U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Evelyn Rayer
Evelyn I. Rayer, 82, 1522 W. North Front St., died Saturday, Jan. 6, 2001, at the Skilled Care Unit of St. Francis Memorial Health Center.
Services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday in the chapel of the Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. Tuesday until service time. Memorials are suggested to the family.
Mrs. Rayer was born Feb. 19, 1918, at Lushton to Walter and Gladys (Gibbins) Mart. She received her education at Luston and worked with her family until her marriage to Clarence Rayer on April 17, 1937, at York. The couple farmed near York until 1944, when they moved to Grand Island.
Mrs. Rayer had worked for Williams Nursing Home in Grand Island and the Stolley Bakery.
She loved bingo and frequently attended the Grand Generation Center.
Mrs. Rayer is survived by a son, Francis Rayer of Grand Island; a daughter, Donna Anderson of Grand Island; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; two brothers, Ralph Mart of Fresno, Calif., and Forest Mart of York; and a sister, Eunice Wittmore of York.
She was preceded in death by her husband in 1995 and a brother, Lloyd.
Margaret Cannon
GREELEY -- Margaret Cannon, 93, of Greeley, died Sunday, Jan. 7, 2001, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.
Services are pending at T.J. Finn and Sons Mortuary in Greeley.
Alvo Crawford
SENECA -- Alvo O. Crawford, 91, died Friday, Jan. 5, 2001, at the Hamilton Manor in Aurora.
Services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Seneca Auditorium. The Rev. James Naumann will officiate. Burial will be in the Seneca Cemetery.
Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at the Mullen Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to Grace Lutheran Church at Valentine, the Seneca Cemetery, Thomas County Historical Society at Thedford or Hamilton Manor at Aurora.
Mr. Crawford was born May 19, 1909, to Albert Oswald and Hilma (Anderson) Crawford on his parents' homestead in Thomas County, three miles north of Seneca.
He married
Clara Gathje on June 30, 1938, at Atkinson. They then began ranching with Mr. Crawford's parents. The couple spent summers living in the sod house at the "cow camp" seven miles southeast of the home ranch, putting up hay and caring for the cattle.
They began establishing their home and ranch in 1939 in the Jimtwon community six miles north of Seneca.
As a young man, Mr. Crawford played violin in neighborhood dances in the Sandhills. He also loved to play violin and mandolin for his family.
As an adult, Mr. Crawford was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. He helped establish Immanuel Lutheran Church in Thedford. He later transferred his membership to Grace Lutheran Church in Valentine.
Mr. Crawford loved hearing the oral traditions of his family and he later told them to younger generations. He wrote a family genealogy and other stories for local centennial history publications.
Mr. Crawford also was an amateur ham radio operator, an activity that he continued while he lived at Hamilton Manor Nursing Home in Aurora.
Survivors include two daughters, Carol (Mrs. Gary) Grummert of Inland and Sharon (Mrs. Gene) Hughes of Grand Island; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife; his sister, Babe Andersen; and his brothers, Oro and Bud.
Mable Lawson
ALBION -- Mable F. Lawson, 93, of Albion, died Saturday, Jan. 6, 2001, at Wolf Memorial Good Samaritan Center in Albion.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the United Methodist Church in Albion with the Rev. Terry Otto officiating. Burial will in the Rose Hill cemetery in Albion. Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Levander Funeral Home in Albion.
Patrick Pokorski
ASHTON -- Patrick "Pat" R. Pokorski, 58, of Ashton, died Saturday, Jan. 6, 2001, at the Clarkson Hospital in Omaha.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Paplin. The Rev. Larry Coulter will officiate. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.
Visitation will be at St. Francis Catholic Church in Ashton from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday with a Knights of Columbus rosary at 5:30 p.m. and a vigil service at 7:30 p.m.
Memorials are suggested to the Polish Heritage Center, Mount Carmel cemetery or Ashton Fire and Rescue. Peters Funeral Home of Loup City is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Pokorski was born March 17, 1942, on the family farm near Paplin to Stanley and Pauline (Kosmicki) Pokorski. He attended Howard County rural schools and was a 1960 graduate of Ashton High School.
After completing his education, he worked in the uranium mines in Wyoming. He later worked for Bushman Construction at Ainsworth and Loup City in building the reservoir and irrigation projects. He returned in 1965 to Paplin to farm with his parents.
He married
Virginia A. Shotkoski on July 1, 1967, at St. Josaphat's Catholic Church in Loup City. The couple lived on the family farm their entire married
life.
In 1990, Mr. Pokorski purchased the bar in Ashton, which he operated as "Pat's Place" until his death.
Mr. Pokorski loved sports. He also enjoyed sponsoring Halloween and Christmas parties for the area children.
He was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church in Ashton, a member of the former Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Paplin, and a member of the Knights of Columbus Council No. 5455 and Fourth Degree Assembly No. 1712, both of Loup City. He also was a member of the Ashton Community Club and the Polish Heritage Center board of directors. He was a baseball and softball coach for many years.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Rodney Pokorski of Loup City; a daughter, Tamara (Mrs. Eric) Nelson of Thedford; a granddaughter; four sisters, Irene Beasley of Waukegan, Ill., Edean (Mrs. Alvin) Gembala of Wood River, Elaine (Mrs. Dale) Nowak of St. Paul and Joan (Mrs. Ron) Cassity of Sandy, Utah; and two brothers, Delphie Pokorski of Phoenix and Lavern Pokorski of Omaha.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Vi Schuman
ST. PAUL -- Vivian "Vi" M. Schuman, 76, of St. Paul died Sunday, Jan. 7, 2001, at The Heritage Living Center in St. Paul.
Services are pending with Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul.
Hilbert Swanson
ST. EDWARD -- Hilbert D. "Hib" Swanson, 93, of St. Edward, died Saturday, Jan. 6, 2001, at his home in St. Edward.
Services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Salem Lutheran Church in rural St. Edward. The Rev. David Collins will officiate. Burial will be in the parish cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Miller-Levander Funeral Home in St. Edwards.
Ruth VanBuskirk
DONIPHAN -- Ruth Irene VanBuskirk, 79, of Doniphan, died Saturday, Jan. 6, 2001, at St. Francis Skilled Care in Grand Island.
Services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Doniphan United Methodist Church. Burial will be in the Doniphan Cedarview Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, with family greeting friends from 5 to 7 p.m. at the All Faiths Funeral Home in Grand Island.
