U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Obituaries Published Feb. 24, 2005
Gene Smith
Today we gather to celebrate the life of Gene Smith who was born on Aug. 28, 1930, in Greeley, Colo. He died Thursday, Feb. 10, 2005, at Mary Lanning Hospital, Hastings.
His parents were Paul and Mae (Green) Smith. In high school Gene competed in football, basketball and track. He graduated from Esbon High School, Esbon, Kan., in 1948 and farmed near there prior to his service in the United States Army, 11th Airborne division. Gene served his country from 1951 to 1954.
On July 11, 1952, Gene married Carole J. Cochran in Nelson, Neb. To this union a daughter, Rebecca, and a son, Paul Gene, were born. After Rebecca and Paul had graduated from high school, Gene and Carole again took on the role of "Dad" and "Mom" when Janie and Jody, at the age of seven, came to live with them.
For 35 years Gene worked for John Deere as a mechanic, shop foreman and service manager in Red Cloud, Fairfield, Trumbull, and Hastings.
Children brought great enjoyment to Gene. He was the longtime girls softball coach in Fairfield. He never missed a football, basketball or volleyball game when his kids participated. He followed Nebraska football and volleyball.
Gene's most loved outdoor sport was bass fishing, but he liked to hunt as well. He took many young people hunting and taught the Nebraska Hunter Safety course to youth. Gene and his family spent many summer weekends camping and fishing. Since Gene's philosophy was, "Wherever I am, I'm home," they traveled extensively throughout the United States in his Ford truck and a camper.
Gene was a person of great integrity; a person whom others respected. One of his strongest assets was his ability to get along with people. He had an unusual gift of getting to know people wherever he went. "He made the best of every situation." "He had a good sense of what was right and wrong and was a very good judge of people". One of the things he will be remembered for is his smile and his sense of humor. He once made everyone laugh by dancing a jig in the middle of the kitchen floor with his three and four year old grandsons. Paul's wife, Yvonne says: "Gene was a good man."
He attended First United Methodist Church, Hastings, and was honored with a lifetime membership of the Four Rivers Sportsman Club for his volunteer work.
His parents preceded him in death.
Those of his family who remember and celebrate Gene's life today are: his wife, Carole, Hastings; three daughters and their husbands, Rebecca and Alan Halsey, Hastings, Neb.; Janice and Joseph Kotschwar, Culbertson, Neb.; Jody and Wayne Stewart, McCook, Neb.; one son and wife, Paul Gene and Yvonne Smith, Gering, Neb.; 11 grandchildren, Barry and Cathy Halsey, Carmen and Jon Engelhardt, Ashley and Justin Peregoy, Logan Smith, Riley Smith, Carissa, Amber and Brock Kotschwar and Lance, Kyle and Taylor Ann Stewart; five great-grandchildren, Nathan, Noah and Nicole Halsey, Elijah Engelhardt and MacKinzey Peregoy; one brother and spouse, Marvin and Ethel Smith, Guide Rock, Neb.; and a sister and spouse, Patty and John Snow, Lebanon, Kan., many nieces and nephews and friends.
Funeral services were held Monday, Feb. 14, 2005, at 11 a.m. at Butler-Volland Chapel, Hastings, Neb., with the Rev. Earl Higgins officiating. Music was "His Eye Is On the Sparrow," "The Old Rugged Cross," and "God Bless America." Robin Stroot was soloist and Vernon Groves, organist. Casket bearers were Barry Halsey, Justin Peregoy, Joe Kotschwar, Jon Engelhardt, Wayne Stewart and Logan Smith. Interment, with military rites by Fort Riley Honor Guard, were held Monday, Feb. 14, 2005, at 3 p.m. at Red Cloud Cemetery, Red Cloud, Neb. A luncheon was held at First United Methodist Church, Hastings.
Florence Jones
Florence Durham Jones, 93, died Feb. 19 at Hilltop Lodge, Beloit,
The third child and only daughter of Lenhart and Margaret Katherine File Durham, she was born Jan. 18, 1912, in Prairie Township, Jewell County, six miles south of Randall. She lived all of her life within a three mile radius of her original home.
Florence attended elementary school at Pleasant Prairie District No. 30 in Jewell County and graduated from Randall Rural High in 1929. She attended Kansas State College in Manhattan where she received a degree in home economics and taught at Mankato and Beloit. While in college she also was active in sports and was on the girls rifle team, winning many awards.
