U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Edna Kelley
ALBION - Services for Edna K. Kelley, 93, of Albion will be Monday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church with burial in the parish cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. at Levander Funeral Home in Albion and after 6:30 p.m. at the church with a 7:30 p.m. wake service. Visitation will resume Monday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the church. She died Thursday, June 8, 2006, at Wolf Memorial Good Samaritan Center. Memorials are suggested to the Wolf Memorial Good Samaritan Center in Albion. Condolences may be sent to www.levanderfuneralhome.com.
Michael Lage
CARROLL - Services for Michael L. “Mike” Lage, 58, of Carroll will be Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at United Methodist Church in Carroll with burial in the Elmwood Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Schumacher-Hasemann Funeral Home in Wayne with a 7 p.m. prayer service. He died Thursday, June 8, 2006, at Providence Medical Center in Wayne.
Michael Larry Lage was born Aug. 14, 1947, in Sioux City, Iowa, to Maurice and Elaine (Spike) Lage. He attended school at Districts 18 and 71 and graduated from Wayne High School in 1965. He served with the U.S. Army from Nov. 29, 1966, until Nov. 19, 1968, in Germany and Vietnam.
Michael later attended trade school in Omaha. He was employed at Markel Ford and then Union Pacific in Omaha. He moved back to Carroll, then worked at Ellingson Motors and, until his illness, he worked at Michael’s Foods. Michael married Linda Moon on June 21, 1971, and later divorced.
He was a member of Salem Methodist Church in Council Bluffs until transferring to the Carroll Methodist Church. Michael was a member of VFW Wayne Post 5291 and Carroll American Legion Post 165. He loved drag racing and was a member of NHRA.
Michael is survived by his daughter, Julie (Matt) Carper and son, Jason (Michelle) Lage, all of Omaha; two grandsons and two granddaughters; his mother, Elaine Lage of Carroll; one brother, Les (Cyndee) Lage of Wayne; sister-in-law, Vee Lage of Laurel; aunts and uncles, Ron (Joan) Lage, Ruby Hokamp, and Joyce (Earl) Lundahl, all of Wayne; nieces and nephews.
Michael was preceded in death by his father, Maurice, in 1998; and his brother, Rex, in 2000.
The Rev. Mary Tyler Browne will officiate.
Robert Mescher
ELGIN - Services for Robert E. Mescher, 66, of Elgin will be Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Boniface Catholic Church with burial in the parish cemetery and military graveside rites. Visitation will be Monday from 3 to 5 p.m. at Huffman’s Brooks Chapel and after 7 p.m. at the church with a 7:30 p.m. wake service.
He died at his home on Thursday, June 8, 2006.
Ben Sanders
O’NEILL - Memorial visitation for Ben Sanders, 91, of O’Neill will be Tuesday from 6 to 9 p.m. at Biglin’s Mortuary here with Masonic services at 7:30 p.m. by the Garfield Masonic Lodge 95 of O’Neill.
He died Friday, June 9, 2006, at the O’Neill Healthcare Center.
Calvin Spencer
LYNCH - Private graveside services for Calvin D. Spencer, 72, of Lynch were held at the Highland Cemetery in Lynch on June 10, 2006. He died Monday, June 5, 2006, at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Calvin Darnell Spencer was born on Dec. 30, 1933, to Walter and Rebecka Maude (Pinkerman) Spencer in Atkinson, Neb., the youngest of 13 children in the family. His childhood was spent with his much-loved Aunt Lottie and Uncle Bill Stauffer on the farm near Lynch. He attended grade school at country schools, later graduating from Lynch High School in 1951.
Following graduation, he spent several years in the Navy. After his discharge, he and several friends went to southern California where he lived until retiring in 1996 from Fred R. Rippy, Inc. where he worked as a machinist. He then returned “home” to Lynch.
He was married to Connie Canet on April 4, 1960. To this union, four children were born, Debra, Elizabeth, John and Ann Marie. On Nov. 27, 1989, he married Jeaninne (Sixta) Mlady in Santa Ana, Calif. He fell in love with computers the moment he got his first one and he got a great deal of satisfaction and enjoyment out of helping people solve their various computer problems.
He leaves to mourn his passing his wife, Jeaninne; his children, Debra, Elizabeth, John and Ann Marie and their families; his stepsons, Greg and Todd Broekemier and their families; and his only remaining sibling, Velma Lee; as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Richard Trowbridge
PAGE - Services for Richard Trowbridge, 80, of Page will be Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at United Methodist Church with military graveside rites conducted at the Page Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday from 6 to 9 p.m. at Biglin’s Mortuary in O’Neill.
He died Friday, June 9, 2006, at Avera St. Anthony’s Hospital in O’Neill. Memorials may be made to the United Methodist Church.
Leroy Wittler
WINSIDE - Services for Leroy Wittler, 79 of Colorado, formerly of Winside, will be Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church here. Interment will be at Pleasant View Cemetery with military rites. Visitation will be Tuesday from 3 to 8 p.m. at Schumacher-Hasemann Funeral Home in Wayne.
He died Sunday, June 4, 2006, at Estes Park Medical Center in Estes Park, Colo.
Donald Batenhorst
BEEMER - Services for Donald J. Batenhorst, 69, of West Point will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Beemer with burial in the church cemetery and military honors. Visitation will be until noon Friday at Stokely Funeral Home in West Point and 3-8 p.m. at the church with a wake at 7:30 p.m.
