U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Lillian Gray
Lillian Mary Gray, the daughter of Camillo and Caroline (Montoya) Machado, was born on May 15, 1938, in Silver City, N.M. She died on Oct. 23, 2017, at Westby, Wis., at the age of 79 years, five months and eight days.
Lillian was the youngest of 16 children. She grew up in Avalon (Catalina Island, Calif.) where she attended school.
She married
Dan Arthur Gray on Dec. 23, 1957, in Las Vegas, Nev. They had two children. They moved to Superior in 1982.
She was active in Church of Christ activities, Christian Women's Club and Stone Croft Ministries. She also volunteered at the Good Samaritan Center as long as her health allowed. She was a prayer warrior and called the prayer chain and sent greeting cards.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Dan; son, Daniel A. Gray, Jr.; five siblings in early childhood, and five in adulthood.
Survivors include her daughter, Theresa Hanson, and husband, Norman; three grandchildren, Katie Hanson, Rene Hanson and Norman Hansen III; three great-grandchildren, Vanina Stard, Lillian Marie Stard and Brandon Levi Stard; three sisters, Emma Palonco, Sarah Guerra and Minnie Belesquices; one brother, Camillo Machado; other relatives and a host of friends.
Funeral was held on Friday, Oct. 27, 2017, at 2 p.m., from the Superior Church of Christ in Superior, Neb., with Pastor Ben Poole officiating.
Music was "How Great Thou Art" and "Beyond The Sunset," with Paula Renz as the accompanist.
Visitation was held on Oct. 26, 2017, from 4 to 8 p.m.
Pallbearers were Jim Mitchell, James Zoltenko and Paul Hutchinson.
Interment was in Evergreen cemetery at Superior, Neb.
Memorials are suggested to go to the family
Condolences may be sent to Megrue-Price Funeral Home, 750 N. Commercial, Superior, Neb., 68978.
Megrue-Price Funeral Home of Superior, Neb., was in charge of the arrangements.
(Notice dated Nov. 2, 2017)
Elvin "Elvie" Steier
Elvin "Elvie" Ernest Steier died on Aug. 23, 2017, at Henderson Care Center, at the age of 92. Elvin was born to P.N. and Mildred (Aurand) Steier on March 4, 1925, on the family farm in Jewell County, Kan. For the first year of his life, Elvie almost died from starvation, because of his inability to keep food down. His mother resorted to feeding him mashed hard-cooked eggs mixed with milk. Elvie then began to grow and thrive but his mother said that he was always small for his age and she attributed his small physical stature to this unfortunate situation. Elvie attended Star School in Jewell County. His last years of grade school were completed in Hardy, Neb. Elvie stayed on the family farm to help his father. They both loved farming and the land they toiled on.
On June 22, 1947, Elvin was united in marriage to Marjorie "Jean" Healey at the Christian Church in Burr Oak, Kan. The couple made their home on the Steier farm three miles south of Hardy in Jewell County along the Republic and Jewell county boundary line. To this union, five children were born: Cathy, Carla, Colleen, Cammie and Philip. This marriage ended in divorce.
Elvin loved farm life. He had the typical farmer's life of rising early and this remained a life-long habit. Elvin irrigated his crops mostly by the ditch and siphon tube method. He raised corn, wheat and alfalfa. Animals on the farm were also plentiful. The family had cattle, horses, pigs, chickens and of course the family dogs and cats as pets. When Elvin found a nest of abandoned baby quails, he brought them to the house for his family to care for. Only one was able to survive the first few days. The children named the quail Tweety-Bird and she became a family pet. Elvin built a cage for Tweety to stay in when the weather allowed and the children fed her grasshoppers and bird seed. Tweety was often allowed in the home and would watch TV and perch on the youngest daughter's head. Elvin would not allow quail hunting on his land after this. Tweety finally died of old age. Elvin often reminisced about Tweety the quail.
Elvin usually had one (and sometimes more) constant companion. At least one of the family dogs would accompany him almost everywhere. Elvin taught the dogs to jump in the back of his pickup truck and he also taught one to jump on the picnic table in the family yard (much to the chagrin of his wife).
Elvin often talked about his dad farming with literal horse power and the excitement he had when his dad got his first tractor. Elvie was a John Deere man. He made sure his children had John Deere toys to play with. He purchased a John Deere pedal tractor for one of his daughters and many children enjoyed playing with this over the years.
Elvie was a hard worker and a good neighbor. He would help out his fellow farm neighbors whenever he could. Elvie liked to socialize at the local coffee shop. He would play cards and "shoot the breeze" with anyone willing to listen. Elvie was a devoted son and worked on the family farm for all the years he was able. He later moved to Superior and retired from farming because of medical reasons.
