U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
David Chmelka, Bruno, April 5, age 59
David Chmelka of Bruno died April 5 at his home in Bruno. Funeral services were April 11 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Bruno with Rev. Ron Homes officiating. Burial will be at St. Anthony’s Catholic Cemetery.
Dave was born July 3, 1951, in David City to Ermin and Celestine (Soukup) Chmelka. He graduated from David City High School in 1969 and served in the United States Army from 1971-1977, including a tour of duty in Vietnam.
On July 6, 1977, he married
Julie Palensky in Schuyler. They were married
for 21 years. Dave lived his entire life in Bruno, farmed and worked for Proskovec Earth Moving Company.
He is survived by daughters Shelly (Craig) Brouillette of Osceola, Sarah Chmelka of David City; brothers Larry (Donna) Chmelka of Bruno and Douglas Chmelka of Prague; sisters Lynn Novotny of Schuyler and Deborah (Sid) Gaeth of Columbus; and grandson Kobe Brouillette. Kracl Funeral Chapel of David City is in charge of arrangements.
Obit dated April 13, 2011
Edward "Babe" Neneman, North Bend, April 1, age 83
Edward J. “Babe” Neneman of North Bend “punched out” April 1 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Services in Rushford, Minn.
Edward was born March 27, 1928, in Omaha to Teofil and Marjanna “Mary” (Adamczewski) Neneman. He grew up in Omaha and graduated from Omaha South High School. Babe worked at Falstaff Brewing Company for 18 years in Omaha. He moved to North Bend in 1970, where he owned and operated Babe’s Bar for 18 years.
Babe married
Lois Ann Byers July 8, 1950, in Omaha. She died Oct. 15, 1999.
Babe was a member of St. Charles Catholic Church in North Bend and a former member of the Knights of Columbus. He was a member of the Omaha Old Timers Baseball Association. In high school he was an all-star catcher and went on to play semi-pro baseball in Gretna and Omaha. Babe was also a well known hockey player, playing briefly for the Omaha Knights. Later he owned race horses and raced at Ak-sar-ben Race Track.
Survivors include sons Edward J. “Babe” Neneman, Jr. of Polebridge, Mont.; Joseph (Connie) Neneman of Gardner, Kan.; James (Carol) Neneman of Ashland; and Terry (Karen) Neneman of Lanesboro, Minn; daughter Pat (Dave) Spencer of Lincoln; and eight grandchildren.
Funeral Mass will be 10:30 a.m. on April 7 at St. Charles Catholic Church in North Bend. Visitation is April 6 from 3-8 p.m. with a Rosary/Vigil Service at 8 p.m. at the church in North Bend. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church Thursday. Burial will be at Killian cemetery near Morse Bluff.
Memorials may be directed to Good Shepherd Foundation in Rushford, Minn. or Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
Obit dated April 6, 2011
Judy (Launt) Schauer, Fremont, March 31, age 81
Norma Julianne “Judy” Schauer of Fremont died March 31 at the Waverly Care Center in Waverly.
Judy was born May 17, 1929, in Wayne to William and Thelma (Peterson) Launt. She grew up in Oakdale and graduated from high school there in 1946. She graduated from Midland Lutheran College in Fremont in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science degree in history with education and social science. In 1962 she received her masters in history from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Judy married
Harland L. Schauer on Dec. 30, 1950, in Oakdale. They lived north of Fremont where her husband farmed and worked for Hormel’s. Harland died Sept. 11, 2001.
Judy taught school in Nebraska for 31 years, including high school in Wahoo, elementary and high school in Fremont, high school in North Bend, and two years at Midland Lutheran College in the education department. She was also a founder and co-owner of H & J Camper Sales.
She was a member of Salem Lutheran Church and participated in all phases of Girl Scouting at local and national levels, and was a Prairie Hills Girl Scout Legislative Representative. She was a member of Arbor Vitae Chapter 92 Order of Eastern Star, of the American Association of University Women, member of NSEA, NEA, and Retired Teachers Association and the Dodge County Retired Teachers Association. Judy was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, and Past President of Rosedale School Board District 65. She was a member of the Dodge County Planning Commission for 23 years and active with the Dodge County Concerned Citizens, as well as a member of ‘Prairie Watch.’ Judy was a past district officer of the General Federated Women’s Club.
