Lloyd Alden Connell, 98, of Tryon, passed away Feb. 20, 2018, at Linden Court in North Platte.
Lloyd was born on Dec. 7, 1919, on the family homestead in rural McPherson County to Michael and Elisabeth (Waits) Connell.
He attended school at District No. 9 in rural McPherson County.
He lived and was raised on the original homestead all his life until 2002, when they moved into Tryon.
On Dec. 3, 1944, he married Flora Lutes. To this union one daughter, Ruth, was born.
Flora and an infant daughter passed away on Dec. 26, 1946.
On July 20, 1952, Lloyd married Cleao F. Avery in North Platte. To this union a daughter, Sharlene, was born. Lloyd worked for Tom Kemp drilling wells, was an ASCS surveyor in McPherson County and worked for Ron Paxton for many years. He grew up going to Gospel Ridge Sunday School, loved to play horseshoes (winning many tournaments), played baseball in his younger years and loved the ranch life with his horses and cattle. He raised lots of sweet corn and regular corn, enjoyed cattle drives, crossing rivers on horseback, hunting rattle snakes and roping ground squirrels. Lloyd also enjoyed brandings and roped many calves in and out of branding corrals. He carried rural mail for 29 years with Cleao at his side. Lloyd was always a good neighbor and friend, helping anyone he could. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Flora; infant daughter, Flora Mary; in-laws, Walter and Laura Avery; siblings, William, Bernard, Wayne, Dan, Malcolm, Eva Smith, Louelva Hatch, Myrtle Gragg, Martha Gressley and Dorothy Haney; and a great-great-granddaughter, Gretchen.
Survivors include his wife, Cleao of Tryon; daughters, Ruth (Kenneth) Gage and Sharlene (Blaine) Rodewald, both of Maxwell; grandchildren, Rodney (Pam) Gage of Gothenburg, Pamela (Shane) Harlin of North Platte, Shannon (Michael) Dickman of Gambrills, Maryland, Anthony (Jennifer) Rodewald of McCook, Jerome (Bernice) Gage of Tucson, Arizona, Leland (Jenny) Rodewald of Holdrege and Andrew (Ashley) Rodewald of Sidney; great-grandchildren, Nichole, Misty, Dylan, Jessica, Elisabeth, Emily, Graydon, ElsiAnna, Kailynn, Erin, Samantha, Lyndon, Blake, Brom and Graeme; great-great-grandchildren, Gabriel, Ivan, Joseph and Alvina; sisters-in-law, Helen Brooks, Lila Brooks, both of Cozad, Gloria Marlin of Gothenburg, Wanda Connell of Kenesaw and Twyla (Dean) Connelly of Brady; and numerous other family members and many friends.
Memorials are suggested to the McPherson County Fire and Rescue. Online condolences may be shared at adamswanson.com. Services will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, at the McPherson County High School in Tryon with the Rev. Bob Townsend officiating. Burial will follow at Miller Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the family receiving friends from 6-8 p.m., on Friday, Feb. 23, at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home, which is in charge of arrangements. (from The North Platte Telegraph, February 27, 2018)