U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
'Bob' Jablonski
LOUP CITY -- Robert "Bob" L. Jablonski, 83, of Loup City died Friday, April 18, 2003, at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Josaphat's Catholic Church in Loup City. The Rev. Louis A. Nollette will officiate. Burial will be in the Evergreen cemetery at Loup City, with military honors by Loup City American Legion Post 48.
Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Monday at Higgins Funeral Home in Loup City and will continue from 6 to 9 p.m. at the church, with a Knights of Columbus vigil service at 7:30.
Mr. Jablonski was born Feb. 5, 1920, at Elyria to Joseph and Minnie (Polak) Jablonski.
Survivors of the immediate family include his wife, Marcella; five sons and four daughters-in-law, Joe and Darlyn Jablonski of Portland, Ore., Tom and Pam Jablonski of Atlanta, John and Lynn Jablonski of Fort Collins, Colo., David and Andrea Jablonski of Augusta, Ga., and Michael Jablonski of Bingen, Wash.; four daughters and sons-in-law, Linda and Mel Schmaderer of St. Paul, Rebecca and John Mudgett of Fort Collins, Colo., Marsanne and Chris Howard of Loveland, Colo., and Jeri and John Mayo of White Salmon, Wash.; and a sister, Eleanor Jo Spears of Phoenix.
Survivors also include 18 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
Robert received his early education in Elyria, Neb., and graduated from Ord High School in 1938. He served in the Air Force as a pilot during World War II.
He married
the love of his life, Marcella Iwanski, on May 28, 1946. They lived in Burwell, Neb., where he operated a tavern, before moving in 1949 to Loup City, where he owned and operated a liquor store and the Loop Insurance Agency.
He was a member of St. Josaphat's Catholic Church for more than 50 years and served in many capacities. He was a 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus as well as a member of the Parish Council when the church was built. He also lectured at Mass. Other organizations he was part of were the Loup City American Legion, volunteer firemen and Chamber of Commerce.
His greatest joy was his family, playing golf with his sons and daughters, camping, fishing, playing cards, dancing, drinking gin and tonics, flying, working with wood and having coffee with his friends. He took much pride in his children and grandchildren. He had a wonderful sense of humor, was deeply loved by his family and leaves a great legacy of love. Nothing pleased him more than having his family home where wonderful memories were made. He loved greatly and was loved.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Minnie Jablonski; one son, Robert Jablonski Jr.; one sister, Genevieve Pollard; and one granddaughter, Jodi Schmaderer.
Memorials are suggested to the Loup City Community Building Fund.
LoAnn Roach
CENTRAL CITY -- LoAnn Carol Roach, 57, of Central City, died Saturday, April 19, 2003, at home.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the chapel of Solt Funeral Home in Central City. Ellen Campbell will officiate. Burial will be in the Central City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Mrs. Roach was born on Nov. 13, 1945, at Grand Island to William and Milda L. (Reher) Muhs.
Survivors include her husband, Jack; three daughters and sons-in-law, Jill and Pedro Camargo of Blair, Paige and Kevin Randa of Verdigre, and Jaci and Ron Dettman of Central City; a son and daughter-in-law, Dean and Jenny Roach of Amherst; four brothers and three sisters-in-law, Eldon Muhs of Grand Island, Don and Barbara Muhs of Bellevue, Doyle and Carol Muhs of Grand Island and Larry and Anne Muhs of Pierce; and two sisters and brothers-in-law, Ella and Ray Rubesh of St. Paul and Vera and Kay Krueger of Grand Island.
Survivors also include 14 grandchildren.
Mrs. Roach attended school at the Lockwood District 1 School and graduated from Grand Island Northwest High School in 1964.
LoAnn C. Muhs and Jack G. Roach were united in marriage on July 18, 1964, in Chapman. They lived in Juniata, Hastings and Grand Island until moving to Central City in 1976. LoAnn worked at Kentucky Fried Chicken in Grand Island, she baby-sat in her home, for 10 years she worked at the Central City Mall, and for the last 14 years, she had been working at Wal-Mart in Grand Island.
She was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church in Grand Island, where she had taught Bible School. She was a 4-H leader, enjoyed decorating cakes, she loved children, and her greatest enjoyment came from being with her family.
She was preceded in death by her parents and infant grandchild.
Memorials are suggested to the Merrick Foundation in memory of LoAnn.
Michael Snell
DANNEBROG -- Michael O. Snell, 64, of Dannebrog, died Saturday, April 19, 2003 at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.
Arrangements are pending with Jacobsen-Greenway Funeral Home.
