U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Richard Kelly
81, Retired
CENTRAL CITY -- Richard P. Kelly, 81, of Central City died Sunday, June 10, 2001, at the Grand Island Veterans Home.
Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Central City with Richard Fritz officiating.
Burial will be in the Central City Cemetery.
Solt Funeral Home in Central City is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Kelly was born May 22, 1920, in Johnstown, Penn., to Harry and Margaret (Harris) Kelly. After graduation from Johnstown High School, he attended college. He served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1944.
He married
Faye A. Evans on Dec. 20, 1943, in Colorado.
After completing his military service, they lived in California until 1958 when they moved to Columbus.
Mr. Kelly was a sales representative all of his work life.
In 1991, he retired, and they moved to Central City.
He was a member of the Central City congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses and shared extensively in volunteer ministry with local congregation members.
Survivors include his wife; two sons and daughters-in-law, Richard E. and Helen Kelly of Grand Rapids, Mich., and Patrick J. and Ruth Kelly of Columbus; one daughter, Cathy O. Kelly of Central City; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one daughter, Marilyn Carlson in 1998.
Florence Moderow
94, Retired salesperson
AURORA -- Florence M. Moderow, 94, of Aurora died Monday, June 11, 2001, at her home.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Central City. The Rev. Brad Rick will officiate. Burial will be in the Aurora Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Higby Mortuary in Aurora.
Mrs. Moderow was born on June 27, 1906, on the family farm in the northeast section of Hamilton County to Emil and Elizabeth (Dethloff) Meerkatz. She grew up on a farm on the southwest corner of Polk County. She attended Immanuel Parochial School through the eighth grade and then worked as a domestic.
She married
Benjamin A. Moderow on July 13, 1930, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in rural Polk. The couple operated a variety store in Scribner before moving to Aurora in 1934 to operate Moderow Variety on the northwest side of the square. She worked in an exclusive women's wear shop in Santa Ana, Calif. She helped operate Moderow's Furniture in Aurora, then Moderow Hardware on the north side of the square.
Mr. Moderow died on Oct. 1, 1972. Mrs. Moderow worked at Monet's Women's Wear until her retirement.
She enjoyed growing flowers.
Survivors include two sons and a daughter-in-law, William Moderow of Aurora and Tom and Jeannie Moderow of Omaha; one daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Glen Frey of DeSoto, Kan.; one daughter-in-law, Jean Moderow of Arcadia, Calif.; one brother, Gerhart Meerkatz of Boise, Idaho; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband and one son, James.
Jean Springer
STROMSBURG -- Jean R. Springer, 65, of Stromsburg died Sunday, June 10, 2001, at BryanLGH East Medical Center in Lincoln.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the United Methodist Church in Stromsburg with Rev. Lester Anderson officiating. Burial will be in the Blue Ridge cemetery in Gresham.
Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Palmer Funeral Home in Stromsburg.
Mrs. Springer was born Sept. 17, 1935, in Alliance and later was adopted by Raymond and Vernal (Bristle) Bond of rural Stromsburg. She attended District 69 Hackberry Country School between Stromsburg and Gresham and attended Stromsburg High School.
She married
Dale Fredrickson, and later married
Gilbert Springer.
She cleaned houses, worked at Hazel's Coffee Shop and Gary Hullinger's cattle farm. She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Stromsburg and sang in the choir.
Survivors include two daughters and sons-in-law, Rhonda and Wayne Richards of North Platte and Lana and Roger Gannaway of Stromsburg; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Max Fredrickson of Lincoln and Gregory and Julie Springer of Adams; one brother, Maurice Wilcholm of Clovis, N.M.; 11 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Leo Wolf
71, Retired businessman
NORTH LOUP -- Leo Wolf, 71, of North Loup died Friday, June 8, 2001, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.
Memorial services will be at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Ord Methodist Church in Ord. The Revs. Jim Miller and Max Graves will officiate.
There will be no visitation. Mr. Wolf's body was cremated.
Memorials are suggested in his name.
Ord Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Wolf was born Dec. 11, 1929, on the family farm west of Ord to Carl and Ida M. (Brickner) Wolf. The family farmed and lived south of North Loup in the Fish Creek area. In 1938, they moved to California for a short time. After returning to Nebraska, they farmed south of North Loup in Sherman County and later moved to the Davis Creek area of Valley County. He attended Union Ridge "Fussyville" rural school, Fish Creek School and graduated from North Loup High School in 1947. He took over the farm at age 13 when his father died.
On Sept. 30, 1951, he married
Fauniel V. Johnson at Burwell. The couple farmed in the Davis Creek area and later moved south of Ord, where he farmed with Archie Geweke. The couple moved into Ord and later built a home on the western edge of Ord. In 1962, he started Wolf Inc. Auction & Real Estate. He attended auctioneer school at Mason City, Iowa. Mr. Wolf retired in 1997 and continued to help his son, Steve, with their business. Mrs. Wolf died on June 11, 1998.
He married
Laurel (VanHoosen) Andersen on March 29, 1999, south of Ord. The couple lived in North Loup.
He was a member of the Ord Elks Lodge No. 2371 and the Nebraska Auctioneer Association.
He enjoyed working farm ground, traveling and spending time with his family.
Survivors include his wife; two sons and daughters-in-law, Steve and Lezlie Wolf of Ord and Jeff and Cindy Wolf of Kearney; one brother and sister-in-law, Lores and Shirley Wolf of North Loup; and four grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Fauniel; infant twin sons; and one brother, Charles Wolf.
Velma Matzner
GRESHAM -- Velma M. Matzner, 87, of Gresham died Tuesday, June 12, 2001, at York.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Presbyterian Church in Gresham. Burial will be in Cedar Lawn cemetery at Gresham.
Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Metz Mortuary in York.
Memorials are suggested to the church or the family.
Mrs. Matzner was born Sept. 16, 1913, at Gresham to Sam and Nellie (Huff) Lance. She was a longtime area cook and worked in her mother's cafe, "Nellie's, " in Gresham when she was younger. She then worked at the Ideal Cafe in York and Glen Echo Resort in Bellevue, Colo.
She married
Harold F. Matzner at Gresham on June 19, 1928.
She was an active member of the Gresham Presbyterian Church, the American Legion Auxiliary and the B.P.W. Ladies Aid in Gresham.
Survivors include one son, Larry Matzner of Ceresco; one daughter and son-in-law, Janice and Gene Schneberger of Grand Island; six grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and a sister-in-law, Edna West of San Diego, Calif.
She was preceded in death by her husband, two brothers, three sisters and her daughter-in-law.
