U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Ford Cornelius
Ford Cornelius was born on May 20, 1923 at Grant, Neb. He was the oldest of two sons born to Leland "Tim" and Minnie Ford Cornelius. Ford grew up in the Madrid, Neb., community and graduated from Madrid High School in 1940. He attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln for three years.
Ford joined the U.S. Army in 1945 toward the end of World War II. He served in Hawaii until his discharge in 1946. Ford had married Louise Price in Grant on June 10, 1945 and after his discharge they moved to the Cornelius farmstead southeast of Madrid.
In 1952 they moved to their present farm home south of Madrid where they spent their entire married life. In addition to his farming, Ford was a good carpenter and worked on several projects through the winter months. Ford and Lou had spent their last 10 winters in Mesa, Ariz.
Ford had developed a melanoma 11 years ago but led a normal life until this summer when his health began to fail. He died at his home Thursday afternoon, Sept. 22, 2005. He had reached the age of 82.
Ford was very civic minded and served on many different committees and boards throughout his life. He was a longtime member of the Madrid United Methodist Church and served in many capacities of leadership. He was a member of the Lions Club, originally in Madrid and later transferring his membership to Grant. He had served on the Madrid School Board. He was a 26-year member of the Perkins County Community Hospital Board and had served as president. He also served for 26 years as a supervisor on the Soil and Water Conservation District which is presently the NRD.
Ford is survived by those who loved him; his wife of over 60 years, Lou; four sons, Dennis and wife Marlene of Freeport, Ill., Mike and wife Misty of Dayton, Ohio, Randy of Sidney, Neb., and Sid and wife Joan of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.; seven grandchildren; brother Grant and wife Gayle of Corvallis, Ore.; other relatives and friends.
Services were held Monday, Sept. 26, at Madrid United Methodist Church with Pastor Richard Haden officiating.
Music was by Carol Robertson and Cori Sis.
Casket bearers were Don Mickels, Lee Nikkel, Dale Burge, Butch Burge, Eldon Cornelius, Lowell Cornelius, Dean Hatch and Glenn Ford.
Interment was in the Madrid Cemetery.
Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Dorothy Oellermann
Dorothy Lucile Oellermann, age 85, of Grant, Neb., died Wednesday morning, Sept. 7, 2005 at the Perkins County Community Hospital in Grant following a 10 year illness of scleroderma and cancer.
Dorothy was born in Perkins County on Aug. 3, 1920 the third child of Frank and Alma England Swan. She was baptized on April 17, 1921 and confirmed on May 13, 1934 at Trinity Lutheran Church.
She attended Rural District No. 3, later Trinity Lutheran School, and graduated from Perkins County High School in 1938. Dorothy was employed by the Agricultural Service Office in Grant until her marriage to Herman F. Oellermann on Aug. 1, 1943.
They adopted two children, Ronald and Cherilyn, and lived on a farm northwest of Grant. Following her husband's death, she later moved to Grant in 1985.
Dorothy was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church and Trinity LWML. She was a member of the ABC Extension Club and one of its charter members. She enjoyed quilting, embroidery and crossword puzzles.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Russell, in 1928, her son, Ronald, in 1969 and her husband in 1979.
She is survived by her daughter, Cherilyn and husband, Gerry Spangler of Ogallala, Neb.; grandson Bob Spangler and wife Terra of Hawarden, Iowa, and a great-grandson, Zain; one brother, Robert Swan and his wife Delores of Ogallala, and a brother-in-law, Ervin Oellermann and his wife, Marion, of Grant; nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Services were held at Trinity Lutheran Church on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 10, 2005 with Pastor Wayne Pick officiating. Burial was in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery.
A memorial has been established.
Casket bearers were Marvin Swan, David Swan, Dennis Demmel, Charles Oellermann, Steve Jacobsen and Bob Spangler.
Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Robert Coy Thomlison
Robert Coy "Bob" Thomlison, 36, of North Platte, Neb., passed away Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005 near Ogallala, Neb.
Memorial services were held Monday, Sept. 12, 2005, at Harvest Christian Church in North Platte, with inurnment at Floral Lawns Memorial Gardens.
Bob was born April 12, 1969 in Key West, Fla., to Albert "Tom" and Sheila (Thompson) Thomlison. He graduated from North Platte High School in 1987. Bob married Lisa Lauver on Sept. 2, 1989 in North Platte. They later divorced.
