U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
LeRoy Peterson
Mother in South Sioux
LeRoy P. Peterson, 70, of Fremont passed away Friday, Feb. 20 at Oakland Heights after a battle with cancer.
LeRoy was born May 27, 1933 at Lyons, Neb. to John and Elsie (Tighe) Peterson. He attended Bancroft School. His life also included stepfather, Rudy Luedke, who was an important part of his childhood and adult life.
LeRoy served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in May 1955. He also served in the Army Reserve for six years and the National Guard for nine years. While in the Guard, he served his country along with his two sons, Russell and Bill.
LeRoy and Mary Elizabeth Woerner were married on Oct. 18, 1958 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. They lived in Fremont, then Oakland, where LeRoy worked for Ed J. Nelson Farm Equipment until moving back to Fremont in 1982. While in Fremont, he was employed as a mechanic for Fremont Contract Carrier and Central States.
He was an avid mechanic on diesels, lawn mowers and bicycles. He also loved to play pool and listen to his radio.
Survivors include his mother, Elsie Luedke of South Sioux City; sons and daughters-in-law, Russell and Connie, Bill and Lori Peterson, all of Oakland; daughter Laurie Peterson of Fremont; eight grandchildren, Daniel Larson and Jessica Peterson, both of Fremont, Jessica Voyles, Cody, Justin, Billy, Brittany and David Peterson, all of Oakland; sisters and brother-in-law, Evelyn Schademan and Jeanette and Darrell Schademan, all of South Sioux City; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Bill and Linda Woerner of Albany, Ga., Robert and Veronica death by his father, Peterson of Ames, Iowa; and Maxine Baker of Fremont.
LeRoy was preceded in in death by his stepfather, Rudy Luedke, wife Mary, two daughters, Debbie Hashberger and Diane Peterson and grandsons, Scott and Joshua.
Jose Rodriguez
Dakota City resident
Jose H. Rodriguez, 77, of Dakota City died Friday, Feb. 20, 2004.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Michael Church in South Sioux City. Burial will be in the Dakota City Cemetery. Visitation at Becker-Hunt Funeral Home will be from 2 – 8 p.m. Wednesday with a scriptural wake service at 7:30 p.m.
Catherine C. McTaggart
Emerson resident
Catherine C. McTaggart, 96, of Emerson, Nebraska died at the Pender Community Hospital in Pender on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2004.
The visitation will be held on Wednesday from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Emerson with a wake service at 3 p.m. The visitation will then continue from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Munderloh Funeral Home in Emerson. The funeral service will be on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Malloy officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery in Emerson.
Catherine was born on April 19, 1907 in Butte, Neb. the daughter of Wendel and Theresa (Schultes) Liewer. She married Thomas Vincent McTaggart on Aug. 8, 1933 at Sacred Heart Church in Emerson. They farmed and fed cattle east of Emerson all their lives. Thomas died on June 1, 1967.
She is survived by her children: Mary and husband Tom McCarthy of Sarasota, Fla., Thomas McTaggart Jr. of Emerson, Dan McTaggart of Emerson, John and wife Theresa McTaggart of Emerson, Michael and wife Jeanie of Beemer, Neb., Patrick and wife Christine of Minneapolis, Minn., Barbara and husband Don Mueller of Earling, Iowa, William and wife Janelle of Hartington and Sister Margaret McTaggart of Chicago. She is also survived by her sisters: Margaret Reiman, Loretta Liewer, Mildred Gentzler, and Marie Reiman and grandchildren: Diane McCarthy Barber, Michele McCarthy Phillips, Nancy McCarthy Chupp, Kevin, Steven, Jeff, David, Mark, Paul and Susan McTaggart, Jim, Joe, Tim, Dan McTaggart, Amy McTaggart Armstrong, Kevin, Keri, Robert, Brian and Anthony McTaggart. The great grandchildren Amy and Justin Barber, Ryan, Meghan and Kevin Phillips, Nicholas, Jeremy, Joshua, Jordan Chupp, Gilbert McCarthy, Trae, Lana, Ashley, Hunter and Hailey McTaggart.
Catherine was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Thomas McTaggart, brothers John, Clem, Matt, Frank and Al Liewer, grandsons Mark McCarthy, Eric McTaggart, Mathew McTaggart and Doug Temple, and daughter-in-law Cheryl McTaggart.