Judy is survived by sons William (Florene) Schauer of Bennett, John (Dr. Jolene) Schauer of Lincoln and Rev. Samuel (Musu) Payne of Lima, Ohio; sister Suzanne Delaney of Lawrence, Kan.; and four grandchildren.
Funeral services are April 6, at Salem Lutheran Church in Fremont. The committal will be in the Oakdale cemetery in Oakdale. Memorials are suggested to Salem Lutheran Church.
Obit dated April 6, 2011
Laureen (Kucera) Gocken, Fremont, March 30, age 72
Laureen M. Gocken of Fremont died Wednesday, March 30, at the Fremont Area Medical Center.
Laureen was born June 5, 1938, in Schuyler to Frank and Lillian (Houfek) Kucera. She grew up in Schuyler and graduated from Schuyler High School in 1956. Laureen married
Jerry Gocken on Dec. 15, 1956, in Schuyler. The couple lived in Fremont. Jerry died May 1, 1999.
Laureen worked at several restaurants, as a clerk and in housekeeping at the Memorial Hospital of Dodge County Annex for 23 years.
Survivors include sons Gerald Gocken, Jr., of Fremont, George (Sheri) Gocken of North Bend, Michael (Kayla) Gocken of Schuyler; daughter Abby Schlapfer of Fremont; brother Laverne (Karen) Kucera of Columbus; Barbara (Dick) Hirschbrunner of Columbus and Julie Kucera of Schuyler; 10 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.
Memorial services were held April 5 at Moser Memorial Chapel in Fremont, with a private burial following at Linwood Hill Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Dodge County Humane Society.
Obit dated April 6, 2011
Elaine (Wolf) Laughlin, Redding, Calif. March 25, age 91
Elaine D. Laughlin passed away March 25 in Redding, Calif. Elaine was born in Morse Bluff on July 4, 1919, to Emil E. and Stella (Tepley) Wolf, Sr. She grew up in Morse Bluff and graduated from North Bend High School in 1937. She completed business school in Omaha and worked for OPPD and Union Pacific Railroad.
Elaine married
Howard Laughlin in Solomon, Kan., on July 3, 1965. They moved to McPherson, Kan., in 1968. She was very active in Eastern Star and the Elks Club. She held many offices within each organization. Elaine was a member of First United Methodist Church in McPherson.
Survivors include niece Janis Wolf (husband Thomas J.) O’Neill Jr. of Lincoln; nephew, Robert E. (Pat) Wolf of Morse Bluff; son, Norman (Connie) Laughlin of Redding, CA.; Daughter, Iva (Jim) Byrd of Hendersonville, N.C., as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
There will be a private family service with burial at Woodland cemetery June 13.
Memorials can be sent to the Morse Bluff Fire Department.
Obit dated June 15, 2011
Gerri (Ladehoff) Price, Fremont, March 24, age 90
Geraldine A. “Gerri” Price of Fremont died March 24 at Fremont Area Medical Center.
Gerri was born Feb.18, 1921, in North Bend to John and Julia (Mitchell) Ladehoff. She moved to Fremont at age 12 and graduated from Fremont High Shcool in 1938. She attended night classes and summer school at Midland College, graduating in 1968 with her teaching degree. Gerri taught elementary school in rural schools and in Fremont for 30 years and was a member of the Fremont Alliance Church in Fremont.
Gerri married
Kenneth R. Price on Oct. 2, 1942, in Fremont. He died Jan. 27, 2007.
Survivors include daughter Julie Novak of Austin, Minn.; sister Evelyn Liston of Fremont; three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Burial will be at Memorial cemetery in Fremont on April 9 at 10 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 10:30 a.m. at Moser Memorial Chapel in Fremont.
Memorials are suggested to St. Matthew Lutheran Church cemetery Fund at Pleasant Valley, rural North Bend.
Obit dated April 6, 2011
Keeley Settles, North Bend, March 9, newborn
Keeley Laetyn Settles, infant daughter of Travis and Erin Settles of North Bend, died March 9 at Methodist Women’s Hospital in Omaha.
