U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Nancy Prosser-Weedin
Nancy Elaine Prosser was the first child born July 26, 1944 in Alliance, Neb., to Helen (Kenagy) and Leonard Prosser.
She lived on the family homestead in Sioux County in the sod house built by her Prosser grandparents, father and uncle until the spring of 1949, when the family moved to Crawford.
She attended Crawford Public Schools until she graduated in 1962. She attended Hastings College from 1962-1965 and received a BS degree in music education in 1966 from Chadron State College.
She accepted her first teaching position in the fall of 1966 in Grant, Neb., and taught K-8 instrumental and vocal music until 1969.
She earned an elementary teaching endorsement in 1976 at Chadron State College. She earned her master's degree in administration in 1990.
Nancy was a teacher or a principal for 35 years in western Nebraska and Colorado retiring in the fall of 2005.
In 1968 she married James Wilson in Grant. To this union were born two children, Cynthia (Wilson) Seagren and Wade Wilson. They moved to Loveland, Colo., in 1969 after Nancy acquired a music teaching position with the Big Thompson School District. She completed one year of teaching before staying home to raise their daughter. Jim and Nancy were divorced in the fall of 1977.
In 1980, she married Gene Weedin. Nancy returned to the Grant Public Schools in 1977 and taught or was principal of the K-8 building until 1998.
She then accepted a principalship at Grandview Elementary in Alliance, Neb., until she was offered a position in McCook where she served as an administrator of both East Ward and Central Elementary. She also served as principal of West Ward in its last year and was the district assessment coordinator for a year and a half. When the district cut its staff numbers Nancy chose to return to the classroom.
It was to be her final year, as she contracted lung cancer and spent her last days enjoying retirement and reconnecting with friends across the state. Nancy died at her home in McCook on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 at the age of 60.
Some of her favorite activities included being with children–her own, her classes of students, and her grandchildren, reading, crafting, and camping.
She was a member of the McCook Memorial United Methodist Church, Nebraska Pride Chorus of Sweet Adelines International, Nebraska Council of School Administrators, and Phi Delta Kappa. She was a member of various education organizations throughout the years.
She was preceded in death by her father Leonard Prosser and nephew Jason Prosser.
Surviving family include her husband, Gene of McCook, Neb.; daughter Cindi Seagren and husband Casey of Maywood, Neb.; son Wade Wilson and daughter-in-law Keri of Twin Falls, Idaho; grandchildren, Ridge Neal, Jake Neal, Savannah Wilson, and Blake Wilson, Jaycee Seagren and Reid Seagren; her mother, Helen Prosser; brothers Emory and Jim Prosser of Crawford, Neb., and David Prosser of N. C.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Memorial United Methodist Church in McCook, Neb., the education foundations of Grant Public Schools, Alliance Public Schools, or McCook Public Schools.
Funeral services were held Monday, June 27, 2005 at the Memorial United Methodist Church with Rev. Dr. Jeff Thurman officiating. A private family inurnment will be held at a later time.
Carpenter-Breland Funeral Home of McCook was in charge of arrangements.
Ethel Brown
Ethel Brown was born on May 30, 1908 in Chase County, Nebraska. She was the second of six children born to Frank and Jennie Hoffman Whips. Ethel attended rural school in Chase County before her parents moved to Grant, Neb. Ethel finished school in Grant, graduating from Perkins County High School in 1926 with normal training. She taught school at Brule, Neb., and Middlevale rural school for the next two years.
Ethel was married to Walter Brown on May 20, 1928 at the United Church of Christ First Congregational Church in Grant. They had the distinction of being the first couple that were married in the "new" church.
Two children, Donna Mae and Robert Allan were born to this union. Walt and Ethel built their farm home northwest of Grant where they lived for 46 years before moving into town in 1974. Walt and Ethel enjoyed traveling and spent several winters in Arizona.
Walt died in 1986 and Ethel continued to maintain her home until 1996 when she moved to Westview Retirement. Ethel moved to Park Ridge Assisted Living in 2002 and was recuperating at the Golden Ours Convalescent Home in Grant where she died Tuesday morning, June 21, 2005. She had reached the age of 97.
Ethel ahd been an active member of the Congregational Church for nearly 80 years, being a member of the Dorcas as well as the general fellowship. She had been a member of the Grant Women's Club and was a charter and fifty year member of the W.I.L. extension club. She was a longtime member of the Eastern Star where she had served as the worthy matron and of the Grant Rebekah Lodge where she had served as the noble grand.
