U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Edward Skinner
AURORA -- Edward "Pink" Skinner, 81, of Aurora, former manager of Aurora Farmer's Union Association, died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997, in Aurora.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Aurora United Methodist Church. The Rev. Peggy Michael-Rush will officiate. Burial will be in the Aurora Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Higby Mortuary in Aurora.
Edward Carlton "Pink" Skinner was born on June 23, 1916, in Giltner, the son of Isaac Newton and Nellie Jane (Whitace) Skinner. He grew up near Phillips and graduated from Phillips High School in 1933. He then attended Kearney State Teacher's College for two years.
On Feb. 20, 1942, he married
Mary Ellen Eggert at Grand Island. They farmed and raised livestock near Phillips. He served on the Phillips School Boared for nine years and was active in the Phillips United Methodist Church.
In November 1961, the family moved to Aurora and he worked as a salesman at Farmer's Union Association for two years. He then became manager for 18 years, retiring in 1982.
He was a member of the Aurora United Methodist Church, Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club, and had served on the Aurora City Council. After retiring, he volunteered at the Plainsman Museum.
He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed baseball and golf.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Ellen of Aurora; two daughters, Judith Skinner of Pasadena, Calif., Christine (Mrs. Jeff) Pearson of Lowell, Wyo.; a brother Curt of Banning, Calif.; two sisters, Martgaret Roedel of McCook, Bernice Peterson of Aurora; three grandsons.
He was preceded in death by eight brothers, one sister and a daughter, Carol Sue in 1964.
Joseph Wilson
Joseph L. Wilson, 89, of Grand Island died Wednesday, Dec. 2, 1998, at St. Francis Memorial Health Center Skilled Care.
Services are pending at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home.
Ernest Hladky
CENTRAL CITY -- Ernest Francis Hladky, 83, of Central City died on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 1998, at his home.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Solt Funeral Home in Central City. The Rev. Melvin Zichek will officiate. Burial will be in the Central City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Mr. Hladky was born in Cushing to Frank and Anna (Juranek) Hladky. He was educated in Howard County schools.
He married
Lula I. Spencer on June 25, 1941, in Fremont. He served in World War II from 1942 to 1946 with the Army Air Force and was stationed in Burma and India.
They began their married
life on a farm northeast of Archer. Mr. Hladky worked for Leonard Kyes on the farm and also at Kyes Station. They then moved into Central City, and he worked as a mechanic for both Larson Dodge-Plymouth and Arvid Stranberg.
He also did sharecropping on small plots of land around town and raised chickens. In the mid-1960s, he began working as a mechanic for Berkley Pumps and retired from there in the early 1980s.
Mr. Hladky enjoyed fishing and gardening. He belonged to the China-Burma-India Association and was a past member of the American Legion.
Survivors include his wife.
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.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the church.
Memorials are suggested to the Goodfellows or Boys Town. Apfel Funeral Home of Wood River is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Stoppkotte was born on Feb. 28, 1929, at Cordova, Ala., to William and Mary (Justice) Argent. She grew up in Jasper, Ala., and graduated from Jasper High School in 1949. She moved to Nebraska following her graduation from high school.
She married
Gerald "Dutch" Stoppkotte on July 5, 1955, in Central City. The couple lived in Grand Island, Kenesaw and Kearney before they settled in Shelton.
Mrs. Stoppkotte worked for Baldwin Filters in Kearney from 1976 until retiring in 1994.
She was a member of the Shelton United Methodist Church. She enjoyed her rose garden, writing poetry, listening to music and reading, especially Agatha Christie novels.
Survivors include her husband; four sons, Michael, Dan and Jeff, all 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.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Cindy; and twin grandsons, Shane and Shawn Kwiatkowski.
Ralph Barnett Ralph E. Barnett, 85, of Grand Island died Saturday, July 25, 1998, at the Nebraska Veterans Home in Grand Island.
Funeral services are pending with Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home.
Edward Rhoda
Edward H.G. Rhoda, 82, of Grand Island died Saturday, July 25, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Funeral services are pending with Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home.
Arlene Smith
Arlene Carpenter Smith, 75, of 3423 W. Kelly died Thursday, July 23, 1998, at her home.
Services will be 1 p.m. Monday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home. The Rev. Jim Keyser will officiate. Burial will be at the Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Monday.
Memorials are suggested to the family.
Mrs. Smith was born Oct. 28, 1922, in Grand Island to Frank and Mable (Bacon) Carpenter. She grew up and received her education in Grand Island. She worked as a cook and waitress at several places in Grand Island, including the Holiday Inn and Fonner Park.
She married
Elmer Smith on June 16, 1976, in Decatur, Ga. She was very active in doing volunteer work. She was a member of the Trinity United Methodist Church and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Eagles Club No. 378.
Survivors include one son, Jerry Murphy of Lincoln; one daughter, Maureen Bahn of Peachtree City, Ga.; 10 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer.
Louis Lewandowski
ASHTON -- Louis L. Lewandowski, 85, of Ashton died Friday, July 24, 1998, at Heritage Living Center in St. Paul.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Francis Catholic Church in Ashton. The Rev. Larry Coulter will officiate. Burial will be in the St. Francis Catholic cemetery in Ashton.
Visitation will be Monday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Jacobsen Funeral Home of St. Paul. Additional visitation will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the church with a vigil service at 7:30 p.m. at the church. Further visitation will be Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Memorials are suggested to the family.
Mr. Lewandowski was born Oct. 28, 1912, on a farm in Sherman County, to Walter and Tekla (Kaminski) Lewandowski. After his graduation from Loup City High School, he attended Kearney State College. He taught at a country school in Sherman County for six years.
He married
Elizabeth Kuszak on April 10, 1937, in Omaha. He began working with the Veterans Administration in Grand Island. He then worked for the Sherman County AAA office. He started work with the Veterans Administration in Washington, D.C,. in August 1941 and later transferred to Denver, Colo.
He returned to the AAA office in Loup City in 1942. He was postmaster in Ashton in 1946 until 1949. He became a rural mail carrier in Ashton in 1949. He was transferred as a rural carrier to the Central City post office for a short time in 1974. He came back to Ashton that same year as a rural carrier. He retired in 1982.
Mr. Lewandowski also served as an usher for St. Francis Catholic church in Ashton, the village board, fire department and school board in Ashton. He was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church and a member of the Knights of Columbus.
He enjoyed listening and dancing to polka music and growing trees.
Survivors include his wife, three sons, Larry of Omaha, Gary of North Platte, and Mike of Lincoln; one daughter, Jeanie (Mrs. Jim) Curlo of Ashton; 17 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; four brothers, Al and Mike, bothof Grand Island, Jim of Tracy, Calif., and Gene of Loup City; three sisters, Margaret Kowalski of Loup City, Rita (Mrs. Ray) Gembala of Kearney and Annette (Mrs. Richard) Mendyk of Grand Island.
He was preceded in death by one son, Dick; one grandson; two brothers, Ralph and Andy; and one sister, Sally Golka.
