George Gray McVicker passed from this world to be with his Lord and Savior on Dec. 31. The son of E. Mitchell and Belva (Mitties) McVicker was born on Nov. 26, 1939, in North Bend.
Surviving are his wife Mary Jo (DenBeste) McVicker of West Des Moines, Iowa; sons Matthew Gray McVicker of Des Moines, Scott Alan McVicker and Carolina (Salazar) McVicker of Littleton, Colo., and grandsons Owen Gray McVicker and Lincoln Mitchell McVicker.
Also surviving are siblings Mitchell Dean, and Darlene (Novak) McVicker of Bellevue, Douglas Maynard, and Wendee (Beam) McVicker of Findlay, Ohio, Patricia Ann (McVicker) and Larry Schwan of Western and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents.
A private family service of celebration will be held at Meredith Drive Reformed Church, 5128th Meredith Drive, Des Moines, Iowa. Due to social gathering limitations, George’s service will be live streamed. Please visit meredithdrive.org for a link to the service. We encourage friends and extended family to share their sympathies with George’s family using on-line condolences available on the website www.IlesCares.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Fellowship of Christian Athletes of Central Iowa or Mitchell McVicker c/o Out of the Box Records, Inc. 2579 Burberry Ct. Findlay, OH 45840.
Published Jan. 6, 2021

David Thomas Hamilton passed away on Dec. 30 at the Josie Harper Hospice House in Omaha.
David was born Sept. 11, 1927, in North Bend to Roland and Audrey (Kendrick) Hamilton. He graduated from North Bend High School in 1944.
David married Sally A. Flora on Feb. 12, 1950, in North Bend. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on Feb. 12, 2020. He farmed north of North Bend for nearly 50 years. In 1992, he was the recipient of a Nebraska Pioneer Farm Award, granted to individuals whose land has been in the family 100 years or more.
David was a member of the United Presbyterian Church in North Bend where he served as a Trustee and Elder. He was a 70-year member of the North Bend Masonic Lodge No.119, serving as Junior and Senior Steward, Junior and Senior Deacon, Junior and Senior Warden, Master and Tyler. From 1963-1968, Dave served on the Board of Education of the North Bend Public Schools.
He is survived by his wife Sally of Fremont; two daughters Linda (Lee Ireland) Hamilton of Upland, Calif. and Carol (Phil) Stallings of Omaha; two sons Dan (Becky) Hamilton and David (Sheryl) Hamilton, both of Omaha; three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
David was preceded in death by his parents, stepmother Ella Wickwire Hamilton, sisters Mirian and Catherine Hamilton, brother Paul Hamilton and stepsister Rosella Pageler.
Burial will be at Purple Cane Cemetery near North Bend and a memorial service will be planned for a later date.
Memorials may be directed to the United Presbyterian Church in North Bend.
Condolences may be sent to Sally Hamilton, 749 East 29th St, Apt 231, Fremont, NE 68025. Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published Jan. 6, 2021

Margaret Marie Racek was born April 28, 1925, in Glyndon, Minn., to Emil and Mary L. (Vopalensky) Racek. The family returned to Nebraska in 1930 and settled in Morse Bluff. Margaret went to school in Morse Bluff, North Bend and graduated from Malmo High School.
Margaret married Andrew J. Wielgus Oct. 6, 1943, at Saint Charles Catholic Church in North Bend. After their marriage, they spent several winters in Omaha working for both the Swanson and Swift Packing Company. The couple later returned to live permanently on a farm north of North Bend where they raised two daughters, Mary Jo and Beverly Ann. When Andy retired, they moved into North Bend.
Andy died July 4, 1987.
Margaret worked at various locations in North Bend including North Bend Drug, Birchwood Manor, Weldon Industries and North Bend Mini Mart. She loved her jobs and the customers she served.
Margaret will be remembered for being hard working, her love of her yard, flowers, fishing, and nature, and for attending as many of her grandchildren’s high school sporting events as possible.
She is preceded in death by her husband Andy, parents, parents-in-law Adam and Josephine (Zuroske) Wielgus, brothers Edwin and Lloyd and son-in-law James A. Satorie.
Margaret is survived by her daughters Mary (Larry) Flamme of Fremont, Beverly (F. J.) Forsberg of Omaha; grandchildren Kelly (Jason) Sanders of Phoenix, Ariz.;Rebecca Saint of Omaha; Matthew (Andrea) Flamme of Omaha; and J. Shawn (Jessica) Satorie of Herman; step-grandchildren Stacey (Rick) Tetzloff of Beaverton,Ore., Tyler (Kathleen) Forsberg of Charlotte, N.C.; 12 great-grandchildren; sister Jean Peck of Edinburg, Texas; sisters-in-law Emeline Engel of Scottsdale, Ariz., Beverly Wielgus of Blair; many nieces and nephews.
Her funeral Mass was Dec. 18 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in North Bend. The Rev. Keith Rezac officiated. Burial was at Killian Cemetery near Morse Bluff.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to CCD at St. Charles and Missionary Society of St. Columban, 1902 N. Calhoun St. Columbans, NE 68056.
Online condolences may be left at: www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published Dec. 23, 2020

