U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Gloria Greene
Gloria Marie Bremer was born to Albert and Ione Bremer at Chase Community Hospital on Nov. 12, 1924.
She grew up on the family farm eight miles west of Imperial, Neb.
An only child, she enjoyed farm life, loved the land, the animals and her parents. She attended a small one room school just east of the farmstead and went on to Chase County High School.
Gloria appreciated music and played both piano and clarinet. While in high school she was a baton twirler with the Chase County High School Band and was class Valedictorian. Gloria valued education and her earnest desire was to be a chemist.
She attended Colorado Women's College in Denver, graduating again with high distinction. Gloria achieved a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. She was a member of Alpha Phi Sorority.
Gloria taught home economics in Curtis and Imperial, Neb. She also taught kindergarten in Imperial until she met Joseph J. Greene, originally from Enders, Neb.
Joe was working at a Pontiac-Cadillac dealership in Denver and attending Denver University when they met and fell in love. On Nov/ 6, 1952 they were wed and moved back to Imperial and farmed the Bremer family homestead. Joe and Gloria were thrilled to welcome three children into their lives- Annette Marie (1953), Sylvia Kay (1956), and Robert Alan (1959).
Gloria was an avid gardener, an extremely gifted seamstress, a talented cook and baker, and loved to play cards.
She joyfully embraced all responsibilities of farm and family life, being fully devoted to her husband and children. Her teaching experience turned toward guiding her children in 4-H, music and academics.
Gloria was a member of the Eastern Star and a 50-year member of the United Methodist Church in Imperial and relaxed in their winter home in Mesa, Ariz.
In 2002, Gloria and Joe retired to Willow Ridge Retirement Community in McCook, Neb. where she was an active member of the Red Hat Society.
In late April, Gloria was seriously ill and entered Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colo. She went home to be with our Lord on June 1, 2006 at 5:30 p.m. at 81 years of age.
Survivors include her husband Joe of McCook, Neb.; one daughter Annette and husband Jim Hazuka of Monument, Colo.; son-in-law Dale Large of Imperial, Neb. and four grandchildren, Joe Hazuka of Fort Collins, Colo.; Alisha Large of Lincoln, Neb.; Kimberly and Samantha Large of Imperial, Neb. Gloria was especially close to Joe's family; Virginia King and Glenard and Colleen Greene of Imperial, Neb. and Carroll and Ruth Greene of Ogallala, Neb. Also left to mourn are cousins, nephews, nieces and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, infant son Robert Alan Greene (1959) and daughter Sylvia Kay Large (2004).
Funeral services were held Saturday, June 10, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Imperial, Neb. with Pastor Kay Alnor and Reverend Stuart Pedersen officiating. Special readings were done by Dale Large and Annette Hazuka.
Music was provided by Jill Bauerle, vocalist, accompanied by pianist Dr. J. Gordon Christensen.
Pallbearers were Glenard Greene, Carroll Greene, Jim Hazuka, Dale Large, Joe Hazuka and Charles (Chas) Browning.
Interment was at Mount Hope Cemetery, Imperial, Neb.
Liewer Funeral Home was in charge of all arrangements.
Memorial contributions are being accepted by Joe Greene, Jr. for donation to the First United Methodist Church of Imperial, Neb. Address: 1500 E. 11th Street, #37, McCook, NE 69001.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Ruth E. Sonnenfelt
Ruth E. Sonnenfelt, 75, of Mullen died June 6, 2006, at the Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte.
She was born Dec. 31, 1930, in Sleeper, Mo. to Amos and Anna (Messman) Arends.
She grew up and attended school in Mullen.
On Oct. 26, 1948, Ruth married
William J. Sonnenfelt in Mullen. They lived in many area towns while Bill worked for Burlington Northern Railroad as a relief foreman as well as the states of Wyoming, California and South Dakota.
They moved to Mullen in 1968 when Ruth started working for the Pioneer Memorial Rest Home in which she worked for 25 years.
Ruth's hobbies were reading, crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, cards, board games, baking and visiting with family and friends.
Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers and a sister-in-law.
Survivors include husband, William J. of Mullen; son, Larry (Dee) of Sidney, NE; four daughters, Marilyn (Bud) Elliott of Great Falls, Mont., Carolyn (Dale) Rademacher of Wilbur, Sharon (Gary) Patch of Imperial, Nancy (Charles) Wright of Mullen; a brother, Junior Arends of Missouri; three sisters, Mary Story of South Dakota, Darlene Simonson of Florida, Frieda Mayhew of Oregon; 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Graveside services were held June 10 at 11 a.m. MDT at Cedarview Cemetery, Mullen, Neb. with the Rev. Mark Danielson officiating.
Memorials can be made to Cedarview cemetery or Mullen Ambulance Fund.
Lillian Krutsinger
Lillian Krutsinger of Parks, Neb., passed away early Wednesday morning at the Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial.
Among survivors is daughter, Marilyn Hust of Imperial.
Services are pending.
Forch Funeral Chapel of Benkelman is in charge of arrangements.
Vera Kepler
Vera Dolly Kepler, 87, of Broadwater, passed away Monday morning, June 12, 2006, at Heritage of Bridgeport, where she has been a resident for the past six years.
Vera was born on May 28, 1919, north of Lisco in Morrill County, the daughter of Elder Harrod and Armeda Druesilla (Griffitts) Wright. She attended Centerview Country School through the eighth grade and high school in Lisco and Broadwater, working for her room and board while attending high school.
Vera married
Wavel "Dee" Kepler March 16, 1937 at Bridgeport. Twelve children were born to this union, nine of which still survive.
