U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Lucille Thorndike
Lucille M. Thorndike, 89, of Grand Island died Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2000, at Tiffany Square Care Center.
Services are pending with Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home.
Eva Todd
Eva V. Todd, 88, of Grand Island, formerly of North Platte, died Jan. 6, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Services were on Saturday at Carpenter Memorial Chapel in North Platte. The Rev. Donald E. Olson officiated. Burial was in Floral Lawns Memorial Gardens in North Platte.
Memorials are suggested to the donor's choice.
Mrs. Todd was born on Oct. 14, 1911, at Maxwell to A.P. and Olga (Peterson) Anderson. She graduated from high school in 1929 and worked for Northwestern Public Service Co. in North Platte.
She married
Fay E. Todd on Oct. 11, 1936, in North Platte. He died on Nov. 17, 1988.
Mrs. Todd was a member of the First Evangelical Church and a charter member of the Social Order of the Beauceant of North Platte. She moved to Grand Island on Feb. 1, 1999.
Survivors include two daughters, Carolyn L. (Mrs. Wayne) Grachek of Grand Island and Shirley K. (Mrs. John) Cook of Fort Smith, Ark; a son, Douglas G. of North Platte; seven grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Hazel Hines and Elna Robinson; and two brothers, Charles and Harvey Anderson.
Evelyne Wit
Evelyne J. Wit, 80, of Grand Island died Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Mrs. Wit's body was donated to the Nebraska Anatomical Board. Memorial services will be at a later date.
Memorials are suggested to Trinity United Methodist Church.
Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Wit was born on April 16, 1919, in Elba to Lawrence and Etta Mae (Johnson) Loft. She was educated in Ord and graduated from Ord High School in 1936. Following her education, she worked for the Ord Variety Store.
She married
Henry Wit on June 19, 1940, in Ord.
Mrs. Wit had been in ill health since 1958. Before then, she enjoyed dancing, bowling and playing bridge.
She was a member of the Just Us Girls Extension Club and was a den mother for the Boy Scouts. She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church.
Survivors include one son, Erik Wit of Nazareth, Pa.; one daughter, Mary Susan Beaver of Grand Island; six grandchildren; one step-grandchild; four great-grandchildren; and one brother, Eldon Loft of San Antonio.
Her husband died in 1998. She also was preceded in death by one son, Gary Wit; three brothers, Norval, Raynard and Larry Loft; and three sisters, Edna Brooks, Joy Elstermeier and Elfie Bernice Loft.
'Dick' Yarns
Richard "Dick" Yarns, 67, of Grand Island died Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2000, at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital in Hastings.
Memorial services will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at St. Pauls Lutheran Church. The Rev. John D. Russell will officiate. Mr. Yarns' remains were cremated. Burial will be in Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the church or the donor's choice.
Kleine Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Yarns was born on May 31, 1932, at Bowman, N.D., to Howard and Alice (Thorson) Yarns. He moved with his family to South Shore, S.D., during World War II and then to Edgemont, S.D. He moved to Grand Island in 1946 and graduated from Grand Island Senior High School in 1953.
He joined the U.S. Army and served during the Korean War from May 1953 to May 1955. After the service, he worked for Sorensen Body Shop for a year and then graduated from barber college.
He married
Sandra Myers on Feb. 17, 1957, in Grand Island. He worked as a barber and owned Koehler Barber Shop until 1967.
Mr. Yarns went to work for New Holland as an assembly finisher and retired in June 1987. He also worked for the Grand Island school district as a custodian for several years.
He was a member of St. Pauls Lutheran Church, American Legion Post 53, Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 378 and the Platt-Duetsche.
He enjoyed golf, yard work and walking with his wife.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Douglas of Overland Park, Kan., and Terry of Grand Island; five grandchildren; and two sisters, Arlene Meyer of Banning, Calif., and Lorraine McLeese of Exeter.
'Jim' Davis
FULLERTON -- Larry "Jim" Davis, 79, of Fullerton died Monday, Jan. 10, 2000, at his home.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Palmer Funeral Home. The Rev. Timothy Stahl will officiate. Burial will be in Belgrade Main cemetery with military rites.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Mr. Davis was born on May 21, 1920, at Belgrade to Noah and Nellye (Nichols) Davis. He graduated from Belgrade High School in 1939. He served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945.
He married
Helen Sutton on March 17, 1948, at Osceola. He started working for the Bureau of Reclamation as a civil engineer tech in 1949. He worked in McCook and Pueblo, Colo. He retired in 1980 and moved to Florence, Conn. They moved to Belgrade in 1987 and to Fullerton in 1994.
Mr. Davis enjoyed listening to country western music, playing solitaire and fishing.
He was a member of the Fullerton American Legion.
Survivors include his wife; seven sons, LeRoy, Tommy and Terry, all of Canon City, Colo., Billy and Danny, both of Fullerton, Kenny of Creston and Jimmy of Columbus; one daughter, Peggy (Mrs. Jim) Postlewaite of Oklahoma City, Okla.; 14 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and three sisters, Mary Craig of Broken Bow, Bonnie (Mrs. Delbert) Haskins of Irving, Texas, and Roberta Davis of Fullerton.
He was preceded in death by one grandson and one sister, Valley LaBenz.
Doris Rieflin
DONIPHAN -- Doris M. Rieflin, 76, of Doniphan died Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2000, at her home following a lengthy illness.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the United Methodist Church in Doniphan. The Rev. Kenneth L. McClain will officiate. She was cremated. Burial will be in Cedarview cemetery at Doniphan.
Memorials are suggested to the church, the family or St. Francis Hospice.
Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home in Grand Island is in charge of arrangements.
Survivors include two sons, Duane and Dale, both of Doniphan; four daughters, Gloria Tagge of Central City, Virginia Jacobsen of Grand Island, Priscilla Rieflin of Kearney and Brenda Bronson of Doniphan; 18 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and one sister, Florence Roush of Grand Island.
In addition to her husband, Wayne, she was preceded in death by one brother, James Stuart.