Glenn H. “Wes” Westerman of North Bend passed away Dec. 12 at Dunklau Gardens in Fremont. He was born Sept. 19, 1926, in DuBois, to Fred and Emma (Jun) Westerman. Glenn graduated from high school in Pawnee City. After school, he served in the U.S. Army during WWII in Saipan.
Glenn married Jeanene Dunker on Oct. 29, 1950, in Fremont. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. They lived in Omaha for 10 years before moving to North Bend in 1958. Glenn was a member of St. Peter Lutheran Church in North Bend and a former member of the United Methodist Church in North Bend. He was on the North Bend Volunteer Fire Department for 48 years. Glenn was a member of VFW Post 8223 of North Bend and American Legion of Morse Bluff. He was a long term volunteer for the North Bend Senior Center, member of the North Bend Estates Board and Vets Service board in Fremont. Glenn had a passion for bowling, golfing, and a love for the outdoors especially MOWING around North Bend. He was a Boy Scout leader for many years and an avid Nebraska Husker fan.
Glenn is survived by his loving wife, Jeanene of North Bend; three daughters Pam (Jim) Kabourek of David City, Virginia Sue (Bart) Bosco and Jeanene Lambley both of North Bend; two sons Bob (Jan)
Westerman of Lincoln and Tom (Tamara) Westerman of Scribner; sister Lila Tomek of Humbolt; seven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Lyle Westerman, sister Clara Culwell and great granddaughter Dionne Striplin.
A private family service will be held at St. Peter Lutheran Church. Burial will be at Woodland Cemetery in North Bend with military honors. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the North Bend Volunteer Fire Dept or VFW of North Bend.
Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published Dec. 16, 2020

Richard Lee Cashatt of Morse Bluff passed away Dec. 7 at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha. He was born Aug. 23, 1964, in Fremont, to Myron and Karolyn (Graham) Cashatt.
Richard served in the U.S. Navy. He started working for Valmont Industries at the age of 22. Richard lived west of North Bend since 1994 before moving to Morse Bluff in 2018.
Airboating off the Platte River was a passion for Richard. He was a member of the Nebraska Airboat Association.
Richard is survived by his sons Jake of Fontanelle and Jesse of North Bend, brother Dave (Chasta) Cashatt of Nebraska City and stepbrother Robert Lucht of Fremont, sister Karolyn Galindo of Fremont, two grandsons Joseph A. Cashatt and Hugh Thompson and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, infant son Joseph Lee, stepfather William Sargent and stepmother Neola Cashatt.
Visitation was Dec. 12 at Moser Memorial Chapel in North Bend. Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.
Published Dec. 16, 2020

Arlene Ann (Dubsky) Wachal of Schuyler went to be with the Lord on Dec. 7, at CHI St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Lincoln.
In lieu of plants, flowers and statues, memorials can be directed to the Wachal family for later designation.
A family Mass of Christian Burial will be said for Arlene at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Schuyler with burial in the Schuyler Cemetery. The Rosary and Mass will later be posted to the Svoboda Funeral Home Facebook page and website. Her family encourages friends to leave their condolences on the funeral home website. A celebration of life for Arlene will be held at a later date. Svoboda Funeral Home is handling arrangements for the family.
Arlene was born on Dec. 10, 1932, in Schuyler to Frank and Adella (Vacha) Dubsky. She married Matthew R. Wachal on Nov. 29, 1950, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Schuyler. They lived on the Wachal family farm west of Schuyler for 33 years before moving to Schuyler.
Arlene survived polio at the age of 16. As a teenager she worked at Dubsky’s IGA. She graduated from Schuyler High School. Later she decorated many cakes for people and worked at Johnnies Steak House for 10 years. She worked at Schuyler High School as the head cook for 25 years until her retirement in 2005. Matt and Arlene liked to travel and started the Happy Travelers Tour Company, which they ran from 1997-2009. Arlene’s hobbies were crocheting, baking, reading, and working puzzle books.
Arlene was baptized, received First Communion, Confirmation and was married at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Schuyler. She belonged to the St. Mary’s Guild, then Women of Divine Mercy. In 1979 Matt and Arlene made a Cursillo weekend. After that they worked for many weekends cooking for Cursillo.
Preceding her in death were her parents and her husband Matt of almost 60 years, in 2010.
Survivors are daughters Teri (Bill) Chromy of Linwood, Marilynn (Tony) Vanek of Gretna, Donna (Kelly) Misek of Schuyler; sons Daniel Wachal, Matthew F. (Nida) Wachal, both of Schuyler; grandchildren Annie (Josh) Akehurst, Kati (Sam) Settles, Billy (Nicki) Chromy, Julie (Tanner) Hoffman, Sarah (Cory) Kruse; Cindy, Mark, and Brian Vanek; Kelly Jr. and Cory Misek; brother Dennis (Donna) Dubsky of Columbus and several nieces and nephews.
Published Dec. 16, 2020

