U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Charles Vancura Jr.
COLUMBUS -- Charles Vancura Jr., 82, of Columbus died Thursday, Dec. 20, 2001, at the Columbus Community Hospital.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Isidore Catholic Church in Columbus. The Rev. Joseph A. Miksch will officiate. Burial will be in the St. Bonaventure cemetery in Columbus.
Visitation will be from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday at McKown Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to St. Isidore Church or the donor's choice.
Mr. Vancura was born Sept. 8, 1919, in Valley County to Charles and Rosie (Klat) Vancura. He attended school in Valley County.
He married
Clara Micek on Nov. 25, 1941, at St. Mary's Church in Elyria. The couple farmed before moving to Columbus in 1986. He was a member of St. Isidore Catholic Church and Holy Name.
Survivors include his wife; one daughter and son-in-law, Sharon and Morgan Stogdill of Council Bluffs, Iowa; three sons and daughters-in-law, Alan and Sandra Vancura of Hastings, Larry and Janet Vancura of Henderson, and Lyle and Jaci Vancura of Columbus; one sister, Rose Moloun of Ord; one brother and sister-in-law, Edwin and Donna Vancura of Ord and eight grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one infant sister.
'Casey' Jones
Wilbur H. "Casey" Jones, 79, of Grand Island, formerly of Central City, died on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2001, at BryanLGH in Lincoln.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the chapel of Solt Funeral Home in Central City. The Rev. Kenneth West will officiate. Burial will be in the Central City Cemetery.
Mr. Jones was born on May 23, 1922, at Marquette to Arthur and Elizabeth (Nelson) Jones. He received his education at Marquette, graduating from Marquette High School in 1942. He then entered the U.S. Coast Guard Amphibian Unit in 1942 and served in the South Pacific during World War II. After his discharge in 1945, he returned to Nebraska.
He married
Gloria J. McMahon on June 19, 1949, in Central City. He worked for Hesselgesser Station and Olds Dealer until December 1971. The couple then moved to Grand Island and purchased the service station at Second and Cedar Street. They sold the business in 1979. The couple enjoyed touring the United States by motorcycle. He also worked part-time for Red Rooster, retiring for a second time in 1992. At this time, he underwent a series of procedures for his heart. They then began traveling by motor home and lived their winters in Florida and other parts of the south.
He was a member of American Legion Post No. 6 in Central City, VFW in Grand Island, Fraternal Order of Eagles and Motorcycles of America-BMW Organization. He enjoyed to talk about motor information and auto mechanics. He also enjoyed restoring anything from his mother's home to a 1967 Corvette.
Survivors include his wife; two sons and daughter-in-law, David A. Jones of Winston-Salem, N.C., and Vance A. and Joanne Jones of Birmingham, Ala.; two daughters and son-in-law, Georgia Beth Burch of Tampa, Fla., and Angela J. and Robert Snow of Tampa, Fla.; a sister and brother-in-law, Darlene and Milton Suck of Palmer; and nine grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by an infant sister, Lucille; a sister, Jewell Gregg; and two grandchildren.
Chuck Smith
Chuck Smith, 84, of Grand Island died Monday, Sept. 17, 2001, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Omaha.
Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. The Rev. Herbert B. Schutte will officiate.
Visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Kleine Funeral Home, with the family receiving friends from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the donor's choice.
Mr. Smith was born on Nov. 5, 1916, in Cedar Rapids, to Howard and Edith (Porter) Smith. After graduating from Cedar Rapids High School in 1935, he worked for a railroad.
He married
Lucille Foreman on March 16, 1940 in Bartlett. He entered the U.S. Army in January 1943 and served in the ETO, with the 197th AAA Battery in five major battles. After being discharged in September 1945, he worked for Narco Feed Mill in Albion, until the couple moved to Grand Island and lived there until 1950. He drove a truck for Peterson & Peterson & Briggs and for the Ordnance Plant in Grand Island, and later worked for Schuppan's Sales and Service.
Survivors include special caregivers, Gaylene and Jerry Beck, Gary and Charlene Peterson and Delores and Steve Brown, all of Grand Island, and Floyd Peterson of Pompano Beach, Fla.
He was preceded in death by his wife in 1999; three brothers, Richard, Bud and Robert; and two sisters, Polly Husmann and Viola Walker.
Paul Sheets
76, Retired brand inspector
SARGENT -- Paul Sheets, 76, of Sargent, died Saturday, Sept. 15, 2001, at Valley County Hospital in Ord.
