U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Robert Walcott
Robert Evon Walcott was born Feb. 2, 1921, on a farm, in northeast Yuma County, Colo., to Joshua and Grace (Scott) Walcott.
As a young man he attended country school and high school in Holyoke, Colo.
Bob enlisted into the Army on Sept. 2, 1942, and served in the Army Air Corp during WWII. He was stationed in New Guinea and the Philippines before being discharged in December of 1945.
Bob returned to Phillips County, Colo. and later gained employment in Denver for a short time before marrying Ila Pearl Hiatt on Nov. 21, 1947 at St. Francis, Kan.
The couple then settled in Phillips County and managed the family farm for several years before moving to Imperial, Neb.
The family lived in Imperial several years while Bob worked for several different farmers. Following employment they again moved to Wauneta where Bob soon began his career with the Chase County Roads Department as a maintainer operator. He retired in 1986.
Bob passed away Wednesday, April 7, 2004, at the Madonna Rehab Center, Lincoln, Neb. He was 83 years of age.
Bob was a member of the American Legion Post #304, of Wauneta, Neb. He enjoyed many things including playing cards, watching sporting events of TV, and he loved to hassle and kid around with his grandkids which meant everything to him.
Survivors include wife Ila of Wauneta, Neb.; four daughters Pamela Fricke and husband Glen of Wallace, Neb., Shirley Jones and special friend Ray Fletcher of Paxton, Neb., Carolyn Gerard of Lincoln, Neb. and Jody Robertus of North Platte, Neb.; sons Bucky Walcott and wife Mary of Lexington, Neb.; 11 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; sisters Mabel Carruthers of Holyoke, Colo., Edna Harmon and husband Everett of Holyoke, Colo. and Annabel Huston and husband Harry of McCook, Neb.; and very special friend Tod Fye.
He was preceded in death by his parents, son John, grandson Joshua Jones, half-sister Gertrude Likens and husband Cecil and half-brother Clarence Walcott.
Funeral services for Robert Walcott were Wednesday morning, April 14, 2004, at 10 a.m. (MDT) at the United Methodist Church in Wauneta with Pastor Michael Laing officiating.
Interment followed at Ft. McPherson National Cemetery in Maxwell, Neb. at 2 p.m. (MDT).
A memorial has been established in Robert’s memory.
Liewer Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Richard Anderson
Richard Paul Anderson was born on Aug. 8, 1908 at Stanton, Iowa to Charles H. and Hilma A. (Anderson) Anderson.
Dick was baptized at Mamrelund Lutheran Church, Stanton, Iowa and was confirmed in the Our Savior Lutheran Church, Gordon, Neb.
Dick and his family moved to Gordon, Neb. in March, 1921 to farm.
He went to Freedom, Minn. in the fall of 1924 and worked on a dairy farm. The spring of 1925, he moved to Upsala, Minn. and worked on a farm. He attended 9th grade in high school while there.
Dick moved back to Gordon in June of 1926 and lived with his parents.
He graduated from Gordon High School in 1929. He helped his parents on the farm until they quit farming in 1937. He moved with his parents to Morrill, Neb. and worked at different jobs for awhile. Later, he was employed by John R. Jirdon Industries in Glendo, Wyo. in the potato farming industry.
Dick met Elsie Johnson at a picnic in Shenandoh, Iowa in 1936. They were married on June 20, 1940 in Scottsbluff, Neb. They made their home in Glendo, Wyo. and lived there until December, 1941. They moved to Mitchell, Neb. in December, 1941 where he was employed by B & C Ford Motor Company for six years in Mitchell and five years in Morrill.
In 1952, Dick and Elsie moved from Morrill to Big Springs, Neb. and operated a Standard Oil Service Station until 1962. They purchased the Circle B Motor Lodge in Benkelman, Neb. in 1962 and operated the lodge for 22 years. On May 20, 1984, they retired and moved to Imperial, Neb. to be near family.
Dick passed away on March 31, 2004 at the Chase County Community Hospital at the age of 95 years.
Dick was a member of Zion Lutheran Church of Imperial, Neb. He enjoyed visiting with his friends at Imperial Parkview and Imperial Manor. He was a fan of Husker football and could be seen wearing his Red Husker cap during the fall while motoring around the Manor in his "power" chair.
Dick is survived by son, Leiton (Swede) Anderson and wife, Debra and one granddaughter, Deena (Anderson) Strieder and husband, Rod, all of Kearney, Neb.; daughter, Jan Banks and husband Don of Imperial, Neb. and grandsons Doug Banks of Manhattan, Kan. and Jason Banks of Bassett, Neb. He is survived by one sister, Maxine Proctor and husband, Les of Scottsbluff, Neb. and many nieces and nephews.
Dick was preceded in death by his wife, Elsie (Sept. 1999); his parents and three sisters Martha Roxberg and husband Waldo, Gladys Beck and husband Don and Helga Gregory and husband Lonie.
