U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Obituaries Published March 2, 2008
Phebe Greenberg
Phebe Mae Greenberg, 90, was born May 3, 1917 in Randall, Kan., the fifth child of Addie (Blanding) and John H. Flinn. She died Friday at Brodstone Memorial Hospital in Superior.
She married Chester M. Greenberg Sept. 24, 1937, at the Methodist parsonage in Downs, by her uncle, The Rev. Fred Blanding. To this union seven children were born.
Phebe was always a caretaker of people. She cared for her sister, Irene Naillieux for 46 years and also for her father the last several years of his life. After her husband died in an accident and with five children left at home to raise, she went to work cooking at the grade school in Haddam, and then at nursing homes and restaurants. She was active in her church. She enjoyed singing and listening to music, reading the Bible and time with her family and friends. She battled poor eyesight but did not slow her down.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Chester, daughter, Collette Mae, grandson, Michael John Greenberg, brothers, Harold and Harmon Flinn, and sisters, Alene Deitch and Irene Naillieux.
Survivors are daughters: Mrs. John Young (Merilyn ), Glendale, Ariz.; Bette Lammerding, Maryvsille, Kan.; Mrs. Dennis Luckey (Ida), Glendale, Ariz.; Mrs. Steve Weber (Vicki), Florissant, Colo.; and sons, Charles Greenberg, Hastings, and Chester Greenberg, Concordia; 13 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
Services were held Monday at the Randall Community Church with the Rev. Dan Daniels officiating. Burial was in Jamestown City Cemetery.
Williams Funeral Home of Superior, was in charge of the arrangements.
Herbert Bruns
Herbert W. Bruns, 84, the son of Sigmund and Eda (Czirr) Bruns, was born Nov. 7, 1923, at Hardy, Neb. He died last Wednesday at the Brodstone Memorial Hospital.
He grew up in the Superior community and graduated from Superior High School with the class of 1942. After graduation, Herb served his country with the United States Army during World War II enlisting on March 3, 1943, and was honorably discharged Dec. 9, 1946. He was stationed two years in Greenland. On Aug. 18, 1946, he married Bettie Nelson at Mankato. This union was blessed with the birth of four children, two daughters and two sons. Herb had been a long time employee of Ideal Cement in Superior, working 43 years before retiring in 1985.
He was a member of Centennial Lutheran Church, the Superior American Legion Post of which he held many positions including commander from 1975 to 1976 and a member of the Superior Red Caps sports boosters club. He was involved with American Legion Baseball, coached the Superior team for many years. During his younger years, Herb would referee high school area football games. In his spare time he enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping trips to Colorado. Herb and Bettie were long time avid Husker football games, and ticket holders since 1962.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Survivors include his wife, Bettie, of Superior, daughters, Mrs. Larry Pike (Connie), Euless, Texas; Mrs. Bob Parrish, (Sheryl), Omaha; sons, Steve Bruns, Superior and David Bruns, Ruskin; sisters, Mildred Johnson, Omaha, Alice McClure, Medford, Ore.; a brother, Arnold Bruns, Grand Junction Colo.; and grandchildren, Brent, Kristine, Camden, Kelly, Chris, Gabby, Christian, Ashley, Frank, Dionne, Ashley, Charlie, Zach, Katie and Jon.
Services were held Saturday at the Centennial Lutheran Church in Superior. Pastor Paul Albrecht officiated. Burial with military honors were in the Evergreen Cemetery, Superior.
Williams Funeral Home of Superior, was in charge of the arrangements.
James Nees
James Leroy Nees, 47, Burleson, Texas, formerly of Herrick, Texas, died Jan. 28 at his home in Burleson.
Graveside services were Feb. 2, in Dodd City Cemetery, Texas, with Michael Bradley officiating. Cooper-Sorrells Funeral Home, Bonham, Texas, was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Nees was born Jan. 30, 1960, in Lincoln, Neb., the son of Charles Nees and Sheila Johnson Elder. He married Eloise E.Payne in 1983, in Bonham, Texas.
He was a heavy equipment operator for Hahn Excavation of Dallas.
He is survived by his wife, Eloise ("Ellie") Burleson; a son, Jason Drawdy, Mechanisville, Va., daughter, Christina Nees, Burleson, Texas; mother, Sheila Elder, Cowden, Texas; father, Charles Nees, Dodd City, Texas; brothers, David Nees, Herrick, Texas and Tim Nees, Dodd City, Texas; grandmother, Joyce Pickering, Durant, Okla., and four grandchildren.
Clarence Ball
Clarence Arthur Ball, 95, the son of Arthur and Iva (Finney) Ball, was born on Feb. 1, 1913, at the farm home near Webber. He died Feb. 24, at the Superior Good Samaritan Home.
He received his elementary education at the White Rock Country School near Webber, and graduated from Webber High School. After graduating, he purchased a Harley Davidson motorcycle and traveled and worked in harvest fields in Idaho and Washington, harvesting potatoes and beets. He lived in Oregon for six years, and also worked for a time in the logging industry.
