U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Lewis Zmek
DANNEBROG -- Lewis J. Zmek, 80, of Dannebrog died Thursday, Feb. 18, 1999, at his home.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Farwell. The Revs. Larry Coulter and David Rykwalder will officiate. Burial will be at 2 p.m. in Westlawn Memorial Park cemetery in Grand Island.
Visitation will be from 3 to 6 and 7 to 9 p.m., with a vigil service at 5:30 p.m., Sunday at Jacobsen Funeral Home in St. Paul. Further visitation will be from 9 a.m. until service time Monday at the church.
Memorials are suggested to the Kidney Foundation or St. Francis Hospice.
Mr. Zmek was born on July 23, 1918, in Central City to Joseph and Mary (Nabity) Zmek. He was educated in the Chapman schools, graduating from Chapman High School in 1937.
He married
Dolores Power on Nov. 27, 1940, in Central City. They farmed in the Chapman and Central City area until March 1957, when the family moved to the farm near Dannebrog. He retired from farming in 1977 and worked for Farmers Union Co-op for two years.
He was a member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Farwell, Knights of Columbus Council 1918 of St. Paul and the Platt-Duetsche of Grand Island.
He enjoyed fishing and farming.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Virjeanne (Mrs. Jon) Baker of Grand Island and Sandra (Mrs. Ernest) Kosmicki of Dannebrog; four granddaughters; three great-grandchildren; and one sister, Sylvia (Mrs. Don) Senkbeil of Texas.
He was preceded in death by one son, Galen; there brothers, Jim, Joe and Matt Zmek; and three sisters, Agnes Tuma, Kristina Helzer and Ann Reha.
Leo Hill
OGALLALA -- Leo Richard Hill, 61, of Ogallala died Monday, Feb. 15, 1999, at the Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colo.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Draucker Funeral Chapel. Burial will be in the Ogallala Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 1 to 6 p.m. Friday at the chapel.
A memorial has been established in his memory.
Mr. Hill was born on March 9, 1937, at Yuma, Colo., to Robert and Leola (Beechley) Hill. He attended Venango Public School.
He married
Madeline Banks on Jan. 19, 1959, at Julesberg, Colo. They divorced after 18 years. He was a mechanic at various places and retired due to illness.
He enjoyed working on and restoring cars, hunting and fishing.
Survivors include two sons, Donald Hill of Sedgwick, Colo., and Lawrence Ray Hill of Boelus; one stepson, Rick Hill of Ovid, Colo.; three grandchildren; two step grandchildren; two brothers, Larry Hill and Frank Hill, both of Ovid; and two sisters, Violet (Mrs. Paul) Gomez of Savannah, Ga., and Caroline Fox of Grand Island.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Ronnie and Robert; and one sister, Betty Brandt.
Mildred Knapp
CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Mildred Knapp, 88, formerly of Broken Bow, died Sunday, Feb. 14, 1999, at the Chula Vista Care Center.
Services will be at a later date in Broken Bow. Mrs. Knapp was cremated.
Govier Brothers Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Knapp was born on Aug. 23, 1910, on a farm southeast of Broken Bow to James Madison and Elizabeth Martha Rogers.
She married
Ralph Clinton Knapp on Aug. 29, 1936, in Loup City. She started her nursing career in Broken Bow at General Hospital. She was a supervisor at the Broken Bow Community Hospital. She later worked at the office of Dr. Ralph Blair. Mr. Knapp died on Jan. 23, 1966.
Mrs. Knapp moved to Grand Island in 1967 and worked in the office of Dr. A.E. Van Wie for 12 years. She retired in 1978, moved to Broken Bow and worked part time at Varney Rexall Drug. In 1993, as her health was declining, she moved to Chandler, Ariz., to be close to family members.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Broken Bow, Guild, Rebekah Lodge and Business and Professional Women.
Survivors include one son, Jim Knapp of St. Louis; one daughter, Jackie (Mrs. Emery) Peace of Chandler, Ariz.; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and one sister, Goldie Taylor of Landers, Calif.
Other than her husband, she was preceded in death by five sisters and four brothers.
Tracy Rathbun
DENVER -- Tracy Rathbun, 74, of Denver, formerly of Ord, died Tuesday, Feb. 16, 1999, in Denver.
Mr. Rathbun was cremated. Services will be at a later date.
Ord Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Mason Favazza
Mason O'Brien Favazza, infant son of Damian and Brenda Favazza of Grand Island, died Wednesday, Feb. 10, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Bishop Michael McCain will officiate. Burial will be in Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to service time Monday at the church.
Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Mason was born on Feb. 10, 1999, at Grand Island to Damian and Brenda (Price) Favazza.
Survivors include his parents; paternal grandparents, Donna and Clyde Hicks of Grand Island and Salvatore and Diane Favazza of Gloucester, Mass.; maternal grandmother, Laura Peterson of Grand Island; maternal great-grandparents, William and Doris Peterson of Grand Island; and paternal great-grandparents, Sylvia O'Brien and Joseph and Grace Favazza, all of Gloucester, Mass.
He was preceded in death by one great-grandfather, Thomas R. O'Brien.
Richard Kraning
Richard R. "Dick" Kraning, 71, of 1224 N. Lincoln died Tuesday, Feb. 9, 1999, at his home after an illness.
Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Calvary Lutheran Church. The Rev. Dennis Reich will officiate. Mr. Kraning was cremated. Burial will be at 2 p.m. in Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the family's choice. Kleine Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Roland Van Wey
Roland D. Van Wey, 57, of Grand Island died Wednesday, Feb. 10, 1999, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home. The Rev. Vern Rice will officiate. Burial will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m., with the family receiving friends from 4 to 7 p.m., Friday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association.
Mr. Van Wey was born on Nov. 17, 1941, at Grand Island to John "Jack" and Burdeen Irene (Gannon) Van Wey. He grew up in Grand Island and graduated from Grand Island Senior High School.
He entered the U.S. Navy in 1960, served during the Vietnam War and was discharged on May 3, 1967. He returned to Grand Island, where he worked at the Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant and the Missouri Valley Construction Co. He worked for the Grand Island Police Department from 1972 until retiring in 1986.
He was a member of the Elks Lodge, Eagles Aerie 378, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Platt-Duetsche. He attended Bethel Baptist Church.
Survivors include one brother, DeWayne of Highland Ranch, Colo.; and three sisters, Pamela (Mrs. Larry) Bartholomew, Deb (Mrs. Tom) Stearley and Becky (Mrs. Dan) Janes, all of Grand Island.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Larry and Jackie.