He died Wednesday, June 7, 2006, at St. Francis Memorial Hospital in West Point.
Memorials may be made to St. Joseph's Retirement Community in West Point.
Edna Kelley
ALBION - Edna K. Kelley, 93, of Albion died Thursday, June 8, 2006, at Wolf Memorial Good Samaritan Center in Albion.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Albion with burial in the parish cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday from 3-5 p.m. at Levander Funeral Home in Albion, after 6:30 p.m. at the church with a 7:30 p.m. wake and continue after 8:30 a.m. Monday at the church.
Joann Christensen
Joann M. Christensen, 50, New England, N.D., died Tuesday, June 6, 2006, at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Health Center in Dickinson, N.D.
The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church in New England with burial in the New England Cemetery. Visitation will be until 9 p.m. Friday, with a 7 p.m. prayer service, at Ladbury Funeral Service in Dickinson and continue one hour prior to service at the church.
Joann Marie Kleensang was born Feb. 26, 1956, in Norfolk, the daughter of Willard and Virginia (Miller) Kleensang. She was raised and educated in Hoskins, where she was baptized and confirmed at the Trinity Lutheran Church. Joann moved to western North Dakota where she worked for the nursing home in Hettinger and at Wal-Mart in Dickinson.
Joann married Tom Christensen on Sept. 25, 1981, in Dickinson, and together they made their home in the New England area. She drove and managed the family trucking business, and when the Southwest Multi-County Correctional Center in New England opened, she became a correctional officer.
Joann was a member of the First Congregational Church in New England. She enjoyed working outside in the yard and garden, working on crafts and spending time with her family, especially her two grandchildren.
Joann is survived by her husband, Tom; their three children, Melanie (fiance Shannon Storm) Christensen of Dickinson, Brian (special friend Jessica Graham) Christensen of New England and Chris (special friend Denise Weber) Christensen of Grand Forks, N.D.; two grandchildren, Thomas and Bailey of Dickinson; her parents, Willard and Virginia Kleensang of Hoskins; one sister, Teri (Dan) Bowers of Winside; and six nieces and nephews.
Pastor Janel Kolar will officiate.
Barbara Harris
OAKDALE - Graveside services for Barbara Harris, 42, of O’Neill will be Monday at 11 a.m. at the Oakdale Cemetery. Visitation will be 9-10 a.m. Monday at Brockhaus-Harlan Funeral Home in Tilden.
Ms. Harris died Wednesday, June 7, 2006, at Avera St. Anthony’s Hospital in O’Neill.
Michael Lage
WAYNE - Services for Michael Lage, 58, Carroll, are pending at Schumacher Hasemann Funeral Home in Wayne. He died Thursday, June 8, 2006, at Providence Medical Center.
Henrietta Ridder
WEST POINT - Services are pending at Stokely Funeral Home for Henrietta Ridder, 83, West Point. She died Friday, June 9, 2006, at St. Francis Memorial Hospital.
David Acevedo
Visitation for David Antonio Acevedo, 47, Norfolk, will be 3-8 p.m. Saturday at Home for Funerals with burial at a later date in El Salvador. He died at his home Monday, June 5, 2006
Gale Holmes
Services for Gale Holmes, 78, of Norfolk will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Christ Lutheran Church with burial in Prospect Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be 3-7 p.m. Monday at Howser-Fillmer Mortuary.
Mrs. Holmes died Friday, June 9, 2006, at Heritage of Bel-Air Nursing Home.
Gertrude Zeplin
Services for Gertrude F. Zeplin, 99, of Norfolk will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Norfolk with burial in Mt. Hope Cemetery at West Point. Visitation will be 3-7 p.m. Friday at Howser-Fillmer Mortuary.
She died Thursday, June 8, 2006, at Heritage of Bel Air-Nursing Home.
Memorials may be directed to Our Savior Lutheran Church.
She was born July 27, 1906, to William and Anna (Moshage) Peters in Oakland. She was baptized on Aug. 26, 1906, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lyons. When she was 12 years of age, her parents retired to West Point, where she was confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church on March 20, 1920. In 1924, she graduated from West Point High School.
On Nov. 30, 1928, she married Herman Zeplin at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in West Point.
They moved to a farm near Wausa, where they resided for 33 years. While living in Wausa, they were members of Golgotha Lutheran Church. In March 1962, they moved to Norfolk, where she was a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church, the LWML, Tabitha Society and Golden Age.
She is survived by a foster son, Raymond Schoen, and his wife, Jan, and three grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Herman, who died Dec. 25, 1963, two brothers and four sisters.
The Rev. Lee Weander will officiate.
Donald Batenhorst
WEST POINT - Services are pending at Stokely Funeral Home for Donald Batenhorst, 69, West Point. He died Wednesday, June 7, 2006, at St. Francis Memorial Hospital.
Edna Kelley
ALBION - Services for Edna Kelley, 93, Albion, are pending at Levander Funeral Home. She died Thursday, June 8, 2006, at Wolf Memorial Good Samaritan Center.
Leroy Wittler
WAYNE - Services are pending at Schumacher-Hasemann Funeral Home for Leroy Wittler, 79, formerly of Winside. He died Sunday, June 4, 2006, at Estes Park Medical Center in Estes Park, Colo.
