U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Margaret Nowak
Margaret Nowak was born on Feb. 22, 1916 on a ranch north of Keystone, Neb. She was the youngest of five children born to Walter and Lola Barndt Helmer.
Margaret attended country school through the eighth grade and them went on to Arthur County High School where she graduated. She then taught country school in Arthur and Perkins counties. She rode a horse five miles to get to her school.
Margaret was married to Anton "Tony" Nowak on Nov. 23, 1935 in Ogallala, Neb. They lived in different communities in Colorado and Missouri where Tony was involved in the construction of army bases.
They moved to a farm northwest of Grant, Neb., in 1944 and Margaret worked for a period at Goodall's in Ogallala. They moved into Grant in 1961 where Tony served as the Perkins County Sheriff for 16 years. Margaret began cooking for and later was certified as a dietary supervisor for the Perkins County Community Hospital. She served in this capacity for 20 years before she retired.
Margaret lived in her home until December of 2003 when she moved to the Golden Ours Convalescent Home in Grant. She died at Golden Ours on Monday night, April 11, 2005. She had reached the age of 89.
Margaret was raised in the Baptist Church and joined the New Life Fellowship Church in Grant in 1985. She joined the Grant United Methodist Church in 2004.
Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of over 68 years, Tony; three sisters, Ardis Heimer, Goldie Dew and Deloris Johannsen; one brother, Parmer Helmer; and an infant son, Dwight Nowak.
She is survived by one son, Monte and wife Karen of Paradise Valley, Ariz., and one daughter, Toni and husband Kurt Radtke of Ft. Collins, Colo.; four grandchildren, Lorie and husband Groll, Anton Nowak, Kurt and wife Kathryn Radtke and Shawn Radtke; three great-grandchildren; other relatives and friends.
Services were held Saturday, April 16 at the Grant United Methodist Church with Pastor Sally Ruggia-Haden officiating. Music was provided by pianist Donice Holaway and soloist Bob Cummings. Casket bearers were Lorie Groll, Anton Nowak, Kurt Radtke, Kurt T. Radtke, Kathryn Radtke and Shawn Radtke.
Interment was in the Grant Cemetery.
Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Ralph Kuskie
Ralph Kuskie was born on Oct. 8, 1916 northwest of Grant, Neb. He was the fourth of eight children born to Charles and Helena Kurkowski Kuskie. He attended rural school through the eighth grade at District No. 43. After his schooling, Ralph began his lifelong career of farming.
Ralph was married to Erma Bauer on April 28, 1943 in Grant. They made their first home 12 miles west of Grant and in 1945 they moved to their present farm location three miles west of Grant. In addition to his farming and milking cows, Ralph worked for a brief period at Emmett's Repair and the Case dealership when Wilfred Kreider had ownership. Ralph had developed a malignancy late last fall and died Friday morning, April 15, 2005 at Perkins County Community Hospital in Grant. He had reached the age of 88.
Ralph was a member of the Grant Zion Lutheran Church. He also enjoyed a game of pitch with his friends at DJ's.
Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Lucille Bauer and an infant brother, Walter.
He is survived by his wife Erma; five sons, Charles and wife Nina of Venango, Neb., Walter of Golden, Colo., Larry and wife Norma Jean, Jerald and Edwin all of Grant; three daughters, Karen and husband Harold Romer of Bennett, Colo., Shirley Kuskie of Grant and Joyce Barnett of Colorado Springs, Colo.; 16 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Elsie Dahlkoetter of Grant, Marge Bauer and Mildred Schuchman, both of Denver, Colo.; two brothers, George Kuskie of Denver and Virgil and wife Erna Kuskie of Altus, Okla.; other relatives and friends.
Services were held Monday, April 18, at the Zion Lutheran Church in Grant with Pastor Ron Krause officiating.
Music was provided by organist Evelyn Gengenbach. Casket bearers were Jason Kuskie, Tony Kuskie, Jacob Kuskie, Christopher Romer, Craig Romer, Ross Ritter and Jeff Miller.
Interment was in the Grant Cemetery.
Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Lulu Bell Tatum
Lulu Bell Tatum was born on April 21, 1904 at Greenwood, Neb. She was the sixth of seven children born to George and Florinda Wade Makinster. The family moved to Texas when Lulu was a young girl but returned to Perkins County where Lulu finished her schooling. She graduated from Perkins County High School with the class of 1924. This was the first class to attend all four years at the high school.
Lulu was married to Lawrence Greer on June 3, 1925 at Holyoke, Colo. They lived in different communities in northeast Colorado until 1946 when they returned to Grant. Lulu taught rural school for a brief period of time. Lawrence died in 1961 and Lulu was married to Charles Tatum on July 2, 1965. They maintained their home in Grant until Charles died in 1981. Lulu was able to stay at home with the help of her family and later living with her granddaughter until June of 2002 when she moved to the Golden Ours Convalescent Home. She died at Golden Ours late Wednesday night, April 13, 2005. She had reached the age of 100 and just one week short of her next birthday.
