U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Lydia Davis
ST. PAUL - Lydia Davis, 82, of St. Paul died Monday, June 15, 1998, at the Howard County Community Hospital in St. Paul.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Christ Lutheran Church in St. Paul. The Rev. Robert Paulson will officiate. Burial will be at 1:30 p.m. in the Aurora Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Jacobsen Funeral Home in St. Paul.
Memorials are suggested to the church.
Mrs. Davis was born on Oct. 8, 1915, in Hamilton County to August and Lydia (Baumeister) Werth. She grew up near Hampton and attended Zion Lutheran School near Hampton. She was employed outside the home for several years. She worked at an airplane factory in Omaha.
She married
Wilber Davis on Dec. 22, 1944, at Hiawatha, Kan. The couple lived in Omaha and Denver before moving in 1956 to California, where she worked in a plastics factory. They moved to Grand Island in 1973. Mr. Davis died on Sept. 7, 1976. Mrs. Davis moved to Parkside Plaza in St. Paul in 1992.
She enjoyed crocheting and making quilts and pillows. She was a member of Christ Lutheran Church.
Survivors include one stepson, Chuck Smith; two step grandchildren; one step great-grandson; and one niece who provided her care, Linda (Mrs. Gale) Lemburg of Farwell.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by three brothers, Walter, Arthur and Ray Werth; and four sisters, Alta Hilligas, Emma Senff, Helen Clarence and Laura Grigsby.
Colby Gressley
ROCKVILLE - Colby C. Gressley, 24, of Rockville died Tuesday, June 16, 1998, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, as a result of a June 11 traffic accident.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the United Methodist Church in Ravenna. The Rev. Arnold Kramer will officiate. Burial will be in Highland Park cemetery in Ravenna.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to service time Saturday at the church. Rasmussen Mortuary in Ravenna is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Gressley was born on Dec. 27, 1973, at Alliance to Rolland and Pat (Niebur) Gressley. He graduated from Milford High School in 1992. He received further education with the Job Corps at Chadron and at Clearfield, Utah. He graduated as a mechanic and truck driver. He worked as a truck driver for Werner Construction.
Survivors include his father, of Rockville; his mother, Pat Klinesmith of Rock Springs, Wyo.; two sisters, Bobbi Jo Gressley of Rock Springs, Wyo., and Billi Jo Gressley of Kearney; a half brother, Roy Klinesmith Jr. of Rock Springs, Wyo.; a half sister, Alicia Marie Gressley of Alliance; and grandparents, Robert and Ruby Niebur of Ravenna.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Claude and Martha Gressley.
Cress Marco
GREELEY - Cress Marco, 80, of Greeley died Monday, June 15, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Wolbach with the Rev. Marcia Jark-Swain officiating. Burial will be in the Wolbach Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Methodist Church in Greeley.
T.J. Finn and Sons Funeral Home of Greeley is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Mr. Marco was born on July 9, 1917, at Brayton to Ashton and Charlotte "Lottie" (Steen) Marco. He spent his childhood in Brayton and graduated from Wolbach High School in 1935.
He married
Betty Mae Sponsler on Dec. 2, 1940. The couple first lived in Wolbach. He began working for the Nebraska Department of Roads on July 1, 1948. The couple moved to Greeley in 1953. Mrs. Marco died in 1966. Mr. Marco retired from the Department of Roads on Dec. 30, 1983, after 35 years of service. He remained in Greeley until his death.
He was an avid fan of all sports and especially enjoyed baseball, softball, golf and bowling. He was a Nebraska sports fan and a Yankees fan. He also enjoyed crossword puzzles.
Survivors include one son, Len of Central City; one daughter, Gretchen Behnk of Greeley; eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Reva Steenson of Wolbach and Irene Thompson of Wolbach.
Besides his wife, he was preceded in death by one son, Terry; two sisters, Echo Horn and an infant sister, Opal; and five brothers, Lake, Rex, Bob, Clayton and Max.
