U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Larry & Rita Beller
63, 59
LINDSAY -- Larry, 63, and Rita Beller, 59, of Lindsay died Friday, Jan. 25, 2002, in Albuquerque, N.M., due to an auto accident.
Services for the couple will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Holy Family Catholic Church in Lindsay. The Rev. James Novotny will officiate. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.
Visitation will be from Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday with a rosary from 6 to 7:30 p.m. by Knights of Columbus and Thursday from 9 a.m. until service times at the church.
Mr. Beller was born May 24, 1938, in rural Madison to Lawrence and Elsie (Ramaekers) Beller. He was educated at Holy Family School in Lindsay. He served in the U.S. Army from Oct. 31, 1957, to July 31, 1959. He was a member of the 261st Signal Battalion Rank PFC, member of the Honor Guard and served 13 months in Korea.
Mrs. Beller was born Oct. 4, 1942, at Central City to Charles and Cecilia (Sliva) Vetick of Fullerton. She was educated at Fullerton High School and graduated in 1960.
The couple was married
on May 11, 1963, at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Fullerton. He farmed and had a cattle feed yard with his family. She was a homemaker and farmed with her husband.
He was a member of Knights of Columbus, 3rd Degree council of Holy Family Parish and 4th Degree Assembly of Columbus. He was also a member of Board of Directors of the Lindsay Farmers Coop., Board of Directors of the Bank of Lindsay and Holy Family Catholic Church.
She was a member of Linsday Community Club, Holy Family Guild and Holy Family Catholic Church.
Survivors include six sons and daughters-in-law, Darren and Lisa of Leigh, Dean, Doug and Tracie, Dennis and Julie and Duane and Shanda, all of Lindsay, and Dale and Shumain of Lincoln; 15 grandchildren.
Larry is survived by three sisters and brothers-in-law, Bonnie Hegermann of Lindsay and Pat and George Heinmann of Fremont and Celine "Boot" and Alvin Bender of Humphrey; four brothers and sisters-in-law, Jim and Mary Catherine Beller of Greeley, Colo., Jerry and Joni Beller of Omaha, Harry and Mary Beller of Schuyler and Bob and Lorrie Beller of Genoa.
Rita is survived by a brother and sister-in-law, Eugene and Vickie Vetick of Fullerton.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents. Rita was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Leonard and Clifford Vetick.
Jim Murphy
LINCOLN -- James "Jim" E. Murphy, 76, of Lincoln died Sunday, Jan. 27, 2002, in Lincoln.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. The Rev. Scott Courtney will officiate. Burial will be in Fort McPherson National cemetery in Maxwell.
There will be a memorial mass at 5:45 p.m. Feb. 6 at St. Teresa's Catholic Church in Lincoln.
Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, with a 7 p.m. rosary at Carpenter Memorial Chapel in North Platte.
Memorials are suggested to the Senior's Foundation Elder Care Fund in Lincoln.
Mr. Murphy was born Feb. 6, 1925, in Grand Island to John and Sara (Waite) Murphy. He graduated from St. Mary's Catholic High School in Grand Island.
He entered the U.S. Navy in 1943, during WW II, and achieved the rate of seaman first class.
He married
Bonnie Buresch Jan. 3, 1955, in Grand Island. They lived in Grand Island until 1972 when they moved to North Platte.
He was a member of the Catholic Church, VFW, American Legion, Elks, and Union Pacific Old Timers.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters and sons-in-law, Mary Ann and Joe Lockard and Susan and Edward Smith, all of Lincoln; two sons, Roderick of Missoula, Mont., and Thomas of Arlington, Va.; two brothers, John of Columbus and William of Morro Bay, Calif.; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Allen.
Edward & Alice Ramaekers
61, 60
NORFOLK -- Edward "Bud, " 61, and Alice Ramaekers, 60, of Norfolk, died Friday, Jan. 25, 2002, due to a traffic accident west of Albuquerque, N.M. The couple was vacationing with Larry and Rita Beller of Lindsay, who also died in the car accident.
Services for the couple will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Saint Marys Catholic Church. The Revs. Dave Belt and Tom Fangman will officiate. Burial will be in Prospect Hill Cemetery.
Visitations will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at Home for Funerals and from 7 to 8 p.m. at Saint Marys Church with a wake at 7:30 p.m.
Mr. Ramaekers was born Sept. 28, 1940, at Humphrey to Edward F. Sr. and Cecelia (Ternus) Ramaekers. He grew up on the family farm and attended school in Humphrey. He graduated from Milford Technical School as a welder. He moved to Omaha were he was employed at Snowco, Gate City Steel and started his own lawn care service.
He married
Ann M. VoorVart on March 20, 1960, in Omaha. She died Feb. 23, 1970, following an illness.
He later married
Alice Pfeifer on Aug. 21, 1970. The couple lived in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., where he was employed as a welder. They moved to Norfolk in 1974 when the couple purchased Rudes Welding Shop and established B & A Welding & Blacksmith which later became known as B & A Welding. They retired in 1999 and sold the business to their son and wife.