Patti Jo Peters of North Bend died Dec. 1 at Methodist Fremont Health.
Patti Jo, the youngest daughter of Brownie and Vernet Larson, was born on March 22, 1955, in Denison, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church, Charter Oak, Iowa. Pat attended St. John’s Lutheran School and then Charter Oak-Ute High School where she graduated in 1973.
Pat married Joe Peters on April 2, 1983, and together they raised three children: Eric, Emily and Evan. Pat worked at Trinity Lutheran School in Fremont and North Bend Central School Districts for many years. She was a member of St. Peter Lutheran Church in North Bend.
Pat enjoyed life and had many friends. She enjoyed playing bingo, book club, bunco and Taco Birthdays.
She was preceded in death by her husband Joe in 2007, her parents, and brother-in-law Myron Kolpin.
Pat is survived by her children, Eric and his wife Jamie, Emily and her husband Adam, and Evan and his wife, Mariana; grandchildren Mason Hubbell, Natalie, Olivia, Aiden and Ava Martinez; Josephine and Evangeline Peters; sister Jeri Kolpin; aunts Lois Butler and Donna Berka, uncle Richard Ahrenholtz and many cousins and friends.
Pat was willing to give of her time and talents, and she will be greatly missed.
Private family services will be held in Iowa.
Online guestbook at www.Ludvigsenmortuary.com.
Published Dec. 9, 2020

Kim was born Jan. 26, 1966, in Fremont to Myron and Geri Anthony. She passed away Nov. 22 after a brief and courageous battle with cancer. Gone much too soon, her kindness and generosity was experienced by all who knew her.
Kim was the proud and loving mother to Brendan Simmons, who meant everything to her.
She was a graduate of Cedar Bluffs High School and obtained a business degree from University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She was a long-time employee of Mutual of Omaha and most recently employed by Children’s Hospital in Omaha.
She is survived by her partner, Jeff Cramer of Omaha, and his children: Zac, Tyler and Josie Cramer; parents Myron and Geri Anthony of Omaha; sister Karrie (Jeff) Van Nortwick of North Bend; nieces Kaitlyn and Brooke Van Nortwick; brother Chad Anthony (AnnMarie); nephew Jay Anthony; and other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her infant son David at birth and grandparents Anton and Anna Navrkal, Leonard, Evelyn and Doris Anthony.
Kim loved listening to live music, traveling and living downtown in the Old Market.
Private burial at Fremont Memorial Cemetery. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
Published Dec. 9, 2020

Marie J. Sloup of Fremont, formerly of Morse Bluff, passed away Nov. 25.
Marie was born March 19, 1928, in Prague to Emil and Marie (Vasa) Polacek. She resided in Prague and Omaha. Marie married Frank B. Sloup on Sept. 9, 1961, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Omaha. They resided on a farm outside of Morse Bluff. Frank preceded Marie in death on Oct. 12, 1997. Marie moved to Pathfinder Place in Fremont in late 2014.
She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Cedar Hill and the Altar Society. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Morse Bluff.
Family came first for Marie and she always thought of others before herself. She loved flowers of all shapes and sizes, had a huge garden and was an excellent cook and baker. She was a devoted Catholic and a strong, beautiful woman.
Marie is survived by her daughter Amy (Mike) Owens, of Omaha; sons Alan Sloup of Morse Bluff, Frank (Miriam) Sloup of Renton, Wash.; brothers Robert Polacek of Wahoo, Alf (Carole) Polacek of Prague; grandchildren Brooke (Marcus) Engel of Chicago, Ill., Kyle Sloup of West Des Moines, Iowa, Josh (Laura) Fischer of Greeley, Colo., Kelly (Ray) Sievers of Tea, S.D. and Dan (Nikki) Fischer of Sioux Center, Iowa; great-grandchildren, Malcom Engel, Paisely, Fallyn, and Lenyx Fischer, and many nieces and nephews.
Marie was preceded in death by her parents, husband; brothers, Frank, John and Emil; and sisters Agnes, Julia, Margaret and Dorothy.
A funeral Mass was Nov. 30 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Cedar Hill, near Morse Bluff. The Rev. Dennis Hunt officiated. Burial was at Cedar Hill Cemetery.
Memorials may be directed to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, the Notre Dame Sisters, or Cedar Hill Cemetery.
Online Condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published Dec. 2, 2020

Mary Catherine Ulrich of Lincoln died Nov. 21. She was a member of St. Peter Catholic Church, PCCW, Welcome Wagon and Catholic Daughters.
Survivors include sons Mike (Ashley) Ulrich, Dan (Andrea) Ulrich; daughters Kay (Doug) Bartek, Patty (Kurt) Daberkow all of Lincoln and Julie (Jeremy) Groeteke of Johnston, Iowa; 14 grandchildren; brother Tom (Pat) Chapman of North Bend; brother-in-law Larry (Janet) Ulrich of West Point; sisters-in-law Diane (Tom) Carlson of Lincoln and Mary Ann (Duane) Klabunde of Kearney; nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by husband Mel.
Due to the Coronavirus there is a private family rosary and Mass on Nov. 25. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery.
Memorials may be given to Pius X High School, St. Peter Catholic School and Dowling Catholic High School.
As a courtesy to the family, attempts will be made to live stream the services at: https://www.facebook.com/Butherus-Maser-Love-LiveStream-105603761223856 it is not necessary to have a Facebook account to view the stream. With technology being unpredictable, it cannot guarantee the quality of the streaming. If there are technical issues, we are usually able to repost a higher quality recording several hours after the service.
Published Nov. 25, 2020