Elvin married
Evelyn (Hunnell) Bergen at the Presbyterian Church in Superior, Neb., on Feb. 10, 1990. Through this union, he gained two step-sons, Terry (Karla) and Tim (Roberta) Bergen. Evelyn and Elvie made their home in Henderson, Neb. During this time, Elvie drove cars for Alexander Motors and worked for Northern Pump and Irrigation part time. Elvie loved driving, traveling and chatting with people. Elvie and Evelyn spent winters in Texas. They enjoyed making new friends and seeing the sights during this time. They also knew other people who "wintered" in Texas in the same proximity and would enjoy get-togethers. Elvin also collected John Deere toys during his later years. He toured the John Deere plant in Iowa many years ago. He liked reading about John Deere implements and learning about their history.
Elvie had extended family members in Iowa and Pennsylvania. He enjoyed traveling to see them and visiting them on different occasions. He liked to keep in touch with old friends and family.
After, Evelyn's death, Elvie continued to make his home in Henderson. He was able to continue driving and living independently. His declining health made it necessary for him to move to Henderson Care Center this past July.
Elvin will be greatly missed by his family and friends. His children mourn the loss of their dad who loved his family farm and gave them deep roots in rural farm life.
Elvin was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn; parents, P.N. and Mildred Steier; brother, Walter Steier, who died in infancy; sister, Enola Boylan; daughter Carla (Steier) Glebe, a granddaughter, Carissa Poppe, great-great granddaughter, Adelina Holloway; son-in-law, Clarence Holloway; sister-in-law Marilyn Jacobson and brothers-in-law, Cheslie Boylan and Curtis Jacobson.
Elvin is survived by children, Cathy Holloway, Winfield, Kan., Colleen Utecht, Cammie Poppe and husband, Greg; and Philip Steier all of Hastings, Neb.; step-children Terry (Karla) Bergen; Tim (Roberta) Bergen; son-in-law, Ron Glebe, Superior; 11 grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren, five step-great-grandchildren, four great-great grandchildren and seven step-great-great grandchildren; special friend, Arma Jean (A.J) Whitney and many other relatives and friends.
Memorial services will be Friday, Oct. 6, 2017, 11 a.m. at Price Funeral Home, Superior, Neb. Inurnment will be at a later date in Rosemound Cemetery, in Republic County, Kan. There is no viewing or visitation as Elvin donated his body to the Anatomical Board in Nebraska and will be cremated, per his wishes. Memorials may be given to Price Funeral Home in Superior or to the family. Megrue-Price Funeral Home of Superior, Neb., is in charge of the arrangements.
(Notice dated Sept. 28, 2017)
Doris Murray
Doris Elaine Larsen Graham Murray, 86, died Sept. 24, 2017, in Concordia, Kan. She was born to Harry E. and Lela L. Hayes Larsen on Feb. 27, 1931, in Superior, Neb.
Doris graduated from Superior High School in 1949. She married
Ralph Kermit Graham on Jan. 22, 1950, and to this union four children were born. She married
John Murray on March 12, 1977, at the Concordia Lutheran Church. Doris worked as a telephone operator at LT&T and later for Southwestern Bell. She was an office assistant for Dr. Boardman and Dr. Bryant until her retirement in 2004. After she and John were married
they owned and operated the Concordia Western Auto store from 1977 to 1984. She was a member of the Concordia Lutheran Church, Women's Division of the Concordia Chamber of Commerce, serving as president for two years, Ladies of the Elks, Moose Lodge, American Legion and VFW auxiliaries and Baeuceant of Masonic Lodge and OES.
Mom was well known for her cooking, gardening, sewing, crafting and immaculate housekeeping. She loved traveling with John as they took many trips together. She especially enjoyed her grandchildren and attended many events they were involved in. When the great-grands came along she could be found loving on them whenever she could. She especially loved Christmas time when the whole family would pick a date that worked for us to all gather at their home on 1st Avenue in Concordia.
She will forever be missed by her two daughters, Ginger Norris and husband, Tom, of Ft. Scott, Kan., and Peg Lesovsky and husband, Tom, of Cuba, Kan., son, Mike Graham and Rex Gerstner of Dallas, Texas; brother, Leonard Larsen and wife, Janet, of Lincoln, Neb., and sister, Donna Hampton of Chaparral, N.M., five grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. She loved her nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Kermit on Jan. 27, 1993, and John on July20, 2016; son, David Kent Graham, in August 1973.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017, at Concordia Lutheran Church, Concordia, with Pastor Janai Robinson-Makarov officiating. Burial will follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017, with family greeting friends from 6 to 7 p.m., all at Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home. The family suggests memorials to Concordia Lutheran Church in care of the funeral home. Online condolences: www.chaputbuoy.com.
