U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Beverly Gronewold
Beverly J. Gronewold, 52, of Grand Island died Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2002, at her home.
Memorial services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at First United Methodist Church. The Rev. Julie Bringelson will officiate.
There will be no visitation.
Her body was cremated. Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Curran Funeral Chapel.
Memorials are suggested to the family or church.
Mrs. Gronewold was born June 6, 1949, at Osmond to Allen and Elva M. (Jensen) Johnson. She spent her childhood in rural Bloomfield and graduated from high school in 1967. She graduated from Kearney State College Nursing School in 1968.
She married
Donald R. Gronewold on Jan. 10, 1976, in Grand Island. The couple lived in Grand Island. She worked at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center for 28 years as an LPN and later as a physical therapy assistant.
She was a member of First United Methodist Church and the VFW Women's Auxiliary. She enjoyed flower gardening, stain glass art and her grandchildren.
Survivors include her husband; two daughters and a son-in-law, Alissa Smith of Wood River and Aranea and Mark McVicker of Grand Island; five grandchildren; her mother of Creighton; and a sister and brother-in-law, Barb and Norman Strom of Bloomfield.
She was preceded in death by her father.
Russell Martinez
Russell Martinez, 54, of Grand Island died Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2002, at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Lincoln following heart surgery.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary's Cathedral in Grand Island. The Rev. Tom Ryan will officiate. His body will be cremated.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at the church with a rosary at 7 p.m.
Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Martinez was born Aug. 19, 1947, at Deshler to Carlmel and Helen (Cabrea) Martinez. He moved to Grand Island as a young boy where he received his education.
He married
Lydia Rockford on Aug. 23, 1966, in Grand Island. He owned and operated Russ's Car Wash and Quick Lube.
He was a member of St. Mary's Parish, Lions Club and served on the board of directors at Bethphage.
Survivors include his wife, two sons and a daughter-in-law, Jim and Angie Martinez and Tony Martinez, two grandchildren, his father, three brothers and sisters-in-law, Frank and Donitta Martinez, Mario and Tommie Martinez and Jimmy and Rita Martinez, and two sisters and a brother-in-law, Carmelitta and Chris Perales and Pamela Martinez, all of Grand Island.
William Bulger
ARCADIA -- William Harold Bulger, 85, of Arcadia died Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2002, at the Sandhills Manor Nursing Home in Broken Bow.
There will be no services. Mr. Bulger was cremated. Burial of the cremains will be in the Arcadia City Cemetery.
Ord Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to the Arcadia Fire and Rescue Unit.
Mr. Bulger was born March 2, 1916, at Arcadia to Charles and Eva (Riddle) Bulger. He spent most of his life in and around Arcadia. He graduated from Arcadia High School in 1935.
He married
Mary Caroline Waterbury on May 8, 1938, at Broken Bow. During World War II, he served in the Signal Corp. stationed in New Jersey. At Arcadia, he helped his wife run Mary's Café and he also sold Watkins for several years. She died Dec. 13, 1999.
Survivors include two nephews, Harold Bulger and his wife Annabel of Arcadia and Charles Nelson of California; and two nieces, Virginia Misko and her husband Henry of Colorado and Marjorie Spence of Scotia.
Other than his wife, he was preceded in death by a son, Bill, a brother, Lloyd and three sisters, Clara, Maire and Lucille.
Virginia Garcia
FULLERTON -- Virginia L. Garcia, 73, of Fullerton died Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2002, at her daughter's home.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Palmer Funeral Home in Fullerton. The Rev. Mary Auidanlo will officiate. Burial will be in Fullerton Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Saturday at the funeral home.
Miss Garcia was born Nov. 23, 1923, at Serene, Colo., to Daniel and Stella (Cruz) Garcia. She grew up and was educated in Walsenburg, Colo.
She married
Felmon Lopez. The couple lived in Lafeyette, Colo. She was a homemaker. In 1995, she moved to Nebraska. She had lived with her daughter for 20 years. She remained in Fullerton until her death.
She enjoyed camping, fishing, gardening and was a John Wayne fan.