Clarence served in the armed forces during WWII, and was stationed for some time at New Caledonia in the South Pacific. After being discharged from the service, he moved to Superior, where he was the caretaker of Evergreen Cemetery and he also worked for Champlin for six years. He enjoyed going to auctions to purchase items for the antique and used furniture store he had opened.
Clarence was a member of the Superior VFW and the American Legion clubs. The last years of his life were spent at the Vestey Center and the Good Samaritan Home, both in Superior.
He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Ray, Arba, Carl and Paul; eight sisters, Lilly Thomas, Elva Edgar, Hazel Loeffler, Muriel Blair and Opal Waudby; and three sisters in infancy.
Survivors include a host of nieces and nephews and friends.
Graveside services will be today, Thursday, at 11 a.m. from the Webber Cemetery with Melissa Wilt officiating.
Interment will be in the Webber Cemetery.
Megrue-Price Funeral Home of Superior, is in charge of arrangements.
Charles Love
Charles Robert Love Jr., 80, died Friday at Salina Regional Health Center. The son of Charles R. Love Sr. and Dorothy P. (Carter) Love, he was born May 25, 1927, at Formoso.
He married Grace Evelyn Thomas on Oct. 9, 1949. To this union seven children were born. He was employed by Robert Fraas in Mankato as a mechanic, Albert Weaver as a truck driver, Melton Motor Co. as a wrecker driver and bodyman, and Belleville Public Schools as a transportation and bus driver. He was a member of Central Christian Church, Belleville, an active member of the Belleville Lions Club, and was a Boy Scout leader for 22 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a grandson ,Jason Lyle Love; a brother, James A. Love; and a sister, Barbara L. Love.
Survivors include his wife, Evelyn Love, Belleville; three sons, Dallas Love, Derby, Albert Love, Waxahachie, Texas, Timothy Love, Belleville; four daughters, Charlotte L. Love, Derby, Mrs. Charles Simmons (Kathryn), Fort Worth, Texas., Mrs. Jeffery Wheaton (Marie), Lindsborg, and Amy L. Love, White Settlemet, Texas; 12 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; one brother, George E. Love, Cheyenne, Wyo.; three sisters, Mildred Barone, S.D., Ina Rightmeier, Mankato, and Marilyn Meyer, Haysville.
Services were held Monday at Central Christian Church, Belleville, conducted by Pastor Mark Imel. Cremation followed the service with private family inurnment at Belleville Cemetery. Arrangements were made by Bachelor-Faulkner-Dart-Surber Funeral Home, Belleville.
Doris Chilcott
Doris Ann Chilcott, 72, Sun City West, Ariz., died last Wednesday. She was the youngest child of George and Gertrude (Peek) Mabry, born in El Dorado, Kan., on Oct. 24, 1935.
Raised in Kansas, she attended Kansas State University. She met her future husband, Bill Chilcott, at the university and they married on Jan. 27, 1957.
Survivors include her husband, William, Sun City West, Ariz.; a son Mark Chilcott, Thousand Oaks, Calif.; daughters, Mrs. Kenneth Rabe, (Susan), Peoria, Ariz., and Julie Chilcott, Peoria, Ariz.; a sister, Mrs. Lowell Putnam (Donna ), Augusta; and five grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her brother, George Mabry Jr.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Augusta First United Methodist Church with Pastor Curtis Cadenhead officiating. Interment will be in Elmwood Cemetery, Augusta, following the service.
Robert Scott
Robert (Bob) Scott, Buhl, Idaho, died Feb. 11. He was born in Mercer County, Mo., and moved to Jewell County where he attended country schools before graduating in 1934 from Jewell High School. He went to Colorado in 1938 and farmed. In 1940 he married Ruby Johnston. They raised three daughters.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Bert and Verna (Wildman) Scott; daughter, Meridith; sisters baby Blanche, Ruth Cain and Kathleen Graffis.
Survivors include his wife, Ruby; two daughters, Aridith (Hubert) Monzel, Sandra (Fred) Schaer; three grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; a sister, Lois Oplinger, Jewell; and a brother, Max Scott, Elkhart.
Boyd Silsby
Boyd Silsby died on Feb. 20, 2008 at Jewell County Hospital in Mankato. His family, friends and community will mourn his passing but celebrate his life. He was a loving husband, wonderful father, proud veteran and dedicated community leader.
Boyd was born on the Silsby family farm near Northbranch, Kan., on Dec. 9, 1924. His father, Jim, and mother, Iva, raised 10 children during the difficult years of the Depression and World War II. The children learned how to work hard, enjoy life in simple ways, and lovingly care for their families.
Life on a farm during the 1930s included much hardship but the Silsby family remembered more good times than bad. Boyd was a wonderful storyteller and made us all laugh with stories about his family and the neighbors. Through his stories we all learned that one can find something to laugh about, even in tough times.
Boyd attended a one-room school two miles from home before going to high school in Burr Oak. During high school, Boyd and his sisters rented a small house in town rather than traveling home everyday. Part-time jobs payed for their rent and groceries. After graduation, Boyd attended technical school in Wichita, earning a certification as a welder and found work building aircraft carriers in the shipyards near Portland, Ore. Farm youngsters had critical skills that the war effort required and all of the Silsby children raised crops, built aircraft, welded deck plates or nursed the wounded.