He worked as an engineer for Union Pacific Railroad and was part owner of TNT Custom Cycles in North Platte. In his free time, he enjoyed spending time with his family, taking his boys to their games was a priority.
Bob was a people person, had a great sense of humor and always put everyone's interest before his own. He loved the outdoors, riding his motorcycle, camping and fishing. Bob had no fear of anything-his motto was "live for the day."
Bob is survived by his parents; two sons, Dalton and Levi, both of North Platte; a sister and brother-in-law, Annette and Jones Sines of North Platte; grandparents Coy and Evelyn Thomlison of North Platte; two nephews and two nieces; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
A memorial fund has been established for his children.
Jean Foster Brown
Jean Elaine Foster Brown was born March 17, 1927 near Brandon, Neb., to Martha and Thomas Presley Foster. She grew up in the Brandon area and attended country school and graduated from Perkins County High School in 1944.
Jean attended beauty school in Grand Island and had beauty shops in Grant and Alma, Neb.
Jean married Tom Brown Jan. 8, 1956 at the Grant United Methodist Church. Later they moved to Denver where their daughter, Julia Gail, was born in 1960.
Later she worked for Volhers, Scotts Liquid Gold and American Family Insurance.
Jean had been ill the past two years with diabetes and passed away Aug. 24, 2005 at St. Anthony North in Denver.
Jean was preceded in death by her parents, sister Marjorie Peterson, brother Vince Foster and wife Margaret, and a nephew Dean Foster.
She is survived by her daughter Julia and husband Norm Wilson of Denver, her brother Rex Foster and wife Lucille of Brandon, brother-in-law Rundall Peterson of Alma, five nieces, one nephew, two step-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren.
Cremation was chosen and a memorial service was held Aug. 29 at the Stork Family Mortuary in Denver with Pastor Sonny White officiating.
Lorraine Boldt
Lorraine Boldt passed away Thursday evening, Sept. 8, 2005, at the Heritage of Wauneta Nursing Home, Wauneta, Neb. She had reached the age of 69.
She is survived by her husband Lawrence Boldt of Oak Hills, Calif.; one daughter, Lola and her husband Rick Jones of Madrid, Neb.; one son Leland and his wife Danielle Boldt of Oak Hills; and one brother, David and his wife Virgene Putman of Indianapolis, Ind.
Memorial service were held Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 14, 2005 at the Desert View Funeral Home in Victorville, Calif.
A memorial has been established in Lorraine's memory.
Liewer Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Makayla Ann Larsen
Five-year-old Makayla Ann Larsen of Chadron, Neb., died Sunday, Sept. 11, 2005 at Chadron.
She is the daughter of Danny and Jody Larsen of Chadron born Jan. 14, 2000.
Survivors include her parents, sister Brianna; grandparents, Steve and Jackie Broeder of Grant, Neb., Darrell and Fayne Larsen of Chadron; great-grandmother, Marie Smith of Chadron; aunts, Mindy and husband Brad Dickensen of Grant, Maggie McLain of Chadron and Raylene Slavik of Independence, Mo.; uncle, Chris and wife Angie Broeder of North Platte, Neb.; and cousins, Jakelynn Broeder of Grant, Jody Soester of Lincoln, and Jason Soester of Casper, Wyo.
Service will be held Friday, Sept. 16, at 10 a.m., at Ridgeview Bible Church in Chadron with Pastor Randy Dockweiler officiating. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery.
A memorial has been established to Trunk Butte School or Ridgeview Bible Church. Donations can be sent to Chamberlain Chapel, PO Box 970, Chadron, NE 69337.
Chamberlain Chapel of Chadron is in charge of arrangements.
Bernard E. Tatum
Bernard E. Tatum was born on Aug. 23, 1923 at the Tatum farmstead northeast of Elsie, Neb. He was the second of five children born to Orris and Ollie Coppersmith Tatum.
Bernie grew up on the family farm and attended country school District 41 through the eighth grade. He later enrolled at the Frye Aircraft School in Omaha. After completing his requirements he was employed with civil service at Wright Airfield in Dayton, Ohio, until the end of World War II.
Bernie was married to Gertrude Wood on Nov. 6, 1943 at Rosalie, Neb. They adopted a son, Keith, in 1954.
