U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Mark Southwick
Mark Jeffrey Southwick, age 48, passed away July 10, 2005 in Hastings, Neb.
Mark was born to Clyde (Big Clyde) and Grace (Mayden) Southwick in Sutherland, Neb., and moved with his family to Lincoln, Neb., in 1958. Mark and his wife Julie own and operate A 1st Rate Pumping Service, Inc., in Lincoln.
Mark was actively involved with the Lincoln Chapter of the MAD Dad's program. He was also active in many Neighborhood Associations. In the early 1980's Mark was a brick tender at Scribner Construction. He also worked for Friesen Excavating, and worked alongside his father at Big Clyde Sanitation.
He is survived by Julie, his wife of 26 years, son Jarred and daughter Katie all of Lincoln, brothers and sister-in-law Brad and Jackie of Hickman, Neb., Bruce and Lotus of Bennet, Neb., Guy and Holly of Lincoln, Jim and Helen Burch of Lincoln, Gary Burch of Seward, Neb., and Linda and Jim Shepard of California.
Other survivors include parents-in-law Lester and Wilma Alber; brothers-in-law and sister-in-law Ron and Shelly Alber of South Carolina, Marcia, Mary, Ken and Julie Alber all of Lincoln; special cousins Dale and Margaret "Maggie" Ream of Omaha, Neb., Phillip and Bessie Woodard of Gladstone, Mo. Mark has several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Donna Burch, brother Douglas Southwick and mother-in-law Joan Alber.
Memorial services will be held Saturday, July 16, 2005 at 11 a.m., at Rosemont Alliance Church in Lincoln. Visitation at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home is 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, and Saturday from 9 a.m. until services.
In lieu of flowers, the family will accept memorials.
Private Inurnment is at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery.
The family requests casual attire.
Gloria Richards
Gloria (Vlasin) Richards, former resident of Madrid, Neb., area, passed away June 28, 2005, in Seattle, Wash. She had reached the age of 59.
Survivors include daughter Pamela Carpenter and husband Jeff of Boise, Id.; son Christopher and wife Carol of Bellevue, Wash.; son Dean and wife April of McChord Air Force Base, Wash.; seven grandchildren, one great-grandchild; three sisters, Deanna Beachman and husband Jim of Wauneta, Neb., Joyce Grim and husband Ted of Wauneta, Neb., and Beverly Haskins and husband Steve of Lakewood Colo.; one brother, Edward Vlasin and wife Mary of Nine Miles Falls, Wash.
Graveside Inurnment services will be held Monday morning, July 18, 2005 at 10 a.m. at the Madrid Cemetery, with Pastor Greg Stuckwisch officiating.
A memorial has been established in Gloria's memory.
Liewer Funeral Home of Wauneta is in charge of arrangements.
Wayne Peterson
Wayne Peterson, 78, of Billings, Mont., and former Livingston resident, passed away peacefully at Deaconess Billings Clinic, Wednesday, July 6, 2005.
Wayne was born on Sept. 24, 1926 in Beaver City, Neb., to Leonard and Edith (Gifford) Peterson.
He spent his early life and attended school there before entering the U. S. Army in May of 1945 at Camp Hood, Texas. He was assigned as a truck driver in the anti-tank battalion and was later transferred to Ft. Meyer, Va., as an armored driver in the 703rd MP Battalion.
During this time he was part of a team that returned valuable jewels to Germany, which had been stolen from a high ranking family. He also had duties patrolling the Pentagon, Ft. Meyer, Arlington Cemetery, and escorted dignitaries.
On April 13, 1952 he married Rosalene (Rosie) Kunnemann. In January 1969, they moved from Grant, Neb., to their ranch on Fleshman Creek in Livingston, Mont. They spent the next 20 years raising cattle and their two daughters.
Wayne joined the Farm Bureau in 1955. He served in various offices over a 19 year span from county secretary and treasurer to state director.
He and Rosie moved to Billings in 2000 to be closer to their daughter and her family.
Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Edith Peterson and sister, Beverly Cooper.
He is survived by his wife, Rosie Peterson of Billings; a sister, Barbara Cline of Glendive; a brother, Don Peterson of Imperial, Neb.; his daughters, Diann and husband Irvan Floth of Billings and Janet Peterson and Les Hedquist of Portland, Ore; and granddaughters, Morgan and Alison Floth of Billings.
Memorial services were held Monday, July 11, 2005 at Franzen-Davis Funeral Home in Livingston. Graveside committal and burial was in the Mountain View Cemetery.
Alene Langston
Alene (Huebert) Langston of Hoover, Ala., passed away Tuesday, June 28, 2005 in Pomona, Calif., at the age of 79. She was a member of Hunter Street Baptist Church.
She was born and raised in Madrid, Neb. After high school she taught school in Madrid until she moved to Fresno, Calif., where she was a telephone operator.