Lulu had been a member of the Grant Four-Square Church while it was in existence and was also a member of the Grant Rebekah Lodge.
Lulu was preceded in death by her parents, two husbands, five brothers, two half-brothers, one sister and a daughter, Wauneta Sumner.
She is survived by her son, Marvin and wife Annie Greer of Grand Junction, Colo., and her daughter, Donna and husband Efran Valdez of Westbrook, Minn; 15 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren; other relatives and friends.
Services were held Saturday, April 16, at the New Life Fellowship in Grant with Mark Hunter officiating. Music was provided by pianist Beth Krems and soloist Brittany Brown. Casket bearers were Doug Greer, Mark Greer, Clint Greer, Jeff Gerbitz, Mike Gerbitz and Jack Brown.
Interment was in the Grant Cemetery. Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mamie Sides
Mamie Sides was born on July 22, 1908 at Hugo, Colo. She was the youngest of nine children born to John and Lorena Salmon Murphy. Mamie grew up in Hugo where she attended school, graduating in 1925.
Mamie was married to Orville Sides on Dec. 6, 1928 at Denver, Colo. Orville was an electrical engineer and they lived in different communities in Colorado and Wyoming where Orville was establishing rural electrical systems. They moved to Grant, Neb., in 1945 where he was the founding manager of the R.E.A. which later became Midwest Electric.
Orville died in 1953 and Mamie moved to Sunset Haven in 1980 and then to Park Ridge Assisted Living in 2003. She stayed active at Park Ridge and was admitted to the Perkins County Community Hospital the first of April where she died Thursday morning, April 7, 2005. She had reached the age of 96.
Mamie had worked at the Mary Lyon Shoppe and later owned and Managed Mamie's Cafe. She was confirmed and became a member of the United Methodist Church in 1948. She had belonged to the Garden Club, was active in the Senior Center, and recently participated in the Grant chapter of the Red Hat
Society. Mamie always enjoyed following her family's activities and in later years she still enjoyed watching the Grant Plainsmen in their athletic contests.
In addition to her parents and husband, Mamie was preceded in death by three brothers, four sisters, one granddaughter, one grandson and two great-grandsons.
She is survived by those she dearly loved; three sons, Don of Grant, Wayne and wife Dolores of Grant and Dick and wife Mary of Ashkum, Ill.; one daughter, Elaine Pankonin of Aurora, Colo.; eight grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren; one sister, Elsie William-son of Denver; other relatives and friends.
Services were held Monday, April 11, 2005 at the Grant United Methodist Church with Pastors Sally Ruggia-Haden and Russ Gaar officiating. Music was provided by pianist Donice Holaway and soloist Bob Cummings.
Interment of cremains was in the Grant Cemetery. Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Violet Bedell
Violet Bedell was born on March 5, 1911 at Harvard, Neb. She was the third of seven children born to Lemuel and Minnie Peterson Pontine.
The family moved by immigrant cars to Perkins County near Venango in 1917. They lived in the barn on their farm property before their house was finished.
Violet attended country school near Lamar and Venango. In 1989 Violet received her high school diploma through the G.E.D. program at Venango at the age of 80. She was very proud of this accomplishment.
Violet was married to Lyle "Tink" Bedell on June 7, 1940. Violet stayed in Venango with her two daughters when Tink served in World War II.
After Tink's return from the war, they made Venango their home their entire married life.
Tink died in 1979 and Violet continued to maintain her home until 1995 when she moved to Sunset Haven in Grant. She was moved to Golden Ours Convalescent Home in 2000 where she died early Wednesday morning, April 6, 2005. She had reached the age of 94.
Violet was a member of the Venango Community Church and had attended the Congregational Church when she moved into Grant. She was a member of the Venango American Legion Auxiliary for 52 years. She was involved in the "Green Thumb" program through Venango School in her later years.
In addition to her parents and husband, Violet was preceded in death by one brother, Donald Pontine; four sisters, Leona Dykeman, Bonnie Smith, Devonna Phillips and an infant, Avis; one son-in-law, Bill Harshman and one grandson, Bart Harshman.
Violet is survived by those she loved, two daughters, Betty Harshman of Arvada, Colo., and Jan and husband Dennis Schilling of Venango; eight grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and 13 great-great-granchildren; one sister, Luetta Conway of Denver; other relatives and friends.
Services were held Friday, April 8, 2005 at Venango Community Church with Pastor Kevin Haus-man officiating.
Music was by Bonnie Dodson and Kevin Hausman.
Casketbearers were Dwight Harshman, Randy Schilling, Brent Schilling, Todd Moore, Johnny Strack and Stan Phillips.
Interment was in the Venango Cemetery. Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
Connie (Radel) McVay
Connie Kay (Radel) McVay was born on March 15, 1944 in Suther-land, Neb., and grew up on a farm in Elsie, Neb. She graduated from Elsie High School in 1962.
