U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Georgia Wilke
COLUMBUS - Georgia H. Wilke, 87, of Osmond died Thursday, Jan. 26, 2006, at Faith Regional Health Services.
The funeral will be Sunday at 6 p.m. at Gass Haney Funeral Home in Columbus. Interment will be in Christ Lutheran cemetery on Monday at 9:30 a.m. A memorial service will be Monday at 2 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Osmond.
Memorials are suggested to Christ Lutheran cemetery or Immanuel Lutheran Church in Osmond or donor’s choice.
Georgia Helen Wilke was born Aug. 14, 1918, in Columbus to Adolph and Emily (Loseke) Frese. She was baptized, confirmed and received her education at Christ Lutheran Church.
Georgia married
Arthur Wilke on March 5, 1940 in Blair. In October 1995, they moved to Osmond, where they were members of Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Georgia is survived by her husband, Arthur Wilke of Osmond; sons and their wives, Sidney (Martha) Wilke of Eaton, Colo., Philip (Leslie) Wilke of Moreno Valley, Calif., Martin (Carol) Wilke of Boise, Idaho, David (Jean) Wilke of Greeley, Colo., Quentin (Marcille) Wilke of Garden City, Kan., Clark (Kathy) Wilke of Osmond, Colin (Janet) Wilke of Kearney, John (Evonna) Wilke of Greeley, Colo., Andrew (Donna) Wilke of Lincoln and Luke (Deborah) Wilke of Lincoln; daughters and their husbands, Gloria Wilke Miller (Rick Loock) of Lincoln and Audrey (Ernest) Sayers of Clarkson; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Georgia was preceded in death by her parents, Adolph and Emily Frese; brothers, LeRoy, Lloyd and Gerhard Frese; and sisters, Alice Frese, Dorothea Frese and Bernice Stevenson.
Randell R. Eckert
Services for Randell R. Eckert, 74, Norfolk, formerly of the Pilger area, will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday at Grace Lutheran Church in Norfolk. The Rev. Ray Wilke will officiate with burial in the Stanton City Cemetery. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Monday at Johnson-Stonacek Funeral Chapel in Norfolk. He died Friday, Dec. 23, 2005, at Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk.
Delbert Duhachek
NEWMAN GROVE - Services for Delbert Duhachek, 88, Newman Grove, will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Trinity Lutheran Church here with burial in the parish cemetery. Visitation will 4-8 p.m. Monday at Newman Grove Memorial Funeral Home.
He died Saturday, Jan. 28, 2006, at Mid Nebraska Lutheran Home.
Leo Fiala
SPENCER - Services for Leo E. Fiala, 94, of Spencer are pending at Brockhaus Funeral Home in Spencer. Mr. Fiala died Sunday, Jan. 29, 2006, at Avera St. Anthony Hospital in O’Neill.
John Hoferer
BLOOMFIELD - Services for John H. Hoferer, 102, of Bloomfield will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Christ Memorial United Methodist Church here with burial in Greenwood cemetery at Creighton. Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Brockhaus Funeral Home in Bloomfield.
Mr. Hoferer died Saturday, Jan. 28, 2006, at Bloomfield Good Samaritan Center.
John was born Jan. 22, 1904, on a farm in the Verdigre area to John and Mary (Hoffart) Hoferer. He grew up in rural Verdigre and attended school up to the eighth grade. He was baptized and confirmed in the Zion Lutheran Church in Creighton.
On April 1, 1931, he was united in marriage to Irene Helen Baller at Zion Lutheran Church in Creighton. To this union four children were born, Barbara, Ronald, Jolene and John E. Jr. The family belonged to the Lindy Lutheran Church. They moved to Niobrara in 1960 where they were active in Niobrara events. John was busy when the town of Niobrara was on the move due to the river. At age 74, he and Jerome Robinette formed the J and J Construction Company to help demolish the old town and build the new town.
John and Irene were members of Niobrara Lutheran Church where they celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary. They also belonged to the Senior Citizen’s Club. He liked to fish, play cards and dance. He loved country western music and polkas.
John and Irene moved to Bloomfield Washington Apartments in 1993. Irene passed away March 3, 1994. John suffered a stroke and entered the Bloomfield Good Samaritan Center in April 1998. He resided in the Good Sam until he passed away. John loved life. His motto was “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’’
He is survived by his daughters, Barbara Harrom of Bloomfield, Jolene and her husband Roger Burns of Essex, Iowa; sons and their wives, Ronald and Phyllis Hoferer of Niobrara and John E. and Mary Hoferer of Council Bluffs, Iowa; 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Irene, and six brothers and sisters.