(Notice dated Sept. 28, 2017)
Samantha Voorhees
Samantha Voorhees, 43, died Friday at Mary Lanning Hospital in Hastings. The daughter of Douglas and Jennifer (Shuck) Huffacker, she was born July 14, 1974, in Hastings.
Samantha cared about her children more than anything and did as much as she could for them. She enjoyed time at the river with her family and loved ones. Samantha liked listening to Pink Floyd. She is discribed by her family as an unstoppable person who took anything with a smile.
She was preceded in death by her son, Patrick; grandparents, Gordon and Shirley Shuck and Howard and Willa Huffacker.
Survivors include her father, Doug Huffacker of Clay Center; mother, Jennifer Bondegard of Edgar; sister, Amy Johnson of Edgar; brother, Andy Huffacker of Hastings; husband, James Voorhees of Edgar; children, Treytun Black, Jameson Voorhees, Joshua Voorhees and Sawyer Voorhees; one grandson; nephews, other relatives and a host of friends.
Funeral was held at 1 p.m. yesterday (Wednesday) at the Williams Funeral Home Chapel in Edgar, with Pastor David King officiating. Private family burial will be held. Williams Funeral Home of Edgar was in charge of the arrangements.
(Notice dated Sept. 28, 2017)
LeRoy Schott
Franklin LeRoy Schott, 99, died last Tuesday at the Superior Good Samaritan Center. The second son of seven children of Franklin and Margaret Grace (Reed) Schott, he was born April 21, 1918, in rural Nuckolls County, near Bostwick.
LeRoy graduated from Nelson High School with the Class of 1936. After graduation, LeRoy moved to Wyoming and worked for Elton Trowbridge, the Forest Service, drove a school bus and was a surveyor.
LeRoy was united in marriage to Reta Marie Williams on Sept. 21, 1938, at Saratoga, Wyo. This union was blessed with the birth of four children: Alvin, Richard, Barbara and Royce.
In May of 1945, LeRoy was drafted into the U.S. Army, serving during WWII. After the birth of three children, LeRoy left the army and the couple moved back to Nebraska, where he was a mechanic and car salesman for Warren Hall's Chrysler and John Deere dealership. Son, Royce, was born in Nelson. LeRoy later owned and operated Schott Oil with his oldest son, Alvin. In 1980, LeRoy sold his share of the business to Alvin and retired. In his retirement he mowed the parks and property for the city of Nelson for 27 years. Reta and LeRoy liked to travel and fish, making many trips around the country in their camper.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Reta; brothers, Ted, Harold and infant brother, Lyvene.
Survivors include his sons, Alvin Schott of Nelson, Richard Schott of Brookville and Royce Schott of Nelson; daughter, Barbara Fitchett of Lincoln; 11 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; brother, Gene Schott of Rossville; sisters, Sara Harvey of Superior and Charlotte Adams of Warren, Mich., nieces, nephews, other relatives and a host of friends.
His funeral was held on Monday at the Community United Church of Christ in Nelson, Nebraska, with pastors Ivan and Joyce Dean officiating. Private family inurnment will be held at the Nelson Cemetery. Williams Funeral Home of Superior was in charge of the arrangements.
(Notice dated Sept. 28, 2017)
Jean Paul
Marjorie "Jean" (Healey) Steier Paul died on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017, at the age of 89 at the Henderson Care Center. Memorial services will be Friday, Oct. 6, 2017, 2 p.m. at the Hardy Union Church, Hardy. Inurnment will be at the Hardy Cemetery, Hardy, Neb. There will be no viewing or visitation as Jean was cremated, per her wishes. Memorials may be given to Butler-Volland Funeral Home in Hastings, or to the family. Private condolences may be sent to the family at www.lbvfh.com. Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home and Cremation Center is serving the family.
She was born to Joseph and Anna (Warner) Healey on Jan. 12, 1928, in Atchison, Kan. When Jean was six, the family moved to Jewell County, Kan. Jean attended Myers and Mountain country schools in Jewell County and graduated from Burr Oak, Kan., in 1946. Jean attended Kansas State University to receive her certificate to teach school. Jean taught one year at Valley View School, south of Superior, Neb.
Jean was united in marriage to Elvin Steier at the Christian Church in Burr Oak, Kan., on June 22, 1947. The couple made their home on the Steier farm, three miles south of Hardy in Jewell County along the Republic and Jewell County boundary line. To this union, five children were born: Cathy, Carla, Colleen, Cammie and Philip.