Memorial Services for Cathy Menish of O’Neill were Nov. 20 at the Assembly of God Church in O’Neill. Rev. Mike Durre officiated.
Cathy passed away on Nov. 13 at Methodist Fremont Health. Memorials may be directed to the family for future designation. Biglin’s Mortuary in O’Neill is in charge of arrangements.
Cathy Marie Winkelmann was born on Nov. 1, 1956, in Wayne to William and Mary Ann (Larsen) Winkelmann. She attended school in Wayne until 11th grade, when the family moved to Wisner. She graduated from Wisner-Pilger High School in 1975. Cathy then moved to Norfolk and on Oct. 6, 1978, she welcomed her first child, Jennifer Marie Winkelmann.
Cathy met Ken Focken in 1981 and they married in 1983. To this union, three children were born: Erik Matthew in 1983, and Colleen Marie in 1984, and Kurt Matthew in 1986. They divorced in 1994.
Cathy moved to O’Neill in 1994 where she worked at Alco for the next 18 years. She met Dan Menish in 1996 and the two married on July 24, 2009.
On March 8, 1995, Cathy joined the O’Neill Fraternal
Order of Eagles where she became active as a local officer filling all the chairs in the Eagle organization. Cathy and Dan loved to travel, visit museums, and visit other Eagles Clubs across the state. They both could often be found volunteering at the O’Neill Eagles Club as they were both longtime members until Dan passed in February of 2020. Cathy served as the president of the O’Neill Auxiliary from 2001 to 2003. She continued serving her local Auxiliary as an officer until 2015 when O’Neill consolidated with the Norfolk Auxiliary. Cathy joined the Nebraska State Auxiliary and was a state officer from 2005-2006 and again from 2009-2017. From June 2019 to May 2020, Cathy served as the State Membership Chairperson.
Cathy’s love of crafting was evident everywhere she went. Her hands were never idle, making items for her small business, Cathy’s Creations, and the state charity. When the state needed a fundraiser, Cathy suggested having crafts sold at the state convention which was very successful. Every St. Patrick’s Day, if she wasn’t in the parade, she always had a craft table set up in front of the Eagle’s Club. She would sell her crafts, root beer floats, hot cocoa, green hats and scarves, to raise money for the many charities that she supported.
Cathy is survived by her children Jennifer (Rodney) Buxton of Fremont, Erik Focken of Yankton, S.D., Colleen (Chris) Timmerman of North Bend, Kurt (Kelsie) Focken of Randolph; 10 grandchildren: Austin, Aubrey, Joey, Brody, Rylie, Reece, Bransen, Ashlyn, Conner, Cassie; sister Tracy (Ben) Larsen of La Marque, Texas; brother Rich Larsen of Norfolk; mother-in-law Deloras Clark of O’Neill; brother-in-laws Scott (Marcia) Menish of O’Neill, Robert Menish of O’Neill, Mike (Bernadette) Menish of Norfolk; and many nieces and nephews.
Cathy was preceded in death by her mother; her husband Dan Menish in 2020; and sister Julie Larsen.
Published Nov. 25, 2020

Carolyn Anderson Macklin of Fremont died Nov. 11 at the Hooper Care Center in Hooper. Carolyn was born June 17, 1935, in Fremont to Sam and Mary (Gloser) Chudomelka.
She was a 1953 graduate of North Bend High School and a 1957 graduate of Wayne State College. She also attended the former Midland Lutheran College in Fremont. Carolyn taught in the Fremont public school system and for rural School District 78 in Dodge County.
Carolyn married Duane L. Anderson on Dec. 27, 1956, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Fremont. Duane died July 9, 1975. She married Bob Macklin on Feb. 12, 1983, in Fremont and he died March 4, 2017.
Carolyn lived at Ames until 1987 when she moved to Fremont. She was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church and St. Joan of Arc Circle. She also was a member of V.F.W. Auxiliary of Post 8223 of North Bend, Fremont Newcomers Club, Valley View ladies and couples golf leagues.
Carolyn is survived by sons David (Lori) Anderson of Ames, Tom Anderson of Norfolk; daughters Susan (James) Woita, Lori M. (Bryan) Stowe, both of Lincoln; step-son Steve (Anne) Macklin of Omaha; step-daughter Linda (Pat) Roddy of Atlanta, Ga.; eight grandchildren, six step-grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren and 10 step-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, two husbands, son Greg Anderson, brother Armand Chudomelka and step-daughter-in-law Anne Macklin.
Her funeral Mass was Nov. 13 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Fremont. The Rev. Troy Schweiger of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Lincoln officiated. Interment was at Calvary Cemetery in Fremont.
Memorials are suggested to the Bridge in Fremont. Online condolences and live-streamed service an be found at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published Nov. 18, 2020

