U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Robert Tibbetts
Robert E. "Bob" Tibbetts, an 18-year resident of Westwood, Calif. and prior resident of Richmond, died Christmas Day at Kaiser in Oakland. He was 74 .
He retired with Safeway after 35 years of service.
He served our country in the US Marine Corps and enjoyed fishing, golfing, the outdoors and skin diving earlier in life.
Survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Mary Tibbetts; son and daughter-in-law Robert "Mike" and Kathy Tibbetts; daughter and son-in-law, Sue and Gus Burgos; brother, Lynn; sisters Marge, Marilyn, Maureen and Linda; brother-in-law, Fred Kinney; grandchildren, Robert, Jennifer, Joey, Stephanie and Justin; 10 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, most recently his mother earlier this month.
Memorial gifts may be made to the American Cancer Society, 2000 Vale Road, San Pablo, Ca. 94806.
Margaret Stransky
Margaret (Johnson) Stransky was born on July 21, 1916 in Perkins County south of Elsie, Neb. She was the second of 11 children born to August and Anna Cisar Vlasin.
She attended country school and later graduated from Grainton High School in 1934.
Margaret was married
to Virgil Johnson on Sept. 19, 1935 in Elsie, Neb. They made their home south of Elsie and lived in different locations until 1957 when they moved into Madrid, Neb.
Virgil died in 1958 and Margaret later married
Bill Stransky on Nov. 23, 1961 in Grant.
Margaret served as a cook at the Madrid School for several years and in 1974 she and Bill established Stransky's Drive Inn, a successful diner she owned and operated until 1982 when they sold it.
Bill died in 1994 and Margaret continued to maintain her home in Madrid. She suffered a stroke in 2001 and had moved to the Golden Ours Convalescent Home in Grant where she died early Friday morning, Jan. 6, 2006. She had reached the age of 89.
Margaret was a member of the Grant Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church and the Altar Society. She had been a member of the Madrid American Legion Auxiliary. She always enjoyed family activities and the many fishing and camping trips they took. She had a longtime appreciation of polka music.
In addition to her two husbands, she was preceded in death by an infant sister, Edith Vlasin; five brothers, Stan, Joe, Otis, Francis and Charles Vlasin; one grandson, Garrett; two great-grandchildren, Amanda and Matthew; her stepdaughter, Barbara Cotter.
She is survived by five daughters, Marlene Mohr of Madrid, LaDonna and husband Larry Perlinger of North Platte, Shirley and husband Robert McCormick, Linda and husband Dale McCollam of Fort Lupton, Colo., and Noni and husband Don Thiesen of Ogallala, Neb.; 15 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandson; four sisters, Genie Johnson of Ogallala, Betty Stubblefield of Aurora, Colo., AnnaBelle Vapenik and Marie Smith, both of Wauneta, Neb; other relatives and friends.
A vigil service was held Sunday, Jan. 8 at the Grant Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church.
Mass of Christian Burial was held Monday, Jan. 9 at Mother of Sorrows with Rev. Bill Grant officiating.
Music was by Connie Cohen, Verna Grabowski and Mary Ellis.
Casketbearers were Mark McCormick, Vincent Perlinger, Brett Thiesen, Seth Thiesen, Michael Cotter, Bryan Lee, Matt Yeagle and Matt Fox.
Honorary escorts were Margaret's granddaughters.
Interment was in the Madrid Cemetery.
Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Elizabeth Walters
Elizabeth Walters was born on Jan. 13, 1939 at Ogallala, Neb. She was the oldest of three children born to Hans and Bena Flesner Tiessen.
The family lived in the Roscoe, Neb., area until 1944 when they moved to a farm north of Madrid, Neb.
Liz attended country school District No. 66 and later graduated from Madrid High School in 1956.
Liz attended Kearney State Teacher's College for two years where she received her teaching endorsement. She eventually earned her Bachelor of Science degree by attending summer school. Liz taught in Sidney, Neb., for two years before moving to Ogallala where she taught for one year.
She met Larry Walters in Ogallala and they were married
on Aug. 12, 1962 at the Trinity Lutheran Church north of Grant, Neb.
Larry and Liz moved to a farm home southeast of Venango, Neb., and this is where she lived the rest of her life.
Liz taught at Holyoke, Colo., for five years after they were first married. After the birth of their son, Liz stayed home to take care of her family and help manage the farm.
