryant, Kenwood and Park; retired in 2011, continued giving piano lessons, working part time for her son Pete and son-in-law Andrew
Activities: volunteering with hospice; was very active in her church and community; played the piano in countless services and spent a lot of time helping organize the music programs at St. Patrick’s, St. John Capistran and the Knights of Columbus choir; was a terrific friend, a devoted wife and a loving mother; her strong faith were a living example of God’s love
Survivors include: her husband, Tom; children, Amy and Andrew Weides, Pete and Brandi Cunningham and Katie Cunningham; grandchildren, Jeffery, Lorna, Gradie, Nick, Owen, Ann and James; her brothers and sisters, Joanie and Gary Hoos and Mick and Cindy Jeffery; and brothers- and sisters-in law, nieces and nephews, relatives and many, many friends
Was preceded in death by her parents, LaVerne and Darlene Jeffery and Pat and Agnes Cunnningham; brothers-in-law, Mert Nietfeld and Harry Deeds; and infant child, Sammi
Memorials: World Vision or Prince of Peace Catholic Church
Kearney Hub, 18 November 2019
CURREN, Kenneth H., 98, of Kearney died Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at his home
Service: Tuesday at Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl Funeral Chapel in Kearney
Buria: Arborville Cemetery in York County with military honors
Born: Sept. 12, 1921, at Polk
Parents: Harvey E. Curren and Frances M. (Conrad) Curren
Grew up on a farm in York County; was baptized in the Congregational Church as a child
Married: Lucile E. (Elaine) Kamper of Central City on April 24, 1942; had two children together, including a son, Merlyn, deceased at age 12 years
Military: U.S. Army on June 4, 1942, - Dec 13, 1945; served two year overseas; was a medical technician with the 29th General Hospital in the Asiatic-Pacific front — New Caledonia, Guadalcanal, Fiji Islands, Okinawa and Korea
Returned to Central City, completed an electrician’s course and worked for Central City Light and Power Co. as an electrician lineman; worked for Kansas-Nebraska Natural Gas Company Inc.; was later transferred to Fullerton as a service foreman and later promoted to district manager there; served as district manager in Fullerton, O’Neill, Chadron, Julesburg, Colo., and came to Minden in October 1970; retired in Minden on Oct. 1, 1984
Activities: enjoyed being involved in the community; had the innate ability to hold a position of leadership as well as to be a valued team player; in Fullerton, coached American Legion baseball, was president of the fire department as well as president of the Eagles lodge; in O’Neill, was president of the Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club charter member and president and chairman of the Boy Scouts fund drive; member of the Rotary Club, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars in both Chadron and Minden; long-standing member of the United Methodist Church; in retirement, enjoyed going to coffee every day; had a great sense of humor, loved music, singing, playing piano and guitar throughout his entire life; was an ardent fan of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and enjoyed watching other sports; was a devoted husband, loving father and wonderful grandfather
Survivors include: his wife, Elaine of Kearney; daughter, Linda Fuehrer of Kearney; granddaughter, Sasha Elizabeth Conrad of Kearney; special cousins, Jerry and Lori King; along with many nieces, nephews and friends
Was preceded in death by three brothers and three sisters
Kearney Hub, 9 November 2019
DeGROFF, Kenneth R. “Ken”, 62, of Blue Hill, formerly of Kearney, died Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019, at Mary Lanning Healthcare in Hastings
Celebration of life: Saturday at the Hastings Evangelical Free Church
Burial: later
Mortuary: Apfel in Hastings
Born: July 21, 1957, in Atkinson
Parents: Bert and Loretta (Staub) DeGroff; was later fostered by William and Doris Motsinger of North Platte
Survivors include his son, Justin DeGroff of Blue Hill; sisters, Alicia Rehbein of Grand Island and Linda Heisey of Rexville, N.Y.; brothers, Dan Iiams of Bellevue and Gene Dierks of Versailles, Mo.; and one grandson
Kearney Hub, 22 November 2019
DeLAET, David Duane, 94, of Lewellen died Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, at Regional West Garden County Hospital in Oshkosh
Service: Nov. 9 at Lewellen United Methodist Church
Burial: Ash Hollow Cemetery near Lewellen
Mortuary: Holechek-Bondegard in Oshkosh
Born: June 23, 1925, near Riverdale
Parents: Henry and Mattie (Kirkpatrick) DeLaet
Was the second son; spent all of his youth in the area north of Kearney; graduated from high school at Pleasanton, 1942
Military: U.S. Air Force, Sept. 23, 1948 - Dec. 2, 1949; was stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base in California with the rank of Corporal
Married: DeLoris Clark on May 7, 1953, in Kearney
David and DeLoris inherited the Clark farm and spent their lives farming that ground and acquiring neighboring land; in March 1981, was presented an award by the North Platte Natural Resources District as the honor “Conservation Family of the Year”
Activities: member of the Lewellen United Methodist Church
Survivors include his sons, Dwight and wife Peggy DeLaet of Omaha and Dru DeLaet and wife Patricia Gordon of Lewellen; grandchildren, Angie and husband Ryan Gobel, Brita DeLaet, Alexander DeLaet and Abby and husband Ben; brother, Lynn and wife Ann DeLaet of Kearney; sister-in-law, Carolee Matthews; and many nieces, nephews and cousins from Colorado, Arizona and Kansas
Was preceded in death by his wife, DeLoris; daughter, Dee Anna; and his parents
Kearney Hub, 2 November 2019 and
DOROTHY, Teresa M., 57, of Pleasanton died Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019, at CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney
Memorial service: Monday at Countryside Christian Church in Kearney
Burial of ashes: St. Joseph Cemetery near Ravenna
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl
Born: Feb. 6, 1962, in Kearney
Parents: Joseph and Frances (Bentlage) Muegerl
Grew up in Ravenna, graduated from Ravenna High School in 1980; attended Kearney State College
Married: May 22, 1982, to Rod R. Dorothy in Las Vegas
After marriage, lived on a farm south of Pleasanton
Was a caregiver, did private caregiving in the area
Activities: did volunteer work for AseraCare Hospice; enjoyed spending time with her family and traveling; member of Countryside Christian Church in Kearney
Surviving relatives include her husband of Pleasanton; daughters, Stephanie Earl and husband Nathan of Wood River, Samantha Halstead and husband Anthony of Pleasanton, April Dorothy and fiancé Austin Nielsen of Loup City, and Kira Dorothy of Pleasanton; son, Jon Dorothy and significant other Sara Yager of Pleasanton; seven grandchildren, Chloe, Landon, Mykell, Hayden, Addison, Abegail and Lennix; brothers, Gerard Muegrl and wife Sue of Churubusco, Ind., and Paul Muegrl and fiancée Terri Koharchik of Ravenna; and sister, Joan Kapustka and husband Bob of Boelus; enjoyed a special bond with her nephew, Patrick Bruning
Was preceded in death by her parents; son, Alex in 1998; brothers, Joey, Don and Patrick; sister, Mary; and infant brother and sister, Anthony and Kathleen
Memorials: Make-A-Wish Foundation or to Rainbow House
Kearney Hub, 26 October 2019
FEES, Evelyn Mae, 99, of Miller died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019, at WEL-Life in Kearney
Service: Friday at St. John Capistran Catholic Church in Amherst
Burial: Kearney Cemetery
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl
Born" May 24, 1920, to north of Miller on a farm in a new gray house that had been ordered from Montgomery Ward
Parents: Elmer and Ida (Ehresman) Harnagel
