U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Durward W. Black, Mesa, Ariz., Feb. 14, age 94
Durward W. Black died Feb. 14, at his home in Mesa, Ariz. He was born Feb. 9, 1917, to Charles B. and Mary (Marxsen) Black in Fullerton.
The family moved to Fremont in 1925. Durward was a 1934 graduate of Fremont High School and attended Midland College. He worked at the former W.H. Pollock (later O.P. Skaags) Grocery Store in Fremont. In 1937 he moved to Los Angles, Calif. Durward served in the Air Force during World War II. He returned to California where he became vice president of marketing for Alpha Beta Food Markets in Fullerton from 1947 to 1979. He moved to Mesa in 2002.
Durward married
Melva Eileen Guthrie on April 23, 1944, in Mesa. She survives.
He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and served as Bishop. Durward served three church missions in Mexico, Barbados, West Indies and Salt Lake City, Utah. He was past president of the Association of Food Chains and member of the National Association of Food Chains.
Other survivors include sons Duane (Linda) Black of Grand Junction, Colo., Kenneth (Inga) Black of Oregon City, Ore.; daughters Elizabeth (Steven) Fuller of Cottonwood, Ariz., Barbara (Jack) Fox of Santa Ana, Calif.; sister-in-law Dorothy Black of Santa Ana, Calif; 16 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. at the Purple Cane cemetery near North Bend. There is no visitation. Military graveside services will be conducted by VFW Post 8223, AmVets Post 20, both of North Bend and American Legion Post 340 of Morse Bluff.
Arrangements are by Moser Memorial Chapel, North Bend.
Fritz J. Hoffman, Columbus, Feb. 12, age 82
Fritz J. Hoffman of Columbus, formerly of North Bend, died Feb. 12.
The funeral was Feb. 15 at St. Isidore Catholic Church in Columbus. Military honors were conducted by Hartman Post 84 American Legion Honor Guard. Burial was at All Saints cemetery in Columbus.
Fritz was born Jan. 8, 1929, in Omaha to Fred Hoffman and Myrtle Nissen. He attended school in Fremont. In 1946, at age 17, he entered the United States Air Force and was honorably discharged in 1949. Fritz drove truck for 43 years logging over 4 million miles.
On June 16, 1950, Fritz married
Joan Folk in Fremont. The couple lived in North Bend for 20 years prior to moving to Columbus in 2000. He was a member of St. Isidore Church, V.F.W. and the Eagles Club.
He is survived by wife Joan Hoffman of Columbus; daughters Kim (Jerry) Dvorak of Stuart, Deb (Richard) Hamling of Columbus; sons Doug (Wanda) Hoffman of Fruita, Colo., Rick Hoffman of Honolulu, Hawaii; brother Dean Hoffman of Valley; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Obit dated Feb. 16, 2011.
James E. Micek, Lincoln, January 31, age 82
James Edward Micek of Lincoln died Jan. 31 at his home following a long battle with Mantle Cell Lymphoma.
Jim was born Oct. 21, 1928, to Barney and Dora (Staroscik) Micek in Columbus, Nebraska. He graduated from Kramer (Columbus) High School in 1946. He served in the US Army from 1946 to 1949.
Jim was united in marriage to Carolyn Smith on July 27, 1953, in North Platte. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Kearney State College in 1955 and later earned his Master’s Degree and Specialist Degree from the University of Wyoming in Laramie.
Jim was a high school teacher and coach in Campbell from 1954-1958. He taught and coached in North Bend from 1958-1965. James was superintendent of Fairfield Public Schools in Fairfield from 1965-1967. He was involved in the consolidation of the Fairfield, Edgar, and Glenvil school districts in 1966 and served as Sandy Creek Public School’s first superintendent until 1981. James was superintendent at Creighton Public Schools from 1981-1991, when he retired. He and Carolyn then moved to Lincoln.
Jim was a member of the Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln, Knights of Columbus, American Legion, VFW, AARP, and the Nebraska Association of Retired School Administrators. He volunteered as a precinct Inspector at elections. He was a volunteer Driver Safety Instructor and a Driver Safety Trainer for AARP in Lincoln, and he gave tours at the Cathedral of the Risen Christ.
Survivors include his wife Carolyn of Lincoln; daughters Terri (Roger) Tiedeman of Lincoln, Cathie (Mike) Kluver of Fairfield, and Susan (Dan) Springer of Grand Island; sons Bob (Mitz) Micek of Blue Springs, Mo., and Daniel (Anita) Micek of Las Vegas, Nev.; brothers Father Sylvester Micek of Sherman, Ill,, Jerry (Sheri) Micek of Columbus; sisters, Mary Ann (Ed) Donatelli, of Grand Rapids, Mich., Alice Hoff of Columbus; thirteen grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren; two step-grandchildren, six step-great grandchildren.
