U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Marjorie Ballagh
BURWELL -- Marjorie Ellen Ballagh, 77, of Burwell died Wednesday, Feb. 17, 1999, at the Valley County Hospital in Ord.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the United Methodist Church in Burwell. Burial will be in Cottonwood cemetery in Burwell.
Memorials are suggested to the Clearbrook PAL (Partners in Adult Learning) Program in honor of her granddaughter or Nebraska Christian School in Central City.
Eberle-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Burwell is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Ballagh was born on Dec. 4, 1921, two miles north of Burwell to William and Jemima (Williams) Rowse. She graduated from Burwell High School in 1939. She then took some summer courses through Lincoln State University. She spent one summer working at the Rockie Mountain Arsenal in Denver.
She married
Gordon Ballagh on Aug. 22, 1945, at the Methodist Church in Burwell. She taught at several rural schools around Burwell. She also helped with the family business. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1995.
She enjoyed horseback riding, softball, cooking, sewing and making scrapbooks and was the family historian. She also enjoyed singing, quilting, gardening and making flower arrangements for church. She cared for shut-ins, visited nursing home patients and enjoyed scenic and historical trips in the United States and Canada with her family.
She was a member of the Cedar Creek Berean Church, the Homemakers Club and the After 5 Club. She taught Sunday school and Bible school.
Survivors include her husband; three sons, Rowan Ballagh of Amelia and Lynn Ballagh and Eric Ballagh, both of Burwell; two daughters, Janell (Mrs. Paul) Jochim of Chicago and Ronda Ballagh of Dallas; 11 grandchildren; and two brothers, Floyd Rowse and Everett Rowse, both of Burwell.
She was preceded in death by one brother, James.
James Farmer
BROKEN BOW -- James Leslie Farmer, 83, of Broken Bow died Thursday, Feb. 18, 1999, at Sandhills Manor Nursing Home in Broken Bow.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Govier Brothers Chapel in Broken Bow. The Rev. Cliff Reynolds will officiate. Burial will be in the Custer Center Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the mortuary.
Memorials are suggested to the United Methodist Church in Broken Bow.
Mr. Farmer was born on April 22, 1915, on the family farm in the Rose Valley community in Custer County to Arthur and Louisa (Weinman) Farmer. He attended Rose Valley District 50 School and graduated from Broken Bow High School in 1933.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy prior to World War II and was discharged after the war as a chief aviation machinist.
He married
Lucille Allen Welsh on Jan. 30, 1948. They farmed in the Rose Valley community until moving to Broken Bow six years ago. Mr. Farmer moved to Sandhills Manor Nursing Home in November 1996.
He was a member of the United Methodist Church. He was a lifetime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3576 and served as commander in 1953. He was also a member of American Legion Post 126. He served on the Custer County Draft Board, the Rose Valley School Board and was an avid 4-H supporter. He was an avid conservationist during all the years that he farmed.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, James Jr. of Red Cloud and Dwight of Kearney; one daughter, Elaine (Mrs. Doug) Calkins of Cumberland, Iowa; two grandchildren; one great-grandson; three brothers, George Farmer of Apache Junction, Ariz., Ted Farmer of Utica, Ohio, and Garland Farmer of Portland, Ore.; and four sisters, Virginia Cline of East Lansing, Mich., Eugenia (Mrs. Duane) Vannice of Halsey, Florence Pichler of Adrian, Mich., and Frances (Mrs. Glen) Govier of Broken Bow.
He was preceded in death by one grandson and two sisters, Gyneth and Fern.
Letha Horst
ST. PAUL -- Letha A. Horst, 84, of St. Paul died Thursday, Feb. 18, 1999, at the Howard County Community Hospital.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the United Methodist Church in St. Paul. The Rev. Laura Bartels will officiate. Burial will be in Elmwood cemetery at St. Paul.
Jacobsen Funeral Home in St. Paul is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to the hospital, the church or the family's choice.
Mrs. Horst was born on Jan. 20, 1915, in Greeley County to Wheeler and Molly (Tiller) Caudill. She was educated at Brayton.
Survivors include two daughters, Susie Wolfert (Mrs. Nick) Pedersen of St. Paul and Doris (Mrs. LaVern) Jurzenski of Cotesfield; two grandsons; two great-granddaughters; one brother, Louie Caudill of Alda; and a sister, Lois (Mrs. Lester) Scott of Seattle.
