U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Ivan Paulson
Ivan H. Paulson, 90, of Grand Island died Monday, Dec. 4, 2000, at Hamilton Manor in Aurora.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home. The Rev. Martin Schmidt will officiate. Burial will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to Trinity Lutheran Church.
Survivors include one daughter, Paula (Mrs. Gary) Spotanski of Wichita, Kan.; and two grandchildren, Kerry Spotanski of Wichita, Kan. and Mark Spotanski, a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
His wife, Marjorie, died on Aug. 6, 1992. He also was preceded in death by infant twin sons and two sisters, Laura Koch and Ann Bumgarner.
Wanda Swanson
Wanda M. Swanson, 75, of Grand Island died Monday, Dec. 4, 2000, at Tiffany Square Care Center.
Graveside memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Westlawn Memorial Park cemetery with the Rev. Vernon Rice officiating.
Mrs. Swanson was cremated. There will be no visitation.
Memorials are suggested to the family.
Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Swanson was born on March 9, 1925, in Grand Island to Lee and Clara (Brown) Dewhirst.
Emma Blaha
ORD -- Emma Blaha, 94, of Ord died Sunday, Dec. 3, 2000, at the Valley County Nursing Home in Ord.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church. The Rev. Bob Rooney will officiate. Burial will be in the Ord Catholic Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m., with a rosary at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday at Ord Memorial Chapel.
Memorials are suggested to the St. Mary's Endowment Fund or the nursing home.
Mrs. Blaha was born on Nov. 19, 1906, in Valley County to Frank and Frances (Babka) Hosek. She graduated from Ord High School in 1926. She was a schoolteacher in Valley County for many years.
She married
Edward F. Blaha on April 14, 1931, in Ord. The couple farmed north of Ord until 1958, when they moved into Ord. Mr. Blaha died on Jan. 31, 1988.
Mrs. Blaha enjoyed baking, quilting and sewing.
Survivors include a daughter, Betty Welniak Dubas of Cheyenne, Wyo.; two sons, Dr. Charles Blaha and Donald Blaha, both of Ord; 14 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren; and three brothers, Joe Hosek of Ord, Alfred Hosek of Oklahoma City, Okla., and Adolph Hosek of Lincoln.
She was preceded in death by her husband; two sisters, Anna Bonne and Lydia Kovarik; and a brother, Edward Hosek.
Thelma Gaffney
ST. PAUL -- Thelma C. Gaffney, 76, of St. Paul died Monday, Dec. 4, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in St. Paul. The Rev. Michael McDermott will officiate. Burial will be in Elmwood cemetery in St. Paul.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m., with a 7:30 p.m. vigil service, Wednesday at the church.
Memorials are suggested to the St. Paul EMTs or to the family's choice.
Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Gaffney was born on Oct. 15, 1924, at Logan, Kan., to Thomas and Mabel (Septer) Fix. The family later moved to Holdrege, where she attended Holdrege public schools.
She graduated from Speed High School in Speed, Kan. She received her bachelor of arts in education from Kearney State College and special education training at the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley.
She married
Cloyd G. Gaffney on Feb. 5, 1944, at Alma. The couple farmed near Long Island, Kan., and she began teaching in rural schools near Orleans. The family moved in 1956 to Alma, and she taught at Republican City. They moved to North Platte in 1964, and she taught at various North Platte schools. She also taught the GED and reading programs at North Platte Community College. She retired in 1988, and they returned to Alma in 1989.
The couple moved to St. Paul in 1994 to be closer to their daughter.
Mrs. Gaffney enjoyed attending her grandchildren's and great-grandchildren's activities.
She was a member of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and its Council of Catholic Women. She was a former member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church in North Platte, the Nebraska Education Association and North Platte Education Association.
Survivors include one daughter, Colleen (Mrs. Monte) Brouillette of St. Paul; four grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and one brother, Dean Fix of Phillipsburg, Kan.
Her husband died on March 9, 1998. She also was preceded in death by one brother, Russell Fix.
Roger Jacobson
ARNOLD -- Roger U. "Jake" Jacobson, 58, of Arnold died Sunday, Dec. 3, 2000, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the First Baptist Church in Arnold. The Revs. Jim Ferguson and Victor Karg will officiate. Burial will be in Tallin Cemetery, south of Arnold.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Arnold Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to the Roger Jacobson Memorial Fund.
Mr. Jacobson was born on Jan. 3, 1942, at home on the Tallin Table near Arnold to Clarence and Iloe (Schmitz) Jacobson. He graduated from Arnold High School in 1961.
He married
Karen L. Haskell on March 24, 1962, in Halsey. He started Jake's Trucking in 1973.
Mr. Jacobson was a member of the First Baptist Church of Arnold and served as a deacon.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Jerry and Jim, both of Arnold; three grandchildren; and one brother, Chuck of Lincoln.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Miles and Marlin.