Henry Richard Oestmann died Nov. 2, 2020, at Marquis at Hope Village in Canby, Ore. He was born May 20, 1936, to Alvin a Della (Gobber) Oestmann on the family farm near Elk Creek in Nemaha County. He was baptized and confirmed at the Martin Luther Lutheran Church of Johnson.
Henry attended country school at District 44 through the eighth grade and then began seeking employment. In his young adulthood, he held several different jobs in nearby towns. It was at that time he suffered a fall that left him hospitalized for over a week. After he recovered, he moved to Papillion where he was a custodian with the school district.
Henry enjoyed dancing and took dance lessons from Arthur Murray Dance Studios. He then met Lillian (Pacas) Robinson while attending a dance social at Peony Park in Omaha. They were married on April 23, 1977, at the Methodist Church in North Bend. They danced regularly at Peony Park, Sokol Hall in Omaha and Starlite Ballroom near Wahoo.
Henry and Lil lived in North Bend until 2014 when they moved to Gladstone, Ore., to enjoy retirement and live closer to family out there.
Through the years, Henry held many jobs including at the Dodge cheese plant, a seed corn company, grain elevator, custodian at schools and Fremont Walmart. He always took pride in his work and being a good employee.
Henry had a strong faith in God and attended church regularly at the Gladstone Church of the Nazarene in Milwaukie, Ore., until his health declined.
Henry is survived by Lil’s children Gordy (Linda) Robinson of Garrison, David (Robin) Robinson of Gladstone, Ore., Wauneta (Jerry) Kempf of Beatrice; sister Elvera Hietbrink of Papillion; sister-in-law Mary Robinson of Fremont; Lil’s grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews on both sides.
He was preceded in death by his wife Lillian on March 27, 2018; his parents; an infant sister; brothers Melvin (Pat) Oestmann and Lavern (Sharon) Oestmann; brother-in-law Ray Hietbrink; and Lil’s daughter Bonnie Martens.
A graveside funeral service will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 29, 2021, at Purple Cane Cemetery in rural North Bend with reception to follow at St. Peter Lutheran Church, 920 Linden Drive, North Bend.
Memorials to Purple Cane Cemetery, c/o Wauneta Kempf, 2201 Jefferson St, Beatrice, NE 68310.
Published May 5, 2021

Jack Raymond Nitz entered into eternal rest Oct. 31 at Fremont Methodist Hospital. He was the founder of Jack Nitz & Associates.
Jack is survived by his loving family: son and daughter-in-law Jay and Vicki Nitz of Cedar Bluffs; daughter and son-in-law Jennie and Ray Rasmussen of the Fremont area; granddaughter Courtney Nitz-Mensik and fiance Jerry Buman of Papillion, grandson Justin Nitz of Cedar Bluffs, granddaughter Piper Rasmussen of the Fremont area, grandson Jeremy and Nikki Rasmussen of Texas and many beloved brothers-in-law and their spouses, sister-in-law and spouse, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Jack is preceded in death by his wife Delores, his parents, Delores’ parents, sister Marjorie Melton and her husband Larry, niece Nancy Youngberg, many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and a nephew.
Public visitation is Sunday, Nov. 8, at Ludvigsen Mortuary from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Family will not be present. Masks will be required. Private family services will be held with a public celebration to be held at a later date.
Private family internment will be at Sunrise North Cemetery in Wahoo.
In lieu of flowers or plants, memorials may be directed to The Nebraska Children’s Home Society, the Nebraska Auctioneers Association Foundation or Sinai Lutheran Church.
Ludvigsen Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.ludvigsenmortuary.com.
Published Nov. 11, 2020

Terry I. Kitt of North Bend passed away Oct.16 in Verdigre. He was born June 7, 1951, in Imperial to Neil Ivan and Patricia Ann (Thompson) Kitt.
Terry grew up in Wauneta on the family farm. Terry married LaVerta Litz on June 16, 1972, in Wauneta. He graduated from UNL with a BS in animal science. After college he managed Centennial Pork Hog Company in McCook until 1976 when he moved to Kearney. He worked for Pureline Hog Company until 1980. In 1981 he and several friends started the Direct Swine Company in Fremont which was then purchased by PIC (Pig Improvement Company). He relocated to North Bend in 1987. In 2000 he retired from PIC, then did swine consulting and became part owner of Linwood Artificial Breeders until 2019 when he officially retired.
Terry was a member of Pheasants Forever and a youth mentor, Ducks Unlimited and Safari Club. He was very involved with wildlife conservation. He was also a member of the Free Masons and Wild Turkey Federation.
Terry is survived by his wife LaVerta; sons Neil and Cody (Sylvia) Kitt, all of North Bend; daughter Traci (Jason) Chatten of Gretna; brother Lonnie (Patti) Kitt of Schuyler; sisters Kim (Roger) Svatora and Julia (Dave) Karp of McCook and eight very special grandchildren.
Terry was preceded in death by his parents.
A Celebration of Life service will be 1 p.m, Saturday, Oct. 24 at United Presbyterian Church in North Bend. A time for remembrance with the family will follow the service until 4 p.m., also at the church. Casual attire is suggested and masks will be required. Edit: The funeral has been postponed to a later date due to a family member in quarantine.
Memorials in lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Nebraska Wildlife Federation.
Online condolences may be left at: www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published October 21, 2020