Mass of Christian Burial was Feb. 5 at Cathedral of the Risen Christ Catholic Church. Burial will be at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery
Family requests memorials to Cathedral of the Risen Christ Catholic Church or Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Donald G. Reese, North Bend, Jan. 28, age 64
Donald G. Reese died Jan. 28 at his home in North Bend.
Donald was born May 2, 1946, in North Bend to Orville and Evelyn (Detlessen) Reese. He grew up in North Bend and graduated from North Bend High School in 1964. Donald enlisted in the U.S. Army on Jan. 30, 1965, and was stationed in Furth, Germany, during the Vietnam War. He was discharged Jan. 11, 1968.
He married
Patsy Hayes in 1969. They later divorced. Donald married
Sharon Suhr on Sept. 6, 1985, in North Bend.
Donald moved to Fremont and worked at Commodore Homes (Western Homes) in North Bend. He worked for Magnus Metals in Fremont and then moved back to North Bend, where he worked various jobs as a welder, including Morse Bluff Industries and Smeal Manufacturing Company and farmed for Terry Huscher.
Donald was a member of American Legion Post #340 of Morse Bluff, V.F.W. Post #8223 of North Bend and AmVets Post #20 of North Bend.
Survivors include his wife, Sharon; son Dustin Reese of North Bend; sisters Phyllis Attwood of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Joyce (Clyde) Ehrich of North Bend and Lois (Keith) Oler of Murphy, N.C.; and one granddaughter.
Memorial service will be Feb. 3 at 2 p.m. at Moser Memorial Chapel with burial at Woodland cemetery in North Bend. Military honors will be conducted by V.F.W. Post #8223, AmVets Post #20 and American Legion Post #340.
Memorials are suggested to the American Diabetes Association.
Obit dated Feb. 2, 2011
Elise (Vacha) Emanuel, Dodge, Jan. 24, age 89
Elsie Emanuel died Jan. 25 at the Parkview Home in Dodge.
Elsie was born August 7, 1921, in Howells to Joseph and Pauline (Hajek) Vacha. She grew up on a farm near Howells and graduated from Howells High School. She attended Wayne State College in Wayne, and taught school for six years in rural schools in Cuming, Colfax, and Dodge counties.
Elsie married
Eugene J. Emanuel on Jan. 6, 1944, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Dodge. After her marriage, the couple farmed three miles west of Webster in Dodge County. They retired in 1987 and moved to North Bend. Elsie had been residing at the Parkview Home since 2008.
In addition to working the farm, Elsie was a member of the St. Charles Catholic Church in North Bend and a member and past president of St. Anne’s Altar Society; member and served as president and secretary of the Omaha Archdiocese Council of Catholic Women and received the Mullen Award as The Outstanding Woman of the Omaha Archdiocese Council of Catholic Women. She served as secretary of the OACCW Alumni. Elsie was a member of Christian Mothers at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Dodge.
Survivors include husband Eugene, sons Wayne (Maria) Emanuel of Beemer, Joseph (Bonita) Emanuel of Hartington, Eugene E. (Kimberly) Emanuel of Monticello, Minn., Kevin (Kathryn) Emanuel of Osceola, Iowa, Chad (Cheryl) Emanuel of Waukee, Iowa, and Roch (Diane) Emanuel of North Bend; daughters Elizabeth (Anthony) Wiese of Dodge, Dorothy (Leo) Showers of Lincoln, Mary (Dean) Von Seggern of Scribner, Sandra (Leo) Blaha of Dodge, and Denise (Glen) Temple of Sioux City, Iowa; sisters Pauline Vrbicky and Agnes (Ervin) Brabec of Clarkson, and Wilma Bolte of North Bend; 30 grandchildren, 52 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were Jan. 29 at St. Charles Catholic Church in North Bend, with burial at St. Mary’s Catholic Church cemetery at Ridgeley near Scribner.
Memorials are suggested to St. Charles Catholic Church and St. Mary’s Catholic Church cemetery at Ridgeley.
Obit dated Feb. 2, 2011
Dale "Dude" Miller, Fremont, Jan. 24, age 72
Dale L. “Dude” Miller died Jan. 24 at his home in Fremont.
