U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Margaret Valaika
Margaret Helen Valaika, 88, of Grand Island, formerly of Central City, died Friday, Nov. 26, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Solt Funeral Home in Central City. The Rev. Joel Schroeder will officiate. Burial will be in the Central City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until service time Tuesday at the funeral home.
Mrs. Valaika was born on Jan. 8, 1911, at Crawford to Herman and Regina (Miller) Basse. She grew up on the family ranch near Harrison. She graduated from Harrison High School and then worked at Yellowstone National Park.
She served in the U.S. Army from Aug. 5, 1943, to Jan. 11, 1946.
She married
Anthony "Tony" Valaika on Nov. 3, 1946, in Long Island, N.Y. They lived in the Bassett and Gordon areas from 1947 to 1952. They later moved to Central City, where they owned and operated Central Cafe until retiring in 1983.
Mr. Valaika died on Nov. 4, 1985. A year later, Mrs. Valaika moved to the Grand Island Veterans Home.
She was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Central City.
Survivors include five nephews, Don Basse of Central City, Dennis, LaVerne, Richard and Evan Basse; and one niece, Doris Tolliver.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by five brothers, August, Herman, Reinhard, Frank and George Basse.
Marvin Briese
ALBION -- Marvin Briese, 74, of Albion died Friday, Nov. 26, 1999, at the Boone County Health Center in Albion.
Services are pending with Levander Funeral Home.
Laura Cupl
BROKEN BOW -- Laura F. Cupl, 88, of Broken Bow died Friday, Nov. 26, 1999, at Heritage Hall Nursing Home in Broken Bow.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Broken Bow. The Rev. Bob Rooney will officiate. Burial will be in St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., with a rosary at 7 p.m., Monday at Govier Brothers Mortuary.
Memorials are suggested to the Jennie M. Melham Memorial Medical Center Home Health Care.
Mrs. Cupl was born on Oct. 12, 1911, at Mitchell, S.D., to Lindley I. and Frances (Machovea) Hunt. The family moved to Lincoln when she was a child, and Mrs. Cupl graduated from high school there. She later attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
She married
Joseph Cupl on Nov. 27, 1941, in Lincoln. In 1943, the couple moved to Ord, where they lived for three years. They moved to Broken Bow in 1946.
Mr. Cupl died on Aug. 30, 1984. Mrs. Cupl moved to Independence Hall in Broken Bow six years later. She later became a resident of Heritage Hall Nursing Home.
She was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church and the Altar Society.
She enjoyed crocheting and her houseplants.
Survivors include sisters-in-law, Bernice Hunt of Florida and Martha Peiker of Junction City, Kan.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Fred Hunt and Joseph Hunt.
Andrew Nachtigall
HENDERSON -- Andrew H. Nachtigall, 91, of Henderson died Thursday, Nov. 25, 1999, in Aurora.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Mennonite Brethren Church in Henderson. Burial will be in the Mennonite Brethren cemetery near Henderson.
Visitation will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at Metz Mortuary in Henderson.
Memorials are suggested to the Mennonite Brethren Missions.
Mr. Nachtigall was born on Oct. 30, 1908, in Hamilton County to Henry and Elizabeth (Regier) Nachtigall.
He married
Anna Voth on Feb. 8, 1931, in Coldwater, Texas.
Mr. Nachtigall farmed south of Aurora until his retirement.
He was a member of the Mennonite Brethren Church in Henderson, where he served on many church boards. He also served on many Henderson and Aurora community boards.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Dorothy (Mrs. Melvin) Thiessen of Fresno, Calif., and LuElla (Mrs. Marlin) Janzen of Hillsboro, Kan.; two sons, Harold of Aurora and Dean of York, Pa.; 12 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; a sister, Elma Crossley of Henderson; and three brothers, Ben of Reedley, Calif., and Dan and Ed, both of Fresno, Calif.
He was preceded in death by a great-granddaughter and three brothers.
Frank Naprstek
ORD -- Frank Naprstek, 86, of Ord died Thursday, Nov. 25, 1999, at the Valley County Hospital in Ord.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the Ord United Methodist Church. The Rev. Jim Miller will officiate. Burial will be in the Ord City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Ord Memorial Chapel.
Memorials are suggested to the Valley County Hospital Foundation.
Louis Swick
BROKEN BOW -- Louis Oliver Swick, 86, of rural Broken Bow died Wednesday, Nov. 24, 1999, at his home.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Lillian Church of Christ north of Broken Bow. The Rev. Bob Dainton will officiate. Burial will be in the Gates Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow.
Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer's Association of Nebraska and Nebraska Christian College at Norfolk.
Mr. Swick was born on Dec. 26, 1912, at Gates to Oliver Lincoln and Hope S. (Gates) Swick. He attended Lillian Grade School and Gates High School. After his schooling, he began farming with his father and his brother, Harry. Later, he and his brother divided the land.
He married
Lillian Duryea on June 14, 1936, at Merna. Mr. Swick farmed and ranched in the Gates community all his life. He also worked for several years for the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service in Broken Bow, mainly with the grain storage programs.
He was a member of the Lillian Church of Christ, Nebraska Cutting Horse Association, Palomino Horse Association and American Quarter Horse Association. He had ridden in the Custer County Fair parade almost since it began and also rode in other parades in the county. He was also one of the first seven men in Nebraska to own a registered quarter horse stallion.
Survivors include his wife; one daughter, Janice Louise Swick of Norfolk; and a twin sister, Lois Olive Hawkins of Edmund, Okla.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Harry; and six sisters, Mary, Arva, Ruth, Esther, Alta and Hazel.
