U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Darell E. Naffziger, age 87 (1917-2005)
Darell E. Naffziger, 87, of Lexington, Nebraska, formerly of Amherst, Nebraska, died Friday, March 4, 2005, at his home.
He was born March 10, 1917, in Lexington to Earl and Bessie (Butler) Naffziger. Darell grew up in Lexington going to school at District 7, and then attended Lexington High School were he graduated in 1936. Darell was united in marriage to Betty Mullin on February 15, 1943, at North Platte, Nebraska. Following their marriage the couple moved to Amherst, Nebraska, in 1961, where Darell farmed. He farmed in the Amherst area until moving to Lexington in 1999.
Darell was known as a kind and loving person. He had a passion for fishing. He also loved to garden and farm. You could find Darell spending many days at Tub's Pub playing cards with his friends or joining friends at Dottie's Diner, drinking coffee. He was a member of the First Christian Church.
Survivors include his two sons, Jim and Debbie Naffziger of Las Vegas Nevada, and Bob and Maria Naffziger of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; one sister, Margaret Barnes of Lexington; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Betty in 1991; daughter, Janet in 1988; one brother, Glenn; and one, sister Norma.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 8, 2005, at 11 a.m. at The First Christian Church in Lexington with Pastors Kyron C. BeDunnah and Dean Pofahl officiating. Burial was in the Greenwood Cemetery at Lexington.
Memorials are kindly suggested to First Christian Church or Good Samaritan Hospice in Kearney.
Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington was in charge of arrangements.
Thomas E. Waller, II, 55 (1949-2005)
Thomas E. Waller, II, 55, of Gothenburg, Nebraska, died March 4, 2005, at the V.A. Medical Center in Denver, Colorado.
He was born on August 26, 1949, to Arthur and Jean Griffin Waller at Lexington, Nebraska.
Tom graduated from Gothenburg High School in 1967. After high school Tom was in the Army from 1969 to 1971 during the Vietnam War. After the Army he attended technical college in Hastings, Nebraska. He married Nancy Widholm on June 24, 1973.
He drove truck most of his life, enjoyed hunting, and was an automotive enthusiast.
Survivors include two daughters, Klorisa (James) Withers of Hope, Arkansas, and Krystal (Mark) Mullen of Island of Crete, Chania, Greece; two sons, Tom Waller III of San Diego, California, and Tyler Waller of Estes Park, Colorado; his mother, Jean Waller of Gothenburg; one sister, Constance Brestel of Lincoln, Nebraska; three grandchildren; one niece; and one nephew.
He was preceded in death by his father.
Funeral services were held on Wednesday, March 9, 2005, 10:30 a.m. at the Evangelical Free Church, Gothenburg with Rev. Rick Rehmert officiating. Burial was in Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell, Nebraska, with military honors by the Gothenburg Honor Guard.
A memorial has been established.
Blase Memorial Chapel of Gothenburg was in charge of arrangements.
LeRoy Max Thomas, 62 (1943-2005)
LeRoy Max Thomas, 62, of Kearney, Nebraska, died Saturday, March 5, 2005, at the Good Samaritan Hospital.
Mr. Thomas was born February 2, 1943, in Shelton, Nebraska, to William and Ruth (Zimmerman) Thomas. The family moved to Kearney where he grew up and attended school. He had worked for the Kearney Floral Co. and Kinkaid Plumbing while in Kearney. On October 22, 1960, he and Julia McMichael were married in Farnam, Nebraska, and made their home in Kearney. In 1979, they moved to Round Rock, Texas, where he worked for the Texas Public School System as a Maintenance Supervisor. He retired after 22 years and moved back to Kearney.
Survivors include one son, Troy of Rosharron, Texas; three daughters, Charity Thomas of Tyler, Texas, Cindy Thomas of Broken Bow, Nebraska, and Debra Thomas of Erie, Pennsylvania; two brothers, Billie of Wood River, Nebraska, and Bob of Shelton; two sisters, Anna Tavenner and Joan Green, both of Kearney; eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife in 1989; one son, Marty; and a sister, Delores.