She met and married Edwin F. Langston. They were happily married for 54 years. She retired after 17 years as an early childhood education teacher at Prentiss Baptist Church in Prentiss, Miss. After retiring in 1996, they moved to Hoover.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Edwin.
She is survived by a son, Brad and wife Traci Langston of Hoover; two daughters, Carol and husband Steve Dill of Alta Loma, Calif., and Judy and husband Rick McCoy of Pelham, Ala.; seven grandchildren; two sisters, Estaline Cockerill of Scott City, Kan., and Jane Loewen of Fresno, Calif.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, July 6, at the Currie-Jefferson Funeral Home in Hoover with Dr. Buddy Gray and Rev. Chris Sullivan officiating..
Interment followed at Jefferson Memorial Gardens, South.
The family requests memorials be sent to Hunter Street Baptist Church Mission Outreach or the American Diabetes Association.
Vera Carlson
Vera Carlson, age 80 of Madrid, Neb., passed away at her home on Sunday, July 3, 2005. Funeral services will be heldon Thursday, July 7, at 10:30 a.m. at the Madrid United Methodist Church. Pastor Richard Haden officiating. Burial will be in the Madrid Cemetery.
A complete obituary will appear in next week's edition.
Gubser Funeral Home of Ogallala is in charge of arrangements.
Norbert Sabata
Norbert Simon Sabata, age 80, passed away on Monday, June 27, 2005 at his rural Paxton home.
He was born Jan. 24, 1925 in Appleton, Neb., the son of James and Adeline (Rezac) Sabata.
The family moved to Keith County in 1928. They first lived in Ogallala before moving to the North Platte River Valley northwest of Paxton.
Norbert attended the Pershing Center District 29 school and farmed with his father.
He was a member of the U.S. Army from 1951 until 1959 and was stationed in Germany. Following his discharge he returned to Paxton and was engaged in farming until his retirement in 1983.
Norbert married Blanche (Petracek) Babyak on Nov. 27, 1993 in Kelliher, Saskatchewan, Can.
Norbert had been a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church and was an active member of St. Luke's Catholic Church in Ogallala.
Survivors include: His wife, Blanche of Paxton; six children, Charles and wife Lori Babyak of Kelliher, SK, Can., Charlotte and husband Syd Sveinbjornson of Churchbrige, SK, Can., Darlene Edwards of Calgary, Alberta, Can., Geraldine and husband Lawrence Litzen-berger of Esterhazy, SK, Can., Marilyn Babyak of Regina, SK, Can., Renelda Desrosiers of Blagonie, SK, Can.; one sister, Sally Kiolbasa of Grant, Neb.; 15 grandchildren, Sarah, Matthew, Nathan, Beth, Boe, Luke, Bailey, Kim, Sage, Donovan, Jane, Jake, Dakota, Jackson and Jonathan; 10 nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, James J. Sabata; one niece and one nephew.
Cremation was chosen.
Memorial Mass was held Saturday, July 2, 2005 at the St. Luke's Catholic Church with Father Bryan Ernest and Father John Schlaf as co-celebrants. Inurnment was in the Ogallala Cemetery.
A memorial is established in his memory.
Gubser Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Robert Sexson
Robert Russell Sexson was born on July 25, 1919 southwest of Grant, Neb. He was the second of four children born to Russell and Ethel Winn Sexson.
The family moved to a farm east of the home place when Bob was three years old and he spent the next 80 years of his life on that farm. He attended rural school at the Perkins County Pride School south of the farm and later graduated from Perkins County High School in Grant in 1936.
He helped his father on the farm and on Jan. 1, 1941 he was married to Dolores Watkins in Alliance. Four children were born to this union.
Bob and Dolores raised their family on the farm and moved into Grant in 2002. Although the original home was destroyed by fire in 2003, he was proud that his son Doug was constructing a new home on the farmstead at the present time.
In addition to his farming, Bob worked as a carpenter and helped construct several homes on the west side of Grant. He also was an activities bus driver for many years for Grant High School and was very popular with the coaches and student passengers.
Bob had suffered a heart attack the middle of June and had been moved to the Perkins County Community Hospital where he died on Friday afternoon, July 1, 2005. He had reached the age of 85.
Bob was a longtime member of the Grant United Methodist Church and served on several different boards. He was a 60-year member of the Masonic Lodge and had served as the Worshipful Master. He was a member of the Eastern Star and had served as the Worthy Patron. Bob and Dolores enjoyed going dancing with a large group of friends and he purchased and drove an old school activities bus to several dances across the state.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents; one brother Don Sexson and one sister, Genise Hoffman; and his daughter Shelley Jane, who died in 1954.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Dolores, three sons, Rusty and wife Marilyn of Burlington, Colo.; Dan and wife Jannette, of St. Peters, Mo.; and Doug and wife Shari of rural Grant; eight grandchildren: Sam, Mark, Rachel, Chase, Josh, and Jake Sexson, and Brad and Jeff Means; his brother, John and wife Ardith of Grant; many other relatives and friends.