Shirley Hurless
AINSWORTH - Services for Shirley J. Hurless, 73, of Ainsworth will be Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the United Methodist Church with burial in the Ainsworth Cemetery. Visitation will start at 1 p.m. Monday at Hoch Funeral Home.
She died Friday, Jan. 27, 2006, at Brown County Hospital.
Betty Peters
BLOOMFIELD - Services are pending at Brockhaus Funeral Home for Betty J. Peters, 84, Bloomfield. She died Sunday, Jan. 29, 2006, at the Good Samaritan Center.
Dwain Petersen
PLAINVIEW - Memorial services for Dwain Petersen, 76, Plainview, will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the United Methodist Church here with burial in the Danish cemetery and military rites by American Legion Post 148.
Visitation will be one hour before service at the church. Ashburn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
He died Saturday, Jan. 28, 2006, at Faith Regional Health Services.
Keith Pilger
A memorial service for Keith Stanford Pilger, 86, formerly of Norfolk and Pilger, was Jan. 3 at the Canyon Lake, Calif., Country Club.
He died Dec. 17, 2005.
He was born in Pilger on Nov. 7, 1929, and was the only son of Adam and Lucille Pilger. He grew up in Norfolk and graduated from Norfolk High and Norfolk Junior College before going on to the University of Wyoming and graduating with a degree in engineering. He was the great-nephew of August Pilger, who settled the town of Norfolk, and also the great-nephew of John Peter Pilger, who settled the town of Pilger. His great-grandfather, Adam Pilger, was county treasurer of Stanton County in 1893 and was mayor of Pilger before serving two terms in the Nebraska State Legislature from 1904-1913.
Keith began his career in air research in Tucson, Ariz., before moving his family to Santa Barbara, Calif., in 1964. He worked for Hughes Air Craft and another company called Pneu Devices Inc., where he was program manager for the space shuttle orbiter program. He was responsible for the the hydraulic circulation pumps on each of the space shuttles. His extra pump brought Apollo 13 home.
He retired to Canyon Lake, Calif., in 1994. He was a basketball and football referee for 25 years and an avid reader and golfer.
Keith was preceded in death by his wife, Marge, of 47 years and his grandson, David Martin. Keith is survived by his three children, Cindy Martin (Dennis) of Phoenix, Scott Pilger of Paso Robles, Calif., and Stacey Lynch (John) of Phoenix, and his seven grandchildren, Kristen Martin, Michael Martin, Caila Pilger, Kyle Pilger, Caleb Lynch, Amy Lynch and Carly Lynch.
Glen Stewart
EMERSON - Services for Glen Stewart, 73, of Pender will be Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Emerson with burial in the Wisner cemetery at 1 p.m.
Visitation will be Monday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the church with a prayer service at 7 p.m. and continue Tuesday from 9 a.m. until service time at the church. Kuzelka-Minnick Funeral Home in Wisner is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Stewart died Friday, Jan. 27, 2006, at the Pender Care Center.
Glen Ellis Stewart was born Feb. 5, 1932, in rural Cuming County to Ellis and Florence (Faubel) Stewart. He attended Cuming County rural school and graduated from Wisner High School in 1950. While in high school he participated in football, boxing and FFA.
After high school he married
Shirley Glaubius and to this union were born four children, Glen E. Stewart Jr., Ann Marie, Gail Lynn and Steve Allen. He later married
Darla Mae (Schroeder) Kai on March 8, 1969. There were no children born to this union.
Glen had been employed at Warren Oil in Emerson and later drove a truck for Kindschuh Trucking, Pete Christensen, Stewart Trucking, Bierman Grain, Emerson Grain and Dallas Worrell. He was also a feed salesman for Moorman Feeds. For 12 years he was employed at the Pender waste water treatment plant and had earned an award from the State of Nebraska during that time. Glen also owned and operated his own trenching business, where he laid the lighting lines for the Pender, Wayne and Sheldon, Iowa, airports and also did some work on the John G. Neihardt Center in Bancroft.
For the last 34 years, Glen had lived his life sober with the support of Alcoholics Anonymous. Glen was a member of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Emerson. Some of his favorite pastimes included gardening, fishing, camping and spending time with his granddaughter Laura and his A.A. friends.
Survivors include a stepdaughter, Teresa Kai of Pender; step granddaughter, Laura Kai of Pender; brother, Jim and wife Darleen Stewart of Linwood; sisters, Thais and Elmer Frieling of Smith Center, Kan., and Janice Albers of Wisner; ex-wife, Darla Mae Stewart of Pender; children, Ann Marie Robinson, Gail Coover in Colorado, Steven Karel of Bennington; great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Glen was preceded in death by his parents, son Glen E. Stewart Jr., brother Eldon Stewart, sister Joan Luedtke and ex-wife Shirley Karel.
Pastor Gretchen Ritola will officiate.