Began her schooling at Wild Horse School, then Red Wing School; attended and graduated from Miller High School in 1937; earned her teacher certificate from Kearney Normal School
Taught in rural schools north of Miller, including Red Wing, Victor Hill and Cats Creek; during World War II, and worked for the Officer Procurement Service under the War Department in Washington, D.C.; was a war bonds chairman and sold war bonds and savings bonds during the war; was assistant to the chief of personnel; at the end of WWII, moved to North Hollywood, Calif., and worked as a calculator operator for Lockhead Airplane Factory; returned to Nebraska, worked for a short time as a clerk typist at the Kearney Air Base until it closed; then became a licensed beautician
Married: Clifford J. Fees on June 16, 1947, in Eddyville
After marriage, lived in Eddyville and operated a grocery store called Cliff’s Store, had a beauty shop in the upper level of the store; moved, 1953, to the river farm, north of Miller; moved, 1958, to the farm in Dawson County; after Clifford passed away June 3, 1962. moved to Miller and she taught school in Miller for three years; became the Miller postmaster in 1965, served for 29 years; retired in March 1989; moved to WEL-Life in Kearney in June 2017
Activities: member of St. John Capistran Catholic Church in Amherst, served in several offices of the Altar Society and taught Eighth Grade Catechism; member of 351 Unit Miller American Legion Auxiliary for over 50 years, Miller Senior Citizens, Sumner Senior Citizens, 8et40, Kearney Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary and National Association or Postal Employees; was a wonderful mother, grandmother and great-grandmother; greatly enjoyed all the activities and organizations of the Miller community; loved dancing, playing cards with family and friends, sewing and cooking great foods for her family
Survivors include: her son, Kermit Fees and wife Linda; daughter, Loye Wolfe and husband Lloyd, all of Miller; grandchildren, Jesse Fees and wife Sarah, Allison Varah and husband Joel, Randall Fees and wife Emily, Roxanna Fees and Matt Carrizales, Ryan Wolfe and wife Laura, Carmen McMahon and husband Dan, and Trevor Wolfe; and great-grandchildren, Nolan and Luther Fees, Evelyn and Hudson Varah, Jacob and Olivia Wolfe, and Tucker McMahon
Was preceded in death by her husband; two brothers, Lee and Chub Harnagel; and two sisters, Opal Davis and Ruby Harnagel
Memorials: St. John Capistran Catholic Church, Miller American Legion Auxiliary or Miller Senior Citizens
Kearney Hub, 24 October 2019
FOX, Stuart W. “Chip”, 52, of Elkhart, Indiana, died Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019, at his home
Service: Friday Oct. 18, at St. John’s of the Cross Episcopal Church in Bristol
Born: Sept. 1, 1967, in Kearney, Neb.
Parents: James and Judy Fox
Survivors include: his son, Jevon Fox of Sturgis, Mich.; daughter, Lindy Miller of Wolcottville, Ind.; his parents, James and Judy Fox of Elkhart; brothers, Jim Fox of Bristol and Scott Fox of Hartwell, Ga.; and one granddaughter
Kearney Hub, 19 October 2019
GLENDENNING, Caleb D., 22, of Kearney died Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, at CHI Health Good Samaritan
Service: Wednesday at Kearney Evangelical Free Church
Burial: Kearney Cemetery
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl
Born: in Lincoln on July 11, 1997
Was welcomed into the family of Dann and Pam (Pieschke) Glendenning
Grew up in Kearney, graduated from Kearney High School in 2014
Worked various construction jobs around Kearney; moved to Colorado, worked on a ranch with horses; returned to Kearney in spring 2019; was a hard worker who enjoyed working outdoors
Activities: enjoyed watching NASCAR, driving around in his truck, and helping family and friends; had a generous heart
Survivors include: his parents, Dann and Pam Glendenning of Kearney; sister, Leah Glendenning of Kearney; grandmothers, Ila Jean Glendenning and Eleanor Pieschke of Kearney; uncles and aunts, Wes Pieschke and wife Sue of Eagle, Gary Glendenning and wife Barbara of Gretna and Gay Strope and husband Claude of Nebraska City; birth mother, Teasha Bailey of Seward; and several cousins
Was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Ingle Glendenning and Richard Pieschke
Memorials: Nebraska Children’s Home or Kearney Evangelical Free Church
Kearney Hub, 29 October 2019
GOULD, Dorothy J., 87, of Kearney died Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, at Kearney Regional Medical Center
Service: Tuesday at Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl Funeral Chapel
Burial: Arcadia Cemetery
Born: Aug. 19, 1932, in North Platte
Parents: Lester and Eva (Smith) Kuhn
Married: Earl Gould on Aug. 24, 1949, in Central City
After marriage, moved to Grand Island in 1954, worked as a waitress; moved to Kearney, 1957, continued to waitress at Paul’s Broiler; began working as a nurses aide at Good Samaritan Hospital, 1963, and then worked at West Co., 1967 - 1970
Activities: member of the Eagles Auxiliary, Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary and a Cub Scout leader; enjoyed doing embroidery, puzzles, reading, gardening and bird-watching
Survivors include: her sons, Larry Gould and wife Elaine of Kearney, Gary Gould and wife Ann Jeanette of Elm Creek and Dennis Gould and wife Peggy of Kearney; sister, Joan Juett of Omaha; eight grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren
Was preceded in death by her husband, one daughter, one brother and one brother-in-law
Memorials: St. Jude Children’s Hospital or Disabled American Veterans
Kearney Hub, 16 November 2019
GRIFFITH, Betty June (Russell), 71, of Kearney died Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, at St. Luke’s Good Samaritan Village
Private family burial: in Arapahoe in the spring
Mortuary: O’Brien Straatmann Redinger
Her desire was to always help others; requested to be a tissue donor and will continue to live on in others
Born: April 29, 1948, in Oxford
Parents: Roy Verl and Helen Lucille (Hinz) Russell
Moved to Minden as a child, graduated from Minden High School in 1966
Married: 1966, had two children, James L. Soker and Ronda J. (Soker) Jaeschke
Married: 1977, had two children, Christopher L. Griffith and Cynthia K. (Griffith) Richard
Was a caregiver all her life; worked at Mosaic (formerly Bethphage Mission of Axtell) for many years, then at Christian Homes in Holdrege; moved to Kearney, worked for Good Samaritan Society, at St. John’s; retired in 2010
Activities: loved the Lord and her family with all her heart; enjoyed crocheting blankets, stuffed animals and dolls; loved to watch the cranes and taking drives to Fort Kearny; loved animals; was always kind and loving to everyone; gave everything she had, even when all she had to give was her time
Survivors include: her children, James (Tabatha) Soker of Ohio, Ronda (Don) Jaeschke of Kearney, Christopher (Sherry) Griffith of Miller and Cynthia (Gary) Richard of Loomis; two brothers, Sam (Sharon) Russell of Lincoln and Larry (Pat) Russell of Kearney; sister, Connie Russell of Kearney; sister-in-law, Bert Russell of Minden; her lifelong friend and sister in Christ, Donna Klinghammer of Holly, Colo.; 12 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and many nieces, nephews and extended family and friends
Was preceded in death by her parents; grandparents; brother, Ronald Russell; and a nephew, Jerry Russell
Kearney Hub, 30 October 2019
HAHN-BELL, Gladys I. “Peggy”, 95, of Kearney died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019, at Mother Hull Home
Graveside service: Friday at Memorial Cemetery in Fremont
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl
Born: April 24, 1924 at rural Maywood, Nebr.