John Wesley Wilson, 89, of North Bend died peacefully at home Oct. 12.
John was born on July 8, 1931, in Exeter to Anna and Hugh Wilson. The family moved to the farm in 1936 where John and his siblings all grew up. They attended school at District 78 through the eighth grade and then high school at Exeter H.S.
John graduated in 1948 and attended Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln for two years. Discovering his passion for geology, he transferred to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln which offered a science degree in the field.
His schooling was interrupted by being drafted into the Army in 1952. After basic training at Ft. Bliss, Texas, in El Paso, he was assigned to a tour of duty in Korea as a forward observer. His tour in Korea was during the last six months of combat and the first six months after the truce was signed at Panmunjom. John was discharged with rank of Sargent on Good Friday 1954.
John returned to his studies and graduated from UNL with a B.S. degree in geology in May 1956. During his senior year he was hired by Phillips Petroleum Company as a petroleum geologist and reported for work at Wichita Falls, Texas.
It was there that he met Carol, the love of his life, and six weeks later they were married. Along with Carol came a bonus of a 5-year old daughter and a 3-year old son. Another daughter was born to this union. The family lived in Texas and Oklahoma until 1968 when they were transferred to Bogota, Colombia, where they lived for two years.
After returning to the States in the early ‘70s during the slump in the oil and energy business, the family purchased a grocery store in Iowa and operated than until John took a position as a petroleum engineer with Northern Natural Gas in Omaha.
A few years later John was offered a position by one of his old bosses to go back to Phillips in Houston, Texas. He worked in Houston until he retired from the oil business in 1989 during another slump in energy prices.
It was time for another adventure, so John and Carol moved to the Missouri Ozarks and bought a ranch raising hay and cattle for 10 years.
John has been a longtime member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the American Legion as well as a lifetime member of the VFW.
Final retirement came in 1999 when they moved to Nebraska where John’s family still resided and where they were welcomed into the community and enjoyed the Good Life.
John was preceded in death his wife Carol. He is survived by his siblings Ann Hall, Hugh Wilson and Alice Plettner; children Gail (Craig) Flippo, Paul Wilson, Mystie (Ian) McCormick; grandchildren Mystie (Garret) Spargo, Phillip (Ashana) Flippo, Chase (Michelle Cook) Wilson, Natalie Wilson, Kaiya McCormick, Callan McCormick, and Kyle McCormick; great-grandchildren Gwendolyn, Theodore, and Noah.
As John loved the great outdoors and preserving natural habitats please consider memorials to The Nature Conservancy, The Arbor Day Foundation, or your own favorite environmental organization in lieu of flowers.
A celebration of life service will be postponed until a later date.
Published October 21, 2020

A Celebration of Life Service for Ken Chromy will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 30. Public visitation with family present will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 29. Both will be at Farmer & Son Funeral Home in Geneva. Ken’s ashes will be interred at a later date in the Bohemian National Cemetery in Milligan. Memorials are suggested to the family.
Kenneth George Chromy was born to Joseph F. and Alice A. (Nesladek) Chromy at Iva Liles Nursing Home in North Bend on Feb. 19, 1947. He passed away at Heritage Crossings Nursing Home in Geneva on Thursday, March 26, after a courageous battle with cancer at the age of 73 years, 1 month and 7 days.
Ken was baptized and confirmed at St. Charles Catholic Church in North Bend.
He grew up on two different farms north of North Bend, doing field work and milking cows.
Ken attended country school at District 13. He graduated from North Bend High School in 1965. He lettered in football, track, was a member of the National Honor Society and received many honors for his achievements in math. He attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln for 2.5 years.
Ken married Linda Halm on Oct. 4, 1969, and they later divorced. They had two children: Jeffrey and Michelle.
Ken later married Kathryn Bernasek on June 13, 1981, at the United Methodist Church in Geneva. They made their home in Lincoln.
In 1968, Ken started working for Gooch Feed Mill in Lincoln. He worked in the Feed Division for 23 years. Gooch later changed to ADM Feeds & Ag Processing as a salesman. He worked on the road living in Humboldt and then later Syracuse. He took the position of plant manager in the Pet Foods Division, retiring in December 1992.
In the winter of 1992, Ken and Kathy moved to Kathy’s family farm northwest of Ohiowa. For several years they bought and sold collectibles.
In 1994, Ken worked for a soil amendment company selling soil conditioners to farmers in the Midwest. This work expanded into the golf course industry and lawn services which enabled Ken to work from home. He also worked for a swine facility near Daykin for 3-4 years raising purebred hogs. He worked part time for the Geneva Home Center until health problems forced him to retire in October of 2017.
Ken was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. He received a stem cell transplant from his sister, Margaret, in May of 2018. In 2019, the doctors said that Ken was in remission. In October 2019 he was diagnosed with myeloid sarcoma.
Ken was a fun, hardworking, kind and generous man. He loved to cook, enjoyed gardening, fishing, deer hunting, collecting stamps, coins, sports cards, Husker women’s volleyball, Nebraska football and NASCAR Winston Cup car racing. Ken also liked to sing ‘60s songs, dancing, doing puzzles and playing Sequence with friends Barbara and Bill Hanson. Ken and the kids always played Monopoly and their games lasted for hours.
Ken was proud of his Czech heritage and was an avid genealogist.
Ken was preceded in death by his parents; brother Joseph Chromy Jr.; sisters Janice Stieren Boyd, Bernice Blatny; sisters-in-law Carol Raye Bernasek and Carolyn Erickson; brothers-in-law Hilburt Stieren, Don Nelson, Rod Bernasek and Jerry Erickson.
He leaves to mourn his wife Kathryn; son Jeffrey Chromy; daughter Michelle (Tom) Herold; grandsons Collin Johnson and Andrew Johnson; sister Margaret Nelson and special friend Elmer Huffman; sister-in-law Jo Anne Bernasek; brother-in-law Scott Boyd; and many nieces and nephews.
Published October 21, 2020

Annette Wilson, 80, from Memphis, Tenn., died Oct. 3.
Annette was a nurse within the Methodist Health Systems for over 45 years, primarily teaching at the nursing school. She received a B.A. in Nursing from Duchesne College in Omaha followed by a B.S.N. from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She received an M.A. in Education from Loyola New Orleans while working for the U.S. Public Health System. She completed her M.S. in Nursing at the University of Tennessee-
Memphis.
She has held countless positions within her church, including Eucharistic minister and chairperson for the Ministry to the Sick.
Annette is survived by her children Burt Wilson of Memphis, Tenn. and Catherine Wilson, of Poway, Calif; brothers James Colgan of Fremont, John Colgan of North Bend, Larry Colgan of Fallbrook, Calif., and Thomas Colgan of Oceanside, Calif.
Private services will be held at St. Anne’s Parish, the Rev. Bruce presided.
In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the St. Anne’s Building Fund, 706 S. Highland St., Memphis, TN 38111.
Published October 14, 2020