She enjoyed gardening, making fancy things and cooking. Her greatest joy was her family, spending time with them and watching her grandchildren and their families in their many different activities.
In addition to her parents and husband, Ethel was preceded in death by her son, Robert; one grandson, Doug Brown; two sisters, Edna Mickish and Mabel Beal; and two brothers, Frank and Fletcher Whips.
She is survived by her daughter, Donna and husband Bob Bishop of Grant; six grandchildren, Jim and wife Carol Bishop of Lincoln, Neb., Gaylord and Genie Bishop of Grant, Russell and Claire Bishop of Ogallala, Neb., Lloyd and Tricia Bishop of Indianapolis, Ind., Suzan and Calvin McCormick of North Platte, Neb., and Shelly Oakley of Mesa, Ariz.; 17 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; one sister, Margaret and husband Frosty Quick of McCook, Neb.; one sister-in-law, Vera Whips of Max, Neb.; and many other relatives and friends.
Services were held Saturday, June 25, 2005 at the Grant First Congregational Church in Grant with Pastor John Keener offiating. Music was provided by organist Lynn Schumacher and soloist Cheryl Russell.
Casket bearers were Bret Bishop, Jayson Bishop, Aaron Bishop, Andrew Bishop, Daniel Bishop, David Bishop, Kevin Bishop, Carl Bishop and Ryan Bishop.
Interment was in the Grant Cemetery. Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Michala Jo Cheek
Michala Jo Cheek, 13, of Wallace, Neb., died Saturday, June 25, 2005 at the Sutherland Reservoir in Sutherland, Neb.
Michala was born May 1, 1992 at York, Neb., to Gary Lester Becker and Kathleen Jo Anne Cheek. She grew up in York until the age of six, then her family moved to Wallace where she had completed the sixth grade.
Michala loved horses, animals, singing and drawing. She was in a reading group and loved reading books about horses.
Michala was a member of FROGS (Fully Rely On God's Son) at the Wallace United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her mother, Kathleen Jo Anne and stepfather James Harold of Wallace; her father, Gary Becker, of Utica, Neb.; two brothers, Allen Becker and Zachary Harold, and one sister, Hailey Harold, all at home in Wallace; grandparents, Lester and Clora Becker of Chappell, Neb., Vicky Wiemer of York, Wayne and Ruth Cheek of Lawrence, Kan.; great-grandparents, Roy and Gladys Wiemer of York; great-great-grandmother, Vivian Rieger of Utica; and lots of aunts, uncles and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Bob and Evelyn Harold; and her great-great-grandfather, Carl Rieger.
Services were held Wednesday, June 29, 2005 at Odean Colonial Chapel in North Platte, Neb., with Pastor Jurdan Counts of the Wallace Methodist Church officiating. Burial was in the Morning View Cemetery in Wallace.
Odean Colonial Chapel was in charge of arrangements.
Robert Peterson
Robert Peterson was born on May 4, 1921 near Sedgwick, Colo. He was the youngest of two sons born to Walter and Eva Rundall Peterson. The family moved to the Grant, Neb., community in 1925 and Bob attended rural school at District 84. He attended high school in Grant and graduated from Perkins County High School in 1938. He furthered his education at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln at the Ag College where he graduated in 1943.
Bob moved to Thedford, Neb., where he served as the county extension agent for Thomas County. It was here that he met and married Lois Ryman. Two sons were born to this union. They moved to Grant and Bob taught veterans returning from World War II the latest in farm technology. He also worked as a field man for Farm Bureau.
Bob later met Betty McNaughton of Chappell and they were married on Oct. 10, 1956 at the Congregational parsonage in Grant. They made their home in Grant until 1976 when they moved to their farm home just west of Grainton. In addition to his farming, Bob served as independent crop insurance adjustor for several years. Bob and Betty moved back to Grant in 2003. Bob had been failing in health and had been moved to the Golden Ours Convalescent Home in March of this year where he died early Monday morning, June 13, 2005. He had reached the age of 84.
Bob was a member of the Grant Congregational Church where he had served on various boards. He had been an active member of the Grant Masonic Lodge where he had served as the worshipful master and the I.O.O.F. Lodge where he had served as the noble grand.