February 19, 2004
Lois Leuenhagen
1966 SSC High graduate
Lois Pojar Leuenhagen, 55, of Boise, passed away on Jan. 31, 2004 at a local hospital after having fought a long, courageous battle against cancer.
Lois was born in Sioux City, to Herman and Rose Pojar. She graduated in 1966 from South Sioux City High School. She married the love of her life, Bill, in May 1975 and they moved to Idaho in September 1979.
Lois loved to go camping and fishing, but her two favorite pastimes were her grandchildren and shopping. She was also the person always willing to help another person.
She worked for Preco Electronics for 16 years in the shipping department. During her years there she made some wonderful friends.
Lois is survived by her husband Bill of Boise, her children Penny, Terry and Brandy, Bryan and Becky of Boise, Kevin and Carol of Iowa; her grandchildren Carissa, Lucas, Nicholas and Tyler; her siblings Virgil Pojar of Sioux City, Duane Pojar of Waubay, S.D., Pat Pojar, Tom Pojar and Larry Pojar, all of South Sioux City, Adeline Evans of Plainview, Neb., Marguerite Roberts of Pender, Carolyn Angerman of Silt, Colo., Angie Bradish, Vada Coan, Charlyne Snyder, all of South Sioux City.
Lois was preceded in death by her brothers Leo, Wally, John and Bob Pojar.
Memorials may be made in Lois’ name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 50, Memphis, Tenn., 38101.
Amelia Hebeler
Emerson resident
Amelia Hebeler, 99, of Emerson, formerly of Sioux City and Moville, Iowa, died Thursday, Feb. 12, 2004 at the nursing home in Emerson.
Services were Feb. 16 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Moville with the Rev. Mike Kroona officiating. Burial was in Arlington Township Cemetery in Moville.
Amelia was born May 21, 1904 in Krem, N.D., the daughter of Christopher and Christina (Machau) Knecht. She graduated from N.B.T. Business College in Sioux City. She married Dewey John Hebeler Feb. 28, 1928, in Rock Branch Lutheran Church, Rock Branch, Iowa and became instrumental in starting a new Lutheran Church in Kingsley, Iowa. The couple moved to Moville in 1937 where Dewey opened a Dodge and Plymouth Agency. They then became members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Moville. After her husband’s death on Jan. 6, 1986 in Sioux City, she moved to North Park Retirement Center in Sioux City and lived there for six years. She then moved to Heritage of Emerson in Emerson.
She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Moville, Trinity Lutheran Women, Moville Woman’s Club, Bridge Club, Moville Garden Club and the Meadows Golf Club. She also attended St. Johns Lutheran Church in Sioux City. She was a longtime Sunday school teacher. She also enjoyed traveling and reading.
Survivors include a son Dewey Jr. and his wife Barbara hebeler of Post Falls, Idaho; three daughters and their husbands, Audrey and Ward Peterson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Carol and Ron Miller of Dallas, Texas, Connia and Ken Bartels of Dakota City; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband she was also preceded in death by her parents, a brother and seven sisters.
Pallbearers were Don Bremer, Mark Hebeler, Tim Johnson, Jim Utesch, Rod Bartels and Bill Koontz.
Dennis C. Blair
Farmed near Thurston
Dennis C. Blair, 70, of North Sioux City died Tuesday, Feb. 10 at his residence after a brief illness.
Services were Friday at the Riverside Lutheran Church with the Rev. Charles B. Wolff officiating. Military graveside services were in Green Valley Cemetery in rural Homer.
Dennis was born Feb. 13, 1933 in rural Thurston, the son of Cloyd Allen and his adopted father James A. and Mary E. (Leonard) Blair. He graduated from Pender High School. He was a veteran of the Korean Conflict. He married Joan M. Pedersen May 19, 1957 in Homer. He farmed near Thurston until 1981. From 1982 until 1984 he owned and operated the Dry Dock Lounge in South Sioux City. Dennis and his son Doug were owners of Blair Construction Company since 1985.
He was baptized at the First United Presbyterian Church in Pender. He was a member of the Riverside Lutheran Church, the American Legion in Thurston and the Izaak Walton League in McCook Lake, S.D.
