U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Obituaries Published Feb. 3, 2000
Velma Hansen
Velma Madeline Hansen, 85, died Jan. 24, 2000, at Rush County Memorial Hospital, La Crosse.
She was born Feb. 13, 1914, in Jewell County to Earl J. and Christine (Elniff) Stauffer. After high school, Velma graduated from Asbury Hospital School of Nursing, Salina, in 1937. She worked at Baker Hospital as Doctor Baker's nurse and later at Rush County Memorial Hospital until retiring in 1974.
She married Clifford Hansen at Randall on March 29, 1941. She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Alexander and La Crosse, United Methodist Women Club, and the Golden Keys Advisory Board, La Crosse.
Survivors include two sons: Jon, Garden City; and Earl, Papillon, Neb.; three brothers, Melvin Stauffer, Creston, Iowa; Edward Stauffer, Newton; and Gaylord Stauffer, Kansas City, Mo.; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, two brothers, Loreen and Donald, and a sister, Emma Roberts.
Services were at United Methodist Church, La Crosse, with the Rev. Marilyn Christmore presiding. Burial was in Wallace Cemetery, Jewell, with the Rev. Vernon Snider presiding.
Marshall Stapleton
Marshall Stapleton, 85, Jewell, died Jan. 20, 2000, at Jewell County Hospital Long Term Care.
He was born on a farm near Jewell Nov. 12, 1914. He attended a country grade school in Jewell and graduated from Jewell High School in 1931. After graduation he moved to the east coast where he married and had four children. He was a dairy farmer and did various contracting jobs until the mid 1950s. He then worked for a trucking company until his retirement, moving back to Jewell in 1982.
He was a member of the Jewell Christian Church, former member of the Elks and the Eagles in Superior, Neb., and the Moose Lodge in Concordia.
Preceding him in death were his parents and two brothers, Herbert, Phoenix, Ariz., and Ralph, Jewell.
Survivors include three sons, Howard, New Castle, Colo.; Robert, White Plains, N.Y.; and Eugene, Arlington, Texas; a daughter, Candace Tierney, Bethesda, Md.; a sister, Isabel Handley, Payette, Idaho; his companion, Mary Handley; nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were Jan. 22 at the Christian Church, Jewell, with the Rev. Dan Daniels officiating. Burial was in Wallace Cemetery. Kleppinger Funeral Home, Jewell, was in charge of arrangements.
Obituaries Published April 6, 2000
Sidney Britten
Word was received here of the death of Sidney Britten, 99, at his home in Troutdale, Ore., on March 21. He was a brother-in-law of the late Beulah Strnad and Merle Roland, Superior. He was an uncle of Jan Simpkins, Superior and Linda Hoshaw, Wichita.
James Watts
James Watts, 83, the son of Charley E. and Grace F. (Horton) Watts, was born April 16, 1916, on a farm in Nuckolls County. He died Sunday at the Fillmore County Hospital, Geneva.
Raised in the Nuckolls County area, he attended Antioch rural school. On June 2, 1941, he married Inez McCauley at Pawnee City. They returned to the family farm and made farming their life's work.
He enjoyed hunting, fishing and riding horses. He had been active with the school boards both in Nelson and Pleasant View, a member of the Nuckolls County Fair Board, the Nuckolls County election board and a 4-H leader.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Robert, who died the same day; and a grandchild.
Survivors include his wife, rural Edgar; sons, Jimmy and Carl Watts, rural Fairfield; a daughter, Charleen Mailand, Seward; brothers, Donald, Fairfield and Gordon Watts, Edgar; a sister, Lydia Harnett and Ruth Woodhead, both of Edgar; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Services were Wednesday at the Williams Funeral Home Chapel, Edgar. Pastors Harold Fox and Leslie Harms officiated. Burial was in the Edgar Cemetery. Williams Funeral Home of Edgar, was in charge of arrangements.
Kermit Erickson
Kermit L. Erickson, 80, the son of Luther E. and Esther (Thorson) Erickson was born Dec. 2, 1919, at Edgar. He died March 29, at the Republic County Hospital, Belleville.
He attended the Edgar Country School. He was a sergeant in the United States Army during World War II. Kerm was stationed in Alaska and Germany where he was involved with the Battle of the Bulge. Kerm received the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement in ground combat. He married Joan Booker. She died in 1964. He married Eleanor Walker in 1969.
