U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Jim Dietz
Services for Jim Dietz, 71, Sioux Falls, S.D., formerly of Norfolk, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at George Boom Funeral Home in Sioux Falls with burial in Sioux Falls.
He died Wednesday, July 5, 2006, at a Sioux Falls hospital.
Lorraine Gipe
Lorraine Beckenhauer Gipe, 81, Virginia City, Nev., died Saturday, July 1, 2006. Burial will be in Virginia City.
Memorials are directed to any hospice.
The daughter of Otto and Merle (Lanman) Beckenhauer graduated from Norfolk High School in 1943 and attended the University of Nebraska for two years, where she joined Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority. During those summers she worked at the Grand Island Ordnance Plant.
In 1946, Lorraine married George Reeves. In 1961, she moved to Nevada. In 1962, Lorraine married Richard Gipe of Virginia City, Nev. Lorraine had an antique shop called The Silver Strope in Virginia City from 1965 until 1994.
She is survived by her husband, Richard Gipe of Virginia City; a stepdaughter, Carol Allison and husband Larry Allison and granddaughter Jamie of Reno, Nev.; a brother, Lowell Beckenhauer of Norfolk; sister, Jane Bentley of Omaha; nieces, Becky Spencer of Omaha, Jan Bass of Dakota Dunes, S.D., Doris Johnson of Pleasant Hill, Calif., Donna Knapp of Madison; nephews, Lowell Beckenhauer Jr. of Norfolk, Tom Beckenhauer of Puyallup, Wash., Scott Stinebaugh of Cloverdale, Calif., Joe Bullis of Salsburg, Md., and Jim Bullis of Prescott, Ariz., and many cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Merle Beckenhauer; sisters, Lois Stinebaugh and Bernis Bullis; nieces, Jane Stinebaugh and Sally Anspach.
Merle Eksman
Inurnment services with military rites were June 28 at Arlington National Cemetery Columnbarium in Virginia for Merle A. Eksman, 80, formerly of Carroll.
He died Dec. 22, 2005, in Mason City, Iowa.
Merle graduated from Carroll High School at Carroll, Nebraska, and then served in the U.S. Army from 1943-1946. He attended Norfolk Junior College from 1946-1948 while working at Graham Ice Cream Co.
Merle began his railroad career in May 1957 with Chicago and North Western Railroad in Norfolk and retired from the railroad in Mason City, Iowa, in August 1985.
He married his wife, Jane, in 1980 who survives him along with the ready-made family of four children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, niece and nephew, grandnieces and nephews, cousins and many friends.
Merle was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Ethel (Montgomery) Eskman, and sister, Verla Eksman Jurgens.
Garnette Gragert
ALBION - Services for Garnette Gragert, 72, formerly of Albion, will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Zion Lutheran Church here with burial in Mount Pleasant Cemetery at Petersburg. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Friday at Levander Funeral Home in Albion.
She died Wednesday, July 5, 2006, at a Lincoln hospital.
Audrey Lauck
WAUSA - Services for Audrey Lauck, 79, of Wausa will be Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at Golgotha Lutheran Church at Wausa with burial in Golgotha Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Brockhaus-Scott Funeral Home in Wausa.
Mrs. Lauck died Wednesday, July 5, 2006, at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City.
Irma Lenton
RANDOLPH - Services are pending at Johnson Funeral Home for Irma Lenton, 101, Randolph. She died Wednesday, July 5, 2006, at Colonial Manor Nursing Home.
Fern Meier
RANDOLPH - Services for Fern Meier, 83, Randolph, are pending at Johnson Funeral Home. She died Thursday, July 6, 2006, at Colonial Manor Nursing Home.
Winifred Menebroker
NELIGH - Services for Winifred Menebroker, 86, formerly of Neligh, will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Grace Lutheran Church in Neligh with burial in Concordia Lutheran Cemetery at Clearwater. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Friday at Beyer Funeral Home in Neligh.
She died Tuesday, July 4, 2006, at Portneuf Care Center in Pocatello, Idaho.
