U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Gary Carson
WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. -- Gary Carson, 59, of Wheat Ridge, Colo., formerly of Grand Island, died Dec. 27, 2000, in Denver.
Services were on Jan. 2, 2001, at Olinger Wadsworth Chapel in Denver.
Mr. Carson was cremated.
He was born on Feb. 20, 1941, in Grand Island to Bob and Evelyn (Rickert) Carson. He was educated in the Grand Island public schools and graduated from Grand Island Senior High before moving to Denver.
He married
Marian J. Blobaum on Sept. 9, 1978, in Las Vegas. He worked as an industrial engineer.
He was a member of the Elks Club.
Survivors include his wife; a son, Bob of Denver; a stepson, Douglas Colby of Clarkson; a stepdaughter, Debra Crum of Fairplay, Colo.; four grandchildren; his father, of Hudson; and two sisters, Sharon Luth of Grand Island and Gloria Jenkins of Denver.
He was preceded in death by a son, Rick; and his mother.
Basil Fritz
Basil A. Fritz, of Grand Island died Saturday, March 3, 2001, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at St. Pauls Lutheran Church in Grand Island. The Rev. Joel Schroeder will officiate. Burial will be in the Westlawn Memorial Park cemetery in Grand Island.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, with family greeting friends from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to the church.
Mr. Fritz was born May 14, 1920, in Hildreth to Henry and Louisa (Heien) Fritz. He received his education in Hildreth and Alma.
He married
Maxine Frye on Jan. 16, 1940, in Grand Island. He worked for a short time at Bill's Trading Post and three years at the Donald Company, both in Grand Island. In 1943, he took a position with the International Harvester Company.
The couple lived in Grand Island until 1962, when they moved to the Council Bluffs and Omaha area. They moved to Kansas City in 1973, and returned to Grand Island in September 1978. He retired in 1978 after 28 years as an accountant and six years as a manager in accounting for International Harvester.
He was a member of St. Pauls Lutheran Church and served on the church council in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He was also a member of the fraternal order of the Eagles.
He enjoyed traveling and activities with his family.
Survivors include three daughters, Diane (Mrs. Dean) Hugh of Grand Island, Lynn (Mrs. Tom) Buckley of Omaha and Terry (Mrs. Dean) Poppe of Juniata; one son, Brian Fritz of Hastings; one sister, Ordean Mansfield of Oxford; one half-sister, Barbara Yost of Grand Island; 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, three sisters, one brother and one half-brother.
James Thorndike
James H. Thorndike, 87, of Grand Island died Saturday, March 3, 2001, at the Hamilton Manor in Aurora.
There will be no visitation. Mr. Thorndike's body was cremated. A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church.
Memorials are suggested to St. Stephen's Episcopal Church or the Masonic Order.
Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Charles Brandt
KEARNEY -- Charles L. Brandt, 51, of Kearney died Sunday, March 4, 2001, at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the First Baptist church in Kearney. The Rev. Stan Murdoch will officiate. Burial will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday in the Mason City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the O'Brien-Straatmann-Apfel Funeral Home in Kearney. Memorials are suggested to the church or the donor's choice.
Mr. Brandt was born on July 23, 1949, in Broken Bow to Lester and Blanche (Livingston) Brandt. He attended country school near Ansley, graduating from Ansley High School in 1968. He attended McCook Junior College for two years, and then Kearney State College for 21Ž2 years.
He married
Jolene Burns on April 19, 1975, in Kearney. He worked in furniture sales until ill health forced his retirement.
He enjoyed the outdoors, fishing, hunting and baseball. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Kearney.
Survivors include his wife; one son, T.J. of Kearney; two daughters, Kari and Mindi, both of Kearney; two brothers, Jeff, of Aurora, Colo., and Steven of North Pole, Alaska; and one grandson.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Anna Knight
CENTRAL CITY -- Anna Knight, 91, of Central City died at her home Saturday, March 3, 2001.
Services are pending with Solt Funeral Home in Central City. More information will appear later.
Pauline Myers
SHELBY -- Pauline Helen Myers, 60, of rural Shelby died Sunday, March 4, 2001, of cancer at the Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital in Hastings.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Stromsburg Baptist Church. The Rev. Duane Tweeten and the Rev. Ron Klaassen will officiate. Burial will be at the Telbasta Cemetery, with a graveside service at 2 p.m.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Palmer Funeral Home in Stromsburg.
William Stempke
MCCOOK -- William Stempke was stillborn on Friday, March 2, 2001, at the McCook Community Hospital in McCook.
Graveside services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Shelton cemetery in Shelton. The Rev. Bev Minor will officiate.
Burial will be at the Shelton Cemetery. Apfel Funeral Home of Wood River is in charge of the arrangements.
Survivors include his parents, Kelly and Wendy (Roach) Stempke of McCook; two brothers, Michael and Samuel, both of McCook; one sister, Breanna of McCook; grandparents Wesley and Bonnei Roach of Shelton, Lyle and Sue Stempke of Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, and Dale Gewecke of Wood River; and great grandmothers Ruth Rice of Wood River and Iris Neimen of Wood River.
William Lanka
88, Service garage owner
William Lanka, 88, of Grand Island, died Sunday, May 6, 2001, at his home.
Private family services will be held at Elmwood cemetery in St. Paul. There will be no visitation.
Memorials are suggested to his family.
Jacobsen-Greenway Funeral Home of St. Paul is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Lanka was born May 2, 1913, at St. Paul to Charles and Emma (Ambrose) Lanka.
He was raised south of St. Paul near Bunker Hill. He attended Bunker Hill and St. Paul High School. He also attended the St. Paul Business College. He then helped his parents on the family farm.
He married
Bessie Jares on Jan. 20, 1940, at St. Paul. The couple lived in St. Paul, where he worked at Wolfert's Tavern and also as a plumber.
The couple moved to Grand Island in the early 1950s. He purchased the Frontier Filling Station from Clayton Peterson. He then bought the Five Points Laundromat and then Todsen Garage, where he worked until his retirement in 1976.
He enjoyed fishing, visiting with people, working on lawnmowers and making different items.
He was a member of the Platt-Duetsche and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, both of Grand Island.
Survivors include his wife; one son, Gary of Grand Island; two grandsons; and one great-grandson.
He was preceded in death by one sister, Elsie Jensen.