Bob is survived by his wife, Betty, three sons, Gary and wife Fyrn of Omaha, Dale of Lincoln, and Walter and wife Patti of Ap-pling, Ga., two daughters, Frances and husband Roy Curry of Naples, Fla., and Jean and husband Stuart Chastain of Shoreview, Minn.; 10 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren; his brother Rundall Peterson of Alma, Neb., other relatives and friends.
Services were held Friday, June 17, 2005 at Grant First Congregational Church with Pastor John Keener officiating.
Music was by Lynn Schumacher and Gertrude Hundhausen.
Casket bearers were Leon Ku-mor, Bernard Deaver, Marvin Stumpf, Doug Sexson, Richard Roberts and Lloyd Logsdon.
Interment was in the Grant Cemetery with tributes by the Masonic and I.O.O.F. Lodges.
Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
William "Bill" Stierlen
William "Bill" Stierlen was born near Mullen, Neb., Hooker County, in the sandhills region of Nebraska. He was born on March 12, 1924 to William and Clara Naiman Stierlen. Â Â
He married Virginia Biggs on Oct. 9, 1943 in Ogallala, Neb. They had three daughters, Anita, Linda and Ramona.
Bill and Virginia lived in Grant, Neb., where Bill started ranching and farming. He bought a secondhand tractor and implements, a few milk cows, and some horses; then they moved to Sedgwick, Colo.Â
Bill was the only dairyman in Sedgwick County for many years. He owned 4,000 acres where he raised wheat, corn, feed, and stock cows. He was also a conservationist and many dams were constructed on his land.
After living in Sedgwick for 54 years, Bill and Virginia moved to the Sedgwick County Health Center in Julesburg, Colo., in 1999. William passed away on June 14, 2005.
He belonged to the Presbyterian Church, Odd Fellows, Rebekah Lodge, Farmer's Union, and a card club. His hobbies were rodeo, horseshoes, and cards.
Bill is survived by his loving wife Virginia of Julesburg; three daughters, Anita and husband Steve Nein of Ovid, Linda and husband Jim Vaughn of Denver, Colo., and Ramona and husband Steve Koenen of Sedgwick; seven grandsons and nine great-grandchildren; one brother, Lester Stierlen and his wife Inez.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, Walter, Alven and two brothers who died in infancy; and one sister, Ida Schneider.
Services were held Saturday, June 18, 2005 at the Community Presbyterian Church in Sedgwick with Pastor Arthur Roth officiating. Interment was at the Sedgwick Cemetery.
Austin Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Darold E. Nielsen
Darold Nielsen was born in Dannebrog, Neb., Jan. 9, 1926, and moved to Grant, Neb., in 1934. He joined the Navy in 1943. He was a member of the Masons.
He died May 18, 2005 reaching the age of 79.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Eleanor; two sons and a daughter; three brothers, Marlowe, Lavern and Dale; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services were held in Chula Vista, Calif.
A scattering of ashes at sea was planned.
Leslie Martin
Leslie D. Martin, 73, died Monday, April 25, 2005 in Bentonville, Ark. Les and Vera (Schroder), his wife of 52 years, lived in many different places, but in their hearts and soul they were always Nebraskans.
Born in Lincoln, Neb., to John (Jack) and Lucile Martin, Les graduated from the University of Nebraska as a civil engineer. Les worked most of his career with the Consulting Engineers Group, headquartered outside Chicago, and in a leadership role helped raise that company to prominence in the field of prestressed concrete.
He was nationally and internationally known in the field and was elected as a "fellow" in the American Concrete Institute, the Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI), and the American Society of Civil Engineers.
After retiring, Les and his wife Vera moved to Bella Vista, Ark., and Les continued consulting work and was the technical editor of the PCI Industry Design Handbook released in April, 2005.
In Bella Vista, Les and Vera became committed members of the Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista, continuing their lifelong devotion to our Lord and Savior. Les served in many leadership roles, and helped in many different ways. He was very involved in the community through the church, through his love of golf and through volunteer work.
Les was first and foremost a loving husband and father, and cherished time with his family. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his mother, Lucile Martin of Grand Island, Neb.; children, Jim and Kelley Martin of Kansas City, Russ and Ruth Martin of Memphis, Scott and Linda Martin of San Antonio and Sharon and John Moe of Indianapolis; 11 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and his brothers and sisters, Carol and Bob Noah, Dianne and Dave Barker, Lanny and Sharon Martin, Tom and Kathy Martin and Janet and Dale Benson.
