U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Harold Pierson, age 81 (1922-2003)
Harold Pierson, 81 of Compton, Illinois, died Monday, October 6, 2003.
Memorial services were held on Friday, October 10, 2003, at Paw Paw, Illinois.
He was born at Ray, North Dakota, on July 17, 1922, to Emil and Lillie Erwin Pierson.
On October 15, 1948, he married Estaleen Wolf at Dodge City, Kansas. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and had worked in the machinery business in Kansas and Illinois until his retirement.
He was preceded in death by his wife in June 2003, and two brothers, Russell and Clarence.
Survivors include two sisters, Grace (Harold) Hanson of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and Lila (George) Martinson of St. Paul, Minnesota; a brother-in-law, Wayne (Margie) Wolf of Cozad, and several nieces and nephews.
Graveside memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 18, 2003, at the East Cemetery in Eustis with Rev. D.R. "Buck" Linton-Hendrik of the United Methodist Church officiating.
The Berryman Funeral Home in Cozad is in charge of arrangements.
Mary I. "Billie" Cox, 86 (1927-2003)
Mary I. "Billie" Cox, 86, of Lexington, Nebraska, died Wednesday, October 8, 2003, at the Plum Creek Care Center in Lexington, Nebraska.
Billie was born March 26, 1927, at Overton, Nebraska, to John Patrick and Gertrude (Leek) Carey.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church, the PEO Sisterhood and Order of the Eastern Star.
She is survived by one son, Randy Cox and his wife Sarah Guillet of Minneapolis, Minnesota; two grandchildren, Katherine Cox and Christopher Cox; one brother and two sisters.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband, John in December of 2002 and a brother, Jack.
The family has chosen cremation with Memorial Services to be held at a later date.
Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington is in charge of arrangements.
Vern Donald Anderson (1938-2003)
Vern Donald Anderson, 65, of Callaway, Nebraska, died Thursday, October 9, 2003, at his home in Callaway.
He was born the fourth son of Jesse (Jack) John and Marvel (Camp) Anderson, on January 7, l938, north of Cozad, Nebraska, two miles into Custer County.
His family moved to Pine Canyon between Callaway and Arnold in October of 1940. He attended Pine Canyon rural school through the eighth grade and graduated from Arnold High School in 1955. After working at neighboring ranches, he left for Fort Carson, Colorado in October of 1957, for his first eight weeks of basic training, then to Fort Leonardwood, Missouri, for the remainder of his Army career working in the transportation unit until his discharge in October of 1959.
Following his father's death in May of 1960, Vern took over the operation of the Pine Canyon Ponderosa. On May 23, 1964, he was married to Iris Bader of the New Helena community in St. Anselm's Church in Anselmo, Nebraska. The couple farmed and ranched in Pine Canyon until moving to Callaway in August of 1988. Vern then joined the Dennis Geiser Masonry team until Denny's death.
Vern served on the Triumph Township Board, was the past long-time member of the Broken Bow Elks Lodge, #1688, and was a present member of the St. Boniface Catholic Church in Callaway.
Vern's happiest moments were when he would take his family camping, fishing, and boating. He was an avid football fan, especially the Nebraska Cornhuskers. In later years he enjoyed being with his five beloved grandchildren teaching them the many "finer" points in life, much to the embarrassment of his wife and children. The little ones thoroughly took to his humorous ways.
Survivors include his loving wife, Iris Anderson of Callaway; one daughter, Christi (George) Mackley of Hershey, Nebraska; one son, Lance (Stacey) Anderson of Kearney, Nebraska; five grandchildren, Joanna, Jacob, and Samuel Mackley of Hershey, Nebraska, and Megan and Blaine Anderson of Kearney, Nebraska; his mother, Marvel Anderson of Callaway, Nebraska; three brothers, Loren Anderson of Arnold, Nebraska, R. Dale Anderson of Morrison, Colorado, and Elvin and Shirley Anderson of Broomfield, Colorado, and many other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, Jesse in 1960, his son, Randal Vern (Randy) in 1988, and two sisters-in-law, Maryann and Betty Lou.
Mass of Christian Burial was Monday, October 13, 2003, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Callaway, Nebraska, with Rev. Hugh Spanel, officiating.
Burial was in the Rose Hill Cemetery at Callaway with Military Honors.
Memorials are suggested to the Callaway Rescue Unit.
Timm-Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Callaway is in charge of arrangements.
Harold M. Stevens, age 85 (1918-2003)
Harold M. Stevens, 85, of Lexington, Nebraska, died Thursday, October 9, 2003, at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska.
He was born April 13, 1918, at Madrid, Nebraska, to Joseph Morgan and Elsie (Browitt) Stevens.
Harold was a University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate in vocational education and animal science in 1943. He married Virginia Smith July 23, 1943, at Lamar, Nebraska.
