U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Dorothea Engel
Dorothea M. Engel, 77, of 411 E. Third St. Apt. 1 died Sunday, Dec. 27, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Jacobsen Funeral Home in St. Paul. The Rev. Michael McDermott will officiate. Burial will be in St. Francis Catholic cemetery at Ashton.
Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the family.
Mrs. Engel was born on Jan. 13, 1921, on the family farm near Boelus to Charles and Kathryn (Molt) Engel. She was educated through the 11th grade at Cairo.
She worked in the Cairo area as a maid.
She married
Paul Kuszak on Aug. 8, 1944, at Paplin. The couple farmed in the Paplin area in Sherman County. She moved in 1966 to Grand Island, where she worked as a maid until her retirement.
She was a member of the Catholic faith.
She enjoyed playing cards.
Survivors include two sons, David "Sam" Kuszak of Loup City and Alfred Kuszak of Grand Island; two daughters, Sharon McVey of Beatrice and Francis Leach of Morrison, Colo.; one stepdaughter, Irene (Mrs. Clarence) Fredrick of Chapman; 13 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and two sisters, Laurel Cyboron of Boelus and Ida Reiss of Holdrege.
She was preceded in death by one stepson, Arnold; two sisters, Norma and Elma; and three brothers, Alfred, Albert and Richard.
John Lainson
HASTINGS -- John J. Lainson, 78, of Hastings died Friday, Dec. 25, 1998, at his home.
Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the First Presbyterian Church in Hastings. The Rev. Carl W. Utley will officiate. Private family burial will be at a later date.
Butler-Volland Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to Mary Lanning Hospice.
Mr. Lainson was born on Aug. 18, 1920, in Hastings to Harry A. and Celia J. Lainson. He attended Hastings Senior High School and graduated from Lake Forest Academy in Lake Forest, Ill., in 1938. He attended Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., from 1938 to 1941 and graduated from Hastings College with a bachelor's degree in economics in 1942.
He joined the U.S. Navy Reserves in May 1942 as an ensign. He served during World War II on the staff of the representative of the commander of destroyers and cruisers in the South Pacific with the 7th Fleet.
He married
Phyllis Anne Hurley in January 1946.
He returned to Hastings and entered the family business of Dutton-Lainson Co., wholesalers and manufacturers. He served as corporate secretary and a member of the board of directors until his death.
He founded Western Plastics Corp. in 1954. He was president and founder of Jaden Manufacturing Co. and vice president and a member of the board of directors of the Midland Corp.
He was principally responsible for the establishment of the first mental health clinic in Nebraska at Hastings in 1950. He was the first president of the Hastings Association for Advancement of Mental Health and organized and was the first president of the Nebraska Mental Health Association.
He was chairman of the board of trustees at the First Presbyterian Church and vice president of the Boy Scouts of America Overland Trails Council.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, John J. Jr. of Boulder, Colo., and Peter L. of Hastings; two daughters, Wrexie L. Bardagilio of Catonsville, Md., and Vinnie L. Carney of The Plains, Va.; 14 grandchildren; and one brother, Hal of Hastings.
Margaret Persons
CENTRAL CITY -- Margaret Grace Persons, 102, of Central City died Monday, Dec. 28, 1998, at Community Care in Central City.
Graveside services will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the Central City Cemetery. The Rev. Debra Tompsett-Welch will officiate.
There will be no visitation. Solt Funeral Home of Central City is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Persons was born on Oct. 30, 1896, in Central City to Charles and Ida (Litten) Brown. She attended grade school in Merrick County and graduated as valedictorian of her class at Central City High School in 1916.
She married
Harry Valentine Persons of Central City on Sept. 6, 1916. They farmed for many years, and she took an active part in the farming and livestock work. They moved to Central City in 1938. Mr. Persons died on Dec. 1, 1970.
Mrs. Persons suffered a stroke in September 1991 and entered Community Care.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church, was active in the church circle and served as president of the United Methodist Women. She was a member of the Rebekah Lodge and Royal Neighbors of America.
She enjoyed cooking, gardening, flowers, raspberry bushes and doing puzzles.
Survivors include one son, Lynn of Mesa, Ariz.; two daughters, Evelyn (Mrs. Darrel) Hughes of Geneva and Jean Tyler of Central City; nine grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; and one sister, Alice Cosner of Albuquerque, N.M.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by three sisters, Martha "Arta" Packer, Alma Butts and Ruth Linstrom; and two brothers, Earl and Merle Brown.
Josephine Petersen
WOOD RIVER -- Josephine M. Petersen, 84, of Wood River died Sunday, Dec. 27, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center after a brief illness.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the First United Methodist Church in Wood River. The Rev. Charles Spence will officiate. Burial will be in Westlawn Memorial Park cemetery at Grand Island.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Apfel Funeral home in Wood River.
Memorials are suggested to the church.
Mrs. Petersen was born on Jan. 30, 1914, in Clearwater to Phillip and Josephine (Bowers) Sheer. She attended public school in Clearwater and graduated from Clearwater High School.
She married
Peter "Pete" Petersen in 1931 in Neligh. The Petersens spent a number of years farming and raising livestock near Ord and Wood River. They moved to Wood River in 1963.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Wood River. She was an avid gardener and was known for her canned fruits and vegetables.
Survivors include one son, Gary G. Petersen of Barrington, Ill.; five grandsons; and two sisters, Irene Applebee of Norfolk and Gertrude Allen of York.
She was preceded in death by her husband and a daughter, Beuna Noll Petersen.
Michael Feik
COZAD -- Michael Feik, 46, of Cozad died Sunday, Dec. 27, 1998, of injuries suffered in a one-vehicle accident near Darr.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the American Lutheran Church in Cozad. The Rev. Steve Deines will officiate. Burial will be in Fairview cemetery south of Cozad.
Family and friends may sign the memorial book from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Berryman Funeral Home in Cozad. The casket will not be opened.
Memorials are suggested to the Mike Feik Memorial.
Mr. Feik was born on July 2, 1952, at Spalding to Peter and Charlotte (Morris) Feik. He attended grade school at Spalding and Cozad. He graduated from Cozad High School in 1971 and attended Hastings Central Community College.
He married
Marsha Gruber on Dec. 27, 1972. He served in the U.S. Army. Following his discharge, he worked in the family farm and cattle business. He had recently acquired a semi-tractor and trailer to add grain hauling to his business.
He was a former member of the Cozad Jaycees and the Elks Lodge.
He had a special aptitude for restoring older vehicles and enjoyed his Harley motorcycle.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Matt of Cozad; a daughter, Marcy Feik, a student at Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte; his mother, Charlotte Kirkpatrick of Lexington; a brother, Charles of Phillipsburg, Kan.; a sister, Marge (Mrs. John) Fagot of Lexington; and a stepbrother, David Kirkpatrick of Wayne.
He was preceded in death by his father; his stepfather, John "Shorty" Kirkpatrick; and an infant brother, Edward.
