U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Gordon Smith
R. Gordon Smith, 83, of Grand Island, died Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. Envoy Jim Tooley will officiate.
Visitation will be from 8 to 10 a.m. Friday at Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home prior to graveside services.
Memorials are suggested to the Salvation Army.
Mr. Smith was born in New Holland, Pa. on June 13, 1917, to J. Maurice and Eleanor (Hamilton) Smith. Mr. Smith grew up in New Holland, Pa., and received his education at New Hollad High School. He then furthered his education at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa.
He entered the U.S. Army in February, 1941, serving in the continental United States and the European theater. He was discharged Oct. 29, 1945, in the grade of Master Sergeant.
Upon retiring to civilian life he entered into business with his father in the New Holland Brass Foundry.
On Nov. 22, 1947, he married
Maxine Henderson. In November 1957 the couple moved to Kenmare, N.D., where he was owner of a tavern until May 1964, when they returned to New Holland, Pa. He was then employed by Sperry New Holland and worked at the New Holland, Pa. plant until October, 1974, when he transferred to the Grand island plant. He continued to work there in several capacities until June, 1982, when he retired as a Senior Industrial Engineer.
Survivors include a niece, Pamela Lee of Minneapolis, Minn. and a nephew, Donald Smith of New Holland, Pa.
He was preceded in death by his wife; one sister, Ethel Smith Ames and four brothers, V. Leon and Maurice H. Smith, J. Kenneth Smith and G. Herbert Smith.
George Sweley
Memorial services for George M. Sweley, 52, of rural Hall County will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Peace Lutheran Church with the Rev. William Voelker officiating.
Kleine Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to the family.
Zenith Bigbee
BROKEN BOW -- Zenith Mary Bigbee, 92, of Broken Bow, died Monday, Dec. 18, 2000, at Heritage Hall Nursing Home in Broken Bow.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the United Methodist Church in Broken Bow. Dr. Charles Spence will officiate. Burial will be in the Merna Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 8 to 8 p.m. Friday at Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow.
Memorials are suggested to the United Methodist Church Education Commission.
Mrs. Bigbee was born Oct. 4, 1908, at Attica, Kan. to Willis Jefferson and Susan Tennessee (Rule) Roderick. She grew up a Attica, where she graduated from high school in May 1926.
She attended college for 3 years in Winfield, then graduated from Baker University at Baldwin, Kan. She taught for four years in Wyandotte County Kan., eight years in Minneola, Kan. and one year in Wichita, Kan.
She then worked at the Air Force Base and Farmers-Bankers Life Insurance Company. She returned to her teaching career, teaching one year in Wilmore, Kan. and one year in Kinsley, Kan.
She married
Ray E. Bigbee on May 16, 1948, at the Methodist Church in Wilmore, Kan. They moved to a farm near Merna. She taught another 4 years. In 1975, they retired to a home in Merna. Mr. Bigbee died July 11, 1981. In 1988, she moved to Independence Hall in Broken Bow and later lived at Heritage Hall Nursing Home in Broken Bow.
Mrs. Bigbee was a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority, the Merna East Taale Club and the United Methodist Church.
Survivors include two sons, Bill and Jerry, both of Broken Bow; 17 grandchildren; 41 great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by two daughters, Joan Lyddon and Norma Johnson; one brother; and six sisters.
Irma Huff
BROKEN BOW -- Irma Huff, 92, of Broken Bow, died Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2000, at Jennie Melham Hospital in Broken Bow.
Services will be at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 22, at the Berean Fundamental Church in Broken Bow. The Rev. Steve Hicks will officiate. Burial will be in the Mason City Cemetery. Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow is in charge of arrangements.
Visitation will be at from 10 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Govier Brothers Mortuary. Memorials are suggested to the Berean Fundamental Church in Broken Bow.
Mrs. Huff was born April 27, 1908, near Mason City to Ira George Runyan and Frances Pearl (Rummery) Runyan. When she was nine years old, her family moved to Custer County where she attended rural schools and graduated from Mason City High School in 1924. She attended Kearney State Teachers College for one year, and the University of Nebraska for two summers. She taught rural schools in Thomas and Custer Counties for five years.
She married
Earl C. Lowry and in 1958, moved to Ansley where she worked in a grocery store.
She married
Harold R. Warford on Feb. 8, 1963, in Ansley. She moved to Husker Homes in Ansley in 1978 and kept active in church work and cooking for Rotary Club and various other places about town.
She married
Walter Huff in 1981 in Rexford, Kans. The couple lived in Broken Bow.
She enjoyed teaching Sunday school, singing in the church choir, and children.
Survivors include her husband, Walter of Broken Bow; one step-son, Walter Huff of Eldorado Hills, Calif.; one step-daughter, Mary Ann Crawford of Holdrege; four grandchildren; and seven great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two husbands; one brother, Milo Runyan; and one sister, Evelyn Geiser.
Charlotte Ortgiesen
KEARNEY -- Charlotte Ann Ortgiesen, 82, of Kearney, died Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2000, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the United Methodist Church in Wilcox. The Revs. Jean and Warren Alnor will officiate. Burial will be in the Wilcox Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 9 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Banta-Torrey Funeral Home in Wilcox.
Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association.
Mrs. Ortgiesen was born Aug. 10, 1918, at Minden to Arthur and Thora (Christensen) Johnson. As a young child she moved with her parents to Hildreth where she attended grade school and high school.
On Aug. 27, 1935, she married
LaVern Eugene Ortgiesen at the Franklin County Court House in Franklin. They lived on a farm near Hildreth until 1941. During World War II they lived in Columbus, Ohio and Kearney where Mr. Ortgiesen was employed as an airplane riveter. Following the war, the Ortgiesens moved to the family farm southeast of Wilcox. In 1975 the Ortgiesens moved to their home in Wilcox. After Mr. Ortgiesen's retirement in 1978 they spent several winters in McAllen, Texas.
They moved to Tiffany Square in February, 1999, and to Wedgewood Care Center in January, 2000. Mr. Ortgiesen died Jan. 29, 2000. After his death Mrs. Ortgiesen moved to the Prairie View Gardens in Kearney.
She had been a member of the St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Hildreth. After moving to Wilcox the Ortgiesens attended the Wilcox United Methodist Church.
Survivors include three daughters, Gayla (Mrs. Eugene) Hunt of Holdrege, Mona (Mrs. Delmar) Garrelts of Grand Island and Jo Ann (Mrs. Robert) Alderman of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; one son, Eugene "Butch" Ortgiesen of Wilcox; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
