U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Albert Christensen
ST. PAUL -- Albert C. Christensen, 75, of St. Paul died Sunday, Feb. 28, 1999, at his home.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the United Methodist Church in St. Paul. The Rev. Rosalie Anderson will officiate. Burial will be in Elmwood cemetery at St. Paul.
Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Jacobsen Funeral Home in St. Paul.
Memorials are suggested to the church, Tabitha Hospice or the St. Paul EMT unit.
Mr. Christensen was born on Aug. 13, 1923, at Palmer to Martin and Georgia (Brooks) Christensen. He attended Palmer schools, graduated from Palmer High School in 1940 and farmed with his father.
He married
Delores "Jean" Roshone on Nov. 26, 1948, in Mitchell. The couple farmed north of Palmer.
Mr. Christensen graduated from Mason City School of Auctioneering in 1976. The couple moved to St. Paul in 1984, and Mr. Christensen opened the St. Paul Real Estate and Auction Co. with Fred and Kay Meyer.
He was a member of the Wolbach Saddle Club and served on the Palmer school board for 13 years. He also belonged to the St. Paul United Methodist Church and served on the board of trustees and pastor-parish relations board.
He enjoyed auctions and hunting.
Charles G. Keezer
WOOD RIVER -- Charles G. Keezer, 55, of Wood River died Feb. 21, 1999, at the Omaha Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Apfel Funeral Home in Wood River with the Rev. Beverly Minor officiating. Burial will be at a later date.
Memorials are suggested to the family.
Mr. Keezer was born on Nov. 10, 1943, in Portland, Ore., to Louis and Mary Grace Keezer. He attended school in Oxford and then worked in construction. He served in the military from 1968 to 1970 and then returned to construction work.
Mr. Keezer is survived by four stepchildren; four brothers, Jessey of Beaver City, Louis of Down, Kan., Bill of Caucker City, Kan., and Jack of Ansley; and four sisters, Sarah Johnson of Wood River, Mary Rushing of Oklahoma, Nadine McIntyre of Glenwood, Iowa, and Winona Abbott of Oxford.
He was preceded in death by one sister, Louise Miles; and his ex-wife, Karen Keezer.
Elmer Lukesh
ORD -- Elmer A. Lukesh, 80, of Ord died Monday, March 1, 1999, at the Valley County Hospital in Ord.
Services are pending at the Ord Memorial Chapel.
Sharyn Roder
McCOOL JUNCTION -- Sharyn L. Roder, 60, of McCool Junction died Saturday, Feb. 27, 1999, at McCool Junction.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in McCool Junction. The Rev. Anne Rosenquist will officiate. Burial will be in Pleasant Ridge cemetery east of McCool Junction.
Memorials are suggested to the family.
Metz Mortuary in York is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Roder was born on July 27, 1938, at Tilden to Ed and Lois (Anson) Meyer.
She married
Derald Roder on Sept. 1, 1953, at Madison. She was a homemaker.
She was a member of the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in McCool Junction.
Survivors include two sons, Gary Roder of Grand Island and Larry Roder of McCool Junction; one daughter, Tammy (Mrs. Pat) Swantek of McCool Junction; eight grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; three step grandchildren; two sisters, Maxine Liveringhouse and Kathleen (Mrs. Jack) Halsey, both of Tilden; and a special friend, Jim McGowan of McCool Junction.
She was preceded in death by her husband, a son, a brother and a sister.
Levi Thomas Ceplecha
MIDLAND, Mich. -- Levi Thomas Ceplecha, infant son of Steven and Paula Ceplecha of Midland, Mich., died at birth Friday, Feb. 26, 1999, at the MidMichigan Medical Center in Midland.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church. The Rev. Thomas Fischer will officiate. Private family burial will be in the New Calvary Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 2:30 p.m. until service time Tuesday at the church.
Memorials are suggested to Our Savior's Lutheran Church Building Fund or St. John's Lutheran School Booster Club.
Survivors include his grandparents, Paul and Betsy North of Tipton, Ind., and Emil and Eva Ceplecha of Chapman; and a great-grandmother.
Bonna Dahlstrom
MILACA, Minn. -- Bonna Dahlstrom, 93, of Milaca, Minn., died Friday, Feb. 26, 1999, at the Elim Home in Milaca.
Services were on Monday at Peterson Johnson Funeral Home in Milaca. The Rev. Lee Gutterer officiated.
Memorials are suggested to the Milaca Historical Society.
Mrs. Dahlstrom was born on Feb. 14, 1906, at Milaca, Minn., to A.C. and Josephine (Simon) Wilkes. She attended school in Milaca and graduated from high school in Princeton in 1923. She spent two years in Seattle and then returned home and worked at the Mille Lacs County auditor's office for several years.
She married
Reuben "Rub" Dahlstrom on July 24, 1927. She was an active partner with her husband in the family business, Dahlstrom and Sons Body Shop, where she helped with bookkeeping and daily operations.
She was active in the Milaca Historical Society, the Civic Club and the Order of the Eastern Star. She served as the organist for the First Church of Christ, Scientist in St. Cloud, Minn.
She enjoyed cooking, genealogy, flowers and music.
She is survived by her husband; four sons, David of Milaca, Minn., Peter of Anoka, Minn., John of Grand Island and James of New Hope, Minn.; and nine grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Lloyd and Roy; and three sisters, Essie, Frona and Orpha.
Donald Gray
POTOMAC, Md. -- Donald C.J. Gray, 79, of Potomac, Md., died Friday, Feb. 26, 1999, at his home.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 2, at St. Mark's Episcopal Pro-Cathedral in Hastings. The Rev. Richard J. Martindale will officiate. Burial will be in Parkview cemetery in Hastings.
Memorials are suggested to the church or the Shriners Crippled Children Transportation Fund.
Butler-Volland Funeral Home in Hastings is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Gray was born on Sept. 28, 1919, at Fremont to Garold C.J. and Marie (Burchess) Gray. He graduated from Hastings High School in 1937 and then attended Colorado State College until 1939. He later attended the Aircraft Institute, Occidental College, Brookings Institution and Choinard Art Institute.
He married
Mary Jane Einsel on Dec. 27, 1942.
Until his retirement in 1996, Mr. Gray was commissioner of the Federal Supply Service, the world's largest civilian logistics operation. He also worked as a civilian pilot, design engineer with Lockheed Aircraft Corp. and as chief engineer at American Helicopter Co.
He held a number of key positions in professional, governmental and quasi-governmental organizations including a Presidential Commission to the Committee for Purchase From the Blind.
Mr. Gray was an active layman in the Episcopal Church and was head usher and vestryman at St. John's Church in Washington, D.C. He served as school board president, a chamber of commerce director, a Master Mason, a 33rd-degree member of the Scottish Rite and past potentate of the Tehama Shrine, all in Hastings.
He is survived by his wife; two sons, Donald C.J. Gray Jr. of Lincoln and Kenneth Gray of Lincoln; three grandchildren; two sisters, Doray Saddler of Denver and Jean Miller of Hiawasee, Ga.; and a brother, Robert Gray of Miami.