Funeral services were Monday, April 5, 2004 at 11 a.m. (MDT) at Zion Lutheran Church of Imperial, Neb., with Pastor Robert Frank officiating.
Interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery, Imperial.
A memorial has been established in Richard’s memory.
Liewer Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Vera Bauerle Kleven
Vera Kleven, age 83, Larimore, N.D., passed away on Wednesday, March 25, 2004 in Phoenix, Ariz., while spending the winter with two of her daughters.
Vera Bauerle was born Jan. 28, 1921, the daughter of Emanuel and Laura (Yaw) Bauerle, on a farm near Champion, Neb.
After high school she took a year of teacher training and taught several years in a country school near Champion, Neb. and then she moved to Los Angeles, Calif.
While working as a draftsman at Northrup, she met Walter Kleven, and they were married on Feb. 15, 1947 at Huntington Park, Calif.
Their honeymoon was the trip to Larimore, N.D., where Walter took over his father’s farm in the Gilby and Honeyford area.
Together they raised five children and they retired from farming in 1982 and moved into Larimore.
Mr. Kleven preceded her in death on Nov. 1, 1995.
Vera was an active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Honeyford where she taught the three-year-old Sunday School class for many years. She was an active leader in her church’s ladies group and started her church’s quilting guild.
Vera was a homemakers club member and was a 4-H Club leader.
She loved being with family and friends and playing with her 11 grandchildren.
She also enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening and sewing. Her hands were always busy making quilts, afghans and Norwegian hardanger.
She is survived by her three daughters Nancy (Dick) O’Connor and Shirley (Terry) Jones of Phoenix, Ariz. and Joyce Kleven of Bemidji, Minn.; two sons Gary (Connie) Kleven of Grand Forks and Paul (Deb) Klevein of Larimore; 11 grandchildren Donnie (Julie) Becker, Tanya (Jerry) Decker, Rodney Kleven, David Kleven, Daniel Kleven, Brian Lasham, Todd Lasham, Michael O’Connor, Kathleen O’Connor, Kyle Kleven and Kory Kleven; two brothers Irvin (Garneta) Bauerle and Don (Bea) Bauerle, all of Champion, Neb.; several nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and sister Alta.
Funeral services were held Friday, April 2, 2004 at 10:30 a.m. from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Honeyford.
Interment was at St. Paul’s Church Cemetery in Honeyford.
Bakke Funeral Home of Larimore, N.D. was in charge of arrangements.
Patricia Mostek
Patricia Ann Mostek was born at Imperial, Neb., on Aug. 17,1942. She was the only child born to Russell and Maxine Faubion Phillips. Pat grew up at Imperial where she attended grade school. The family later moved to the Elsie, Neb., community where Pat graduated from high school in 1960.
Pat was married to Dennis Mostek on March 5, 1965 at Ogallala. Dennis adopted Pat’s son Rockey in April of 1965. They made their home in Grant their entire married life. Pat worked at several different jobs including Big Byron, a dental assistant to Dr. DeNaeyer, Three Circle Irrigation, TRW in Ogallala and the Grant Community Federal Credit Union. She had also served as a secretary-bookkeeper for her husband at Emmett’s Repair Shop for 30 years. Pat had left work Monday afternoon, March 22, to go home where she suffered an apparent heart attack. She was transferred to the Perkins County Community Hospital where she was dead on arrival. She had reached the age of 61.
Pat’s major interest was fishing with Dennis. She received several Master Angler awards over the years for the different fish she caught. Pat and Dennis had gone to Lake McConaughy last Sunday where they enjoyed an afternoon of fishing. She also enjoyed gardening, inside and out, all year round.
Pat was preceded in death by her parents and one daughter, Tonja Sue.
She is survived by her husband, Dennis, her son, Rockey, and her mother-in-law, Rose Mostek, all of Grant; other relatives and friends.
Her body was cremated. A memorial service was held on Friday, March 26, at the Grant United Methodist Church with John Long officiating. Her cremains will be buried in the Imperial Cemetery at a later date.
A memorial has been established to the Perkins County Animal Shelter. Bullock-Long Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Dona Hohnstein
Dona Lee Hohnstein was born June 19, 1929 at Grant, Neb. to Percy S. and Queena F. (Able) Guildner.
As a young girl she grew up and attended school in Grant, graduating from Perkins County High School in 1947.
Dona then attended the Colorado Women’s College in Denver, Colo., where she met Herbert R. Hohnstein on a blind date.
The couple was married on Sept. 24, 1949, at Grant, Neb. and they settled on a dairy farm near Brighton, Colo.
Dona and Herb farmed until 1954, when they moved to Imperial, Neb.
Dona taught at the Imperial Grade School until beginning their business of Imperial Interiors.
Dona and Herb made Imperial their home from that time forward.
Dona passed away Thursday afternoon, March 25, 2004, at the Imperial Manor Nursing Home. She was 74 years of age.