Kimberly Kaye Lanc of Ottawa, Illinois, was born Jan. 20, 1963, in Des Moines, Iowa. She died Sept. 28 in Joliet, Ill. She was the daughter of Gerald and Doris “Grace” (Eben) Wilkins.
Kim married Terry Lanc on Sept. 25, 1993, in Pleasant Hill, Iowa. Together they enjoyed movies, music and spending time with family. Kim also enjoyed gardening, her pets and travel.
She is survived by her husband Terry, four siblings Debbie Wilkins and her son Conner Wilkins, of Pleasant Hill, Iowa; David Wilkins and his son Quinn Bottenfield of Des Moines, Iowa; Stephanie (Joe) Schwabauer-Brown, Craig Schwabauer, both of Denver, Colo.; and brothers-in-law Daryl Lanc and Brian Lanc, both of North Bend.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Gerry and Grace Wilkins, and biological mother Judy Schwabauer.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Mueller Funeral Home in Ottawa, Ill. Memorials may be directed to the family.
The online guestbook may be signed and remembrances shared at www.MuellerFH.com.
Published Oct. 7, 2020

Larry Ortmeier of Dodge died, Sept. 27, at CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center – Bergan Mercy in Omaha. Funeral Mass will be 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Dodge with Rev. Keith Rezac as celebrant. The funeral will be live streamed on the Stokely Funeral Home Facebook page at facebook.com/stokelyfuneralhome.
Burial will be at St. Wenceslaus Cemetery with lunch following at the church hall. Masks are encouraged and seating will be socially distanced by household.
Memorials may be made to Dodge Fire and Rescue or St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church. Arrangements by Stokely Funeral Home.
Larry Lambert Ortmeier was born on Nov. 21, 1970, to Raymond and Lorraine (Knust) Ortmeier in Fremont. He grew up on the family farm south of Dodge and attended St. Wenceslaus Catholic School. During high school, Larry worked for the Dodge Dairy.
After graduating from Dodge High School in 1989, he worked for Howells Elevator – Dodge Division and later helped his brother Mike on the family farm.
Larry was a member of St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church and Knights of Columbus. He enjoyed fishing and hunting with his nephews and occasionally played a round of golf at area golf courses. Larry loved being around his family and was quick to break out the cards at family gatherings. He looked forward to the Fourth of July every year with his firework displays being the grand finale.
Survivors include his mother Lorraine of Dodge; sisters Donna (Dean) Hagedorn of Dodge, Linda (Tom) Kaup of Fremont, Lois (Tom) Bracht of West Point, Janis (Kenny) Dirkschneider of Scribner, Susie (Bob) Kaup of West Point, and Sharon (Ron) Schroeder of Leigh; brothers Andy (Kathy) of Dodge, Mike (Jane) of North Bend, and Tom (Jolene) of Columbus; and numerous nieces and nephews. Larry is preceded in death by his father Raymond and great-niece Karsyn Kaup.
Published Sept. 30, 2020

Lorna J. Ruff of Fremont, formerly of Cedar Bluffs, passed away Sept. 20. She was born on March 24, 1935, in Cedar Bluffs to Alfred and Annetta (Otte) Mahrt.
Lorna graduated from Cedar Bluffs High School. She married Derold Ruff on Nov. 22, 1961. They later divorced. Lorna had lived in North Bend, Scribner, Lincoln and Fremont. She was employed as a nurse’s aide for many years at Good Samaritan Center in Scribner and was a “Fraternity Mom” for Sigma Chi in Lincoln for 19 years.
Lorna was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Fremont.
She is survived by son Keith (Yvonne) Ruff, Smithville, Mo.; daughters Sharlene (Doug) Newcomer and Leora Johnson both of Fremont, Shari (Corey) Kalisek of Cedar Bluffs, Susie (Scott) Soukup of Lake Villa, Ill.; sisters Elaine Montanye, Vancouver, Wash., Velma Schafersman, Fremont, and Erma Rae (Joe) Miller, Lincoln; sisters-in-law Tammy Mahrt and Verlaine Mundy; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Lorna was preceded in death by parents; brother Arnie Mahrt; granddaughters Stacie Soukup and Rachel Newcomer.
The funeral is Friday, Sept. 25 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fremont. Visitation is 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Moser’s in Fremont. Visitation will continue on Friday one hour prior to the service at church. Burial will be at Maple Grove Cemetery, Cedar Bluffs.
Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published Sept. 23, 2020