Parents: Frank and Edith E. (Bouge) Doudna
Attended Maxwell High School, graduated in 1941
Married: Mel Hahn in North Platte
Married: Duke Bell Cheyenne, Wyoming
Worked for several years as a waitress and bartender in Cheyenne
Activities: member of the Eastern Star
Survivors include: her sisters, Edna Springer of Kearney and Grace Smith of Aurora, IA; several nieces, nephews and other extended and friends
Was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Duke and Mel; sisters, Berniece Schults and Bertha Schultz; brothers, Virgil, Howard, Willard and Winifred
Kearney Hub, 24 October 2019
HARRIS, Charles Franklin “Chuck”, 94, of Ravenna, formerly of Albion, died Friday, Nov. 15, 2019, at Good Samaritan Society-Ravenna
Private service:later
Mortuary: Rasmussen in Ravenna
Born: in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Nov. 4, 1925
Parents: Charles and Mildred Harris
Grew up in Omaha, graduated from Omaha South High in 1944
Military: U.S. Navy, was stationed in California; was honorably discharged after four years of service
Returned to Omaha
Married: Betty Hansen on April 22, 1949; married for 38 years before Betty’s passing
Moved to Albion, was stationed as a Nebraska state trooper; retired after 31 years of service with Troop B
Later married longtime friend, Celia Svoboda; lived in Estes Park, Colo., enjoyed their retirement years; after Celia’s passing, moved back to Kearney to be with his daughters
Activities: enjoyed keeping a watchful eye on the neighborhood; loved to talk to fellow officers when out and about in the community; enjoyed building model cars, painting Christmas decorations, watching Husker football and coffee shop conversations; was known to many as “Smokey.”
Survivors include his daughters, Kim Kruger and husband Tom of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, and Amy Reinke and husband Kent of Kearney; three grandchildren, Jen Kruger of Las Vegas, Stephanie Kruger of Lincoln and Lindsey Ayles of Omaha; great-grandson, Tyson Kruger; and great-granddaughter, Charlie Ayles
Memorials: Kearney Area Animal Shelter
Kearney Hub, 20 November 2019
HENDRICKS, Rachel E., 93, of Kearney died Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, at St. Luke’s Good Samaritan Village
Service: Thursday at Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl Funeral Chapel
Burial: Upland Cemetery
Born: Feb. 20, 1926, in Shamrock, Texas
Parents: Henry and Bertha (Mead) Lax
Married: John Hendricks, Jan. 20, 1944, in Texas
Moved to Upland in 1944 when John went to Germany for World War II; later lived in Franklin, worked as a cook for the school; John passed away in 1967
Moved to Kearney, worked at Kings Restaurant, and then YRTC until she retired
Activities: enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, playing cards, flowers and putting together puzzles
Survivors include: her daughters, Joyce White and Patricia Lux of Kearney; sister, Sue Chisum of Vega, Texas; six grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild
Was preceded in death by her husband; two sisters; six brothers; daughter, Linda Jelken; and grandson, Jeff Jelken
Kearney Hub, 12 November 2019
HICKS, Nancy M., 63, of Kearney died Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019, at her home
Memorial service: later
Mortuary: O’Brien Straatmann Redinger
Born: Jan. 31, 1956, in Denver
Parents: Ira E. and Esther M. (Basgall) Smith
Survivors include: daughter, Trisha (Phillip) Grant; grandchildren, Preston Grant, Dominic Hicks and Raiden Grant, all of Kearney; sister, Sandra Hodge of California; brother, Simon (Kristen) Shadowlight of Golden, Colo.; several nieces and nephews; and extended relatives
Was preceded in death by her parents; and her grandson, Arthur Grant
Kearney Hub, 16 November 2019
HUMPHREY, Sandra Kay, 68, of Lincoln died Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019, at The Waterford At Wilderness Hills Memory Care in Lincoln
Celebration of life: Thursday at Lincoln Berean Church
Burial: Kearney Cemetery
Mortuary: Butherus, Maser and Love in Lincoln
Born: in Kearney on Feb. 11, 1951
Parents: Andrew and Daisy (Wagner) Humphrey
Grew up and lived in Kearney for most of her life; attended Kearney Senior High School
While raising her family, also worked many years for the Eaton Corp.
Moved to Lincoln in 2003, there met her fiancé Birk Adams, the love of her life
Activities: enjoyed traveling; volunteered at church and the Matt Talbot Kitchen, cheered on the Huskers at volleyball and football games, fished, gardened and enjoyed time with Sandra’s grandchildren and attended their extracurricular activities; member of the Red Hat society, was in a stamping club, enjoyed cake decorating, party planning and served as a Sunday school teacher
Survivors include: her daughter, Shelli Pomajzl (Troy) and their children, Cassandra, Isaiah, Noah and Coleson; and her son, Kelly Peterson and his children, Andrew, Jonah, Luke and Zachariah; three great-grandchildren, Jaxon, Zander and Tatym
Was preceded in death by her fiancé, Birk Adams; her parents, Andrew and Daisy Humphrey; her sisters, Pam and Kay; and her great-granddaughter, Aliyana Jade Peterson
Memorials: Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach or the Alzheimer’s Association
Kearney Hub, 19 November 2019
JONES, Mark S., 64, of Gibbon died Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, at Emerald Care and Rehab Lakeview in Grand Island
Service: Friday at O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home Kearney
Burial: Riverside Cemetery in Gibbon
Born: Oct. 1, 1955, in Kearney
Parents: Harold and Jeanette (Kocher) Jones
Grew up in rural Gibbon, attended District 42 and Gibbon Public School; also attended Central Community College
Married: Carla Placzek; had one son together, Nick Jones
Married: Leah Holl; had four children together, Jori, Nate, Gabby and Avi
Was employed as a deputy for Buffalo County and later as a police officer for the city of Gibbon; served as a legal assistant in the Polk County Attorney’s Office in Des Moines, Iowa, for a little over 20 years
Survivors include: his children, Nick (Amy Luo) Jones of Millbrae, Calif., Jori (Tyler) Gilbreath of Omaha, Nate Jones of Minneapolis and Gabby Jones and Avi Jones of Bloomington, Minn.; mother, Jeanette Jones of Gibbon; siblings, Greg (Elaina) Jones and Katherine Stalder, all of Gibbon, Angela (Darrel) Hauer of Greeley, Colo., and Hal (Kim) Jones of Kearney; uncle and aunt, Vernon and Inez Schneider of Gibbon; as well as many nieces, nephews and extended family and friends
Was preceded in death by his father, Harold E. Jones
Kearney Hub, 4 November 2019
LAUBY, LaVaughn, 93, of Lexington died Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney
Memorial service: Thursday at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Lexington
Inurnment: St. Ann’s Cemetery
Mortuary: Reynolds-Love in Lexington
Born: July 7, 1926, in Elm Creek
Parents: Paul and Belva (McMichael) Brodine
Married: June 4, 1945, to Michael E. Lauby in Lexington; he died in 2001
Survivors include her sons, Gerald of Lexington, David of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Mike of Phoenix; daughters, Lynda Grandgenett of Tekamah and Michele Ferguson of Colombia, South America; 16 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren
Kearney Hub, 9 November 2019
MALTSBERGER, Gary A., 66, of Kearney died Friday, Oct. 11, 2019, at his home
Memorial service: Tuesday at the Kearney Salvation Army with Envoy Steven Dahl officiating
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl
Born: Feb. 3, 1953, in Oakland, Calif.
