U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
John Wojtasek
ORD -- John Wojtasek, 85, of Ord died Thursday, Nov. 25, 1999, at the Valley County Nursing Home in Ord.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Ord. The Rev. Jim Warner will officiate. Burial will be in the Ord Catholic Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m., with a rosary and Christian wake service at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at Ord Memorial Chapel.
Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Mr. Wojtasek was born on Feb. 14, 1914, in Valley County to Joseph and Mary (Ciochon) Wojtasek. He grew up and was educated in Valley County.
He married
Ahleane C. Wegrzyn on Sept. 7, 1937, at St. Wenceslaus' Catholic Church in Geranium. They lived in and around Valley County most of their lives except during World War II, when they moved to Chicago and he worked for Pettibone-Milliken, a defense contractor. They returned to Valley County after the war to build a home in Ord. He became a local contractor and builder and founded Loup Valley Ready Mix Concrete Co. Later he worked in the Ord public schools.
He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and Cosmopolitan Club and served on the Ord Volunteer Fire Department for many years. He loved baseball, directed construction of new bleachers at the Ord baseball field and was manager of the Old Plugs in the early 1950s.
Survivors include his wife; three sons, Raymond James of North Ogden, Utah, Paul Allen and Dale Edward, both of Lincoln; one daughter, Rita Kay (Mrs. Tony) Schmitz of Lincoln; 14 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; one brother, Ben Wojtasek of Arizona; and two sisters, Clara (Mrs. Kenneth) Geinosky of Arizona and Eleanor (Mrs. Martin) Hayman of California.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Frank and Lewis.
Ella Valasek
OGALLALA -- Ella Elnora Valasek, 67, of Ogallala died Sunday, Nov. 21, 1999, at the Shepherd of the Valley Care Center in Casper, Wyo.
Services were on Wednesday at the Ogallala United Methodist Church. The Rev. Ray Norris officiated. Burial was in the Ord Cemetery.
A memorial has been established in her name.
Gubser Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Valasek was born on Sept. 6, 1932, at home near North Loup to Sidney B. and Ella F. (Douglas) Brown. She graduated from Burwell High School in 1949.
She married
Gerald "Bud" Valasek of Ord on June 27, 1951. The couple moved south of Ord and farmed for five years after losing their infant daughter. The couple then moved into Ord for four years before moving to Kearney for three years. She worked as a dental assistant and a department clerk in Kearney.
During her husband's employment with Missouri Valley Construction Co., the family lived and worked in several towns in Nebraska including Lexington, North Platte, Grand Island, Kimball and Ogallala, where they decided to retire as Interstate 80 was being constructed.
She was a member of the Ogallala United Methodist Church. She enjoyed her Sunday mornings being able to go to church and visit with her friends.
Survivors include one son, Gordon of Mills, Wyo.; two grandsons; one sister, Doris Franssen of Phoenix; and two brothers, Dale Brown of Ogallala and Dwight Brown of Breckenridge, Texas.
Her husband died in February. She also was preceded in death by one brother, Gene Brown; and a daughter, Jeannine.
Eva Wineteer
PAPILLION -- Eva Alma Wineteer, 82, of Papillion died Wednesday, Nov. 24, 1999, at Huntington Park Nursing Home in Papillion.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Kahler-Dolce Mortuary in Papillion. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Phillips Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until service time Tuesday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer's Association.
Mrs. Wineteer was born on July 28, 1917, in Phillips to Hiram and Eva (Purdy) England.
Survivors include one son, Stephan A. Wineteer Sr.; three grandchildren; and two sisters, Janette Hancock of Omaha and Lila Delarm of Phillips.
Mrs. Wineteer was preceded in death by her husband, William.
Amanda Farrier
FULLERTON -- Amanda "Mandy" Farrier, 25, of Fullerton died Saturday, April 14, 2001, at the Boone County Health Center in Albion.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the United Methodist Church. The Rev. Wendell Davis will officiate. Burial will be in the Fullerton Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Palmer Funeral Home.
Memorial are suggested to the Columbus Special Olympics.
Ms. Farrier was born Jan. 13, 1976, in O'Neill to Gerald and Angela (Cernousek) Farrier. She attend school in O'Neill until she moved with her parents to Fullerton in 1988. She then attended Columbus Public School and graduated in 1997.
She worked at the North Star Workshop in Columbus.
Ms. Farrier was active in the Special Olympics in track and field and bowling. She helped with the Fullerton Junior High girls' volleyball team. She also volunteered at the Columbus Manor, Pizza Hut and with the second-grade class at Fullerton.
She was also a Nebraska Cornhuskers and Atlanta Braves fan. She enjoyed latch-hook, going to the mountains, and listening to country music.
Survivors include her parents; one sister, Melissa Sherman of Fullerton; a half-sister, Christine Burns of Sioux City, Iowa; grandmother, Velma Cernousek of Fullerton; and special friends, Geraldine Went and Jane French.
She was preceded in death by one sister, Tara; grandfathers, Frank Cernousek and Hylas Farrier; and grandmother Velma Farrier.
Ruth Hanson
STROMSBURG -- Ruth Hanson, 82, of Polk died Saturday, April 14, 2001, at Midwest Covenant Home in Stromsburg.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Arborville United Church of Christ near Polk. The Rev. Lester Anderson will officiate. Interment at the Stromsburg cemetery.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Solt Funeral Home in Polk.
Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer's foundation or the Arborville United Church of Christ.
Maurice Medaris
OLATHE, Kan. -- Maurice E. "Mose" Medaris, 82, of Olathe, Kan., formerly of Aurora, died Saturday, April 14, 2001, in Olathe, Kan.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Presbyterian U.C.C. in Aurora. The Rev. Monty Nelson and the Rev. Mark Dunham will officiate. Burial will be in the Aurora cemetery with full military honors.
Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Higby Mortuary in Aurora.
Memorials are suggested to the Presbyterian U.C.C., the Bremer Center or the Vets' Club.
Mr. Medaris was born Nov. 16, 1918, in Aurora to Austin and Annie (Hartnell) Medaris. He grew up in the Stockham and Aurora areas and graduated from Aurora High School. He attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, where he graduated with a bachelor of science degree in animal husbandry. He was in the ROTC during college, and served as a captain in World War II in the U.S. Army artillery in North Africa and Italy.
He married
Anna Penner on March 21, 1952, in Aurora. They lived in Aurora, where Mr. Medaris was a cattleman and a farmer. He retired in 1987 after working for 13 years at the Soil Conservation Service. The couple moved to Olathe, Kan., in 1993 to be closer to their family.
Mr. Medaris was an active member of the Presbyterian UCC. He had also been the commander of the VFW and held office in the American Legion. He enjoyed horses, photography, reading, gardening and fishing.
Survivors include his wife, two sons, James E. Medaris of Lawrence, Kan., and Jerry W. Medaris of Olathe, Kan.; one grandson and one sister, Ruth Ann (Mrs. Homer) Leymaster of Cedar Falls, Iowa.