Liz had developed a malignancy two years ago and had been moved to the Perkins County Community Hospital in Grant where she died Saturday evening, Jan. 7, 2006. She had reached the age of 66.
Liz was always very community and civic minded. She served on the Venango School Board, the Perkins County Community Hospital Board, the Perkins County Election Committee, and was a long time member of the Live and Learn Extension Club.
She was an active member of the Venango St. Paul's Lutheran Church and she served as the president of the ladies circle for many years. She also served as superintendent of the Sunday School department and taught both Sunday School and Bible School. She truly had a servant's attitude.
Liz was preceded in death by her parents.
She is survived by her husband, Larry; one son, Kent and his companion Melissa Dutton of Grant; two brothers, John Tiessen of St. Louis, Mo. and Glenwood and wife Marsha Tiessen of Council Bluffs, Iowa; other relatives and friends.
Services were held Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006 at the Venango St. Paul's Lutheran Church with Pastor Alan Borcher officiating. Music was provided by Virginia Brinkema and the congregation.
Casketbearers were Trent Tiessen, Steve Nissen, Kurt Anderson, Dwayne Reynolds, Alvin Greunke, Bruce Marquardt and Brian Hermann.
Interment was in the Venango Cemetery.
Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Vern A. Nickerson
Vern A. Nickerson, 88, of Maxwell, died Dec. 28, 2005 at Centennial Park Retirement Village.
He was born June 27, 1917 at Cozad to Hugh and Lillie Nickerson. He attended grade school in Cozad and High School in Lexington.
He hired out in 1935 to work for Union Pacific Railroad in Wyoming. August 17, 1939, he married
Veda Carroll in Greeley, CO. One year he and his family traveled five states as a foreman laying new steel for Union Pacific.
After retirement, he ran a small engine repair shop for a while, doing go-carts for many neighbor boys and friends lawn mowers. He was always ready to help the younger ones on their cars and loaned them mechanic books.
In 1951, he was baptized in the Maxwell Baptist Church and did ground work and plumbing when the church remodeled. He was on the Plainview cemetery Board, a charter member of Maxwell's first Fire Department and on the Town Board and School Board the same time for 13 years.
He was a loving husband and a friend to all, especially family.
Survivors include his wife, Veda; two sons, Ivan D. (Mary) and Lyle L. (Judy); a sister, Opal Yanken of North Platte; two sisters-in-law; a brother-in-law and wife; eight grandchildren, Jay (Diane) Nickerson, Layne (Janeen) Nickerson, Wade Nickerson, Shane (April) Nickerson, Dave (Tracie) Alles, Denise Nickerson, Shawna (Elliot) Reish, Lauri (Jeff) Lamm; and 11 great-grandchildren, Tyler, Nicole, Shelby, Emily, Dustin, Bryson, Sarah, Haden, Nathan, Trevor and Emilie.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Esther Evarts and grandson, David Nickerson.
Visitation will be from 1-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5 and 8:30 a.m. until service time on Friday, Jan. 6 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel of North Platte with Pastor Bob Allen officiating.
Burial was at the Plainview cemetery of Maxwell.
Condolences may be sent to carpentermemorial.com.
Alis Bellairs
Alis (Deden) Bellairs was born on Oct. 23, 1913, in a sod house on her parents' homestead in Sedgwick County, Colo., northwest of Venango, Neb. She was the second of six children born to Barney A. and Christina Belle Collins Dudden.
When Alis was a young girl the family moved to a farm in Phillips County, Colo., southwest of Venango. Alis attended rural school until 1920 when they moved into Venango. After their home burned down the family moved to a home just north of Venango and Alis continued her schooling in Venango, graduating from Venango High School in 1932.
She then enrolled in a one year teacher preparation program at Kearney State Teacher's College. She taught rural schools in the Venango and Brandon, Neb., area for five years.
Alis was married
to David A. Deden on June 1, 1936 at the Dudden family farm north of Venango. They lived at different farmsites in Sedgwick County and Perkins County, Neb., until 1944 when they moved to the present farm northwest of Venango. She made her home there for the next 50 years. David died in 1949 due to a vehicle accident and Alis continued to manage the farm and raise her young family.