Survivors include two sons, Ben Lopez of Longview, Wash., and Filmer Lopez of Commerce City, Colo.; five daughters and sons-in-law, Sylvia and Steve Martinez of Longmont, Colo., Erma and Joe Ciervo of Rockypoint, N.Y., Mary Lopez Nolan of Fullerton, Tina and Yuca Loya of Rifle, Colo., and Carol Woelfle of Loveland, Colo.; 17 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; three brothers, Julian Garcia of Denver, Ernie Garcia of Westminister, Colo., and Maynard Garcia of Las Vegas; and five sisters, Dorothy Garcia of Thornton, Colo., Irene Mestas of Englewood, Calif., Marie Reynoso of Gilbert, Ariz., Delores Cardenas of Lafeyette, Colo., and Barbara Mendez of Longmont, Colo.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, William and Gilbert, and a sister, Florence Montoya.
Harriet Pieper
CENTRAL CITY -- Harriet R. Pieper, 86, of Central City died Thursday, Jan. 24, 2002 at Tiffany Square.
Memorial services will be at 3 p.m. Monday at United Congregational Church. The Rev. Lonnie Logan will officiate. Burial will be in the Central City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Solt Funeral Home in Central City.
Memorials are suggested to the donor's choice.
Mrs. Pieper was born Aug. 11, 1915, at Loup City to Harry A. and Reina C. (True) Wagner. When she was young, her family lived in Arcadia, Grand Island, Minden and Central City. She graduated from Central City High School in 1932.
She married
Herman C. Pieper in 1933. The couple lived in Grand Island, Omaha, Central City, Elwood and Holdrege. They purchased the grocery store in Harvard and owned and operated it for more than 20 years. They returned to Central City in the mid-80s. Her husband died Aug. 21, 1997. She moved to Tiffany Square in Grand Island in May 2001.
She was a member of United Church of Christ. She was the first woman in Clay County to serve on Harvard City Council. She volunteered with March of Dimes, PTA and Harvard Fun Festival. She enjoyed her family, politics, playing cards and bingo.
Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Connie and Norman Baum of Grand Island, seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, two sisters, Patsy R. White and Alberta G. Wagner and three grandchildren.
Christopher Watts
26, Hunting and pack trip guide
WAPITI, Wyo. -- Christopher D. Watts, 26, of Wapiti, Wyo., formerly of Cedar Rapids, died Monday, Jan. 21, 2002, as the result of an automobile accident near Cody.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. The Rev. Ralph Steffensmeier will officiate. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.
Visitation was Thursday.
Mr. Watts was born Dec. 3, 1975, at Albion to Robert and Joan (Syslo) Watts. He was baptized Dec. 8, 1975, and later confirmed at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. He graduated from Cedar Rapids High School in 1994.
While in school, he participated in football, wrestling, FFA and was a member of the One Act stage crew. He graduated from the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis with a feedlot technology degree in 1996 and from Oklahoma Panhandle State University in 1998 with a bachelor of science degree in agriculture. After graduation, he moved to Lexington where he worked at a feedlot. In 1999, he moved to Wyoming where he was working as a hunting and pack trip guide at Wapiti.
He was a member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids.
Survivors include his parents of Cedar Rapids; a sister and brother-in-law, Amy and Dave Hilmer of Albion; grandparents, Bob and Rita Watts of Cedar Rapids; and a great-grandmother, Clara Rutten of Cedar Rapids.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Teresa and Alois Syslo and great-grandparents, Martin Rutten and Mary and John Medinger.
Audrey Vlcan
Audrey D. Vlcan, 85 of Grand Island died Saturday, Jan. 19, 2002 at her home.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at All Faiths Funeral Home. The Rev. Reginald A. Urban will officiate. Inurnment will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery.
Mrs. Vlcan will be cremated. There will not be any visitation.
Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society.
Mrs. Vlcan was born on Jan. 28, 1916 in Primrose to Harry H. and Lottie (Milburn) Clark. She grew up and was educated in Primrose, Cedar Rapids and Grand Island. She graduated from Grand Island Senior High in 1933.
She married
Charles A. Vlcan on Aug. 10, 1936 in Grand Island. She was employed by the Bureau of Budget in Washington, D.C. and later worked for the Veterans Administration in Lincoln and Grand Island for 23 years. After retiring, they moved to Sun City, Ariz., in 1970. In 1990, they returned to Grand Island.
Mr. Vlcan died Dec. 16, 2001.
Survivors include one brother and sister-in-law, Dale and Doris Clark of Grand Island and caregivers, nephew Bill Clark and his wife Robin of Loup City and niece Sherry Ramig and her husband Gary of Fremont.