Survivors include his wife Joan, a son Douglas and his wife Cindy Blair of Burbank, S.D., four daughters: Julie Cadwallader of Pender, Janet and her husband Greg Finzen of Sioux City, Joyce and her husband Greg Backman of Fremont, Jodie and her husband Barry Saxen of Sioux Falls, a brother Harold and his wife Doris Blair of Norfolk, three half brothers: Bill and his wife Pauline Allen and Bob and his wife Merna Allen, all of Omaha, Donnie and his wife Ginger Allen of Florida, a half sister: Connie and her husband Bob Docel of Omaha, 12 grandchildren and one great granddaughter.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Pallbearers were Chase and Jarrod Backman, Clint and Justin Cadwallader, Adam and Andrew Finzen and Nick Irvine.
Ronald Jones
Parents from Sioux City
Ronald Lawrence Jones of Des Moines, Iowa passed away due to illness on Monday, Feb. 9, 2004.
A memorial service was held in Des Moines on Monday, Feb. 16.
Surviving Mr. Jones are two daughters, Jocelyn of Arcata, Calif., and Emily of Des Moines. Also surviving is one daughter Jennifer Hutzell of Adel and one stepbrother, Gary Jones of Huntington Beach, Calif.
Ronald was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Jones of Sioux City and one brother, Randy.
Connie Jo Gonsor
Homer High graduate
Connie Jo Gonsor, 46, passed away at her home in Fremont on Tues, Feb. 10, 2004.
Funeral services were Saturday at First Lutheran Church in Fremont with the Revs. Karl and Anjanette Rist officiating. Burial was in the Omaha Valley Cemetery in Homer.
Connie was born March 19, 1957 in Sioux City. She grew up on a farm near Homer and was a graduate of Homer High School. She attended Western Iowa Tech Community College and received her diploma in practical nursing. She worked as a nurse in Denver, Colo. for several years. After her marriage to Allyn Gonsor on Dec. 2, 1988 in Las Vegas, she lived in Hooper, Neb. until moving to Fremont in 1990. She had been employed as a waitress at The Wooden Windmill in Fremont.
She was a member of the First Lutheran Church in Fremont.
Connie is survived by her husband Allyn, son Allyn Gonsor, Jr. and daughter Angela Gonsor, both at home; mother Clara Hankins of Homer; brother and sister-in-law Orville and Pam Hankins, Jr. of Homer.
She was preceded in death by her father, Orville Hankins and two sisters.
Rev. Pat Culligan
River Valley - St. Paul pastor
Reverend Leland Patterson, “Pat” Culligan, 50, of South Sioux City, son of Leland and Dora (Fuquay) Culligan, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2004 at his home flowing a brief illness.
Services were Monday at the United Methodist Church in Dakota City. Burial was in Memorial Park in Sioux City.
Pat was born Jan. 15, 1954 at Jackson, Miss. He attended school in Denver, Colo., and later married Wendy Commesser on May 21, 1994 at the United Methodist Church in Hebron.
He worked as a conference youth director in Lafayette and Baton Rouge, La. and as a claims adjuster for a life insurance company.
He served as a pastor in Plain Dealing, La., Rockbrook, Omaha, Hebron, Belvidere, Superior, Nora, Bloomfield and Verdigre. He served the River Valley Parish, which included Allen, Dakota City, Dixon, Homer and Ponca and St. Paul’s Church in South Sioux City.
Pat also served as chaplain of the Masonic Lodge at Bloomfield and served on the Bloomfield School Board. He was also an Eagle Scout and a member of the Bloomfield Ruritan Club.
He is survived by his wife Wendy, children Thomas and David, both of Shreveport, La., Christi, Kayla and Sean, all of South Sioux City; a sister, Marjorie Ann Graves of Broken Arrow, Okla.; father Leland of Lafayette; a godson Gabriel Lauck of Bloomfield and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his mother and grandparents.
Xander Henry
Funeral in South Sioux
Xander Henry, 4-month-old son of Anasara (Phillips) and Alexander W. Henry, formerly of Sioux City, died Thursday, Feb. 12, 2004 at their residence in Norman, Okla.
Services were Tuesday at Becker-Hunt Funeral Home in South Sioux City with Chaplain Marie Lykken of Hospice of Siouxland officiating. Burial was in Memorial Park Cemetery.
Xander was born Oct. 9, 2003 in Oklahoma City.
He is survived by his parents, grandparents, great grandparents, a great great grandmother, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