Florence married Max Jones on Sept. 22, 1934, at Kansas City. They lived on a farm all their married life.
Florence was a social worker in Beloit and was employed for nearly 25 years for Mitchell County as a welfare director and for the State of Kansas as a social worker, retiring in 1977.
After retiring, Florence worked as a social worker at Cheyenne Lodge in Jamestown and at Hilltop Lodge, Beloit.
She belonged to the First Christian Church, Beloit.
Her hobbies included sewing, doing yard work, raising flowers and sharing them with her friends.
She belonged to the Randall Progressive Study Club and the Beloit Business and Professional Women's Club and served both as club president and also the 6th District Director of the BPW.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and two brothers Millard and Neil Durham.
Survivors include her children Joyce Skinner, Joplin, Mo., and Jan Jones, Randall; five grandchildren, Joy Ewing, Brent Skinner, Jana Hackney, Kevin Jones and Judy Jones; and six great-grandchildren.
Services were Feb. 22 at First Christian Church, Beloit, with Dr. Rick Grace and Dave Mealiff officiating. Honorary casket bearers were Bud File, Gordon File, Ron File, Dickie File, Miles File and Vernon Hartman. Casket bearers were Joy Ewing, Robert Hackney, Katrina Jones, Paxton LeMoine, Jana Hackney, Judy Jones, Kevin Jones and Brent Skinner. Internment was in Pleasant Prairie Cemetery, Randall.
Arrangements were by McDonald Roberts Funeral Service, Beloit.
Elsie Sell
Elsie G. Sell, 91, Hastings, died Feb. 11, at Perkins Pavilion.
Services were Feb. 17, at Butler-Volland Chapel with Rev. Harold D. Stromer officiating. Burial was in Parkview Cemetery, Hastings.
Mrs. Sell was born May 19, 1913, near Nelson, to Vaclay and Vinne (Ondra) Zikmund. She graduated from High School in 1932. She moved to Hastings, in 1938 and on June 14, 1940, she married Lawrence Sell in Hastings. He preceded her in death on March 24, 1986. She worked at the Naval Ammunition Depot during WWII. Later, she was a sales representative of Avon walking all around Hastings to sell and deliver the product. Her hobbies were canning and crocheting. She was a member of Eagles Aerie 592 Auxiliary.
Mrs. Sell was preceded in death by he parents; her husband, four sisters, Frances Svoboda, Henrietta Soukop, Mary Drapal and Dorothy Dunbar, and one brother, Joe Zikmund.
Survivors include two sisters, Anna Salzkorn, Edgar and Helen Mehloff, Springfield, Mo.
James Tyler
James A. Tyler, 68, longtime resident of Northglenn, Colo., died Feb. 3. Survivors include his wife, Teresa Tyler, daughter, Mrs. Mike Harvey (Renee); granddaughter, Desiree Harvey; brothers, Robert, Superior, and Roger; sisters, Yvonne Scroggins and Mrs. Dean Fenimore (Carol), Superior.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and Veda Tyler; and brother, Jerry.
Jim was an active member of the Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus and his local Elk's Lodge.
Rosary was Feb. 7. Mass of Christian burial was Feb. 8, both at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Northglenn, Colo. Interment was in Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Bill Delay
A former Superior barber, Bill Edward Delay, 66, Hastings, died Friday at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha.
Requiem Eucharist was Tuesday at Saint Mark's Episcopal Pro-Cathedral in Hastings with The Very Rev. Richard J. Martindale officiating. Burial with military rites and Masonic rites was in Parkview Cemetery, Hastings.
Mr. Delay was born July 9, 1938, to Earl E. and Amelia (Boom) Delay in Guide Rock. He graduated from Guide Rock High School in 1956. He served in the U.S. Air Force Texas and Germany from 1960-63. He graduated from Lincoln Barber College in Lincoln and was a barber for over 40 years. He married Cheri Niederhaus. He was self-employed at City Slickers Barber Shop in Hastings at the time of his death.
He was a member of Saint Mark's Episcopal Pro-Cathedral, Mid-West Lodge 317 A.F. and A.M. and the Blue Lodge. He was a past member of Tehama Shrine and Scottish Rites.
