U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Gary Zohner
ST. EDWARD -- Gary L. Zohner, 50, of St. Edward and Battle Creek died Thursday, May 13, 1999, in St. Edward.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at St. John's Lutheran Church in Battle Creek with the Rev. Peter Utecht officiating. Burial will be at St. John's Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Miller-Levander Funeral Home in St. Edward.
Mr. Zohner was born April 2, 1949, in Norfolk to John and Ruby (Finkral) Zohner. He received his elementary education at Battle Creek public schools and graduated from Battle Creek High School in 1967.
Following graduation he served in the U.S. Army.
Mr. Zohner lived in the Battle Creek and St. Edward communities and worked at Lindsay Manufacturing in the fabrication division for many years.
Survivors include one son, Justin of Norfolk; his mother, Ruby of Battle Creek; a brother, Gene Zohner of Battle Creek; and one sister, Elaine (Mrs. Philip) Scheurich of Norfolk.
He was preceded in death by his father and an infant brother.
Edward Kearns
WAUNETA -- Edward D. Kearns, 59, of Wauneta died Friday, May 14, 1999, at the University Hospital in Denver.
Mr. Kearns was cremated.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Wauneta Church of Christ with Randy Hayes officiating. Burial will follow at the Riverside cemetery in Wauneta.
A memorial has been established in his memory.
Liewer Funeral Home in Wauneta is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Kearns was born Feb. 28, 1940, to Orus and Cordilia (Carr) Kearns at North Loup. He grew up and attended school in North Loup.
He was inducted into the U.S. Army and served during the Korean Conflict. After his discharge, he completed his high school education in Lincoln. He then began a career in law enforcement at Seward in 1965. He served in many communities before becoming a detective in Kearney. In 1991, he became the chief of Police in Wauneta where he and his family lived.
His hobbies included raising horses and watching sporting events.
Survivors include his wife; three sons, Markham Kearns of Las Cruces, N.M., and Tim and Todd, both at home; three daughters, Kristine Kearns of Guernville, Calif., and Jennifer and Julie, both at home; two sisters, Cecila Kimble of Gult, Calif., and Pauline (Mrs. Harry) Burson of Grand Island; and three grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Elmer; and a sister, Donna Pahl.
'Bob' Anderson
Robert "Bob" Anderson, 77, of the Grand Island Veterans Home, a longtime law enforcement officer, died Sunday, May 9, 1999, at the home.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Butler-Volland Chapel in Hastings. The Rev. Steve Ginn will officiate. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens in Hastings with military rites.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the family present from 7 to 9 p.m., Wednesday; and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the Nebraska Law Enforcement Wall Fund or the Grand Island Veterans Home.
Mr. Anderson was born on Oct. 13, 1921, at Evanston, Ill., to Horace C. and Mary A. (Rubel) Anderson. He served in the U.S. Army from March 26, 1943, to Dec. 3, 1945.
He moved to Lincoln, where he worked for the Nebraska State Penitentiary. He also worked for the Lancaster County Sheriff's Department as an investigator during the Charles Starkweather crime spree.
He moved to Hastings in 1959 to work for the Adams County Sheriff's Department. He later was elected Adams County sheriff. He moved to Wyoming in 1978 and worked in law enforcement in Camel County. He returned to Lincoln in 1983 and moved to the Grand Island Veterans Home in 1997.
He was past chairman of the Region 13 Crime Commission, Big Brothers, Highway Safety Commission, 21 County Emergency Medical Services Council, Noon Lions Club and Southeast Sheriff's Association.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and chamber of commerce in Hastings; Nebraska Sheriffs and Peace Officers; National Sheriffs Association; American Law Enforcement Officers Association; American Federation of Police and Police Officers Association of Nebraska.
He received the Good Government Award in 1966 and 1967 from the Hastings Jaycees and Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer in 1971. He also served on the Nixon inauguration security team.
Survivors include one son, Lauren of Omaha; two stepsons, Michael Morris of Wahoo and Kenneth Morris of Scott City, Kan.; two stepdaughters, Peggy Pierson of Omaha and Christine Tackett of Bellevue; 10 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Eugene of Chicago and Lawrence of Houston.
He was preceded in death by his wife; one daughter, Janet Riepe; one brother and one sister.
Donald Bierhaus
Donald Bierhaus, 73, of Grand Island died Tuesday, May 11, 1999, at his home.
Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Robert Gartner
Robert J. Gartner, 70, of Grand Island died Monday, May 10, 1999, at his home.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Grace Lutheran Church. The Rev. Herbert Schutte will officiate. Burial will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m., with the family receiving friends from 7 to 9 p.m., Wednesday at Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to the Kidney Foundation or the American Cancer Society.
Mr. Gartner was born on Dec. 7, 1928, at Heartwell to John and Clara (Kimle) Gartner. He was educated in Juniata.
He married
Roberta L. Evans on July 23, 1949, at Cheyenne, Wyo. The couple lived in Hastings and Holdrege before moving to Grand Island in 1954. They began the Grand Island Business College in 1957.
They sold the business college in 1973. Mr. Gartner also owned and operated a trucking and dispatching business over the years.
He was a member of Grace Lutheran Church, Eagles Aerie 378, the Elks, the Liederkranz and the Saddle Club. He enjoyed collecting, cooking and traveling.
Survivors include one daughter, Peggy (Mrs. Bill) Catchpool of Kearney; one son, Stephen Gartner of Chicago; three grandchildren; one brother, Maurice Gartner of Hastings; and one sister, Ruth Uden at Council Bluffs.
He was preceded in death by his wife and one brother, Martin.
Wilma Oliver
Wilma A. Oliver, 80, of Wedgewood Care Center died Tuesday, May 11, 1999, at Wedgewood.
Services are pending with Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home.
Lupe Swartz
Lupe J. Swartz, 66, of Grand Island died Monday, May 10, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Mary's Cathedral. The Rev. Tom Ryan will officiate. Burial will be in Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m., with a rosary at 7 p.m., Thursday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to the cathedral.
Mrs. Swartz was born on Feb. 17, 1933, in Grand Island to Jose and Paula (Padres) Pedrosa. She grew up and was educated in Grand Island. She graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1952 and then worked at the Twin Rivers Egg Plant in Grand Island.
She married
Jimmy Swartz on Feb. 17, 1957, in Grand Island. She was a housekeeper and translator at St. Francis Medical Center from 1981 until her retirement in 1994.
Her hobbies included crocheting.
She was a member of St. Mary's Cathedral.
Survivors include her husband; four sons, Chris Swartz of Omaha, Benedict Swartz and Manuel Swartz, both of Grand Island, and Paul Swartz of Augusta, Kan.; seven grandchildren; four brothers, Johnny Pedrosa and Louie Pedrosa Jr., both of Omaha, Pete Pedrosa of Tuttle, Okla., and Louie Pedrosa of Grand Island.
She was preceded in death by one sister, Juanita Pedrosa; and five brothers, Phillip Pedrosa, Jose Pedrosa Jr., Richard Pedrosa, Manuel Pedrosa and Salomé Pedrosa.