Lavern Luddington
OMAHA - Lavern Darold "Vern" Luddington, 65, of Omaha, formerly of Ord, died Monday, June 15, 1998.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Omaha. Burial will be in St. John's cemetery with military honors by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2704.
Staskiewicz Mortuary of Omaha is in charge of arrangements.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m., with the Holy Name rosary at 4 p.m. and parish rosary at 7 p.m., Wednesday at the church.
Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association or the church.
Mr. Luddington was born on March 25, 1933, in Ord to Darold K. and Valeria (Golka) Luddington. He attended Valley and Howard County grade schools and graduated from South High School in Omaha.
After high school, he served in the National Guard and the 134th Army Band of Nebraska. He served in the U.S. Army in the mid-1950s and played in the 82nd Army Band. He retired from the Union Pacific Railroad.
He was a member of the Union Pacific German Band, Fraternal Order of Eagles and VFW. He was past president of Sokol Auditorium, founder of 40s Ballroom Dance Club, Luddington Polk Band and Vern Lawrence Modern Band.
Survivors include a sister, Mary (Mrs. Virgil) Dembowski of Farwell; and his fiance, Vivian Kelley of Blair.
He was preceded in death by a son, Lavern.
'Doc' Cunningham
EUGENE, Ore. - Memorial services for Dr. Royle R. "Doc" Cunningham, 92, of Eugene, Ore., will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Christian Church in Grand Island.
The Rev. Richard Bacon will officiate.
Mr. Cunningham died on May 5, 1998, in Eugene.
Memorials are suggested to the First Christian Church Youth Fund.
He was born on Dec. 15, 1905, in Genoa to William and Balsa Cunningham. He moved in 1912 to Grand Island, where he completed his public education. He attended Baptist College in Grand Island and Temple University in Philadelphia, where he received his medical training in podiatry.
He married
Lucille Carolyn Smith in June 1940. Dr. Cunningham served as a medic at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, during World War II. After the war, he returned to Grand Island, where he was in continuous practice until failing health forced him to close his office in September 1997.
He was a member of the American Legion, the Masonic Lodge and an active member of the First Christian Church.
Survivors include his son, Bob of Eugene, Ore.; and two grandchildren.
'Al' Bowman Jr.
Alverdo P. "Al" Bowman Jr., 77, of 4265 Vermont died Thursday, Dec. 25, 1997, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the First United Methodist Church. The Revs. Julie Bringelson, Scott Jones and Jay Vetter will officiate. Burial will be in Plainfield cemetery at Bradshaw.
Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Mr. Bowman was born on Dec. 2, 1920, in Minneapolis, Kan., to Alverdo P. Sr. and Hannah Jane (Webster) Bowman. He attended rural school in York County near Bradshaw. Mr. Bowman joined the Civilian Conservation Corps at age 17 and served for two years. He then worked in California for three years.
He joined the U.S. Army on Oct. 2, 1942, in Fort Leavenworth, Kan. He served in Italy and from Anzio to the Yugoslavian border. He received the Infantry Combat Badge, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Oak Leaf Cluster and the European and African Combat Ribbons. He was discharged on Oct. 28, 1945.
He married
Virginia Burney on June 16, 1946, in Bradshaw. The couple farmed near Bradshaw before moving to Grand Island in 1969. Mr. Bowman worked for Nielsen Construction Co. until retiring in 1984. He then served as maintenance caretaker at the First United Methodist Church for 12 years.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, the United Methodist Men, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans and the 361st Infantry Association.
Survivors include his wife; one son, Carl Bowman of Lincoln; one daughter, Nancy (Mrs. Ron) Emken of Grand Island; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and four brothers, Forrest Bowman of Polk, Claud Bowman of Rupert, Ind., Gladson Bowman of Bradshaw and Gilbert Bowman of Lakewood, Colo.
He was preceded in death by one brother, Clifford Bowman; and three sisters, Thalma Mundt, Lil Otte and Bessie Beat.
Kim Mallory
Kim L. Mallory, 46, of 1614 W. Division died Friday, Dec. 26, 1997, at his home after a long illness.
Services are pending with Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home in Grand Island.
