U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Howard Pitzer
ERICSON -- Howard W. Pitzer, 86, of Ericson died May 24, 1998, at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Burwell Baptist Church in Burwell with the Rev. David Koenigsberg officiating. Burial will be in the Ord cemetery in Ord.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Burwell Baptist Church.
Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Eberle-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Burwell is in charge of arrangements.
Clifford Melland
Clifford L. Melland, 83, of Tiffany Square Care Center died Saturday, Feb. 21, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home. The Rev. Ellen Campbell will officiate. Burial will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday in Shell Creek cemetery north of Newman Grove.
Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to Shell Creek cemetery Association.
Mr. Melland was born Aug. 19, 1914, to Lewis and Anna (Simonson) Melland in Newman Grove. He attended District No. 11 school in Wheeler County. After his education, he farmed in Boone County.
He entered the U.S. Army and served during World War II. After his military service, he returned to Nebraska and continued to farm in Boone County. He then moved to Grand Island and worked for 20 years as a caretaker at Grand Island City Cemetery.
He married
Bessie Cain on Dec. 29, 1962, in Grand Island. He retired in 1979. Mrs. Melland died in 1982.
Mr. Melland was a member of the Methodist faith and the Eagles Club. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, listening to polka music and watching wrestling on television.
Survivors include one stepson, Harold "Bud" Lohn of Wichita, Kan.; one stepdaughter, Marjorie Horner of Hot Springs, Ark.; two step granddaughters; seven step great-grandsons; two sisters, Blanche Johnson and Leona Buhlmann, both of Albion; and a special friend, Betty Hopkins of Grand Island.
In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Sherman and Orville.
Roland Scott
Roland G. Scott, 84, of 804 N. Boggs died Sunday, Feb. 22, 1998, at Community Care of America nursing home in Grand Island.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home. The Rev. Alan Davis will officiate. Burial will be at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the cemetery in Naponee.
Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to American Heart Association or the family.
Mr. Scott was born Sept. 19, 1913, to Osa Jay and Mary Alice (Glahn) Scott in Oxford. He lived with his parents in Republican City, Bloomington, Naponee and Orleans. He graduated from Orleans High School in 1931. He worked as a fingerprint expert in the state Sheriff's Office in the State Capitol in 1938.
He married
Phyllis Helen Goodell on June 8, 1941, in Adams. The couple lived in Lincoln until April 1942, when they moved to Grand Island. He worked for Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant as a fingerprint expert and head of the Identification Bureau.
After World War II, he worked for the Grand Island Police Department's Identification Bureau. He retired in 1970 as a lieutenant and detective of 25 years. He then worked for First National Bank in Grand Island as a security officer.
The couple moved to Franklin, N.C., in May 1974. Then they returned to Grand Island in August 1997.
He was a member of Union United Methodist Church in Franklin, N.C., Eagles Club, Peace Officers Association and was past master of Ashlar Masonic Lodge. No. 33 A.F. and A.M.
Survivors include his wife; one son, Daniel of Corpus Christi, Texas; one daughter, Carol (Mrs. David) Voss of Cairo, and three granddaughters.
Vera Stubbs
Vera E. Stubbs, 76, of Grand Island died Sunday, Feb. 22, 1998, at Lakeview Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.
Services are pending with Kleine Funeral Home.
Bill Johansen
ST. PAUL -- William P. "Bill" Johansen, 88, of St. Paul, formerly of Farwell, died Sunday, Feb. 22, 1998, at Community Care of America nursing home in Grand Island.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Paplin, located just east of Ashton. The Rev. Larry Coulter will officiate. Burial will be in parish cemetery in Paplin.
Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, with a vigil service and Knights of Columbus rosary at 8 p.m. at Jacobsen Funeral Home in St. Paul.
Memorials are suggested to the Farwell Quick Response Team or the family.
Mr. Johansen was born Sept. 24, 1909, on a farm north of Farwell to Peter and Isabell (Harvey) Johansen. He attended District No. 24 school near Farwell and grew up on the family farm.
He married
Joanna Skorniak on Nov. 23, 1940, in Paplin. The couple lived on a farm northwest of Farwell throughout their lives, raising cattle and hogs. They moved to St. Paul in spring 1989.
He was a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Paplin, St. Paul Knights of Columbus and served on the Farwell school board. He enjoyed polka music and dancing.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Adine Wardyn of Omaha and Ardie (Mrs. Tom) Kaiser of Farwell; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; one brother, Harvey of Grand Island, and one sister, Betty (Mrs. Ray) Bonczynski of Ashton.
He was preceded in death by one brother, Willard and two sisters, Beulah Keller and Ann Hansen.
Vera Bonness
LINCOLN -- Vera L. Bonness, 84, of Lincoln, formerly of Grand Island, died Friday, Feb. 20, 1998, at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital in Hastings.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Faith United Methodist Church in Grand Island. The Rev. Richard Karohl will officiate. Burial will be in Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, with the family greeting friends from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to the church.
Mrs. Bonness was born Aug. 4, 1913, to Frank and Pearl (Holroyd) Hicks in Wymore. She grew up in St. Joseph, Mo., later moving to Grand Island, where she graduated from Grand Island Senior High School in 1931.
She married
Arthur H. Bonness on Nov. 21, 1931, in Smith Center, Kan. They lived in Archer until 1942, when they moved to Grand Island. She worked for Northwestern Bell for 23 years, retiring in 1968. The couple moved to Lincoln in May 1996.
She was a member of Faith United Methodist Church, Church Missions, Telephone Pioneers and Union Pacific Oldtimers Auxiliary.
Survivors include her husband; one son, Bryce of Lincoln; two grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; one brother, Eugene Hicks of Downey, Calif.; and one sister, Dorothy Sultzer of Hastings.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Lavelle and Clifford Hicks.
Henry Aldana
Henry N. Aldana Jr., 50, of Grand Island died Monday, Dec. 14, 1998, at St. Francis Skilled Care.
Services are pending at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home.
Hilmer Everett Wallin
Hilmer Everett Wallin, 90, of Grand Island, formerly of the Hordville and Taylor area, died Friday, Dec. 11, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Services were on Monday at Elmwood cemetery in St. Paul. The Rev. Elton Walth officiated. Solt Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Wallin was born on March 23, 1908, near Hordville to Isadore F. and Selma (Nyberg) Wallin. He grew up and was educated in the Hordville and Loup City area.
He married
Ema Ellen Hannigan on Oct. 22, 1927, in Loup City. They farmed in the Central City and Clarks area and then moved to Taylor, where the family farmed for 35 years. After retiring, they moved to St. Paul and Ord. They moved to Grand Island in 1982.
Mr. Wallin farmed for his work and his hobby. After retirement, he enjoyed yard work, flowers and his garden.
Survivors include his wife; one son, Tommy Wallin of Scotia; one daughter, Sally Putter of Pensacola, Fla.; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and one brother, Vernice "Pete" Wallin of Omaha.
He was preceded in death by two sisters and one brother.