McVay married Marvin McVay on Sept. 14, 1963. She worked as a secretary in Ogallala, Neb., and then for the North Platte Gas and Light Company and for J.C. Penney's in Ogallala.
Connie and her family moved to Colorado in 1964. She worked as a homemaker, mother and for a CPA as an assistant for 20 years.
McVay earned an Associate's Degree in Accounting at the Arapahoe Community College in 1992 and served several years working for the State of Colorado Department of Wildlife and Wilderness Resources in a variety of capacities including payroll, accounting, grants, and financial management.
McVay will be remembered for her loving spirit, her smile, hospitality, kindness, and deep love for her family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence and Marjorie (Pilkington) Radel.
She is survived by her husband, Marvin McVay; brothers, Loren and wife Edith Radel and Martin Radel; sister, Luella and husband Rod Heilburn; son, Troy and wife Carol; daughters, Melissa and husband Kelly Porter and Linette and husband Ken Burton; son, Travis and wife Tricia; grandchildren: Josh, Dawson, Drake, Shayla, Shane, Austin, Vaylin, David, Sasha, Courtney, Carolin, and one on the way; numerous nieces and nephews; and many friends and loved ones.
Connie passed away on March 15, 2005.
Interment was at the Olinger Crown Hill Cemetery in Wheatridge, Colo., on March 20, 2005.
Lucille Sharman
Lucille Sharman, 94, died Monday, March 28, 2005 at the Prairie Vista Care Center in Holyoke, Colo. She would have been 95 in May.
Lucille was born May 11, 1910 in the country home near Holyoke. She was the daughter of Cecil B. and Effie (Huff) Colglazier, the third of 10 children. She attended their rural school, graduating from Phillips County High School in 1929, and graduated from Colorado University in Boulder, Colo., in 1933. She taught in rural schools in Phillips County and also several years in the Holyoke elementary school.
Lucille was married to Ray Sharman in July 1941 and they lived in El Cajon, Calif., all their married life. In May 1994, Lucille moved to Westview Retirement Community in Grant, Neb., where she lived for five years and then went to Prairie Vista Care Center in Holyoke to be near relatives there.
Lucille had four brothers and five sisters. She was taken to El Cajon to be at rest beside fer husband, Ray.
Lottie Gengenbach
Lottie Gengenbach was born on Aug. 22, 1919, north of Imperial., Neb. She was the third of seven children born to Walter and Emma Greinke Lange. The family lived north of Imperial and later moved to the Champion, Neb., area.
After her father died the family moved to Imperial. Lottie attended country school and later graduated from Chase County High School in 1937.
After high school, Lottie furthered her education at Hastings Business College. She returned to Imperial and began her career with the Chase County A.S.C.S. Office. Lottie served in many different capacities while in the office and retired in the late 1960s after 37 years.
Lottie was married to Harold Gengenbach on Oct. 3, 1963, at Imperial. They lived on the Gengenbach farm southeast of Grant, Neb., until 1975 when they moved into Imperial. They moved to the Imperial Heights retirement center in 2001.
Lottie fell and broke her hip on Wednesday and was transferred to the Chase County Community Hospital. She had surgery Thursday morning, March 31, 2005 and died during recovery at the hospital. She had reached the age of 85.
Lottie was baptized as an infant on Sept. 14, 1919. As a teenager, Lottie was confirmed at the Imperial Zion Lutheran Church in 1933. She was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church.
She enjoyed her bridge clubs and the many friends she established over the years playing cards. Harold and Lottie enjoyed traveling and were able to make many wonderful trips across the United States. She was active as a Red Cross volunteer for several years for the Imperial area. Although not having children of their own, Harold and Lottie were very supportive of their nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Luther, Ron and an infant, Arno; one sister Lousetta Cook.
Lottie is survived by those she loved; her husband Harold; one brother, Kermit and his wife Joceline Lange of Mesa Ariz.; one sister, Elsie Newman of Imperial; nieces and nephews from both the Gengenbach and Lange families; and other relatives and friends.
Services were held on Monday, April 4, 2005 at the Grant Zion Lutheran Church with Pastor Ron Krause officiating. Music was provided by organist Judy Kurkowski and soloist, Lori McCloskey and the congregation.
Casket bearers were Randy Gengenbach, Donn Gengenbach, Danny Russell, Doug Lange, Casey Lange and Dylan Lange. Honorary escorts were Don Banks, Les Smith, Gene Smith, Stan Smith and Max Hoffmeister.
Interment was in the Grant Cemetery.
Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Joe Lawlor Memorial
The memorial service for Joe Lawlor, former Grant resident, has been changed.
The service will be held at the United Methodist Church in Grant, Saturday, April 9, 2005 at 3:30 p.m.
Joe passed away at his home in Brush, Colo., on March 12, 2005 after a lengthy battle with complications from West Nile virus.
A potluck will follow the service.
