U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
'V.C.' Howard
BROKEN BOW -- Victor "V.C." Howard, 66, of Broken Bow died Wednesday, Jan. 28, 1998, in a traffic accident about four miles east of Berwyn.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Broken Bow. The Revs. Bob Rooney and Jan Smutny will officiate. Burial will be in the Litchfield Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at Govier Brothers Mortuary. The rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Friday at the church.
Memorials are suggested to the Custer County Hospice and to a scholarship fund.
Mr. Howard was born on Feb. 22, 1931, in Milburn to Ira and Emma (Tyson) Howard. He attended Sandy Ridge School north of Milburn.
He worked for various Sandhill ranches until his marriage to Dorothy Fisher on Aug. 17, 1950, at St. Anselm's Catholic Church in Anselmo.
They lived in Blaine County until 1953, when they moved to Sherman County. They moved in 1967 to Litchfield, where they lived and worked until moving to Broken Bow in 1988.
Mr. and Mrs. Howard started the V.C. Howard Hay Co. in 1967 and worked together until 1993, when Mrs. Howard developed cancer, forcing semiretirement.
Mr. Howard was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Broken Bow.
Survivors include two sons, Brad Howard and Brent Howard, both of Litchfield; three daughters, Vicki (Mrs. Paul) Peters of Casper, Wyo., Debra (Mrs. Bill) Schlund of To'le, Utah, and Emma (Mrs. Mark) Whitaker of Loudonville, Ohio; 12 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; two brothers, E.B. Howard of Merna and Pat Howard of Phoenix; and three sisters, Iris (Mrs. Tony) Spanel of Broken Bow, Esther (Mrs. Glenn) Crisp of Lincoln and Rosella Ramsey of Colorado Springs, Colo.
He was preceded in death by his wife; two infant sons; one brother, Bill; and three sisters, Ruby, Ruth and ReVeal.
'Andy' Owen
BURWELL -- Eldon B. "Andy" Owen, 81, of Burwell died Thursday, Jan. 29, 1998, at Valley County Nursing Home in Ord.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the First Christian Church in Burwell with the Rev. Rolly Salts officiating. Burial will be in Cottonwood cemetery in Burwell.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Eberle-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Burwell.
Memorials are suggested to American Legion Post 298 in Burwell.
Mr. Owen was born on Aug. 29, 1916, in Garfield County to Thomas and Anna (Schulz) Owen. He grew up on the family farm near Burwell.
He was a World War II veteran.
He married
Erma Gideon on June 9, 1947. They were divorced in 1957. He worked at the alfalfa mill and for the state Department of Roads. He owned Northside Bar in Burwell.
He was a lifetime member of the American Legion. He was also a Veterans of Foreign Wars member. He enjoyed playing cards and gardening.
Survivors include one daughter, Jeanie (Mrs. Gary) Klanecky of Ord; one son, Jerry Owen of Chambers; seven grandchildren; three brothers, Ellis Owen of Burwell, Stanley Owen of Littleton, Colo., and Raymond "Deak" Owen of Lakewood, Colo.; and three sisters, Leah White, Edna Schillo and Norma Leach, all of Burwell.
He was preceded in death by two wives, Marie and Dorothy; two brothers and two sisters.
Harvey Petersen
BURWELL -- Harvey R. Petersen, 88, of Burwell died Saturday, Jan. 24, 1998, at the Grand Island Veterans Home.
Mr. Petersen was cremated.
A memorial service will be at a later date. Eberle-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Burwell is in charge of arrangements.
Eileen Sorensen
ST. EDWARD -- Eileen Sorensen, 72, of St. Edward died Wednesday, Jan. 28, 1998, at Cloverlodge Care Center in St. Edward.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Ansgar's Lutheran Church at rural Lindsay. The Rev. Vernon Knight will officiate. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.
Visitation will be from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Miller-Levander Funeral Home in St. Edward.
Mrs. Sorensen was born on Sept. 1, 1925, northeast of Fullerton in rural Nance County to John and Margie (Abts) McCarty. She attended rural Nance County schools and graduated from St. Edward High School in 1943. She attended Wayne State Teachers College and then taught school.
She married
Irving H. Sorensen on June 6, 1948, at St. Ansgar's Lutheran Church at Rosenborg. She was a housewife and homemaker.
After Mr. Sorensen's death in 1976, Mrs. Sorensen worked as a typist at the St. Edward Advance. She worked as a receptionist at a veterinarian clinic from 1978 through 1986, when she went to Dedham, Mass., to be a nanny. She returned to St. Edward for a brief time before moving to Omaha. She worked as a nanny there until September 1997, when she returned to St. Edward.
She was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in St. Edward, where she served as a Sunday school teacher and was a member of the Lutheran Church Women. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.
Survivors include two daughters, Susan Mahoney and Peggy (Mrs. Jack) Sutton, both of St. Edward; three sons, Tony and John, both of St. Edward, and Vernon of Hastings; 10 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; her mother, of St. Edward; and one brother, Robert McCarty of Bremerton, Wash.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by her father.
LaVona Leonhardt
CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- LaVona L. Leonhardt, 63, of Cheyenne, Wyo., died Wednesday, Jan. 28, 1998, in Cheyenne.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the Litchfield United Methodist Church. The Rev. Heidi Revelo will officiate. Burial will be in the Litchfield Cemetery.
Rasmussen Mortuary in Ravenna is in charge of arrangements.
She was born on Oct. 4, 1934, in Litchfield. She attended Round Grove School in Litchfield. She had lived in Cheyenne, Wyo., since 1948.
Survivors include her mother, Leah Leonhardt of Cheyenne; two brothers, Norman Leonhardt of Cheyenne and Allan Leonhardt of Arvada, Colo.; and two sisters, Bonnie Stephens of Davis, Calif., and Joan Grott of Cheyenne.
Billie' Betts
AURORA -- Aleen A. 'Billie' Betts, 79, of Aurora died Tuesday, Feb. 10, 1998, at Hamilton Manor in Aurora.
Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Presbyterian United Church of Christ in Aurora. The Rev. Maurine Hale will officiate. Burial will be in the Aurora Cemetery.
Visitation will be from noon to service time Saturday at the church.
Memorials are suggested to the family.
Solt Funeral Home of Central City is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Betts was born on June 19, 1918, in Aurora to Carl F. and Lily F. (Moberg) Davidson. She was educated in Aurora and received her practical nursing license in 1954.
She married
Arthur W. Hageman on Jan. 10, 1936, in Aurora. She worked as a licensed practical nurse at the old Memorial Hospital in Aurora for 15 years and at Hamilton Manor for 16 years before retiring in 1982.
She married
John R. Betts on July 9, 1964, in Ericson. They lived in Aurora. Mr. Betts died in December 1985. Mrs. Betts entered Hamilton Manor in 1991.
She was a 65-year member of the Presbyterian United Church of Christ in Aurora and was a member of the State Licensed Practical Nurse Association. She enjoyed reading and embroidery.
Survivors include one son, Carl Thomas Hageman of Blando, Pa.; two daughters, Ardith R. (Mrs. Jim) Reichardt of Hampton and Jacqueline L. Bowers of Hordville; 10 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandson.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by one grandson; two brothers, James Davidson and an infant brother; and one sister, Elinor Potter.