He was a member of Sacred Heart Parish where he served on the Parish Council and was an Extraordinary Minister of the Euchrist. He was a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus and was instrumental in bringing Marriage Encounter to the parish and Norfolk. He was involved in Christians Encounter Christ. He was the former president of the Nebraska Blacksmith, Machinist and Welders Association.
Mrs. Ramaekers was born Aug. 25, 1941, at Humphrey to Michael and Josephine (Roman) Knust. She grew up in Petersburg and graduated from John The Baptist Catholic High School in 1959. She graduated from the Lincoln School of Commerce and worked for the Federal Reserve Bank in Omaha.
She married
Francis J. Pfeifer on Sept. 3, 1960. The couple lived in Omaha. They moved to San Juan Capistrano in 1970. Her husband died in a work related accident shortly after their move to California.
She later married
Edward "Bud" Ramaekers. She stayed busy with keeping the books for the business and raising their family.
She was a member of Sacred Heart Parish and was active on the parish council. She was an Extraordinary Minister of the Euchrist and was a member of the Catholic Daughters and a former president of Sacred Heart Altar Society. She was also involved with Christians Encounter Christ, Birth Right, PEO, Christian Womens Club, in which she was a Bible study leader, and the Sacred Heart Charismatic group. She participated in several bridge groups and was a Mary Kay representative.
Survivors include six sons and daughters-in-law, Terry and Julie Pfeifer of Grand Island, Mike and Sue Ramaekers of Norfolk, Doug and Lisa Pfeifer of Lincoln, Mark and Maryrose Ramaekers of Omaha, Kevin and Heidi of Atlanta, Ga., and Tim Ramaekers of Columbus and his fiance' Michelle Becker; three sisters and brothers-in-law, Brenda and Rich Krumel of Des Moines, Iowa, Jeanne and Chris Guta of Frisco, Texas, and Crissy and Brian Wood of Minneapolis, Minn.; 28 grandchildren.
"Bud" is survived by his mother, Cecelia Ramaekers of Genoa; two brothers, Pat of Omaha and Dan of White Bear Lake, Minn.; and three sisters, Rosalia Engstrom of Omaha, Marilyn Mohr of Genoa and Cindy Flaherty of O'Neill.
Alice is survived by four brothers, Art Knust and Mark Knust both of Elgin, and Joe Knust and John Knust both of Petersburg; and five sisters, Mary E. Frauendorfer of Lindsay, Lucille Kalinowski of Columbus, Lorraine Seier of Petersburg, Doris Schrad of Elkhart, Ind., and Janet Klein of Spalding.
"Bud" was preceded by his father, two brothers and a son. Alice was preceded by her parents, three brothers and two sons.
Anna VanBibber
81, Homemaker
CARTHAGE, Mo. -- Anna M. VanBibber, 81, of Carthage, Mo., died Sunday, Jan. 27, 2002, at Carthage Nursing and Rehab Center after a short illness.
Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Grand Island Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Parker Mortuary Chapel in Joplin, Mo.
Mrs. VanBibber was born Oct. 5, 1920, at Grand Island. She lived in Joplin, Mo., since 1986, moving from Tulsa, Okla. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include two daughters, Margaret Lewis of Ralston and Bonnie Henson of Carthage, Mo.; a son, Louis VanBibber of Joplin, Mo.; 10 grandchildren; a great-grandchild; a sister, Pauline Coppersmith of Grand Island; and three brothers, Howard Pohlman of Topeka, Kan., and Earl Pohlman and Walter Pohlman, both of Lincoln.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Earl J. VanBibber in 1970; a daughter, Geraldine Richards, and two sisters, Aldean Wahl and Laura Martin.
Allen Bales
Allen Bales, 75, of Grand Island died Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2002, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Grand Island.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home. The Rev. Jerry Quandt will officiate. Burial will be in Grand Island City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society.
Mr. Bales was born Aug. 27. 1926, at Wewela, S.D., to Henry and Nellie (McKiney) Bales. He grew up on a farm near Burwell and attended country school. He entered the U.S. Army on May 19, 1945, at Fort Dix, N.J. During the war, he served in Italy.
He married
Colleen M. "Connie" Luth on Dec. 7, 1947, in Grand Island. The couple farmed at North Loup for two years. In 1949, they moved to Scottsbluff. He was a truck driver, bus driver and retired from Roberts Dairy. He received his GED from Central Community College in the 1980s. He wife died in 1991.
He was a member of Teamsters Union, Eagles and VFW. He enjoyed gardening, traveling, carpentry work and working on vehicles.
Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Steve and Cathy Bales of Huntington Beach, Calif., and Gary and Sue Bales of Denton; two daughters and sons-in-law, Judy and Rex Lathen of Fort Worth, Texas, and Marilyn and Jesse Soto of Grand Island; 11 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a sister, Doris Young of Burwell.
He was preceded in death by his wife, an infant son, Michael H. Bales and a brother, Jim Bales.