Parents: Lawrence A. and Dorothy B. (Long) Maltsberger
Survivors include his brother, James Maltsberger of Hampton, Ga.
Kearney Hub, 19 October 2019
MARTIN, Raymond LeRoy, 71, of Kearney died Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, at CHI Health Good Samaritan
Memorial service: Friday at the Southview Village Apartments Community Room in Kearney
Burial of ashes: Kearney Cemetery
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl
Born: Oct. 4, 1948, in Kearney
Parents: Charles and Grace (Smith) Wiley
Grew up in Kearney
Survivors include his half-sister, Jan Vallejo of Kearney
Was preceded in death by his parents, a sister and a brother
Kearney Hub, 22 October 2019
MEADER, Richard A. “Rich”, 86, of Kearney, died on Monday, Nov. 18, 2019 at his home
Celebration of life: Friday at First United Methodist Church in Holdrege
Burial: Prairie Home Cemetery near Holdrege with military honors
Mortuary: Nelson-Bauer in Holdrege
Born: March 27, 1933, on the family farm southwest of Holbrook in Furnas County
Parents: Charles Wesley and Mable Alice (Sears) Meader
Was the ninth of ten children; received his education from Holbrook Public Schools
Military: U.S. Army, April 16, 1953, - April 5, 1955
Married: July 3, 1954, to Donna McCashland; had four children together
Lived in Ogallala, moved to Oxford in 1959
In Oxford, worked at Robertson Chevrolet as a parts man; in 1968, the couple owned and operated Donna’s Dime and Dollar Store, then converted it to Meader’s Floral and Gifts in 1971; worked as a supervisor at Becton-Dickinson in Holdrege, retired in 1994, after more than 25 years of service to the company
Married: July 17, 1980, Sharon (Swindell) Avery; lived at Holdrege; moved to Kearney in 2012
Activities: in his mid-30s, was baptized at the Baptist Church in Oxford; enjoyed traveling and camping on the weekends; enjoyed coffee with friends at SunMart; past member of the American Legion in Oxford and Holdrege
Survivors include: his wife, Sharon Meader of Kearney; his son, Bradley Meader of Oxford; his two daughters, Pamela Rademaker and her husband, Doyle, and Shari Geer and her husband, Kelly, all of Holdrege; stepdaughters, Deanne Leffler and her husband, Dan, of Kearney, Cindy Rollenhagen and her husband, Willis, of Gothenburg and Jennifer Renken and her husband, Robert, of Bertrand; four grandchildren, Michelle Hunter and her husband, Travis, of Holdrege, Blake Rademaker deployed overseas, Brock Rademaker of Lincoln and Dylan Geer of Lincoln; four great-grandchildren, McKenna, Max, Amelia and Alivia Hunter; stepgrandchildren, Ashley Camp and her husband, Jeff, of Wahoo, Lindsay Wasser and her husband, Kyle, of Seward, Tyler Leffler and his wife, Laura, of Ceresco, Kristin Kruse and her husband, Dustin, of Hanover, Kan., Alice Pollan of Kearney, Cory Leffler of Houston, Texas, and Noah, Dawson, Lucas, Eli and Rylan Renken, all of Bertrand; 11 stepgreat-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Denise Nelson of Lincoln, Donna Bitner and her husband, Jay, of York and Pam Johnson and her husband, Ken, of Lincoln; brothers-in-law, Jon Swindell of Baldwin City, Kan., Dave Swindell and his wife, Salli, of Hudson, Ohio, and Terry Swindell of Arvada, Colo.; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends
Was preceded in death by his parents, daughter, Terreen “Terre” Blue and her husband, Curtis; grandson, Aaron Blue; eight brothers, Vaughn, Gordon, Charles Jr., Glen, Donald, Howard, Lyle and Larry Meader; one sister, Wilda Stanley; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Robert and Betty Swindell; and sister-in-law, Linda Early
Kearney Hub, 20 November 2019
MEIER, Michael Robert, 65, of Elm Creek died Monday, Nov. 4, 2019, at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha
Visitation: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Elm Creek
Service: Tuesday Nov. 12, at St. James Catholic Church in Kearney
O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services
Born: April 14, 1954, in Kearney
Parents: Robert and Joan (King) Meier
Was raised in rural Elm Creek, attended Elm Creek High School, graduated in 1972
Married: Dec. 22, 1973, to Jenny Robinson at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Elm Creek
Spent his life farming
Activities: served 23 years on the Agri Co-op Board, 20 years as chairman; served 12 years as president of the Overton School Board, and served on the board of Farm Credit Services of America from 2000 to 2003; lifetime member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, held various leadership roles within the church parish council; was a forward thinker, contributed greatly to every organization he served; most of all, loved spending time with his family and attending his grandchildren’s events
Survivors include: his wife, Jenny Meier of Elm Creek; children, Jonna (Jeremy) Tesmer of Riverdale, Joel (Karmen) Meier of Elm Creek, Luke (Haley) Meier of Elkhorn and Dana (Mitch) Harmoney of Elm Creek; grandchildren, Jesse and Josee Tesmer, Brenden and Maeli Meier, Bellamy, Landry, Loudon and Porter Meier, and Hudson, Hadlie, Hadria and Hadisyn Harmoney; mother, Joan Meier of Kearney; siblings, Pat Smith of Kearney, Martin Meier and his wife, Julia, of Elm Creek, Paula Montgomery and her husband, Tom, of Omaha, Pam Harrington and her husband, Dick, of Loup City, Morgan Meier and his wife, Geri, of Elm Creek, Mark Meier and his wife, Amy, of Elm Creek and Andrea Quadhamer and her husband, Brad, of Hildreth; sister-in-law, Calli Meier of Elm Creek; brothers-in-law, Mike (Peg) Robinson of Kearney, Bill (Dallas) Robinson of Kearney, Brent (Dina) Robinson of Elm Creek and Sam (Holly) Robinson of Elm Creek; and numerous nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends
Was preceded in death by his father; brother, David Meier; brother-in-law, Terry Smith; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Kenneth and Sharlene Robinson; and his grandparents
Memorials: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Overton Upward Scholarships or to a charity of your choice
Kearney Hub, 7 November 2019