Services were at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sargent. The Rev. Bernard Berger officiated. Burial was in St. Mary's Catholic cemetery with military graveside services.
Visitation was from 1 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at Rhoad's Funeral Home in Sargent. Wake service was at 7 p.m. at the church.
Memorials are suggested to the Sargent ambulance fund.
Mr. Sheets was born May 1, 1925, at Arnold to William and Rachel (Main) Sheets. He attended school in Stapelton, graduating from high school in 1944. He served in the U.S. Army from 1945 to 1946, serving as a military policeman. He then worked as a ranch hand. He became a brand inspector in 1951 and worked in that job until his retirement in 1990.
He married
Joan Michaelson on Oct. 29, 1955, in Neligh. They lived in Neligh and Broken Bow. They moved to Sargent in 1959. They later purchased a farm near Sargent in 1972, where they continued to live through the present time.
He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, American Legion Post No. 104 in Sargent and a charter member of the Custer County's Sheriff's Posse.
Survivors include his wife; two sons and daughters-in-law, Gerry and Shelly Sheets of Sargent and Ken and Bridget Sheets of Ord; five daughters and four sons-in-law, Mary and Robert Kennedy of Atkinson, Paula Freeman of Burwell, Donita and Marvin Hulinsky of Burwell, Teresa and Dale Seidel of Burwell and Kim and Bryan Roberts of Sargent; 14 grandchildren; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Donald and Joyce Sheets of Burwell and Bernard and Doradean Sheets of Dunning; and a sister, Colleen Sheets of Burwell.
He was preceded in death by a son, Marty Sheets; an infant daughter, Dianna G. Sheets; and a brother, William "Billy" Sheets.
Alma Thoene
84, Homemaker
BURWELL -- Alma M. Thoene, 84, of Burwell died Monday, Sept. 17, 2001, at the Community Memorial Health Center in Burwell.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Burwell. The Rev. Bernard Berger will officiate. Burial will be in Cottonwood cemetery in Burwell.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the church with a wake service at 7 p.m.
Hitchcock Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to the Burwell Ambulance Supply Fund.
Mrs. Thoene was born Oct. 6, 1916, near St. James in Cedar County to Frank and Anna (Schroeder) Pinkelman. She attended school at St. Phillips and James Catholic School in Cedar County.
She married
Melvin Thoene on June 1, 1943, at St. James Catholic Church in Cedar County. The couple farmed and ranched in the Wynot area until 1959 when they moved their family to a ranch eight miles east of Burwell in 1988. They retired and moved to Park View Plaza in Burwell in 1988. She moved to the Community Medical Health Center in November 2000, and her husband moved there in May 2001.
She was actively involved with the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Altar Society, a long standing member of the Midvale Ladies Social Club and enjoyed helping her children with 4-H activities. She was a homemaker all her life and enjoyed raising flowers and vegetables.
Survivors include his six sons and daughters-in-law, Cy and Marilyn Thoene of Ansley, Gene Thoene of Ainsworth, Roger Thoene, Charlie and Verda Thoene, Fred and Sue Thoene and Hank and Marci Thoene, all of Burwell; 13 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; a brother, Urban Pinkelman of Wynot; and a sister, Cecilia Pinkelman of Yankton, S.D.
She was preceded in death by four brothers, Fritz, Lawrence, Frank and Al Pinkelman; and two sisters, Emma Pinkelman and Sister Mary James.
Alice Ulrich
ORD -- Alice C. Ulrich, 89, of Ord died Sunday, Sept. 16, 2001, at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Ord United Methodist Church. The Rev. Jim Miller will officiate. Inurnment will be in the Ord City Cemetery.
There will be no visitation. Her body was cremated.
Ord Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to the Ord Senior Center or the donor's choice.
Mrs. Ulrich born June 4, 1912, at St. Paul to Frank and Mary (Matousek) Ambrose. She received her education at rural country school and graduated from St. Paul High School.
She married
Joe Ulrich on Oct. 22, 1934. The couple lived on a farm four miles north of Ord. Her husband died in 1969. She continued to live on the farm with her daughter and grandchildren. In 1983, she moved into Rolling Hills Terrace west of Ord.
She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church where she served in numerous capacities including the choir. She spent eight years as an aide at two local pre-schools.
Survivors include a daughter, Mary J. Adams of Odessa, Texas; a son and daughter-in-law, Jerry J. and Sonja Ulrich of North Platte; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband; and three sisters, Heloise Nanfito, Betty Sack and Irene Kirchner.