Survivors are his wife; three daughters, Lori Delay Homstad, Springdale, Ariz.; Nicole Burton, Bakersfield, Calif.; and Casey Delay, Mayport, Fla.; one son, Paul Dyer, Aurora, Colo.; two sisters, Joanne Kennedy, Longmont, Colo.; and Earlene Delay, San Francisco; two brothers, John, Eugene, Ore.; and Steve, Hebron; and two grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one brother.
Roberta Partridge
Roberta Jean Partridge, 64, the daughter of Millard Berkley Shadduck and Mary Catherine Heater Shadduck, was born Feb. 27, 1940, near Republic and died Sunday at the Republic County Hospital.
She graduated from Republic High School. In May, 1972, she married Samuel Curtis Partridge.
She worked as a waitress in restaurants in Belleville, Salina, Hubbell, Chester and Smith Center. She later worked nearly 15 years at the Jewell County Hospital housekeeping and laundry department until ill health forced her retirement. She made her home in Burr Oak.
She was preceded in death by her husband in April, 1992, one step-son, Samuel Curtis Partridge, her parents, Millard and Mary Shadduck, two brothers, Adron and Richard Shadduck.
She is survived by one son, Robert Partridge, Mankato; one daughter, Mrs. Eric Purvis (Carla), Westmoreland; three grandchildren, Rebekah Purvis, Westmoreland; Colton Partridge and Cade Partridge, Mankato; two step-children, Douglas Ray Partridge and Tina Marie Partridge; both of South Carolina; five step-grandchildren, Misty Patterson, Douglas Partridge, Tana Partridge, Chris Payne and Elizabeth Payne, all of South Carolina; one brother, Gerald Shadduck, Lexington, three sisters, Margaret Duffey, Belleville, Lis Lundblade, Bonner Springs, and Joyce Poppe, Belleville.
Services will be held at 10:30 Friday at the Bachelor-Faulkner-Dart-Surber Memorial Chapel, conducted by Pastor Michael Ide. Interment will be in the Washington Cemetery, near Republic.
Eleanor Moran
Eleanor Maxine Moran, 81, the daughter of Floyd and Ethel (Pierson) Hensell, was born July 12, 1923, in Superior. She died Feb. 15, at the Hamilton Manor, Aurora, Neb.
Eleanor graduated in 1941 from Superior High School and worked in Hastings as Lincoln Telephone Company operator.
She wed Nels Chester Moran on March 14, 1945 in Mankato. They lived in the Nora and Cadams area until 1955 when they moved to Superior. She continued to work for Lincoln Telephone and later Deuel Drug Store.
From 1966 to early 1970 she lived at Mankato where she worked at the RK Shopper Pharmacy.
She was a member of the Superior Church of Christ, Ladies Bible Study, Rebekahs's Lodge, Firemen's Auxiliary and Superior Bridge Club. She was an avid oil painter of migratory birds.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a grandson, Brandy Wilton.
Survivors include her husband, Chet, Superior; daughter, Mrs. Rich Wilton (Sharon), Hastings; granddaughter Mrs. Dan Fullerton (Brooklyn), Lincoln, one sister, Virginia Fausch, Superior and two great-grandchildren, Nick and Alaina.
Services were held Friday from the Megrue-Price Funeral Home Chapel, Superior, with Pastors Jon Albrecht and Jim Stark officiating.
Pallbearers were Mike Fausch, Steve Rakosky, Ronda Lynch, Carmen Bargen, Ramona Thayer, Anna Shaneyfelt and Sara McKinnon. Honoray pallbearers were Diane Blau and Karla DeVaney.
Interment was in the Evergreen Cemetery.
Rex Fisher
Rex LeRoy Fisher, 68, Stewartville, Minn., died Feb. 16 at his home. He was born Feb. 12, 1937, in Superior to Hazel and Helen Fisher. He attended Superior High School and Austin Area Vocational School. He served in the Navy from 1955 to 1959 and was stationed in San Diego, Japan, Hawaii and San Francisco. Aug. 18, 1962, he married Nadine Nielsen in Rochester, Minn.
Mr. Fisher lived in Neb. 25 years, Preston, Minn. for 25 years and Pine Island 12 years before moving to Stewartsville six years ago. He owned and operated Fisher Auto Body Repair in Preston and worked at Pace Dairy in Rochester before retiring in 2002. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Carol Fisher. Survivors include his wife; two sons, Troy, Tustin, Calif., and Tony, Cresco, Iowa; and a stepgranddaughter. The funeral was Saturday in Chatfield, Minn., with burial in Chatfield, Cemetery.