MEYER, Jerry William, 79, of Gibbon, died Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, at St. Luke’s Good Samaritan Village in Kearney
Service: Friday at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kearney
Burial: later
Mortuary: O’Brien Straatmann Redinger
Born: July 15, 1940, in Holstein
Parents: William Edward and Jesse Belle (Koch) Meyer
Was raised in the rural Blue Hill area and was a 1958 graduate of Blue Hill High School; attended Ventura Junior College in Ventura, Calif., and Central Community College-Hastings
Married: July 10, 1960, to Patricia Roberts at the United Methodist Church in Blue Hill
Military: proudly served in the U.S. Navy, 1958-1962
Was employed as a police officer for several years in Oxnard, Calif.; returned to Blue Hill, worked as assistant manager of the Blue Hill Co-op and custodian of Blue Hill High School; spent several years in transportation services
Activities: enjoyed woodworking, horses, reading, playing cards and a big bowl of ice cream
Survivors include: his wife, Patricia Meyer of Gibbon; children, Allisa Nichols of Wichita, Kan., Mia Hyde of Gibbon and Kurt (Christy) Meyer of Bennington; grandchildren, Jacob and Jesse Nichols, Michelle Morris, Jack, Olivia, Maddison, Adam and Konner Hyde, Cayci and Cayla Sorensen and Karli Meyer; brother, John (Connie) Meyer of Blue Hill; and several nieces, nephews and extended family and friends
Was preceded in death by his parents; and his sister, LaDonna Holsten
Kearney Hub, 18 November 2019
NEEL, Helen Louise, 98, of Kearney, formerly of Gothenburg, died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019, at Mother Hull Home in Kearney
Memorial service: Monday Nov. 11 at the Presbyterian Church in Gothenburg
Burial: Peckham Cemetery near Gothenburg
Mortuary: Blase-Strauser
Born: Nov. 11, 1920, at Cozad
Parents: Percy and Laura (Mundell) Hines
Married: June 7, 1944, she married Billie Neel. He preceded her in death
Survivors include her son, Douglas Neel of Honolulu; daughters, Kathleen Neel and Patricia Solomon, both of Kearney, and Peggy Keiser of Juniata; seven grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren
Kearney Hub, 24 October 2019
PARMENTER, James “Jim” , 81, of Kearney died Sunday, Nov. 10, 2019, at the Grand Island Veterans Administration Medical Center
Celebration of life: Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019 at Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl Funeral Chapel, with military honors
Born: December 8, 1937 in Moorhead, Minnesota
Parents: Miles and Myrtle (Iverson) Parmenter
Military: US Army, 1955 to 1958
Worked in the Kearney area as a machinist for several years
Activities: enjoyed hunting, his passions were his family and drag racing
Survivors include: his daughter, Michele Lewis and her husband, Bradford, of Cambridge; grandchildren and spouses, Trevor Fleischer, Torey Fleischer, Ryann Lewis, Brady Lewis and Taylor (Jordan) Lewis, all of Cambridge, Jericca Lewis of Wauneta and Taron (Jenae) Lewis of Lincoln; great-granddaughter, Ariel Morgan of Cambridge; sister, Dorothy Smith and her husband, Floyd, of Pennsylvania; brother-in-law, Junior Schultz of Pennsylvania; and several nieces and nephews
Was preceded in death by his parents; son, James “Slugger” Parmenter; brothers, Marlyn, Pete and Kenny; sisters, Mary Jane Grosz, Phyllis Forgey and Joyce Schultz, sister in laws Gladys and Mary, brother in laws Dan Grosz and Tom Forgey
Kearney Hub, 20 November 2019
PETERSON, Danny Elton, 69, of Mitchell, formerly of Riverdale, died Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, at home
Celebration of life: Friday at Scottsbluff Zion Evangelical Church
Burial: Mitchell Valley Cemetery
Born: born Dec. 26, 1949
Married: Linda on Nov. 29, 1975
Survivors include his wife; children, Angelique Sprock, Aaron Peterson, Arthur Peterson and Abigail Peterson; mom, Betty Peterson; sister, Chris Walker; brother, Rick Walker; and six grandchildren
Kearney Hub, 6 November 2019
POLLAT, Roger D., 90, of Kearney died Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, at his home
Private family service: later
Burial: Riverdale Cemetery
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl
Born: Nov. 2, 1928
Parents: Joseph and Beulah Pollat
Married: 15 Sept. 1988, to Janice
Memorials: First Baptist Church Building Fund or the St. Joseph’s Indian School in Chamberlain, S.D.
Kearney Hub, 1 November 2019
ROSS, James H., 94, of Kearney died Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019, at CountryHouse Residence
Service: Tuesday, Nov. 26, at First United Methodist Church
Burial: Kearney Cemetery with military honors
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl
Born: Dec. 19, 1924, in Elm Creek
Parents: Henry and Julia (Anderson) Ross
Grew up in the Elm Creek area, graduated from Elm Creek High School in 1942
Military: veteran of World War II, U.S. Army, 1943-March 1946; served in the Army Military Police Escort Guard
Married: June 4, 1945, he married Evelyn Sear in Elm Creek
After marriage, lived in Elm Creek; served as a substitute rural postal carrier and clerk and then was appointed postmaster in 1957 by President Eisenhower; retired in 1980; moved to Kearney in 1990
Activities: member of First United Methodist Church in Kearney; member of the Buffalo County Veterans Service Board for 18 years, was a member of the American Legion Post 52 in Kearney and Post 361 in Elm Creek; also a member of the 40 & 8; lifetime member of the Hospital Service League and the Buffalo County Historical Society, member of the Nebraska Admiral Association and the Retired Postmasters Association; received the Service to Mankind Award in 1988; was twice honored as an admiral in the Nebraska Navy in 1984 by Gov. Bob Kerrey and again in 1988 by Gov. Kay Orr
Survivors include: his wife, and nieces and nephews
Was preceded in death by his parents and one brother
Kearney Hub, 23 November 2019
SCHNOOR, Frank "Spencer," 80, of Dallas, Texas, died Sunday, Nov. 10, 2019, after complications from knee surgery in Dallas
Service: Saturday at Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home in Dallas
Born: Sept. 6, 1939, in Kearney, Neb.