In addition to her husbands, Lyle "Ole" Wolfert and Whitey Horst, she was preceded in death by one son, Jimmy Gene; three brothers, Loundy, Theodore "Bub" and Max Caudill; and one sister, Lila Caudill.
Wilma Wandersee
AURORA -- Wilma Catherine Wandersee, 91, of Aurora died Thursday, Feb. 18, 1999, at the Hamilton Manor in Aurora.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Aurora United Methodist Church. The Rev. Joe Scahill will officiate. Burial will be in the Aurora Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Higby Mortuary in Aurora.
Mrs. Wandersee was born on Sept. 28, 1907, on a farm near Bradshaw to Louis and Dora (Logan) Neubauer. She grew up and was educated at York and taught school for two years.
She married
Henry Wandersee on Dec. 24, 1927, at Albion. They farmed in Hamilton County until December 1964, when they moved to Aurora. He died on Feb. 4, 1977. She entered the Hamilton Manor in October 1998.
She was a longtime member of the Aurora United Methodist Church and belonged to the United Methodist Women.
Survivors include four daughters, Doris Akerson of Aurora, Shirley (Mrs. Robert) Reichardt of Arlington, Texas, Mary Lou (Mrs. Russel) Heckel of Thousand Oaks, Calif., and Janice (Mrs. Russel) Warren of Phillips; 14 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren; and three sisters, Sheila Block of Lincoln, Doris Warren of Mahnomen, Minn., and Adah Neubauer of Purdum.
Other than her husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Gwynne and Beryl Neubauer.
Ellen Curran
ALBION -- Ellen Frances Curran, 97, died Saturday, Feb. 13, 1999, at the Clay County Medical Center at Clay Center, Kan.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Albion. The Rev. Frank Baumert will officiate. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.
Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m., with a 6 p.m. wake service, Friday at Levander Funeral Home in Albion.
Mrs. Curran was born on Feb. 4, 1902, on the family farm near Randolph to William and Pauline (Denner) Sohler. She attended District 40 School in Belden and graduated from Belden High School in 1918.
She attended Wayne State Normal College for a year and taught at rural schools in Cedar County from 1919 through 1922. She then returned to Wayne State for additional instruction. She taught at Albion city schools from 1923 through 1931.
She married
John T. Curran on July 21, 1931, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Belden.
They lived in Albion throughout their marriage. She taught first grade at Albion public schools from 1961 until 1967, when she began teaching the state Title 1 program for St. Michael's, St. John's and Albion public schools.
She continued to take additional courses at Wayne State. She retired from teaching in 1969. Mr. Curran died on Oct. 25, 1987.
Mrs. Curran was a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church, the Altar Society and the American Legion Auxiliary. She also served as a Cub Scout leader and 4-H leader.
Survivors include three sons, Patrick of Albion, the Rev. Bill of Ghana, West Africa, and John of Carmel, Ind.; two daughters, Mary Ellen (Mrs. Dean) Diederich of Greenleaf, Kan., and Pauline (Mrs. Matt) Bartek of Evansville, Ind.; 21 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren; and one sister, Susan Sohler of Hartington.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by one grandson; two brothers, Ed and Jerry; and three sisters, Ceclia and Julia Sohler and Clara Lydon.
Rose Furgason
GIBBON -- Rose L. Furgason, 94, of Gibbon died Wednesday, Feb. 17, 1999, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.
Services will be at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Gibbon Riverside Cemetery. The Rev. Barbara Spangler will officiate.
There will be no visitation.
Memorials are suggested to the Good Samaritan Center or the emergency unit, both of Gibbon.
Godberson Mortuary of Gibbon and Shelton is in charge of the arrangements.
Mrs. Furgason was born on March 7, 1904, in Elba to Roland and Mabel (Pearson) Kauffroath. As a child, she and her family moved to various Nebraska and South Dakota communities where her father served as a minister. She moved to Gibbon in 1924 and worked at Whealand's Bakery.
She married
Howard Furgason on April 19, 1927, in Gibbon. They lived in Gibbon.
She was a member of the Gibbon Faith United Church and the Pioneer Extension Club of Gibbon. She moved to the Gibbon Good Samaritan Center in August 1998.
Survivors include a daughter, Carolyn (Mrs. Jim) Gard of Gibbon; four grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.
Her husband died in 1960. She also was preceded in death by two brothers and one sister.