A committal service was held at the Bella Vista Memorial Garden Cemetery in Bella Vista, Ark.
Cheryl Hull
Cheryl B. Hull, 59, died May 27, 2005, in Juneau.
She was born Nov. 24, 1945, in Lander, Wyo. She grew up in Riverton, Wyo., and attended the University of Wyoming in Laramie, where she met her husband, David. They lived in Wyoming and Nebraska before they moved to Juneau in 1986.
She worked as a regional correspondent and human-interest columnist for The North Platte Telegraph. She was a radio dispatcher for the Perkins County Sheriff's Office and the Keith County Regional Communications Center in Ogallala, where she dispatched for the Nebraska State Troopers and police, fire and ambulance services in eight counties.
After moving to Juneau, she was employed at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, where she worked for the divisions of Sport Fish and Boards before working in the Publications Section. She had the distinction of serving as the editor for the last two issues of the departmental publication, Alaska's Wildlife.
While employed by the state, she was active in the General Government Bargaining Unit and served as treasurer for the union.
Most recently, she worked for Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL). While there, she was an advocate for people with disabilities, especially those who are visually impaired. She also served as a member of the SAIL Board, and as the assistant director for SAIL.
She testified before the Alaska Legislature on several occasions on behalf of disabled persons. She also was a tireless advocate for a dialysis center in Juneau.
She worked with her husband to help prepare young couples for marriage in the Catholic church and in presenting weekends for Worldwide Marriage Encounter in Nebraska, Alaska and Washington.
She was preceded in death by her son, Michael Hull.
She is survived by her husband of nearly 40 years, David; parents, Frank and Alice Blumenshine of Eastsound, Wash.; daughters, Heidi and husband Tim Skelcher of Kirkland, Wash., and Kelli Hull of Juneau; son, Patrick Hull of Kirkland, Wash.; grandchildren, Brittany and Hailey of Kirkland, Wash., and Natasha and Nikolai, of Juneau; sisters, Connie Widman of Tucson, Ariz., Toni O'Brien of Eastsound, Wash., and Jana and husband Mark Heard of Juneau; brothers, Dennis Blumenshine of Laramie, Wyo.; Thomas and wife Anne Blumenshine; Bruce and wife Kathi Blumenshine of Billings, Mont., David and wife Susan Blumenshine of Juneau, Kirk and wife Samm Blumenshine of Atlanta, Ga., Mark and wife Susan Blumenshine of Greely, Colo.; and numerous nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.
Services were held Wednesday, June 1, 2005 at Saint Paul the Apostle Catholic Church.
Elnora Steinke
Elnora Steinke was born on April 28, 1920 in Nance County near Belgrade, Neb. She was the oldest of two children born to George and Anna Sass Suhr. Elnora was baptized on June 20, 1920 at the Lutheran church in Belgrade.
The family moved to Gretna, Neb., when she was a young girl and then to a farm west of Ogallala, Neb., where she attended rural school District No. 14. She began high school in Ogallala but did not finish because of health problems.
Elnora was married to Edwin Steinke on April 28, 1943 at the Lutheran parsonage in Ogallala. (She was confirmed at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Venango on Dec. 5, 1943.) They lived their entire married life on their farm home north of Venango. Elnora had been in failing health and was moved to the Golden Ours Convalescent Home in Grant, Neb., in April. She died early Monday morning, May 23, 2005 at the Perkins County Community Hospital. She had reached the age of 85.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Raymond Suhr and one grandson, Robby Newth.
Elnora is survived by her husband, Edwin; three daughters, Leona and husband Bill Loveless of Lexington, Neb., Linda and Gary Newth of Venango and Eilene and husband Larry Lacy of Wauneta, Neb.; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; other relatives and friends.
Services were held Friday, May 27, 2005 at the Venango St. Paul's Lutheran Church with Pastor Alan Borcher officiating.
Music was provided by organist Virginia Brinkema and soloist Brandee Marquardt.
Casket bearers were Bob Biel, Bill Wendland, Bob Krems, Murl Abts, Gary Cross and Bruce Marquardt.
Interment was in the Venango Cemetery.
Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
