U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Joseph Wilson Jr.
Joseph L. Wilson Jr., 89, of 1404 N. Eddy died Wednesday, Dec. 2, 1998, at St. Francis Memorial Health Center Skilled Care.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. The Rev. Donald Larmore will officiate. Burial will be in Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m., with a parish rosary recited at 7 p.m., Friday at the church.
Memorials are suggested to the donor's choice or to the family.
Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Wilson was born on Aug. 26, 1909, at Greeley, Colo., to Joseph I. Sr. and Bridget (Kinney) Wilson. He moved with his family to Grand Island at the age of 8. He graduated from St. Mary's Catholic School in 1927.
He married
Irma M. Prenger on Nov. 23, 1932, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Norfolk. He worked as a salesman for Sears for 15 years and for Speery-Hutchison Co. for 17 years, retiring in the early 1970s.
Mr. Wilson was a member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, the Liederkranz and the Grand Island Saddle Club.
Survivors include a daughter, Dianne (Mrs. Ronald) Krolikowski of Bella Vista, Ark.; two sons, Roger Wilson of Grand Island and Joseph Wilson III of Omaha; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
His wife died in 1995. He also was preceded in death by one brother and one sister.
Kenneth Bader
ALBION -- Kenneth Bader, 69, of Albion died Thursday, Dec. 3, 1998, at the Boone County Health Center in Albion.
Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the United Church of Christ in Albion. The Rev. Mary Avidano will officiate. Burial will be in Rose Hill cemetery at Albion.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Levander Funeral Home in Albion.
Vera Carmin
ST. EDWARD -- Vera I. Carmin, 81, of St. Edward died Thursday, Dec. 3, 1998, at the Boone County Health Center in Albion.
Services are pending with Miller-Levander Funeral Home in St. Edward.
Kathleen 'Nita' Stoppkotte
SHELTON -- Kathleen J. "Nita" Stoppkotte, 69, of Shelton died Wednesday, Dec. 2, 1998, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the Shelton United Methodist Church with the Rev. Charles Spence officiating. Burial will be in the Shelton Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Goodfellows or Boys Town.
Apfel Funeral Home of Wood River is in charge of arrangements.
Survivors include her husband, Gerald "Dutch"; three sons, Michael Dan and Jeff, both of Kearney, and Tony of Shelton; six daughters, Merilee Cady and Kathy Larson, both of Brighton, Colo., Tammy Stoppkotte of Guild, Tenn., Kelly Kwiatkowski of Kearney, Gina Juhl of Shelton and Jody Thyfault of Grand Island; 19 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and a sister, Janie Argent of Fremont.
Lillian Swanson
NEWMAN GROVE -- Lillian Swanson, 78, of Newman Grove died Thursday, Dec. 3, 1998, at BryanLGH Medical Center in Lincoln.
Services will be at 10 am. Monday at Immanuel-Zion Lutheran Church at rural Albion. The Rev. Larry Spomer will officiate. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.
Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Levander Funeral Home in Albion.
Marie Moeller
SHELTON -- Marie A. Moeller, 90, of Shelton died Sunday, April 11, 1999, at the Good Samaritan Center in Wood River.
Services are pending with Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home of Grand Island.
Hubert 'Kuba' Stobbe
ASHTON -- Hubert S. "Kuba" Stobbe, 77, of Ashton died Friday, April 9, 1999, at Clarkson Hospital in Omaha.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Francis Catholic Church in Ashton with the Rev. Larry Coulter officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen cemetery at Loup City with military honors by American Legion Post No. 108 of Ashton.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the church with a 7:30 p.m. vigil service. Peters Funeral Home of Loup City is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to the Ashton Fire Department and Rescue Squad.
Mr. Stobbe was born on Dec. 31, 1921, on a farm south of Ashton to Anton C. and Frances I. (Badura) Stobbe. He grew up on the family farm and attended Sherman County rural schools.
He served during World War II with the U.S. Naval Seabees from Jan. 1, 1943, to Jan. 25, 1946. He was stationed in the Panama Canal and also served in Guam, Guadalcanal and Okinawa.
He married
Frances "Franny" Czarnek on Aug. 12, 1946, at Scotia. They farmed north of Ashton for many years until moving into Ashton in 1981. He also drove a truck for Louie Kwiatkowski for many years and hauled gravel for the Layhers and Ingerles of Elba.
He had served as a Sherman County supervisor for more than 20 years. In recent years, he drove many friends to doctors' appointments and hospitals. Mrs. Stobbe died on Oct. 21, 1990.
He enjoyed playing cards and visiting residents in area nursing homes. He was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church and American Legion Post No. 108, both of Ashton.
Survivors include four daughters, Patricia Moraczewski of Pueblo, Colo., Mary Stobbe of Grand Island, Geralyn (Mrs. Ron) Carruth of Barrington, N.H., and Kristine (Mrs. Don) Curlo of Boelus; six sons, Thomas of Lexington, Charles of Las Vegas, Duane of Plainview, William of Grand Island, Anthony of Ashton and Jeffry of Rockville; 14 grandchildren; three great-grandsons; four step grandchildren; one step great-grandson; two brothers, John Stobbe of Mission Viejo, Calif., and Roman Stobbe of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and three sisters, Ven Rapp and Vivian Smith, both of Southgate, Calif., and Betty (Mrs. Gene) Grudzinski of Ashton.
He was preceded in death by his wife; two brothers, Arnold and Clemence Stobbe; and one sister, Rita Hoxie.
Lucille Swerczek
CEDAR RAPIDS -- Lucille C. Swerczek, 86, of Cedar Rapids died Saturday, April 10, 1999, at her home.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids with the Rev. Ralph Steffensmeier officiating. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.
Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday with a 4 p.m. rosary at Levander Funeral Home in Cedar Rapids. Visitation will continue at 7 p.m. Monday at the church with a 7:30 p.m. wake service. Visitation will continue from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Mrs. Swerczek was born on Aug. 3, 1912, on a farm north of Cedar Rapids to Peter and Lulu (Murphy) Homan. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. She received her elementary education at St. Anthony's Catholic School and graduated from high school in 1931.
She married
Walter Swerczek on Feb. 25, 1936, at St. Anthony's Catholic Church. They farmed north of Cedar Rapids until 1979, when they moved to Cedar Rapids. She was a homemaker. He died on Feb. 15, 1993.
She was a member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church and the Altar Society.
Survivors include two daughters, Mary Lou (Mrs. Tom) Padraza of Columbus and Delores (Mrs. Dick) Podraza of Omaha; three sons, Dr. Tom Swerczek of Lexington, Ky., Dr. Robert Swerczek of Omaha and Steve Swerczek of Cedar Rapids; 19 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and one sister, Evelyn Kopecki of Lincoln.
She was preceded in death by her husband; three granddaughters, Amy Swerczek, Lori O'Hearn and Sarah Meier; one infant grandson Terrance; and one sister, Margaret Faust.
Viola Hansen
Viola May Hansen, 74, of Grand Island died Thursday, Oct. 29, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Services are pending at Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home.
Ruth Gestrine
STROMSBURG -- Ruth L. Gestrine, 92, of Stromsburg died Wednesday, Oct. 28, 1998, at the York General Hospital.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Calvary Lutheran Church in Swede Home. The Rev. Louise Williams will officiate. Burial will be in the Polk Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Palmer Funeral Home in Stromsburg.