Vera and Dee lived most of their life in the Broadwater Community. They lived a short time in Dalton, before moving in 1963 to Lewellen and Oshkosh where they resided for several years.
Vera was employed 22 years for Midwec and Marshalltown, retiring and returning to Broadwater. She later moved to Heritage of Bridgeport in 2000.
She loved her country music and was still listening to it until the end of her life.
Vera was a member of Messiah Lutheran Church in Broadwater.
She is survived by her sons, Kenneth (Shirley) Kepler of Chappell, Gerald (Pam) Kepler of Broadwater, Robert (Marlene) Kepler of Lincoln, Harold Kepler of Gurley, Lonnie (Eva) Kepler of Dalton, and Larry (Joanna) Kepler of Oshkosh; daughters, Grace (Ivan) Boman of Bridgeport, Iona Kurth of Imperial, and Eileen (Ronald) Sherman of Gurley; daughter-in-law, Connie Kepler Deal of Aurora, Colo.; sisters, Goldie O'Neil and special friend Floyd Carman of Imperial and Ruth (Vince) Glassmaker of Pierre, S.D.; sister-in-law, Pat Wright of Woodruff, WI; 34 grandchildren; many, many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dee in 1976; her parents; sons, Johnnie in infancy in 1939, Daniel Howard in 2001, and Dwight Elder in 2002; two granddaughters, a grandson; and a brother, Eddie Wright.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, June 16, 2006, at Messiah Lutheran Church in Broadwater with Ann Bairn, P.M.A. officiating.
Interment will be in the Rose Hill cemetery in Broadwater.
Visitation will be on Thursday from 1 to 8 p.m. with the family present from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Holechek Funeral Home in Oshkosh.
Memorials may be made to Prairie Haven Hospice or to the Messiah Lutheran Church.
Holechek Funeral Home in Oshkosh is in charge of arrangements.
Gloria Greene
Gloria Marie Greene, longtime resident of the Imperial area, passed away Thursday, June 1, 2006, at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colo. Gloria was 81 years of age.
Survivors include: husband, Joe of McCook; daughter, Annette Hazuka and husband, Jim, of Monument, Colo.; four grandchildren, Alisha Ann, Kimberly Dawn, Samantha Jo and Joseph Tyler; son-in-law, Dale Large of Imperial; brothers-in-law, Carroll Greene and wife, Ruth, of Ogallala and Glenard Greene and wife, Colleen, of Imperial; and sister-in-law, Virginia King of Imperial.
Funeral services will be held Saturday morning, June 10 at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church of Imperial with Pastor Kay Alnor officiating.
Interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery, Imperial.
Visitation will be held Friday afternoon, June 9, 2-6 p.m. at the funeral home in Imperial.
A memorial has been established in Gloria's memory.
Liewer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mark Buffington
Mark "Buff" Buffington of McCook, died Saturday, June 3, 2006, at Mercy Hospital in Sioux City, Iowa. He was 52 years old.
He was born Oct. 22, 1953 in McCook to Harold Lee and Laura M. (Meury) Buffington. He grew up in McCook and graduated from McCook High School in 1972.
He worked for Paulsen Construction for 20 years. He was a supervisor on road construction. He loved hunting, fishing, NASCAR and the Huskers. He was a member of the National Rifle Association.
He was preceded in death by his father.
Survivors include his soul mate and life partner, Barb McMichael of McCook; his mother, Laura Buffington of Wauneta; sons, Beau Buffington of Ogallala, Tyler Buffington of Sidney; brothers, Roger Buffington and wife Dixie of Farmington, NM, Dennis Buffington of McCook and Ray Buffington and wife Vicki of Imperial; and grandson, Ian Buffington.
Memorials are being accepted in his name.
Funeral services will be Friday, 11 a.m. at Carpenter Breland Funeral Chapel in McCook with Terry McCorkle officiating.
Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Visitation will be Wednesday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Carpenter Breland Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Goldie Fay Hall
Goldie Fay Hall, a long-time resident of Horsefly, British Columbia, passed away on March 13, 2006, in Vancouver, Wash.
Goldie was born at home in Chase County, Neb. on May 25, 1919.
She graduated from the University of Nebraska and was a teacher for 33 years. Goldie spent most of these years in Goldendale, Wash. beginning in a rural, one-room grade school at Horseshoe Bend and then at Goldendale Primary School. Three of those years were spent in Imperial and three in Dundy County.
About 1968, she and her husband retired and moved to Canada. Goldie moved to Battleground, Wash. in 2002 to be near family.
Goldie loved her church and was a long-time member of the W.L. Baptist Church. She was a lady of many gifts and talents. As a little girl she taught herself how to play the harmonica while bringing in the cows. Her father gave her a violin when she was 10 and she could play just about anything that made music. She gave tatting lessons for years, collected dolls and had such a green thumb that the neighbors were sure that she could make shingles grow.
Goldie was preceded in death by her parents, Howard Ray and Mary Dell Sheldon; her husband, Virgil Keith Hall; and sister, Pearl Lee.
She is survived by children Jerry Hall of Vancouver, Wash. and Leona (Toodie) Marx of Battleground, Wash.; four grandchildren and eight great grandchildren; sisters, Willa Kealiher and Wilma Friday from Denver, Colo.; three brothers-in-law, Wayne C. Lee of Imperial, Roger Friday and Gail Kealiker, both of Denver, Colo.
A graveside service was held on Friday, May 5 at 1 p.m. for close friends and family. There was a memorial service on Saturday, May 6 at 11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church at 295 Western Avenue, Williams Lake, British Columbia.