Stevens served two years as vocational agriculture instructor at Sargent, Nebraska. He then served as UNL Extension Agent Chairman in Dawson County from 1945, until his retirement in 1987. The Dawson County 4-H program under his leadership, was a leader in livestock judging and exhibits in Nebraska for many years. Educational programs during his tenure in Dawson County included advances in alfalfa production, development of water resources and policy, the windbreak "living snowfence" concept, and helping people to help themselves through the 4-H and adult programs. Harold conducted 104 education water tours.
Among more than 50 awards and honors received included induction into the National 4-H Hall of Fame, Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement, U.S. Department of Agriculture Superior Service Award and the Nebraskaland Foundation Pioneer Award presented at the State Capitol.
Mr. Stevens was a 50 year member of the First United Methodist Church in Lexington, as well as the Lexington Rotary Club, past member of the Lexington Community Foundation board, the Masonic Lodge, a proud supporter of the Boy Scouts, Lexington Chamber of Commerce, Dawson County Fair Board and the Dawson County Historical Society. Harold always encouraged agricultural organizations to work together in Dawson County.
Survivors include his loving wife of 60 years, Virginia Stevens of Lexington; one daughter, Georgia L. Stevens of Lincoln, Nebraska; one son, James M. (Linda) Stevens of Greenwood Village, Colorado; four grandchildren, Stephanie Stevens Neruda and Michael Stevens Neruda, both of Stanford, California, Perry M. Stevens, M.D. of Chicago, Illinois, and Quinn J. (Roxanne Baca) Stevens of Denver, Colorado; one sister, Dorothy (Earl) Beeler of Holdrege, Nebraska; two sisters-in-law, Dorothy Smith Weiss of Imperial, Nebraska, and Lillian Smith Kuhlman of Rock Rapids, Iowa; and nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Glenn.
The family has chosen cremation. There will be no visitation.
A memorial service was held Saturday, October 11, 2003, at 2 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Lexington, Nebraska, with Rev. Todd Karges, officiating.
Memorials may be made to the University of Nebraska Foundation for the Harold and Virginia Stevens Scholarship; Lexington Community Foundation, or the Lexington First United Methodist Church.
Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington was in charge of arrangements.
Robert C. Brown, Sr., age 88 (1915-2003)
Robert Brown, 88 of Cozad, died October 9, 2003.
He was born September 5, 1915, at Westerville to Carl and Hattie York Brown. He attended schools at North Loop and Grand Island. He worked in the oil fields in Wyoming and at the Ordinance Plant at Grand Island during World War II_before returning to the oil fields.
In March 1946, he married Elnora Jacobi. His work in the oil fields took them to Wyoming, Utah, Canada and Colorado. He retired in 1980 and the couple moved to Cozad.
He attended the Cozad Christian Church. He was a member of the Golden Rod Car Club. He enjoyed participating in antique car functions with his 1934 Ford Cabrolet which he completely restored. He also enjoyed woodworking and was an avid sports fan. In 1989, he received the "Sports Fan of the Year" from the Cozad Chamber of Commerce.
Survivors include his wife, Elnora of Cozad; a daughter, Venus (Gary) McShannon of Grand Island, Nebraska; two sons, Robert (Geneva) Brown Jr. of Omaha, Nebraska, and Richard Brown of Grand Island; eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren; five nieces and two nephews.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Irven and a sister, Kathryn Brockmeier.
Services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, October 13, 2003, at the Berryman Funeral Home Chapel in Cozad with Rev. Larry Thomas officiating. Burial was in the Cozad Cemetery.
A memorial has been established in his memory.
The Berryman Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Marjorie Strasburg, 72 (1931-2003)
Marjorie Strasburg, 72, of Cozad, Nebraska, died October 9, 2003.
She was born September 13, 1931, at Broken Bow, Nebraska, to Thomas and Leitha Sandy Connely. She attended schools at Arnold and Logan County.
On January 27, 1948, she married C. Howard Strasburg at the Strasburg family farm at Arnold. The resided at Arnold where she worked as a beautician. In 1977, the couple moved to Cozad where she worked at Monroe Auto Equipment Co. She was later in real estate at Gothenburg and also the Silver Bell Realty in Cozad.
Survivors include her husband, C. Howard Strasburg of Cozad; three sons, Mitch of Cozad, Kevin of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Lemoyne (friend, Deb) of Cozad; a brother, Gary Connely of Gilbert, Arizona; a sister-in-law, Roberta Strasburg of Arnold; six grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; a great-granddaughter, and three step-great-grandsons.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Eldon.
Services were held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, October 13, 2003, at the Berryman Funeral Home Chapel in Cozad with Pastor Eugene Purcell officiating. Burial was in the Arnold Cemetery.
The Berryman Funeral Home in Cozad was in charge of arrangements.