Sonnia Christensen
SEWARD -- Sonnia Kay Christensen, 62, of Seward, formerly of Doniphan, died Thursday, April 17, 2003, in Seward.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the United Methodist Church in Doniphan. The Rev. Jim Johnson will officiate.
Burial will be in the Cedarview cemetery at Doniphan.
Visitation was Sunday at Wood-Zabka Funeral Home in Seward. Visitation will continue from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Monday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home in Grand Island. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday as well.
Mrs. Christensen was born March 14, 1941, at Hastings to Henry Gottlob and Ruth Maxine (Kindig) Happold.
Survivors of her immediate family include her husband, Dennis Christensen; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Scott and Rebecca Christensen of Lincoln and Wade Christensen of Seward; a daughter and son-in-law, Gina and Tom Smolik of Lincoln; a sister and brother-in-law, Geraldine and Art Stelk of Grand Island; and a sister-in-law, Carol Benson of Dannebrog.
Also surviving are five grandchildren, Courtney, Megan, Shania and Ryan Smolik and Seth Christensen, other relatives and a host of friends.
Mrs. Christensen attended Rural School District No. 19 and graduated from Doniphan High School in 1958. Following graduation, she worked at the Huston Company, the ASC Office, and Pioneer Seed Company in Doniphan.
She married
Dennis Christensen on July 10, 1965, at Messiah Lutheran Church in Grand Island. They moved to Doniphan in 1976 and then to Seward in 1991.
Mrs. Christensen was employed in the food service department with the Seward School District from 1992 through 1998, when her health forced her to retire.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a grandson, Zachary Smolik; and a half brother, Ervin Benson.
To this obituary we add our many thoughts, prayers and memories of a life shared with Sonnia.
Memorials are suggested to the SIDS Foundation, Child Saving Institute, Lutheran Family Services or the donor's choice.
Melvin Furby
ALBION -- Melvin T. Furby, 82, of Albion, died Saturday, April 19, 2003, at Boone County Health Center in Albion.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Zion Lutheran Church in Albion. The Rev. Larry Sydow will officiate. Burial will be in the Evergreen cemetery at St. Edward.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Levander Funeral Home in Albion.
Eugene Hoops
Eugene H. Hoops, 83, of Grand Island died Saturday, Feb. 22, 2003, at the Nebraska Veterans Home in Grand Island.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home Chapel in Grand Island. The Rev. Bill Forbes will officiate. Military honors will be performed by Offut Air Force Base of Omaha. Burial will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, with family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m., at the funeral home.
Eugene Herschel Hoops was born on Nov. 1, 1919, at Springview to Marcus and Nellie (Smelser) Hoops.
Survivors of the immediate family include his wife, Nesle Hoops of Grand Island; four daughters and three sons-in-law, Vonnie and Dave Beattie and Jeannie and T.J. Mathers, all of Antioch, Calif., and Ayse and Matt Trouba and Filiz Hoops, all of Austin, Texas; and three sons, Richard Anthony Hoops of Antioch, Calif., Ed Hoops of Stockton, Calif., and Mehmet Hoops of Minneapolis.
Also surviving are two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mr. Hoops grew up and received his education in Springview, graduating from Keya Paha High School in 1939. He then attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and Sacramento State College, majoring in Political Science.
Mr. Hoops entered the United States Air Force on March 26, 1942, serving during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. During World War II, Eugene was a gunner on a B-29 bomber and participated in 22 bombing missions against Japanese targets. While Mr. Hoops was stationed in Korea, he was featured in LIFE magazine for helping the local inhabitants improve their farming skills, which he had learned from his childhood in Nebraska. While in the Air Force, he was stationed in India, China, Korea, Japan and the United States. Mr. Hoops spent many of his military years as a Civil Engineer, coordinating a wide range of projects for the Air Force. He was honorably discharged on March 31, 1967, at the rank of Senior Master Sergeant. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and four Bronze Stars, among other decorations.
He was united in marriage to Genevieve "Bee" Topping.
He was later united in marriage to Nesle Kenar on July 7, 1975, in Turkey. After marriage, the couple moved to Grand Island, where he worked in real estate and farm sales, sold automobiles, and then spent his time as landlord of the couple's rental properties.
He was a member of the American Legion, VFW, NRA, and he enjoyed reading, gardening, woodworking, hunting, Nebraska Football, fixing guns, mechanical work, construction work, and was a lapidary expert.
Mr. Hoops was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Sybil Rinehart.
Memorials may be made to the Nebraska Veterans Home in Grand Island.
