U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Gerald Valasek
OGALLALA -- Gerald A. "Bud" Valasek, 68, of Ogallala, formerly of Ord, died Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1999, at Denver General Hospital from injuries received in a car-pedestrian accident Tuesday in Ogallala.
Services will be at 9 a.m. MST Saturday at the Methodist Church in Ogallala. Burial will be at 3:30 p.m. CST Saturday in the Ord Cemetery.
Gubser Funeral Home of Ogallala is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Valasek was born on June 27, 1930, at Ord in the Springdale area to William and Cecil E. (Scott) Valasek. As a youngster, he moved with his parents to Davis Creek, where he attended grade school and the first two years of high school. He graduated from Ord High School in 1948.
He married
Ella Elnora Brown on June 27, 1951, at Ord. He farmed with his father until 1957. They moved to Ord, where he worked for several employers, including the Co-op Elevator and Safeway. He worked for Missouri Valley Construction and helped build the interstate across Nebraska.
After retirement, he was self-employed as a home repairman.
Survivors include his wife; one son, Gordon of Mills, Wyo.; a sister, Carolyn Witherwax of Ord; and two brothers, Harold of Thornton, Colo., and Gary of Grand Island.
He was preceded in death by one daughter, Jeannine.
Edna Woodman
CHAPPELL -- Edna W. Woodman, 90, of Chappell, formerly of Shelton, died Wednesday, Feb. 3, 1999, at Memorial Health Center in Sidney.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Shelton United Methodist Church. The Rev. Charles Spence will officiate. Burial will be in the Shelton Cemetery.
Visitation will be one hour before services Saturday at the church. O'Brien-Straatmann-Apfel Funeral Home of Kearney is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to the Masonic Home in Fremont.
Mrs. Woodman was born on Nov. 23, 1908, in Adams County to Charles Ray and Florence Ellen (Clark) Wilcox. She graduated from Kenesaw High School and became a licensed vocational nurse after completing her education in Kearney.
She married
Jerry H. Woodman on Dec. 8, 1926, at the Methodist manse in Gibbon. They farmed until 1943, when they moved to Shelton. There they started Woodman Well Drilling, a full-time farm-oriented service.
She was a member of the Shelton United Methodist Church but attended Grace Lutheran Church in Chappell while living there since 1981. She was a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Women, Order of the Eastern Star, Past Matrons Club, Rebekah Lodge, Deuel County Farm Bureau, Chappell Garden Club, Homecraft, Happy Homemakers and Senior Citizens Retreat Club. She always had time for volunteer work, especially at the child-care center.
Survivors include her son, Jack Woodman of Chappell; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two sisters, Elinor Ramsey of Shelton and Esther Jacobs of Wood River; and two brothers, Charles Wilcox of Kenesaw and Dale R. Wilcox of Grand Island.
Her husband died in 1985. She also was preceded in death by a sister and a brother.
Mike Garza
Mike Jo Garza, 19, of Grand Island died Tuesday, Jan. 27, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home. The Revs. Frances Figeroa and Harry Kurtenbach will officiate. Burial will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and from 8 a.m. to service time Saturday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the family.
Mr. Garza was born on Sept. 26, 1978, in Grand Island to Mike Duran and Alice Marie Garza. He grew up and was educated in Grand Island. He worked at various jobs in Grand Island.
He was a member of Cristo La Roca Assembly of God Church in Grand Island.
Survivors include two sons, Mike Joseph Garza-Guerrero Jr. of Grand Island and Ruben Isaiah Garza of Colorado; his mother, of Grand Island; his father, of Tampa, Fla.; his maternal grandparents, Lorenzo and Priscilla Ruiz of Grand Island; and his fiancee, Kristina Guerrero of Grand Island.
Daisy Hansen
Daisy M. Hansen, 99, of Grand Island died Monday, Jan. 26, 1998, at Lakeview Rehab/Nursing Center.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home. The Rev. George Wheat will officiate. Burial will be in Hillside cemetery at Wolbach.
Visitation will be one hour before service time Saturday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the donor's choice.
Mrs. Hansen was born on Dec. 22, 1898, at Wahoo to George and Eva (Moss) Perry. She moved with her family to a farm in Greeley County in 1901 and to Wolbach in 1909. She attended Wolbach Public School and graduated in 1917. She later attended the Grand Island Business College.
She married
Hans M. Hansen on July 26, 1923, at St. Paul. The couple lived in Wolbach until 1938, when they moved to Grand Island, where Mrs. Hansen worked for Kaufman's Department Store for more than 10 years.
She had been a member of Trinity United Methodist Church since 1938 and was an active member until the last few years.
Survivors include one granddaughter, Sandy Gurganious of Pasadena, Texas; four grandsons, Lt. Col. David L. Hansen of Fort Hood, Texas, Daniel P. Hansen of Orlando, Fla., Steven Yates of Sugarland, Texas, and Scott Yates of Houston; and six great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband; one daughter, Sherry Yates; one son, LeRoy "Pete" Hansen; one granddaughter, Diane Hansen; and two brothers, Ernest and Gerald Perry.
Ida Knudsen
Ida K. Knudsen, 97, of Grand Island died Thursday, Jan. 29, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Charles Harden
TAYLOR -- Lyle Charles Harden, 69, of Taylor died Sunday, Jan. 25, 1998, at University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
Services were Thursday at Rhoad Funeral Chapel in Sargent. The Rev. Roger Gillming officiated. Burial was in the Taylor Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to Parkinson's research or the Taylor Methodist Church.
Mr. Harden married
Jean Garner on June 1, 1952, at Taylor. They lived on a ranch near Taylor.
Leona Holm
CENTRAL CITY -- Leona R. Holm, 87, of Central City, formerly of Litchfield, died Wednesday, Jan. 28, 1998, at Litzenberg Memorial County Hospital in Central City.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the United Methodist Church in Litchfield. The Rev. Heidi Revelo will officiate. Burial will be in the Litchfield Cemetery.
Visitation will be prior to service time Saturday at the church.
Rasmussen Mortuary of Ravenna is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to the church.
Mrs. Holm was born on Feb. 21, 1910, at Elm Creek to William and Laura (Steele) Shrack. She grew up in Elm Creek, attended public schools and graduated from Elm Creek High School in 1928.
She graduated from Kearney State College in 1935 with a degree in education. She taught at Pleasanton and Ansley.
She married
Floyd E. Holm of Litchfield on Dec. 24, 1937. They lived in many small towns in Nebraska.
The couple moved to the Holm family farm west of Litchfield in 1943 and lived and farmed there for 30 years. Mrs. Holm returned to teaching in the 1960s at the Litchfield Public Schools. The couple retired and moved to Litchfield in 1974.
Mr. Holm died in 1982, and Mrs. Holm moved to a retirement home in Grand Island in 1989. She moved to a care home in Central City after a sudden severe illness in 1995.
Mrs. Holm was active in her community club while on the farm and was active in the Rebekah Lodge at Litchfield. She was a member of the Methodist Church and was active in the United Methodist Women.
Survivors include one daughter, Bonnie Holmstedt of Central City; two sons, Floyd E. Holm Jr. of Magnolia, Texas, and Stanley Holm of Los Angeles; 13 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by three brothers and three sisters.