Services were held Tuesday, July 5 at 10:30 a.m. at the Grant United Methodist Church with Pastor Sally Ruggia-Haden officiating. Music was by Rusty Sexson and Susan Cook.
Casket bearers were nephews and grandsons. Burial was in the Grant Cemetery with a Masonic tribute. Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Ellen Sathre
Ellen Sathre, was born Dec. 22, 1916 in Papillion, Neb. She was the daughter of Anton and Anna Axelsen Malmkar.
She grew up in Grant, Neb., and graduated from Perkins County High School. Ellen later graduated from Chadron State College in Chadron, Neb. She taught in a country school near Brandon, Neb., for six years and then moved to Colorado Springs, Colo.
Ellen worked at Fort Carson as a secretary for the U.S. Army during World War II. She later transferred out to Vancouver, Wash., where she continued to work as a secretary in the Kaiser Shipyards. It was there that she met her future husband, Oscar Sathre.
Ellen and Oscar were united in marriage on June 16, 1946 in Brandon. The couple moved to Tuttle, N.D., where they made their living farming and ranching. They moved to Fargo, N.D., in 1995.
She entered Elim Care Center in Fargo in December of 2004. Ellen passed away Thursday, June 23, 2005. She had reached the age of 88.
Ellen is survived by her husband, Oscar; one daughter, Brenda and her husband Ed Kaeding of Forest Lake, Minn.; one son, Kenneth Sathre of Fargo; two grandsons, Michael and Lucas; and one sister, Marie and her husband Dick Rosenquist of Geneva, Neb.
She was preceded in death by five brothers, Elmer, Harold, Chris, Victor and Kenneth.
Funeral services were held Monday, June 27, 2005 in the Church of the Nazarene in Tuttle and burial was at the Tuttle Cemetery.
Boulger Funeral Home in Fargo was in charge of arrangements.
Norma Martens
Norma Marie Martens age 88 of Ogallala, Neb., died Wednesday June 22, at Indian Hills Manor in Ogallala.
Norma was born on Aug. 27, 1916, in Seward County, Neb., to Otto and Emma Zavodny Eberhardt. Norma was attending her freshman year at Seward High School when the family moved to a farm south of Brule, Neb., in March of 1931.
She graduated from Perkins County High School in 1934. Having completed the normal training course in high school, she taught in various country schools in Perkins County from 1935 to 1941.
On March 7, 1941, Norma and Gilbert Martens were married by Pastor Walter Koenig at St. Paul's parsonage in Ogallala. They later made their home on a farm south of Ogallala.
Besides raising a family and being a farm wife, Norma was active in church and community activities. She taught Sunday school at St. John's Lutheran Church in Brule before her marriage and at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Ogallala while raising her family. She was an active member of St. Paul's Ladies Aid.
She joined the Sunny Slope Extension Club in 1941 and was an active member until the club disbanded in 1995.
She was leader for the home economics projects in the Baby Beef 4-H Club. Norma was an excellent baker and won many blue ribbons for her yeast breads in the Open Class Foods Division at the Keith County Fair.
Survivors include son Alan and wife Leona Martens of Fort Collins, Colo., and daughters Marcia Crofutt of Ogallala and Jolene and husband Charles Engel of Ogallala. Surviving grandchildren are Cheryl Martens of Burlington, W. Va., and her children D. J. Miller and Chera Miller; Tom and Michelle Martens, Gary, Tommy, and Ben of Las Vegas, Nev.; Mark and Tonya Martens and daughter Shacaira of Greeley, Colo., and Matt Martens of Denver, Colo.; Kevin Crofutt of Fort Bragg, N.C., Jesse Crofutt and Ross Crofutt both of Seattle, Wash.; and Johanna, Phillip, and Emilene Engel of Ogallala; sisters Eleanor McCroden of Ogallala and Berdeen Block of Grand Junction, Colo., and brother Darold Eberhardt and wife Diane of Bryan, Texas. Brother-in-law Ed Martens of Grant; nephew Harlan Martens and niece Mildred and husband Harold McGee all of Brule, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Norma was preceded in death by her parents, three infant daughters, Janis, Ruth and Selma, son, Gary, infant granddaughter, Beth Martens, her husband, Gilbert in 1998 and a sister, Alice Hackbarth.
Funeral services were held Saturday, June 25, 2005 at the St. Paul's Lutheran Church with the Rev David Dobbertien officiating.
Memorial has been established to St. Paul's Lutheran Church
Draucker Funeral Home of Ogallala was in charge of arrangements.