Alis was married
to Victor Bellairs on April 16, 1960. Alis continued to live on the farm after Victor died in 1981 until 1995 when she moved to Westview Retirement Center in Grant, Neb. She moved to Golden Ours Convalescent Home in Grant in 2001 where she died late Thursday afternoon, Dec. 29, 2005. She had reached the age of 92.
Alis was active in many church, school and community organizations when she lived at Venango. She was an organizer of the Fairy Dell Fire District and served as its secretary-treasurer for 50 years. She was a leader in Cub Scouts, Rainbow Girls, and numerous other family organizations. She was also active in the many parent activities of the Venango Schools. She was a lifelong member of the Venango Community Church. She was a member of the Perkins County Chapter No. 294 of the Order of the Eastern Star and served as the Worthy Matron in 1938. She was also a charter member of the Hosanna White Shrine in Denver. Alis had a keen interest in genealogy and spent many years researching the history of her family and kept many books with family records. During her retirement years, she enjoyed travel to foreign countries with her sister.
In addition to her parents and two husbands, Alis was preceded in death by two brothers, Garret and Orville Dudden.
She is survived by one daughter, Velda Vee and husband Gene Naugle of Penrose, Colo., and two sons, Byron "Barney" and wife Patty Deden of Omaha, Neb., and Dave and wife Sylvia Deden of Venango; three stepchildren, Donna and husband Ivan Feh-ringer of Peetz, Colo., Del and wife Shelly Bellairs of Raleigh, N.C., and Dennis and wife Judy Bellairs of Denver; 14 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandson; one brother, Raymond Dudden of Denver and two sisters, Berdena Sattler of Ft. Collins, Colo., and Christine and husband John Rosenbach of Julesburg, Colo.; sisters-in-law, Betty Dudden of Ft. Collins, Alice Deden of Columbus, Neb.; and Katherine Deden of Albion, Neb.; other relatives and friends.
Services were held Monday, Jan. 2, 2006 at the Venango Community Church with Pastor Kevin Haus-man officiating. Burial was in the Venango Cemetery. A memorial to the Venango Community Church has been established in her memory. Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Brice Rueter
Life-long Wauneta resident Brice Fredric Rueter passed away Dec. 30, 2005. He was born on Feb. 25, 1944, in Holdrege, Neb., to Carl and Ann Holbein Rueter.
Growing up in Wauneta, Brice was very active in 4-H, graduated from Wauneta High School where he played trumpet in the band and participated in several singing groups.
He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1966 from the University of Nebraska. He was a member of Theta Xi Fraternity. He received his law degree from the University of Nebraska in 1971 and returned home to Wauneta to practice law and farm.
His real love was woodworking. His grandfather clocks were masterpieces of design and execution and the wood work in his former law office in Wauneta attests to his remarkable creativity and craftsmanship.
In recent years, Brice suffered from Multiple Sclerosis and spent the last 13 years of his life at Heritage of Wauneta where he received kind and attentive care.
Services were held Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2006, at 1:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, Wauneta, Neb., with Pastor Judy Dye officiating.
Music was provided by Mrs. Lucille McBride, pianist and Mrs. Sharon Walgren, soloist.
He was inurned with his mother and father at Riverside Cemetery, Wauneta.
Liewer Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Virgil Kerchal
Virgil Kerchal passed away Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 2005, at the hospital in Tecumseh, Neb.
Funeral services were held Friday, Dec. 30, 2005, at 2 p.m. MT at the Redeemer Lutheran Church of Wauneta with Rev. Keith Wellman officiating. Interment followed at Riverside Cemetery, Wauneta.
Survivors include son Ken Kerchal and wife Loretta; son Duane Kerchal and son Rex Kerchal and wife, Deborah; brothers: Leonard Kerchal and wife Frona and Keith Kerchal and wife Nona and sister, JoAnn and husband, Rob Vicary, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other relatives.
A memorial has been established in Virgil's memory.
Liewer Funeral Home of Wauneta was in charge of arrangements.
Mildred Deininger
Mildred Deininger passed away Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 2005, at her home in Aurora, Colo.
Funeral services were held Friday, Dec. 30, 2005, at 10:30 a.m. MT at the United Methodist Church of Wauneta with Pastor Judy Dye officiating. Interment followed at the Riverside Cemetery, Wauneta.
Liewer Funeral Home of Wauneta was in charge of arrangements.