Bernie and Gertrude moved to Ogallala in 1953 where he worked at Goodalls for two years. He began work for the C.S. Card Corporation in Denver, in 1955 where he served as a mill wright in maintenance. He worked there until he retired in 1988. He spent time in Walnut, Calif., until 1993 when he returned to Grant.
Bernie enjoyed being around his family in Grant and the people in the community.
He worked part time for Lawyer's Auto Supply and later worked in maintenance for Westview Retirement Center and the Perkins County Senior Center.
Bernie had developed a malignancy last year and had been moved to the Golden Ours Convalescent Home in Grant where he died on Friday morning, Sept. 2, 2005. He had reached the age of 82.
In addition to his parents, Bernie was preceded in death by his son, Keith, two sisters, Mae Rowan and an infant Wilda Tatum, and one brother Frank.
He is survived by one sister, Pearl Kuskie of Grant; sister-in-law Marge Tatum of Grant, several nieces and nephews, and his special friend and companion and her family, Karen Glunz of Elsie; other relatives and many friends.
Funeral services were held on Monday, Sept. 5, 2005 at the Grant United Methodist Church with Pastor Sally Ruggia-Haden officiating.
Music was provided by Lori McCloskey and Doni Holaway.
Casket bearers were Bob Tatum, Doug Tatum, Rick Tatum, Dennis Kuskie, Ron Rowan, Bill Rowan, Todd Glunz and Troy Glunz.
Burial was in the Grant Cemetery. Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Gilbert Rightmeier
Gilbert Rightmeier was born on Nov. 28, 1919 at Jewell, Kan. He was the second of three sons born to Henry and Amanda Betts Rightmeier. Gilbert grew up in the Jewell area, attending school and graduating from Randall Rural High School in 1938.
Gilbert joined the United States Army Air Force in 1941 during World War II. He served in the European Theater where he worked as an airplane mechanic. He received his honorable discharge in 1945.
Gilbert was married to Merry Elizabeth "Mickey" Shirley on Aug. 3, 1946 at North Platte, Neb. They made their home for a brief time at Archer, Neb., before moving to Gothenburg, Neb., where Gilbert worked for the Quinn Ranch for several years.
Gilbert went into partnership with Henry Orthman and moved to the Imperial, Neb., area in the mid 1960's where they had a sugar beet operation. They later moved to a farm northwest of Grant, Neb. before retiring into Ogallala, Neb.
Mickey died in 1991 and Gilbert continued to maintain his home in Ogallala until 2001 when he moved to Cheyenne, Wyo., to be closer to his family. Gilbert enjoyed independent living until July when he moved to a convalescent center for health care. He had been transferred to the United Medical Center in Cheyenne where he died Wednesday morning, Aug. 24, 2005. He had reached the age of 85.
Gilbert had been a member of the First Congregational Church in Ogallala and had been active in the men's auxiliary. He also had belonged to the Elk's Club.
In addition to parents and his wife, Gilbert was preceded in death by his two brothers, Gaylord and Glenn.
He is survived by two daughters, Linda and husband Butch Shiers and Kristin Span, all of Cheyenne; six grandchildren, Brian Kunkel, Leslie and husband Shane Doig, Nathan Span, Brandon and wife Andrea Shiers, Allen and wife Rachel Shiers and Vickie Mettler; one great-grandson, Jade; other relatives and friends.
Services were held Friday, Aug. 26, at the First Congregational Church in Ogallala with Pastor Lauran Heidenreich officiating.
Music was by Karon Holscher, organist, and Ron Holscher, vocalist.
Pallbearers were Calvin Schultz, Bill Finch, Cpl. Nathan Span, Shane Doig, Brandon Shiers and Guy Bechtel.
Interment was in the Ogallala Cemetery with a military tribute by the Keith County Veterans.
Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Lance Norman
Lance Norman was born on Aug. 31, 1955 in Grant, Neb. He was the only child born to Verdell and Arlene Lance Norman.
Lance grew up in Grant and attended school, graduating from Perkins County High School in 1973. While living in Grant, Lance had a close relationship with his grandparents, Sam and Ella Lance.
Lance attended the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley after he left Grant. He spent most of his life in Nevada and California.
At the time of his death he was involved as a tutor at a college in San Diego, Calif. He died in San Diego on July 1, 2005. He had reached the age of 49.
Lance was preceded in death by his grandparents and parents. He is survived by uncles, aunts and cousins on the Norman side.
His body was cremated and his cremains were buried in the Grant Cemetery.
Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of local arrangements.