Jean was a homemaker on the family farm for more than 30 years. She cooked, baked, canned and would freeze food for her family and hired-hands during this time. Jean had large vegetable gardens over the years but she was widely known for her beautiful flower gardens. A large flower garden was located so it could easily be seen as people traveled past the Steier family farm. Jean had multiple other flower beds and she was very proud of her rose garden and her blooming Magnolia tree in the front yard of the home.
Jean was an excellent cook. She started baking pies at the age of seven as she was the eldest daughter in a family of four other children. Jean also did a lot of other cooking for her family during her childhood. As a mother, Jean taught her children to cook and she provided home cooked and baked items for school, church and community events. Jean always "pitched in" to do her part.
Jean loved her immediate and extended family and enjoyed large family get-togethers. Jean and her late sister, Freda Lou Hanson, shared lots of laughs as they prepared food or did other tasks for family events in their later years. Jean shared stories of her childhood and family members to her children.
In addition to her love of flowers and nature, Jean had a passion for books and reading. She had her own "library" and she passed that love down to all her children. Jean believed that education was important and reading was a way for everyone to learn more. Jean also loved the Christmas season and winter months. Jean liked to decorate her home for the seasons, but especially for Christmas. The family had a large live Christmas tree during their years on the farm and for many years the decorating was taken to the outside where lights would be placed on a very large evergreen and the house. These could be seen and enjoyed by the "county line" inhabitants and anyone traveling by.
Jean was a good friend and neighbor and would loan needed items as requested if she was able to comply. Jean had the good fortune of developing life-long friendships with area neighbors that she dearly treasured. Jean had many other friendships that she also treasured. Many of Jean's family and friends, pre-deceased her but Jean was grateful for the family and friends still living and she enjoyed their visits immensely. Jean was always loyal and devoted to her friends and family. Jean first became a grandmother in 1973 and she loved and cared for all of her grandchildren over the years. She cherished the several generations of babies and children and always enjoyed seeing them.
In 1981, Jean and Elvin were divorced. Jean moved to Hastings, Neb., and worked part-time at a day-care and caring for some elderly people. Jean worked for many years as a cook and later the kitchen manager at the Crosier Monastery in Hastings. Jean's health required her to retire in 1989.
Jean helped her daughters by caring for the grandchildren, preparing sweet corn for the freezer or other food items. She would also help clean and act as a "chauffer" when needed. Jean was a great baby rocker and she would hold and rock her grandchildren for overly stressed parents and children in need of a nap. She was usually successful at getting babies and young children to sleep. If she could help anyone in some way, she would do this.
On Dec. 14, 1994, Jean married
a former high school classmate, Verlin Paul, and they made their home in Red Cloud, Neb. This marriage resulted in two step-children for Jean: Michael (Joyce) Paul, Western, and Sandi Gapp, Fairbury. Jean and Verlin enjoyed camping, spending time with grandchildren and other family events. They had a vegetable and flower garden and worked on it and their yard during the summer months. When Verlin's health declined he went to live at the nursing home in Red Cloud and later he moved to Perkins at Good Samaritan Village in Hastings, Neb. Jean moved to Good Samaritan Village to an independent apartment to be near Verlin in 2011. Verlin died in 2015 and Jean's health had deteriorated so she moved to the Henderson Care Center in Henderson, Neb. She lived there until her death.
Jean will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed by her family and friends. Her children mourn the loss of her friendship, sharing in tasks and fun activities, knowledge, influence, guidance and unconditional love.
Jean was preceded in death by her husband, Verlin Paul; former husband, Elvin Steier; parents, Joe and Ann Healey; brothers, Chan, Jimmy and J.W. Healey; sisters, Freda Lou (Healey) Hanson and Joanna Healey, who died in childhood; daughter, Carla (Steier) Glebe; granddaughter, Carissa Poppe; step-great-grandson, Christian Paul; great-great-granddaughter, Adelina Holloway; son-in-law, Clarence Holloway; sister-in-law, Edna Healey; and brother-in-law, Rex Paul.
Survivors include her children and their spouses, Cathy Holloway, Winfield, Kan., Colleen Utecht, Hastings, Neb., and Cammie and Greg Poppe, Hastings, Neb., and Philip Steier, Hastings, Neb.; step-children and their spouses, Sandy Gapp of Fairbury, Neb., and Mike and Joyce Paul, Western, Neb.; son-in-law, Ron Glebe, Superior, Neb., 11 grandchildren; seven step-grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; 24 step-great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; seven step-great-great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Doris Healey of Superior, Neb., and Janice Paul of Hastings, Neb.; brother-in-law and spouse, Raymond and Glenda Hanson, North Bend, Neb.; many other relatives and friends.
(Notice dated Sept. 28, 2017)