Parents: Frank "Tex" and Evelyn (Monroe) Schnoor
Grew up an only child in Amherst, Neb., where his parents owned a local grocery store; graduated from Kearney State College and anesthesia school in Allentown, Pa.
Military: served during the Vietnam War in a M.A.S.H. unit
Was an anesthesist at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney for many years
Married: Elaine Ann Till on Oct. 8, 1966; were married for 53 years and together raised three children while living in Kearney
Activities: loved to travel, visiting countries all over the world on cruises and trips with family and friends; skiing, horseback riding, scuba diving, attending World Cup soccer, walking the Great Wall of China, riding the Trans-Siberian Railway and gazing up at the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City were all checked off his bucket list; doted on his family, was happiest when helping others; enjoyed decorating for Christmas, watching Husker football and Fox news, or just running errands
Survivors include: his wife, Elaine; his three children, Dr. Melanie (Chuck) Greene, Dr. Tiffany Roberts and Dr. Zachary Schnoor; and five grandchildren, Nathan, Nolan and Cooper Roberts and Tatum and Tyler Greene
Nemorials: Freedom Service Dogs of America
Kearney Hub, 14 November 2019
SHIERS, Mary M., 91, of Kearney died Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, at Kearney Regional Medical Center
Service: Thursday at St. James Catholic Church
Burial: Kearney Cemetery
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl
Born: Nov. 10, 1927, in Kearney
Parents: Jacob and Helen (Zimmer) Paitz
Graduated from Pleasanton High School in 1945; earned her teachers certificate from Kearney Normal School
Taught at several rural schools in Buffalo County
Married: Roger Shiers on June 5, 1948, in Pleasanton
After marriage, lived in Kearney, stayed at home raising her children
Activities: enjoyed being involved with and attending her children’s school activities, gardening, going to horse shows, crocheting, sewing, raising animals and going on family camping trips; liked to bake and prepare Sunday dinners; member of St. James Catholic Church
Survivors include her sons, Andrew Shiers of Alliance, Daniel Shiers and wife Theresa of McCook, Michael Shiers and wife Katy of Kearney and Mark Shiers of Lincoln; daughters, Ann Teply and husband Rodney of Loup City and Sue Ellen Shiers and Mark Foell of Grand Island; son-in-law, Ron Nielsen of Grand Island; brother, Joe Paitz of Pleasanton, sisters, Rita Busch of Pleasanton and Monica DeCarlo and husband Tony of Paulsbo, Wash.; 13 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren
Was preceded in death by her husband; son, John G. Shiers; daughter, Virginia Nielsen; three brothers; and one sister
Memorials: Kearney Catholic High School Foundation or St. James Catholic Church
Kearney Hub, 29 October 2019
SINDT, Rodney Allan “Rod”, 83, of Lincoln, formerly of Kearney and rural Naponee, died Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019, at Bryan Medical Center West in Lincoln
Memorial service: Saturday at First United Methodist Church in Franklin
Wished to donate his body to the Nebraska Anatomical Board for education and research
Born: Aug. 20, 1936, in Holdrege
Parents: Albert E. and Lydia M. (Pohlenz) Sindt
Attended District 14 (Sindt School) near the family farm, graduated from the eighth grade in 1950; graduated from Franklin Public School in 1954; . member of the Franklin Future Farmers of America chapter; received the American Farmer degree, the highest award given by the organization, in October 1956 at the national FFA convention in Kansas City, Mo.; member of the national FFA chorus in 1953 and 1954
Married: July 20, 1958, to Sandra L. Blank in Franklin
Lived in the house that was the former home of his parents and grandparents, Emil and Emilie (Kruse) Sindt; moved to Kearney in 2014; after Sandra's death, moved to The Windcrest on Van Dorn, July 2016 - May 2019; moved to CountryHouse Residence in June 2019
Military: U.S. Army National Guard of Kansas (Smith Center) and Reserve of the Army of the United States, July 1958 to July 1964
Was a lifelong farmer, enjoyed working and caring for the land and tending to livestock; fed cattle and raised corn and alfalfa with his father Albert and brother Delbert; discontinued feeding cattle in 2001, formally retired from farming in September 2007
Activities: member of the Pleasant View Christian Church near Wilcox; after marriage, was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Franklin and most recently a member of the First United Methodist Church in Kearney; enjoyed music (especially the Mormon Tabernacle Choir), and sang in the church choir; served on various church committees and helped with many maintenance tasks at the parsonage and church in Franklin; served in the Franklin community, was a TeamMates mentor at the Franklin Public School; enjoyed visiting residents at the nursing home in Franklin
Was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013; was determined to help manage it with 2-mile walks, exercise and Sandra’s excellent cooking
Survivors include: his daughter, Andrea Dinkelman and husband Gene of Lincoln; his brother, Delbert Sindt and wife Darlene of Kearney; his sister-in-law, Gayle Preston of Omaha; adopted daughter, Kathy Murphy Buschkoetter and husband Darrel of Lawrence; granddaughters, Savannah (Justin) Henn of Elgin and Samantha Murphy of Franklin; great-grandson, Dexter Arehart of Franklin; nephew, Scott (Annette) Sindt of Holdrege; and nieces, Michelle (Neal) Lyons of Lincoln, Alisa Preston of Philadelphia and Mary Beth (Bob) Feuling of Waukesha, Wis.