Roberta Winifred “Winnie” Kohl Menebroker was born on Oct. 8, 1919, on a small farm six miles south of Tilden to Ray Kohl and Fae Cossairt Kohl. Mom tells the story that Grandma called her Winifred instead of Roberta because the fad in those days was to give your offspring a long name, and Winifred was longer than Roberta.
The Kohls resided on the farm for the first six years of mom’s life, then moved to another farm south of Meadow Grove. Mom attended the Muffley country school through the fifth grade. The Kohls moved twice more to farms in the Meadow Grove area in the intervening years before she graduated from the eithgh grade. She started ninth grade in Meadow Grove, but the small family moved to Elgin before that year was complete, and she started 10th grade in Elgin and moved to Tilden during that year when her dad bought the grocery delivery truck business from his father-in-law. They finally set down permanent roots in Neligh when mom was in the 11th grade, and she graduated from Neligh High School in 1938.
As young girls do, they attract young gentlemen. Erwin Wilhelm Menebroker caught her eye (and vise-versa) at a dance in Oakdale in 1937. They danced the night away, and dad would visit mom sometimes while she was working in the Neligh Hested’s store. He used to say that like the popular song of that day, he “…found his girl in the five- and ten-cent store.” They married on Nov. 23, 1940, and moved to Lincoln, where dad had a job as a mechanic while wom worked at a dry cleaning and laundry business ironing shirts. After a stint in the service, mom and dad moved back to Neligh. Two children were born to Winnie and Erwin - Ervin (Judy Ahlman) of Longmont, Colo., and Shirlee (Pete) Fallesen of Pocatello, Idaho.
In 1957, Winnie and Erwin bought a small acreage south of town and together opened Menebroker Mechanics. Winnie took care of the books and kept that part of the business running smoothly. Mom was also an avid gardener and was a long-time member of the Elkhorn Valley Garden Club. In the early ‘60s, she decided she needed to broaden her horizon and work outside the home. Maybe some of you remember seeing her smiling face in places like the Neligh Steak House (now the Imperial), Reece’s Bakery and Farber’s Clothing.
In August of 1982, our parents closed down the business and sold the Menebroker place and moved to an apartment in Neligh. They spent their time visiting with family and friends, fishing and gardening and traveling to see their children and grandchildren. Mom always kept herself busy with craftwork. She crocheted over 275 angels, which she either sold or gave as gifts throughout the Neligh area. She always delighted in making the latest stuffed animal/toy/doll for her grandchildren, crocheting special blankets for them, making special holiday gifts for them and her friends.
Winifred Roberta Kohl Menebroker was not famous, did not have a trade that made her revered by many, was not well known by a vast number of people. God put her on this earth to love and respect her parents, to be a good and loyal friend, to love her husband, and to love, protect, defend and hold dear her children and their families, and she did that with the greatest perfection and skill.
Survivors include son, Ervin (Judy) of Longmont, Colo., and daughter Shirlee (Pete) Fallesen of Pocatello, Idaho; grandsons, Terry (Jodi) of Longmont, Colo., and Troy (Jennifer) of Maple Grove, Minn.; granddaughters, Andria (Tim) Huntsinger of Bozeman, Mont., and Carrie (Conrad) Blake of Reno, Nev., and great-grandchildren, Emma, Makayla, Trevor and Ryan.
Winnie was preceded in death by her husband Erwin and her parents.
Clara Miller
O’NEILL - Services for Clara Miller, 99, O’Neill, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Christ Lutheran Church here with burial in the O’Neill Cemetery. Visitation will be 3-6 p.m. Thursday at Biglin’s Mortuary.
She died Saturday, July 1, 2006, at Good Samaritan Center in Atkinson.
Memorials are directed to Christ Lutheran Endowment Fund.
Philip Schmer
MADISON - Services for Philip G. Schmer, 80, Madison, will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Immanuel Lutheran Chuch here with burial in Crown Hill Cemetery and miliary rites by American Legion Post 35 and VFW Post 5763. Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Friday at Resseguie Funeral Home.