Most of his adult life was in Simi Valley, Calif., where he owned a dry wall construction company. He retired to Hardy with his wife in 1979.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Joan; and two sisters, Justine Erickson and Nadine Wiedenfeller.
Survivors include his wife, Eleanor Erickson, Hardy; a daughter, Carol Browder, North Hollywood, Calif.; step-daughters, Kay Morton, Oxnard, Calif.; Mrs. Ken Daniels (Alana), and Mrs. Thomas Smith (Cindy), both of Simi Valley, Calif.; a brother, Vincent, Erickson, Hastings; and a sister, Arlyne Gunn, Superior; nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Services were Friday at the Williams Funeral Home Chapel, Superior. The Rev. Harold Backus officiated. Private family intermenty will take place at a later date.
Minnie Shaffer
Minnie D. Shaffer, 101, daughter of Phillip and Sarah (Marshall) Harrington was born March 7, 1899 at DuBois, Neb. She died March 28 at the Heritage Care Center in Red Cloud.
She was one of nine children.
In 1906, at the age of seven, Minnie's family moved south of Guide Rock, where she attended rural schools. At an early age she and her sisters sang for church and social gatherings.
She married Joe Shaffer on June 15, 1916, at her parents' home. The minister was her father's brother. In 1935 Minnie and Joe became members of the Christian Church at Hillsboro, Ore.
During their 64 years of marriage they worked at many interesting professions together. They started their married life on a farm south of Guide Rock. Later they picked hops, strawberries and beans in Oregon; they had a bakery in Guide Rock; they were cooks at the state hospital in Kearney; they cooked for a fraternity house in Lincoln; operated a cream and egg buying station in Guide Rock. One time they ran a herd of wild horses from the Nebraska Sand Hills to Guide Rock.
Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, Joe, Feb. 22, 1981; eight siblings and a great-grandchild.
Survivors are her son, Opal Shaffer, Curtis; one daughter, Neva Hunter, Guide Rock four grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.
Services were Friday at Simonson-Williams Funeral Home Chapel in Red Cloud with the Rev. Mike Lehr officiating. Burial was in the Guide Rock Cemetery.
Robert Watts
Robert "Bob" Edgar Watts, 86, or rural Deweese died Sunday at the Brodstone Memorial Nuckolls County Hospital in Superior.
He was born Feb. 26, 1914, near Edgar, to Charles and Grace (Horton) Watts. He attended Antioch Rural School near Deweese and graduated from the eighth grade. After his schooling he started farming with his father. He later drove a semi-truck for Kniss Sutton Truck Line of Hastings for five years.
He married Velda Roush on April 23, 1938, at her parents home near Fairfield. They lived and farmed along the Little Blue River for 62 years. He raised cattle and hogs and had a small shop where he did mechanical work for his family and friends.
He was a member of the Community Presbyterian Church and was associated with Masonic Lodge and Royal Arch Masons both of Nelson.
Preceded in death by his parents; he is survived by his wife, of Deweese; daughters, Mrs. Fred Jester (Marlys), Fairfield, and Mrs. Larry Herman (Jenelle), Oak; two sisters, Ruth Woodhead and Lydia Harnett, both of Edgar; brothers Gordon, Edgar, and Donald, Fairfield; three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
A brother, James, died the same day.
Services were Wednesday at the Fairfield Community Presbyterian Church with the Rev. John Green officiating.
Burial was in the Fairfield Cemetery. McLaughlin Funeral Home, Clay Center, was in charge of arrangements.
Lawrence Driggs
Lawrence D. Driggs, 64, of Bentonville, Ark., died Thursday at Gravette Medical Center Hospital in Gravette, Ark. He was born July 6, 1935, in Superior, to Rufus and Emma (Cook) Driggs.
He was a member of God's Light House of Bentonville. He worked as a meat cutter and had served in the U. S. Marine Corps.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Katherine Hendricks.
Survivors include his wife, Florence Kohl Driggs, whom he married Dec. 31, 1960; a son, Gregory Driggs of Oklahoma; a daughter, Ralynn Yingling, Bentonville; a brother, Raymond Driggs, Bentonville; four sisters, Gilbreta Creel, Monte Ne, Ark., Viola Nelson and Leriane McKenny, both of Haskel, Texas; and Madoline Platt, Superior; and six grandchildren.
Funeral services were Monday at God's Light House of Bentonville with the Rev. Leroy Norton officiating.
Burial was in the Coffelt Cemetery, Vaughn, Ark.