Dale was born Aug. 9, 1938, in North Bend to Carl and Amelia (Brandt) Miller. He graduated from North Bend High School in 1955 and served in the U.S. Navy from 1955 to 1957 aboard the USS Winston. Dale returned to North Bend until 1959 when he moved to Fremont.
Dale married
Alice M. Jonas on Oct. 24, 1959 in Fremont. He worked for the State Road Department from 1957 to 1959 and then at Hormel’s for 25 years before opening and operating Dude’s Liquor Store from 1984 to 1997. Dale also worked at Fremont Public Schools from 1997 to 2007 and did building maintenance for Christensen Corporation from 2007-2011. He was a former member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles #200 and the Fremont Veteran’s Club.
Dale is survived by his wife Alice; daughters Rabecca Miller and fiancee Kevin Hennessey of Guttenberg, Iowa, Beverly (Phillip) Brei of Fremont; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Funeral services were Jan. 28 at the Church of the Nazarene in Fremont with burial at Memorial cemetery in Fremont. Military honors were conducted by the Fremont Honor Guard composed of members of V.F.W. Post #854 and American Legion Post #20.
Memorials may be directed to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Obit dated Feb. 2, 2011
Junior G. Dieckmann, Fremont, Jan. 23, age 85
Junior G. Dieckmann died Jan. 23 at Shalimar Gardens in Fremont.
Junior was born April 28, 1925, to George and Emma (Claussen) Dieckmann at Cheyenne Wells, Colo. He grew up in Scribner and Kennard, Nebr., but lived most of his life in North Bend until moving to Fremont in Feb. 2009.
Junior married
Martha J. Kirchmann on May 28, 1949 in North Bend. She passed away Nov. 29, 1993. He was a member of the former First United Methodist Church in North Bend.
He is survived by son Dan (Dee) Dieckmann of Fremont; daughter Jackie (Dennis) Heinrich of Fremont; sister Valetta Leftwich of Fremont; five grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were Jan. 26 at Salem Lutheran Church in Fremont with burial at Memorial cemetery in Fremont.
Memorials are suggested to the North Bend Library Building Fund.
Michael Williams
Michael J. Williams of Cedar Bluffs died Dec. 30 at A. J. Merrick Manor in Fremont.
Michael was born June 11, 1961, to James and Nancy (Kavan) Williams in Fremont. He was a 1979 graduate of North Bend Central High School. Michael lived his entire life in the Morse Bluff and Cedar Bluffs areas where he farmed.
He is survived by his parents, James and Nancy Williams of Cedar Bluffs; brothers Mitch Williams of Fremont; Brad (Amy) Williams of Cedar Bluffs, Bruce (Amy) Williams of Morse Bluff; grandmother Evelyn Williams of Fremont; five nieces and one nephew.
Funeral Mass was Jan. 3 at St. George Catholic Church in Morse Bluff. The Rev. Jeremy Hazuka officiated. Burial will be at Calvary cemetery in Fremont. Memorials may be directed to the American Cancer Society or the Cedar Bluffs or Morse Bluff Volunteer Fire Departments.
Obit dated Jan. 8, 2014
Eugene Hartford
Eugene L. “Gene” Hartford of Fremont died Dec. 26 at the Fremont Area Medical Center. Gene was born June 19, 1931, in rural Cedar Bluffs to Victor and Alta (Leach) Hartford. He grew up on a farm near Cedar Bluffs. After graduating from Cedar Bluffs High School, Gene enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served for 21 years, during the Korean and Vietnam Wars and retired as Master Sergeant. Gene returned to Cedar Bluffs where he farmed for 45 years, retiring in 2006. He moved to Fremont in 2007.
Gene married
Minnie Moore on Sept. 18, 1952, in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Gene was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Cedar Bluffs; served on District 91 School Board for 20 years and served on the Morse Bluff Township Board for 24 years. He was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and member of V.F.W. Post 4502 both in Wahoo, and member of the American Legion Post 158 of Cedar Bluffs.
He is survived by his wife, Minnie; son Victor E. (Denise) Hartford of Fremont; brothers Robert (Wilma) Hartford of Rapid City, S.D., Kent (Carol) Hartford and Keith Hartford, all of Cedar Bluffs; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were Dec. 30 at Moser Memorial Chapel in Fremont. The Rev. Tom Shaw of the Church of the Nazarene officiated. Burial will be at Maple Grove cemetery near Cedar Bluffs with military honors conducted by the Fremont Honor Guard of V.F.W. Post 854 and American Legion Post 20. Memorials may be given to the American Legion Post 158 of Cedar Bluffs or the American Heart Association.
Obit dated Jan. 1, 2014