He died at home Tuesday, July 4, 2006.
Philip was born on Sept. 14, 1925, in Norfolk, the son of Conrad and Mary (Sitzman) Schmer.
He graduated from Plainview High School and then served in the U.S. Army in Germany during World War II and then also in the Korean conflict. He farmed south of Madison and then drove truck for various trucking companies until operating and owning Philip G. Schmer Trucking, which became PSG Inc. in 1983.
He is survived by one son, Charlie, and his wife, Cynthia Schmer, and their children, Zackary and Alizabeth, all of Madison; one brother, Conrad Schmer of Norfolk; two sisters, Violet Mattke of North Platte and Joan Marr of Wayne; along with many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister.
Vicar Justin Wiese will officiate.
Phyllis Wamberg
WAUSA - Services for Phyllis E. Wamberg, 77, of Wausa will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Thabor Lutheran Church in Wausa with burial in Woodlawn Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to service at the church. Brockhaus Funeral Home of Wausa is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Wamberg died Tuesday, July 3, 2006, at Wausa Health Care Center.
Phyllis Ethel Wamberg was born Aug. 22, 1928, at Magnet to Elmer and Ethel (Bloomquist) Henrickson. She graduated from Magnet Public School in 1945. On June 28, 1948, she married James Wamberg at Hartington. They farmed in the Wausa area for 15 years prior to James’ death.
Phyllis was a member of Thabor Lutheran Church. She worked at Osmond General Hospital for 23 years.
Survivors include her daughter, Susan of Aurora; daughter and son-in-law, Carol and Larry Holmquist of Elkhorn; son, James of Wausa; daughter and son-in-law, Barb and Steve Mears of Lincoln; grandchildren, Jennifer Holmquist of Portland, Ore., Andy Holmquist and wife Jen of Omaha, Tony Holmquist of Ft. Collins, Colo., Amy Ward and fiance Kevin Kline of Lincoln; brothers and spouses, Glen and Marilyn Henrickson of Gig Harbor, Wash., and Willis and Donna Henrickson of San Angelo, Texas.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; stepfather, Herman Behrend; sisters, Eileen Johnson, Berneice Gillilan and Mildred Beauette.
Helen Wohlfeil
Services for Helen M. Wohlfeil, 83, Eyota, Minn., were July 3 at Grace Lutheran Church in Rochester, Minn., with burial in Oakwood Cemetery. Schad & Zabel Funeral Home in Plainview, Minn., was in charge.
She died June 26, 2006, at home.
Memorials are directed to Grace Lutheran Church air conditioning fund.
She was born Dec. 31, 1922, to Bob and Elsie Schnell in Eyota Township. She was baptized in the Lutheran church in Chatfield, Minn. She was confirmed in Trinity Lutheran Church in Elgin, Minn., by Rev. Affeldt. She went to grade school in Haverhill Township and gradutaed from high school in Elgin, Minn.
She married Ellsworth Behnken in 1940. They were blessed with three children - Richard, Larry and Karen. Ellsworth died in 1953. In 1961, Helen married Burdette Wohlfeil at Grace Lutheran Church in Rochester, Minn.
Faith, family and service were Helen’s strenths. She was kind and caring, always there to help others. She enjoyed her participation in the Ringe Creamery Mothers and Daughters Club.
She is survived by her husband, Burdette; two sons, Richard (Phyllis) Behnken of Anchorage, Alaska, and Larry (Judy) Behnken of New Brighton, Minn.; daughter, Karen (Erik) Jothen of Apple Valley, Minn.; eight grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; two brothers, Robert Jr. (Doris) Schnell of Millville, Minn., and Eugene (Joyce) Schnell of Elgin, Minn.; two sisters, Adeline Smith of Concord, Calif., and Joanne (Jack) Jostock of Zumbro Falls, Minn.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers.
The Rev. Greg Heidron officiated.