Was preceded in death by his wife, Sandra on June 29, 2016; his father, Albert on Nov. 14, 1996; and his mother, Lydia on April 3, 1995
Kearney Hub, 19 November 2019
SMITH, Eugene H., 91, of Kearney died Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019, at Brookestone Gardens in Kearney
Service: Saturday at Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral Chapel
Burial: Gates Cemetery near Broken Bow
Born: July 21, 1928, in rural Custer County
Parents: Claude and Faye Smith
Grew up in the Dry Valley community south of Sargent; moved with family in 1940 to a place west of town, in the Walworth area; graduated from Sargent High School in 1946
Military: served two years in the U.S. Army
Married: 1952, to Eyvonne Huffman, originally from Milburn
Worked for a time on a Loup County ranch, but for the majority of his working life was employed by the state of Nebraska as a brand inspector; for over 30 years performed cattle brand inspections and ownership verification at locations including Benkelman, North Platte, Broken Bow, Lexington, Alliance and Grand Island; in 1963, was assigned to Kearney which became an inspector training center; was inspector-in-charge and a trainer, supervised 31 beginning brand inspectors
Liked working with cattle and horses; in the mid-1960's, purchased the Walworth-area land his parents had leased since 1940, and later acquired some grassland northwest of Kearney and additional acreage in Custer County, and had modest cattle and horse breeding enterprises there; enjoyed his livestock and his long-time sideline of training horses to saddle, but also to drive in harness; also performed day-work for area cattle producers needing help from someone still possessing cowboy skills
Survivors include: his wife, Eyvonne; and children, Troy (LeeAnn) Smith of Sargent, Dean (Yvonne) Smith of Kearney and Linda (Pat) Jones of Cambridge; nine grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, as well as nieces and nephews
Was preceded in death by his parents, brother and grandson, Aaron Jones
Kearney Hub, 15 November 2019
SODERQUIST, Ruth M., 91, of Kearney, formerly of Axtell, died Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019, at St. John’s Good Samaritan Center
Service: Tuesday at Bethany Lutheran Church south of Axtell
Burial: Bethany Lutheran Church Cemetery
Mortuary: Craig Funeral Home in Minden
Born: April 8, 1928, in Sioux City, Iowa
Parents: Ralph Edward and Sarah Marie (Ross) Baugous
Grew up in the Homer, Neb., and moved to Holdrege; graduated from Holdrege High School with the class of 1945
Worked at the Phelps County Welfare office for two years
Married: April 20, 1947, to Dale C. Soderquist in Dakota City
After marriage, lived in the Axtell area; was employed by Bethphage Mission in Axtell, then tranferred to their Omaha location in 1986; retired in 1996, after 32 years of dedicated service; then moved to Kearney
Activities: member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Axtell, Rejoice Lutheran Church in Omaha, and was a charter member of Axtell Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary; was very active in church circles and numerous card clubs; enjoyed crocheting, reading, playing cards, exercising with friends at the Kearney YMCA, gardening and canning, and was a great cook; enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren
Survivors include: her sons, Carroll (Janice) Soderquist of Axtell and Keith (Bonnie) Soderquist of Sioux Falls, S.D.; daughter, Karen (Jerry) Gilbreath of Pickrell; grandchildren, James (April) Soderquist, Jayson (Tina) Soderquist, Laura (Gary) Jacobsen, Clark Soderquist, Stacey (Dave) Neff, Michael (Holly) Gilbreath and Emily (JT) Hernandez; great-grandchildren, Mya and Grace Soderquist, Cody and Cassie Soderquist, Owen and Gavin Jacobsen, Madison and David Neff, Caden, Kynley and Kendyl Gilbreath, and Lilliana and Merek Hernandez; brother, William (Marleen) Baugous of Le Mars, Iowa; sister, Marian Brown of Elkhorn; as well as a host of extended relatives and friends
Was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; brothers, Ralph “Sonny” Baugous and John Baugous and wife Dovie; and brother-in-law, Rodger Brown
Memorials: Bethany Lutheran Church in Axtell, Axtell Volunteer Fire Department or Mosaic at Bethphage Village in Axtell
Kearney Hub, 9 November 2019
STAFFORD, Dorothy J., 100, of Kearney died Friday, Nov. 22, 2019, at St. John’s Good Samaritan Center in Kearney
Funeral service: Monday, Dec. 2, 2019, at First United Methodist Church in Kearney
Burial: Kearney Cemetery
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl
Born: June 5, 1919 on a farm south of Elm Creek in Phelps County
Parents: Albert W. and Margaret C. (Anderson) Trimble
Was the oldest of eleven children; attended rural schools in the area, moved to Overton at the age of 13, worked for her room and board while attending Overton High School; graduated with the class of 1937
Married: April 13, 1941 to Gilbert W. Stafford at her parents’ home north of Amherst
After marriage, lived on a farm in the Riverdale area; was a typical farm wife, growing a large garden, canning and preserving fruits and vegetables, and raising chickens for meat and eggs; loved flowers of all kinds and spent hours working in her yard which was always a showplace
Activities: was a devoted mother; taught Sunday School, sponsored MYF, and was a 4-H leader for over 20 years; served on the Buffalo County 4-H Council, Buffalo County Extension Board, American Red Cross Volunteers, and was a member of Better Home and Gardens Extension club, United Methodist Women and Faithful Rebekah Lodge; joined Riverdale Methodist Church in April 1941, transferred to First United Methodist Church in Kearney in 1978; member of the Altar Committee for many years making monthly calls to ensure donations of flowers for the altar at church services
Survivors include: son, Keith Stafford and wife Julie of Kearney; daughter Kerry Allen and husband Jim of Riverdale,; seven grandchildren, Kirk Swartz of Omaha, Kara Swartz of Omaha, Matthew Stafford of Kearney, Amy Bivona and husband Jon Vandeventer of Kenesaw, Daniel Stafford and wife Crystal of Northville, MI, Blake Bivona and wife Stacy of Kearney, Michael Stafford and wife Mary of Overland Park, Kansas; seven great grandchildren, Kodi Swartz, Lauryn Kenning, Jamison Stafford, Harrison Stafford, Cash Bivona, Vinny Bivona and Georgia Stafford; sisters, Carol Gearheart of Littleton, Colo., and Evelyn Bloomer of Phoenix, Arizona; brothers, Wayne Trimble and wife Dorothy of Kearney and Bruce Trimble and wife Carol of Kalispell, Montana; sister-in-law, Marcia Trimble of Kearney plus many nieces, nephews and friends
Was preceded in death by her parents; husband Gilbert; daughter, Karen Stafford Swartz; son-in-law, Ken Swartz; four sisters and two brothers
Memorials: First United Methodist Church
Kearney Hub, 27 November 2019
STOVER, Michael L. “Mike”, 62, of Lincoln died Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019, in Lincoln as a result of a car/motorcycle accident
Graveside service: Tuesday at Kearney Cemetery
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl
Born: Feb. 14, 1957, in Fort Dodge, Iowa
Parents: Gay and Mary (McKim) Stover
Survivors include his daughter, Ashely Croney of Pocahontas, Ark.; sons, Anthony Stover and Derek Stover, both of Omaha; mother, Mary Stover of Kearney; and brother, Tom Stover of Grand Island
Kearney Hub, 23 November 2019
STRATMAN, Weslie, 84, of Pueblo County, Colorado, died Nov. 5 2019, in Pueblo
STRATMAN, Donna, 84, of Pueblo County, Colorado, died Nov. 6, 2019, in Pueblo
Service: Nov. 9 at Central Christian Church in Pueblo
Mortuary: Roselawn in Pueblo
Weslie was born: March 6, 1935 near Wilcox, Nebr.
Parents: John and Ruth Stratman
Wes was a “tractor man”; he spent 12 years with the Brodine Tractor Co. in Kearney, three as a territory manager for Hesston Corp., and operated Hiland Implement in Pueblo for 20 years; was connoisseur of antique tools and farm equipment; also served as superintendent of the Colorado State Fair Antique Equipment Display for 24 years
Donna was born: July 15, 1935, near Wilcox, Nebr.