Boyd was drafted in 1945, serving as an army engineer in the Pacific. The skills he learned on the farm were well suited to his work operating heavy equipment while rebuilding Tokyo. Although halfway around the world, boys from Burr Oak found each other. Keith Terrill and Boyd shared several adventures in Japan. Their friendship continued throughout their lives and has extended through their children.
When he returned home after the war, Boyd worked on the farm. During the cold winter of 1948, he met a young teacher named Donna Blew. Donna was teaching at the one-room school that Boyd attended as a child. Before Christmas she recruited Keith Terrill to play Santa Claus for the students in the Christmas play. Keith was hesitant; however. Boyd said he'd be Santa if the schoolteacher would accompany him on a date. Boyd and Donna Lea Blew were married May 15,1949, at Burr Oak, Kan., They were married for 58 years.
The Silsby family was mobile and growing through the 1950s and into the 60s. Boyd operated heavy equipment while working on dam projects, missile silos and road construction in Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming. Boyd and Donna raised their four children while moving frequently from one trailer park to the next.
A constant element in every move was quick involvement in church and Sunday School. In 1963, Donna, Boyd and the children returned to Jewell County. Boyd became a business partner with Donna's brother, Merle Blew, at Mankato Welding. The two men remained partners for 30 years.
Living in Burr Oak and then Mankato allowed the Silsby family to become part of a community. Boyd was active at church, in business, supporting 4-H and other community events. Perhaps he was most closely associated with the Jewell County Threshing Bee. His love of antique farm equipment and steam engines led to his involvement with the first bee in 1977 and lasted until his final day. While the challenge of restoring and maintaining antique equipment drew Boyd's interest, the friendships that grew from this common interest are what he enjoyed most.
Boyd served on the Jewell County Hospital Board, 4-H fair committee, township treasurer, Methodist church trustee, economic development committee, Mankato Chamber of Commerce, operating engineer on large conservation and defense projects; was a member of Jewell County Historical Society, Masonic Lodge, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Kansas Antique Steam Safety Association, and was a co-owner of Mankato Welding and Machine.
As the family discussed the list of honorary pall bearers we were faced with a pleasant dilemma. The list had grown so long that we didn't now how to choose. What better testimony to a life that was lived in service to family and friends. The fact that so many people would like to serve as a pall bearer or attend a service to remember Boyd would likely trigger a modest response of "that's really something'."
Boyd was preceded in death by his parents, James M. and Iva Silsby; siblings, Doyle Silsby (Dorthea), Belle Kandelin (Al), Glendora Paxton (Jim), infant twin sisters, Travis Wayne Silsby (infant grandchild).
Survivors include his wife, Donna, of the home in Mankato; descendents, Ann Renee Silsby Holl (June), Lawrence, Kan., two grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild. Clifford Monroe Silsby (Susan), Auburn, Kan., five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren. Tadhi Lea Silsby Hayes (Doug), Amarillo, Texas, three grandchildren, Clayton Boyd Silsby, Manhattan, Kan., three grandchildren; brothers and sisters, Thelma Pierson, Ferne Harris, Mary Ohmstead, Madeline Pinkston (Charles), Edythe Francis (Harold), Berniece Harris.
Visitation was from 2 to 4 p.m. on Feb. 24, 2008 at Harmony United Methodist Church in Mankato. A memorial service was held at Mankato Harmony United Methodist Church on Feb. 25, 2008, at 2 p.m. Boyd's final resting place is Mount Hope Cemetery in Mankato. Memorials may be made to Jewell County Historical Society or Harmony United Methodist Church. Kleppinger Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to nuttermortuary@yahoo.com.
Cheryl Mullin
Cheryl Jean Mullin, 50, died Monday at Abilene. She was born Sept. 12, 1957, in Superior, the daughter of Floyd and Donis (Fenimore) Olena. She grew to womanhood in Burr Oak and graduated from high school with the Class of 1975 in Geneva, Neb., and from Friends University in 1993.
On Oct. 1, 1980, she married Willie Isom. They divorced in 1988. On Feb. 3, 1990, she married Tom Mullin,
During her working career,she was an emergency aid, food bank director, Pump Mark convenience store operations supervisor, KRVG convenience store general manager and in 1998 became the OCCK Salina regional manager.
She was preceded in death by her husband and parents.
Survivors include two sons, Dusty Mullin, Clay Center, Kan., and William Nigel Isom, Manhattan; two daughters, Robin Wilkerson, South Lake, Texas, and Mikala L. Scheele-Thomas, Abilene; stepmother, Alvera Olena, Hastings; three sisters, Elma Garner, Linoma Cockroft and Luanne Lane; two brothers, Harold Olena and Floyd Michael Olena; two step sisters, Donna McCartney and Carla Browne; and 12 grandchildren.
Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Community Bible Church in Abilene with the Rev. Stan Norman officiating. Interment will follow in the Rose Meron Cemetery at Longford. Danner Funeral Home, Abilene, is in charge of arrangements.