Dona was a member of the United Methodist Church of Imperial. She loved playing cards, to travel and read. Dona also enjoyed sewing and working puzzles.
Dona was preceded in death by her parents and husband Herb in 2000.
Survivors include son Rick Hohnstein and wife Pam of Greeley, Colo.; daughter Nancy Hohnstein of Kalispell, Mont.; five grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; sisters Joyce Sorensen of Midville, Utah and Nancy Hastings and husband Ron of Johnson Lake, Neb.
Memorial services were held Monday, March 29, 2004 at 11 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Imperial with Pastor Murray Schmechel officiating.
Organist was Mr. J. Gordon Christensen and singers were Mr. and Mrs. Irvin and Garneta Bauerle.
Inurnment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery, Imperial at a later date.
A memorial has been established to the American Cancer Society.
Liewer Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Keith Ralston
Keith Gene Ralston of Berthoud died Wednesday, March 17, 2004 at Longmont United Hospital due to respiratory failure. He was 52 years old.
Keith was born Aug. 21, 1951 in Ventura, Calif. to Oliver and Louise (Graham) Ralston.
He graduated from Nordhoff High School in Ojai, Calif. in 1969. He worked as a truck driver in the Ventura area for many years before moving to Pinewood Springs in 1989.
He married Ralyn Statz on July 17, 1993 in Estes Park, Colo. The couple lived and raised their family in the Longmont, Colo. and Berthoud, Colo. area. He continued his career as a truck driver with Golden Concrete until health issues forced his retirement in the late 1990s.
Keith loved fishing, the outdoors, hanging out with his twin brother Ken and spending time with his children and his family.
Keith was preceded in death by his brother Rodney Wayne Ralston and a nephew, Cory Wayne Ralston.
He is survived by his wife Ralyn Ralston, son Joshua Casey Ralston and daughter Julia Noelle Ralston, all of Berthoud, Colo. He is also survived by daughter Jessica Rosenthal, her husband Blaise and their son Alexander of Capitola, Calif.; twin brother Kenneth Dean Ralston and his wife Andrea of Longmont, Colo.; sister Cheryl Ledbetter and her husband Artie of San Antonio, Texas; parents Oliver and Louise Ralston of Longmont, Colo.; father-in-law and mother-in-law Ralph and Linda Statz of Holyoke, Colo.; brother-in-law Chip Statz of Colorado Springs, Colo.; sister-in-law Robyn and her husband Sean Jamison of Mint Hill, NC; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Cremation arrangements have been entrusted to Howe Mortuary in Longmont. Private memorial services were held at the Kenneth Ralston home in Longmont on March 20.
Memorials may be made to the Keith Ralston Memorial Fund, c/o Howe Mortuary, 439 Coffman St., Longmont, Colo. 80501 or mailed to Ralyn Ralston, 820 Holmes Pl., Berthoud, Colo. 80513-1412.
Goldie Weiss
Goldie Geneva Weiss was born April 11, 1906 at Plattsmouth, Neb. to Frank and Clara (Beil) Sitzman.
As a youngster, Goldie attended school to the eighth grade.
Goldie married George Lee Weiss on Dec. 20, 1922 in Holyoke, Colo. and to this union Don Weiss Sr. was born in 1923 and adopted Amy Jo Weiss in 1940.
Goldie and George farmed all their married lives.
She entered the Imperial Manor in January of 1994, where she passed away Wednesday afternoon, March 10, 2004. Goldie was 97 years of age. She was greatly loved and will be greatly missed.
Goldie was a member of St. Patrick’s Church of Imperial. Goldie had many hobbies including gardening, raising flowers, sewing, canning, scrapbooking and playing cards. She especially loved to bake for her grandchildren and their friends.
Survivors include daughter Amy Jo Monasmith and husband Don of Imperial, Neb.; daughter-in-law Ann Weiss of Imperial, Neb.; 10 grandchildren; six step grandchildren; 24 great grandchildren; 12 step great grandchildren; 11 great, great grandchildren; brother Richard Sitzman of Lincoln, Neb.; sister-in-law Lucille Weiss of Imperial, Neb.; and a host of nieces and nephews.
Goldie was preceded in death by her husband George in 1993; son Don in 2003; nine brothers and sisters and their spouses and one son-in-law Richard Bonner.
A Rosary was received Sunday evening, March 14, 2004, at 7 p.m. at the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Imperial.
A Funeral Mass followed Monday morning, March 15, 2004, at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church with Father Greg Pawloski officiating both.
Organist was Mrs. Marcy Nesbitt and singers were Mr. Thomas Huckabee and Mrs. Paulette Dillan.
Casketbearers were Bill Weiss, Tommy Weiss, Donny Weiss, Joe Weiss, Dick Bonner and Dale Bonner.
Interment was at Mount Hope Cemetery in Imperial.
A memorial has been established to the Imperial Manor Nursing Home.
Liewer Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