Parents: Clifford and Marie Tupper
Graduated from University of Nebraska, was a life-long educator and avid reader; taught home economics in Wilcox; was the preschool director at Central Christian Preschool in Pueblo for over 20 years
Married: June 15, 1957, at Pleasant View Christian Church in Wilcox
After marriage, lived in Kearney, Nebr.; and Lamar and Pueblo, Colorado Activities: in retirement, enjoyed traveling to antique farm shows and spending time with their 12 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and one 1916 Minneapolis-Moline steam engine; member of Central Christian Church in Pueblo since 1973
Survivors include: their six children, Valerie Gorton of Longmont, Loreli Stratman of Aurora, Steve Stratman (Laurie) of Pueblo, Gary Stratman (Debbie) of Greeley, Trent Stratman (Tammie) of Kearney and Teresa Osmanski (Duane) of Kearney
Memorials: Central Christian Church; Front Range Antique Power Association; or the Avondale Vineland Lions Club
Kearney Hub, 16 November 2019
STUBBLEFIELD, Linda A. (Muchmore), 70, of Madison, Alabama, died Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019, in Madison
Memorial service: pending Entombment of ashed: Kearney Cemetery
Mortuary: Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl
Born: January 11th, 1949 at Good Samaritan Hospital, Kearney, Nebraska
Parents: James T. and Evelyn (Yendra) Muchmore
Graduated from Gibbon High School in 1968
Spent her earlier career as an educator in the medical field and truly lived to teach; later graduated of Athens State University
Activities: later in life, enjoyed knitting, sudoku, crossword puzzles, and spending time with her friends, family, and grandchildren
Survivors include: son, James R. Stubblefield of Madison, Alabama; and daughter, Cindy K. Edwards of Huntsville, Alabama; and brother Ken Muchmore of Kearney, Nebraska; and three grandchildren
Was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Steven
Kearney Hub, 21 October 2019 and www.hlmkfuneral.com
THORELL, Arlene, 72, of Grand Island died Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019, at Good Samaritan Society, Grand Island
Service: Monday at Apfel Funeral Home, Hastings
Burial: Parkview Cemetery in Hastings
Born: Dec. 28, 1946, in Kearney
Parents: Oliver Emmett and Helen Gladys (Gove) Register
Graduated from Kearney High School in 1965; earned a paralegal degree from Pikes Peak Community College in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Worked as a paralegal and then did customer service for Dell Computers in Round Rock, Texas; retired in 2006
Activities: was a Nebraska Huskers fan; was very supportive of her family and enjoyed their company
Survivors include: three children, Amy Fuchs of Hastings, Brian (Jean) Thorell of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and James Thorell of Austin, Texas; six grandchildren, Amanda Thorell, W. Shea Fuchs, Austin (Lexi) Thorell, Brandon Thorell, Colton Fuchs and Kailey Goodrich; four great-grandchildren, Halah Thorell, Haleigha Thorell, Nakota Thorell and Hazel Thorell; one sister, Donna (Richard) Harvey-Peck; and many nieces and nephews and extended family
Was preceded in death by her parents; one niece, Robin Harvey; and brother-in-law, Gerald Harvey
Kearney Hub, 21 November 2019
TURNER, Anthony Lee “Tony”, 34, of Kearney died Friday, Nov. 8, 2019, from injuries received in an auto accident
Service: Thursday at First Lutheran Church
Burial: later
Mortuary: O’Brien Straatmann Redinger
Born: June 6, 1985, in Kearney
Mother: Barbara Turner
Continued to call Kearney his home throughout his life; was in the class of 2003 at Kearney High School
Married: July 1, 2006, to Ashley Stump, in Kearney
Worked with the family business, Turner Body Shop; learned firsthand from his grandfather; began as a tech at age 15 and progressed over the years to co-ownership in 2016, expanding the family business to a second location in Holdrege; took great pride in the business; earned multiple certifications and awards in the auto body industry; was an active member of the Nebraska Auto Body Association
Activities: cherished his friends and family, was always ready to help; especially enjoyed spending time sports shooting, bow hunting, camping, fishing, playing drums, jet skiing, traveling and spending time with his family; looked forward to NASCAR and Husker game day, along with watching MMA with his friends; took great pride in protecting all his loved ones; was extremely proud of his children; was very involved in the community; Concrete Cares was their greatest passion along with fostering numerous animal rescues and sponsoring several area organizations including local youth
Survivors include: his wife, Ashley Turner; children, Chassidy Turner, Anthony Lee Turner JR., and McKael; mother, Barb Turner; sisters, Amy Johnson and Alexis Turner, all of Kearney; mothers-in-law and fathers-in-law, Cindy and Mike Beaver of Gibbon and Joy and Everett Stump of Norfolk; sister-in-law, Amber Wright; brothers-in-law, Logan Stump, Dylan Kniffen, Mark Kniffen, Tim Beaver, Jon Beaver, Matt Tubio and John Tubio; grandparents, Sandi and Harry Leonard of Kearney; as well as many nieces, nephews and extended family and friends
Was preceded in death by his grandparents, Bob and Gloria Turner; and brother-in-law, Ryan Johnson
Kearney Hub, 13 November 2019
VanGILDER, Betty, 90, of Kearney died Monday, Nov. 4, 2019, at St. Luke’s Good Samaritan Village
Service: Nov. 16 at O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home
Burial: Kearney Cemetery
Born: April 11, 1929, in Winona, Minn.
Parents: Lorenz and Violet (Summers) Weinmann
Was raised in Winona; was a 1947 graduate of Winona High School
Married: Sept. 11, 1948, to Erwin VanGilder in Winona
After marriage, lived in Red Wing, Minn., Papillion, Cottage Grove, Minn., Aurora, Ill., Lincoln, Farmington, N.M., Kearney, Ladson, S.C., and back to Kearney
Was a dedicated homemaker and was a gracious host; enjoyed spending time with her family, especially around the holidays; also loved when family gathered around the piano and sang; was known for her immaculate home and her beautiful, bountiful gardens
Survivors include: her son, Gary (Carla) VanGilder of St. Joseph, Mich.; daughters, Teri (Ronald) Axson of Ladson, S.C., and Geri Anderson of Kearney; seven grandchildren, Chrissy (Ronald) Zirkle, Michael (Hannah) VanGilder, Ashley (Michael) Elliot, T.J. (Schayla) Axson, Stanley VanGilder, Jazzmyn (Kyle) Smith and Jordyn (Trevor) Lybarger; 13 great-grandchildren; sister, Maxine Beckman; brother-in-law, Maurice; and many nieces and nephews
Was preceded in death by her husband, Erwin VanGilder; a son at birth; her parents; four brothers, Bob Weinmann, Leo Weinmann, Vernon Weinmann and Oest Weinmann; sister, Shirley Newell; and son-in-law, Troy Anderson
Memorials: American Lung Association
Kearney Hub, 6 November 2019
ZOERB, Doris P., 100, of Kearney died Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, at Brookestone View in Broken Bow
Service: Tuesday at the Berean Bible Church City Campus in Broken Bow
Burial: Rose Hill Cemetery in Callaway
Mortuary: Govier Bros. in Broken Bow
Born: Feb. 2, 1919, in Arnold
Parents: Fletcher and Leana Turley
Married: Marvin Zoerb; he preceded her in death
Survivors include her son, Gary Zoerb of Arnold, two grandsons; 13 great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren
Kearney Hub, 19 October 2019