U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Lillian Salestrom
ADAMS -- Lillian C. Salestrom, 94, of Adams, formerly of Grand Island, died Wednesday, March 3, 1999, at Gold Crest Retirement Center in Adams.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Messiah Lutheran Church in Grand Island. The Rev. Gretchen Diers will officiate. Burial will be in Westlawn Memorial Park cemetery in Grand Island.
Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Friday at Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home in Grand Island.
Memorials are suggested to the church or retirement center.
Mrs. Salestrom was born on Nov. 5, 1904, in Boone County to Swan and Augusta (Anderson) Niklasson. She grew up and was educated in the St. Edward and Salem areas.
She married
Orville T. Salestrom on July 5, 1930, at Albion. The couple farmed and moved to Grand Island in 1937. She was a housekeeper for the H'ft and Kahn families. She retired in 1978.
She was a member of Messiah Lutheran Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Marcia (Mrs. Maurice) Russell of Lincoln; a son, Ronald Salestrom of Wilcox, Ariz.; 10 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, five brothers and two sisters.
Donald Omey
Donald L. Omey, 54, of Grand Island, formerly of Shelton, died Thursday, Jan. 21, 1999, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Apfel Funeral Home in Wood River. The Rev. Jim Tooley will officiate. Burial will be in the Shelton Cemetery.
There will be no visitation. Mr. Omey was cremated.
Memorials are suggested to the family.
Mr. Omey was born on Aug. 19, 1944, in Grand Island to LeRoy and Ella (Olgivie) Omey. He moved to Shelton and was educated in the Shelton area. He graduated from Shelton High School.
He entered the Marines in 1963 and served two tours in Vietnam. A few years after he was discharged from the Marines, he entered the Navy. He was in the service for more than 16 years in all.
He married
Edie Phillips in November 1975 in San Diego. The couple lived at various bases during their marriage.
He married
Connie Clevenger on Oct. 26, 1994, in Wood River. The couple lived in Shelton until they moved to Grand Island due to his health.
Survivors include one son, Shane of Hampton, Ohio; one stepson, Jeremy Clevenger of Grand Island; two daughters, Shanan Stoltenberg of Grand Island and Sheena Kurczodyna of Shelton; and one stepdaughter, Stacy Judd of Arkansas.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Elmer Rinke
Elmer Ernest Rinke, 85, of Grand Island died Wednesday, Jan. 20, 1999, at Park Place Health Care and Rehab Center.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home. The Rev. Eric Ford will officiate. Burial will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m., with the family greeting friends from 4 to 7 p.m., Sunday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the family.
Mr. Rinke was born on Jan. 1, 1914, at Polk to Robert and Elizabeth (Wendt) Rinke. He moved with his family to Grand Island when he was 5 years old and grew up and received his education here.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
He married
Leona G'hring on June 14, 1941, at Kearney. They lived in Grand Island. Mr. Rinke worked for the Burlington Northern Railroad from 1941 until retiring in 1971. After his retirement, he was a crossing guard at Stolley Park Elementary School for 12 years.
Mr. Rinke was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, the Eagles and the Brotherhood of Maintenance.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Alvin of Grand Island and William "Bill" of Aurora; two granddaughters; and one brother, Robert Rinke.
He was preceded in death by three brothers, Clyde, Edward and Raymond; and two sisters, Vera and Jeannette.
Pauline Sopher-Rinder
Pauline C. "Polly" Sopher-Rinder, 88, of Grand Island died Wednesday, Jan. 20, 1999, at Tiffany Square Care Center.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary's Cathedral. The Rev. Jose Chavez will officiate. Burial will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m., with a Catholic Daughters rosary at 4 p.m. and a parish rosary/Scripture wake service at 7 p.m., Friday at Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to St. Francis Medical Center.
Mrs. Sopher-Rinder was born on Jan. 25, 1910, at Ravenna to Jake and Elizabeth (Vogel) Kauman. When she was a child, she moved with her parents to Grand Island, where she grew up. She graduated from St. Mary's School. She graduated from the St. Francis School of Nursing in 1932.
She married
Guy Sopher on Jan. 24, 1934, at Grand Island. They lived in Grand Island. Mr. Sopher died in 1948.
She married
Harry Rinder Sr. on Feb. 5, 1953, at Minden. They lived in Grand Island. Mr. Rinder died in 1953.
Mrs. Sopher-Rinder worked as a registered nurse at St. Francis Hospital for more than 30 years and also at the Nebraska Veterans Home. She retired in 1975.
She was a member of St. Mary's Cathedral and the Catholic Daughters.
Survivors include one daughter, Judith May Mitchell of New York City; a stepdaughter, Virginia Rinder of Grand Island; and one sister, Lorene "Renee" Myers of Independence, Mo.
She was preceded in death by four brothers.
Levi G'rtzen
HAMPTON -- Levi B. G'rtzen, 65, of Hampton died Wednesday, Jan. 20, 1999, at Henderson.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Mennonite Brethren Church in Henderson. The Rev. Stuart Pederson will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Metz Mortuary of Henderson is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to the Mennonite Brethren Church Family Center or Henderson Health Care Services.
Mr. G'rtzen was born on Feb. 2, 1933, on a farm in Hamilton County to Peter K. and Mary B. (G'rtzen) G'rtzen.
He married
Frieda G. Fast on Aug. 23, 1957, at Inman, Kan. They lived and farmed near Hampton. He was an Asgrow Seed Corn dealer and longtime member of the Grand Island Concert Association.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Marcia (Mrs. Monty) Regier of Henderson and Marla (Mrs. Marlan) Huebert of Reedley, Calif.; five grandchildren; and one brother, Herman W. G'rtzen of Hampton.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Anna Johannes
GIBBON -- Anna Mae Johannes, 76, of Gibbon died Thursday, Jan. 21, 1999, at Clarkson Hospital in Omaha.
Services are pending with Godberson Mortuary in Gibbon.
Gladys Kociemba
WOOD RIVER -- Florence Gladys Kociemba, 88, of Wood River, formerly of Ravenna, died Wednesday, Jan. 20, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Wood River. The Rev. Ray Kosmicki will officiate. Burial will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Evergreen cemetery in Loup City.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m., with a 6:30 p.m. rosary, Sunday at Apfel Funeral Home in Wood River.
Memorials are suggested to the St. Francis Medical Center Skilled Care Unit in Grand Island.
Mrs. Kociemba was born on June 3, 1910, in Loup City to John and Frances (Dietz) Otlewski. She grew up and was educated in the Sherman County area.
She married
Stanley S. Kociemba on Feb. 26, 1930, at Loup City. The couple farmed in the Loup City and Ravenna area. She worked in Gibbon at the Norbest turkey factory and in Ravenna at Henningsen Foods. Mr. Kociemba died on March 14, 1974.
Mrs. Kociemba was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and a longtime 4-H leader. She enjoyed crafts and traveling with her family.
Survivors include two sons, John of Wood River and Jim of Lexington; two daughters, JoAnn Christensen of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Judith Chipps of Florence, Ore.; 14 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by three sisters, Francis Sekutera, Carolyn Boardman and Lillian McNeff.