Survivors include her parents; grandparents David and Teresa Hasebroock of Norfolk and Steve and Amy Settles of North Bend; great-grandparents Robert and Bonnie Schafer of Pierce, Nebr., Dean and Marlene Lux of North Bend, Reba Hasebroock of Norfolk and Pearl Settles of North Bend; great-great grandmother Eldora Schafer of Pierce; aunts and uncles Michael and Wende Settles and Stephanie Settles, all of North Bend, Jay and Michelle Wilt of Wahoo, Luke and Danielle Beerbohm and Brittany Settles, all of Blair, David, Allison, and Nichole Hasebroock, all of Norfolk; cousins Jordan and Mikayla Settles of North Bend, Jaxsen and Kellen Wilt of Wahoo and Hadley and Reece Beerbohm of Blair.
Private family services were held with the Rev. Donald Cleary officiating.
Obit dated March 23, 2011
Vernon Koester, Scribner, March 7, age 72
Vernon Koester of rural Scribner died at his home on March 7.
Vernon was born February 5, 1939, in West Point to Otto and Martha (Engelbrecht) Koester. He was raised on the farm southwest of Scribner that had been in his family for 135 years. He attended District 66 School and Scribner High School before leaving to farm. Vernon continued to farm until he retired in 2003.
Vernon married
Marian Weber on February 21, 1960, at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Scribner. He was a past member of the District 12 School Board, Scribner Co-op Board of Directors and presently a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Scribner.
Vernon is survived by his wife, Marian; son Steve Koester of Seward; daughters Diane of Norfolk and Joann of Columbus; a granddaughter and a great-grandson, both of Columbus; and sisters Darlene Schwinck of West Point and Norma (Norman) Tonjes of Scribner.
Funeral services were March 11 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Scribner, with burial at Scribner Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Scribner Volunteer Fire Department and the Scribner Rescue Squad.
Rita (Papa) Glidden, Utah, March 2, age 74
Rita Ann Glidden of Lava Hot Springs, Utah, died March 2 at her home.
Rita was born Oct. 2, 1936, in North Bend to Ira and Mildred Papa. She was a 1954 graduate of North Bend High School and married
George Fiala. While her husband was in the military, they lived in Nebraska, Georgia, Arizona, California and Florida before settling in Idaho in 1986.
Rita was a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, at the South Bannok County Museum, and the Lava Senior Center and was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.
Rita is survived by her husband, Donald Glidden, son David (Linda Digregorio) Fiala; daughter June Squires, one granddaughter, one great-granddaughter; brother Richard (Celine) Papa; aunt Sally (Doug) Loseke; brothers-in-law Ray Glidden and William (Judy) Glidden.
Services were in Arimo, Idaho, with internment in Bruneau, Idaho.
In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the charity of choice.
Obit dated March 9, 2011
Pricilla "Pat" (Smith) Mullally, Fremont, Feb. 26, age 93
Priscilla C. “Pat” Mullally died Feb. 23 at Nye Pointe Health and Rehab Center in Fremont.
Pat was born Feb. 26, 1917, to Frederick and Hannah (Gray) Smith in Des Moines, Iowa. She grew up in Van Meter, Iowa and graduated from high school there. Pat married
Royal E. Desler on Oct. 22, 1940 in Sioux City, Iowa. He died April 3, 1968.
Pat moved to Omaha in 1944 and was employed by R.L. Polk Co. She moved to North Bend in 1966.
Pat married
Frank L. Mullally on Sept. 4, 1971, in North Bend. He passed away April 3, 2007.
Survivors include daughter Deb Mullally of North Bend; sons Gary (Marge) Desler of Henderson, Nev., and David Desler and Mike Metcalf of San Francisco, Calif.; step-sons Jim (Marlene) Mullally of Fremont and Bob (Lisa) Mullally of Columbus; step-daughters Sharon (Dan) Strecker of Central City, Micki Walker of Columbus, and Jean (Vaughn) Kinney of Tipton, Iowa; 24 grandchildren and 43 great-grandchildren.
Memorial services were held Feb. 26 at Moser Memorial Chapel in North Bend, with burial at Hillcrest cemetery in Omaha at a later date.
Memorials are suggested to the North Bend Rescue Squad and the North Bend Library Building Fund.
