U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Virginia Russell
NORFOLK -- Virginia E. Russell, 84, of Norfolk, formerly of Fullerton, died Sunday, Feb. 17, 2002, at the Heritage of Bel-Air Home in Norfolk.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the First Presbyterian Church in Fullerton. The Rev. Bill Nottage-Tacey will officiate. Burial will be in the Fullerton Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Palmer Funeral Home in Fullerton.
'Rosie' Buettner
Roseanne "Rosie" Buettner, 70, of Grand Island died Thursday, Feb. 14, 2002, at the Madonna Rehabilitation Center in Lincoln.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. The Rev. Kenneth Borowiak will officiate. Burial will be in Grand Island City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home with a rosary at 7 p.m.
Memorials are suggested to the family.
Mrs. Buettner was born April 7, 1931, in McCool Junction to Michael E. and Mary E. (McMahon) Rea. She was baptized at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in McCool Junction. She attended St. Joseph's Catholic and York Public schools. After her education, she moved to Grand Island.
She married
Frederick Buettner on Jan. 21, 1956. Her husband died Feb. 4, 1980. She was employed as a waitress at the Food Shop, American Legion Club and for many years at the Liederkranz. She was then employed at Hornady Mfg. Company for eight years. She last worked at Skagway North in the food service area. She retired in August 1999.
She enjoyed bingo, playing slot machines at casinos and hosting family holiday dinners.
Survivors include two daughters, Patti Buettner and Pamela Stout, both of Grand Island; a son and daughter-in-law, Thomas and Mary Buettner of North Platte; four grandchildren; a great-grandchildren; four sisters and a brother-in-law, Agnes Ayoub of Grand Island, Loyola Borowiak of York, Peggy Meyers of Sacramento, Calif., and Eileen and Gene Esch of Mesa, Ariz.; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Gene and Shirley Rea of Crete and Charles and Judy Rea of Houston; and a special niece, Monica McClure of Grand Island.
She was preceded in death by a son, John, four brothers, Thomas, Patrick, David and Larry and a sister, Ceceilia.
Paul Hansen
Paul Hansen, 82, of Grand Island, died Saturday, Feb. 16, 2002, at Good Samaritan Center in Wood River.
All Faiths Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Blanche Hanson
ALBION -- Blanche A. Hanson, 83, of Albion died Saturday, Feb. 16, 2002, at the Boone County Health Center in Albion.
Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Immanuel-Zion Lutheran Church in rural Albion. The Rev. Bruce Freeman will officiate. Burial will be in the South Branch cemetery in rural Albion.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at Levander Funeral Home in Albion.
Evelyn Peetz
PALMER -- Evelyn A. Peetz, 64, of Palmer died Thursday, Feb. 14, 2002, at her home.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at St. John's Lutheran Church in Palmer. The Rev. Robert Schilling will officiate. Burial will be in the Rose Hill cemetery at Palmer.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Palmer Funeral Home in Palmer.
Memorials are suggested to St. John's Lutheran Church.
Mrs. Peetz was born March 22, 1937, to Arthur and Elsie (Zlomke) Burkhardt in Palmer. She attended District 36 elementary school and graduated from Palmer High School in 1955.
She married
Arlen Peetz on Dec. 9, 1961, in Wolbach. The couple lived in Palmer and worked for Lemmerman Farms until the death of her husband on May 16, 1978. She later purchased the Branding Iron Cafe in Palmer which she operated for the past 17 years until her illness forced her to retire.
She was a lifetime member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Palmer where she was on various committees. She also was a member of the Town and Country Gals extension club.
She enjoyed cake decorating, sewing and gardening.
Survivors include one son, James of Grand Island; three daughters, Gayle (Mrs. Bob) Nicholas of Palmer, Cheryl Peetz of Lincoln and Cindy (Mrs. Jeff) Beyer of Kapolei, Hawaii; five grandchildren; four brothers, Bob of Palmer, Gene of Grand Island, Gary of St. Paul and Rick of Central City; and three sisters, Darlene (Mrs. Delbert) Miller of Central City, Donna (Mrs. Harold) Berst of Palmer and Carolyn (Mrs. Paul) Scarborough of St. Paul.
She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Dale.
Jackie Buckmiller
NORFOLK -- Jackie M. Buckmiller, 51, of Norfolk died Thursday, Feb. 14, 2002, at Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk.
Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Christ Is King Church in Norfolk. The Rev. Glen D. Wapelhorst will officiate.
Howser-Fillmer Mortuary in Norfolk is in charge of arrangements.
Ms. Buckmiller was born Sept. 7, 1950, to Lloyd and Ellen (Allen) Shook in Sioux City, Iowa. She graduated from Norfolk Senior High School in 1968 and from Wayne State College with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 1991.
She married
Vern Buckmiller in 1971. She worked for the Norfolk Task Force as a volunteer coordinator and helped with other support groups.
She enjoyed writing poetry, singing and helping others.
Survivors include three daughters and sons-in-law, Melinda and Roger Meyer of Grand Island, Jennifer and Rick Knight of Jefferson, Iowa, and Angela and Kevin Krieder of Coshoston, Ohio; four grandchildren; a brother, Bob Shook of Clinton, Mo.; two sisters, LaVonne Keller of Gillette, Wyo., and Cheryl Hayes of Dubuque, Iowa, and a special friend, Daphne Adams of Norfolk.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Leonard Palacz
91, Retired farmer/laborer
Leonard E. Palacz, 91, of Grand Island, formerly of Wood River, died Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2002, at Park Place Nursing Home.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Wood River. The Revs. Paul Colling and Don Lamore will officiate. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Apfel Funeral Home in Wood River with a rosary at 7:30 p.m.
Memorials are suggested to the church and Wood River Rescue Unit.
Mr. Palacz was born Feb. 22, 1910, at Elba to Vincent and Mary (Ksiazek) Palacz. He attended Elba School until the 10th grade. He then went to western Nebraska and worked in the potato fields for several years before returning back to the Elba area.
He married
Verna J. (Young) Kucera on Sept. 19, 1949, in Farwell. The couple lived southwest of Farwell where they farmed. He also worked at the Sugar Beet Factory and at Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant in Grand Island. He retired from farming and moved to Wood River in 1971 where he continued to work at CAAP until it closed. He then worked at St. Mary's Catholic Church as a custodian and groundskeeper for the church and cemetery. He moved to Park Place in October 1998. His wife died in June 1998.
Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Edward and Mary Palacz of Lakin, Kan., and Larry and Jacque Palacz of Grand Island; twin daughters and sons-in-law, Loretta and Dennis Fries of Cairo and Lorraine and Benito Gutierrez of Houston; 14 grandchildren; two step grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and five step great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife; two brothers, Zigmond and Roman; a sister, Emma Scott of Denver; and a step grandchild.
Hazel Urwiller
Hazel A. Urwiller, 92, of Grand Island died Monday, Feb. 11, 2002, at Wedgewood Care Center.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Pauls Lutheran Church. The Rev. John D. Russell will officiate. Burial will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery.
Kleine Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to the church or donor's choice.
Mrs. Urwiller was born Aug. 21, 1909, at Grand Island to Robert and Dora (Schimmer) Shipton. She was a granddaughter of Martin Schimmer, an early Hall County settler. She grew up in rural Hall County, attended District 4 and 23 schools and graduated from Grand Island Senior High in 1928. She then worked as a secretary for the Chamber of Commerce and Gunn Oncaly Coal Co.
She married
Clyde W. Urwiller on Aug. 31, 1930, in Grand Island. From 1942 to 1947, she was a secretary for the chief engineer at the Cornhusker Ordinance Plant. She then became a homemaker but also worked with her husband on many homes he built and helped with the painting and finishing.
She was a member of St. Pauls Lutheran Church since 1928, Grand Island Woman's Club since 1949, Liederkranz, Hall County Historical Society and Elks Auxiliary. She volunteered for Grand Island Red Cross bloodmobile and was active in Naomi Circle, ELCW and United Church Women.
She enjoyed cooking and often provided food and served for funerals and special occasions at St. Pauls Lutheran Church. She was an avid gardener, keeping up her flower gardens until 1998 when her health forced her to quit. She also enjoyed playing bridge, crafts and, in her early years, fishing and golfing.
Survivors include two grandsons, Brad L. Harder and wife Sharon, who was her caregiver, of Grand Island and David B. Harder and wife Kathy of North Platte, and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband in 1990, a sister, Lorraine L. Shipton, a brother, Samuel M. Shipton, and a daughter and son-in-law, Beverley M. and Harold Harder.