Graveside services will be held Thursday, March 10, 2005, at 11:30 a.m. at the Farnam Cemetery with Rev. Larry Viter officiating.
Memorials are suggested to the family for later determination.
Jack McKenzie, age 79 (1927-2005)
Jack McKenzie, 79 of Elwood, Nebraska, died Saturday, March 5, 2005, at Kearney.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the church mission fund or the donor's choice.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, March 11, 2005, at the Calvary Assembly of God Church in Lexington, Nebraska, with Pastor Joe Masten officiating. Burial will be in the Elwood Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 10, 2005, at the Calvary Assembly of God Church in Lexington.
Berryman Funeral Home of Cozad is in charge of arrangements.
Ray Long, Cozad, age 82 (1923-2005)
Ray Long, 82, died Sunday, March 6, 2005, at his home in Cozad, Nebraska.
He was born January 25, 1923, in Cherry County, Nebraska, to Ellis and Helen (Roseberry) Long. He attended school in Mullen, Nebraska, graduating from Mullen High School with the Class of 1941. Ray was married to Wilma Stockham on September 26, 1943. The couple moved to Cozad in 1944. He had been employed at Allied Mills and Continental Grain as a truck driver for 23 years, retiring in 1985. His favorite pastime was woodworking and doing yard work.
He was preceded in death by his wife in 1993,; a granddaughter, Sarah Gardner; and a brother, Neale Long.
Survivors include a daughter, Janet Long of Curtis, Nebraska; four sons, Raymond Long of Cozad, Ronald (Janie) Long of Dayton, Ohio, David (Mary Lou) Long of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Teddy (Judy) Long of McCook, Nebraska; three sisters, Louise Lynes of Burley, Idaho, Olive (Oscar) Knoedler of Cozad, and Betty (Aaron) Crosman of Salt Lake City, Utah; nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Services were held on Wednesday, March 9, 2005, at 10 a.m. at the Berryman Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was in the Oconto Cemetery.
A memorial has been established in his memory.
Berryman Funeral Home of Cozad was in charge of arrangements.
Rodney A. Sitorius, 87 (1917-2005)
Dr. Rodney A. Sitorius, 87, longtime Cozad physician, died March 7, 2005, at his home in Cozad, Nebraska.
He was born October 24, 1917, at Gothenburg, Nebraska, to William and Ida Junker Sitorius. He graduated from Gothenburg High School in 1936 and later from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
He was united in marriage to Virginia Ostergard on July 12, 1940, at Gothenburg. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1945, during World War II. After his discharge, he returned to Nebraska and received his medical degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha in 1950. He served his internship at Norman, Oklahoma, and returned to Nebraska in 1952, when he moved to Cozad and started his medical practice. He retired in 1994 after practicing for over 50 years. He was the Hall of Fame recipient of the Cozad Community Hospital Foundation.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, V.F.W., Rotary International and was a past Mason.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia of Cozad; three daughters, Joyce (Warren) Shaw of Seattle, Washington, Nancy (Fred) George of Kearney, Nebraska, and Cindy (Richard Brown) Sitorius-Eyre of Council Bluffs, Iowa; three sons, Michael (Marilyn) Sitorius, M.D. of Omaha, Nebraska, Patrick (Terri) Sitorius, M.D. of Janesville, Wisconsin, and Greg (Patrice) Sitorius of Minden, Nebraska; 15 grandchildren, Jon, Joe, Tracey, Kerri, Shayne, Tom, Anne, Jane, Beth, Peter, Shelby, Taylor, Regan, Lindsey and Carly; three great-grandchildren, Dylan, Alaina and Michayla; and other relatives, friends and honorary daughters.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Herb, Alvin and Vernon; and a sister, Emma.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in his memory.
A private family inurnment service will be held prior to the memorial services at Ft. McPherson National Cemetery of Maxwell, Nebraska, with military honors.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 11, 2005, at the First United Methodist Church in Cozad with Rev. Lyle Shoen officiating.
The family will be receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Berryman Funeral Home in Cozad with memorial book signing at that time.
Berryman Funeral Home of Cozad is in charge of arrangements.