Michelle S. “Mic” Eaton of Fremont passed away Sept. 11. She was born May 26, 1947, in Fremont to Gordon and Odessa (Galyon) Limes.
Mic graduated from Fremont High School. She married Jerry Eaton on Dec. 16, 1972, in Fremont. Mic was employed by Fremont Area Medical Center. After retirement she lived in Osage Beach, Mo., for several years. Mic enjoyed reading, playing card games, watching golf and fishing trips.
Michelle is survived by her daughter, Jamie (Dwayne) Roberts of Pierce; son Eric (Brenda) Hansen of Fremont; daughter Sonja (Greg) Hampton of Fremont; six grandchildren Kennett, Jesse, and Brandon Roberts, Brooke and Lindsey Hansen, and Ben Hampton.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Jerry D. Eaton, sister Jo Medrick and mother and father-in-law Ruth and Gerald Eaton.
Visitation will be on Friday, Sept. 18, from 4-6 p.m. at Moser Memorial Chapel in Fremont. Private family graveside service will be at Woodland Cemetery in North Bend.
Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published Sept. 16, 2020

Richard “Rich” Tomasek of Craig passed away Sept. 1 at the Countryside Home in Madison.
Rich was born Sept. 8, 1947, to Leonard and Virginia (Eggers) Tomasek at Iva Liles Nursing Home in North Bend. He attended country school and North Bend High School, graduating in 1967. Rich enlisted in the Army in September 1968 and was honorably discharged in 1970. On March 12, 1977, he married Marcee Villwok in Oakland. Rich grew up farming, worked construction and became an electronic technician after college. He was proud of his 1967 GTO, loved fishing, football, playing cards and spending time with family.
Rich is survived by his wife Marcee of Craig; sons Todd (Sarah) Tomasek of Papillion, Aaron Tomasek of Lincoln, Arick Tomasek of Lincoln, John Tomasek (Myranda Nerud) of Stanton; brother Randy (Sharon) Tomasek of Schuyler; sister Victoria Tomasek of Florida; mother Virginia (Eggers) Tomasek of New Port Richey, Fla.; and four grandchildren: Amber and Marissa, Tristen and Katlynn. He was preceded in death by his father Leonard Tomasek.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorials may be directed to the family for future designation.
Published Sept. 9, 2020

Ethel Marie Kavan of Wahoo, formerly of Morse Bluff, passed away Aug. 18 at Saunders County Medical Center Long Term Care in Wahoo.
Ethel was born July 24, 1923, in Prague to Adolph and Lillie (Vyhlidal) Ostry. She resided in Prague until 1945.
Ethel married George Kavan on Jan. 7, 1947, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Prague. After marriage they moved to rural Mead for 16 years. In 1963 the family moved southwest of Morse Bluff and farmed. George preceded Ethel in death on Jan. 8, 2003. Ethel moved to the Saunders County Medical Care Center in 2015.
Ethel was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Cedar Hill and the Altar Society. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and ZCBJ Lodge in Morse Bluff. Ethel was active on the Bohemia Precinct Election Board for several years.
Family time and farm life were closest to Ethel’s heart.
Ethel is survived by her daughters Susan Mixan of Omaha, Cindy (Frank ) Pollard of Fremont and Karen (Kenton) Sitts of Morse Bluff; son-in-law Gene Ruzicka of North Bend; brother Donald Ostry of Prague; brothers-in-law Lester (Marlene) Kavan of Des Moines, Iowa, Irv Shestak of Lincoln; sister Dorothy Jelinek of Wahoo; sister-in-law Maxine (Bernard) Kratky of Prague; 11 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; a great great-grandchild and several nieces and nephews.
Ethel was preceded in death by her parents; husband George; daughter Joyce Ruzicka; son-in-law Tim Mixan; granddaughter Addie Mixan; sisters Alice Kavan and Mildred Ostry.
A private family Mass was held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Cedar Hill. Burial was at Cedar Hill Cemetery near Morse Bluff.
Memorials may be directed to the family for a designation at a later date. Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published Aug. 26, 2020

William Chadwick of Fremont died Aug. 16 in Dallas, Ga.
He was born Feb. 10, 1981, to Paul and Jean (Wesch) Chadwick in Fremont. Will attended Fremont Public Schools and Midland College. He worked many years as a youth counselor for several churches in the ELGA and the Salvation Army, serving congregations in Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska. Will also worked as an installation technician for Cox Cable, Omaha, and most recently as a FedEx delivery driver. He was hoping to follow in his father’s footsteps and was pursuing a career change to law enforcement.
Will married Cindy Lopez in April 2006, and they have one son, Jonas. They recently divorced. He married Char Owens in April 2020 and was in the process of relocating to Georgia at the time of his death.
He spent his spare time taking classes to further his dream of serving his fellow man, and always had his “Go Bag” filled with first aid supplies with him. Several times he was first at an accident scene and never hesitated to render aid. He had a heart bigger than his tattooed body and gave to others beyond what most people would deem reasonable. He was also artistic, and many examples of his artwork remain with family members.
Survivors include: son Jonas (and his mother Cindy); parents Paul (Mintie) Chadwick of Fremont; and Jean (Terry Sr.) Sorensen of North Bend; brothers Justin (Holly) Chadwick of Grand Island; Christian (Kendra) Sorensen of Rogers; Dale Gore, Kerry Gore and Terry Jr. (Rachel) Sorensen of Fremont; sisters Jessica (Craig) Miller, Litchfield, Minn., Tina (Keith) Peters of Ames; uncles Ray (Jan) Wesch of North Bend, Edward Chadwick, Omaha; aunts Cathy Chadwick, Portland, Ore., Pam Chadwick, Omaha; his widow and stepsons of Georgia; numerous nieces and nephews, and many in the Omaha church and firearms community he considered family.
He was preceded in death by grandparents George and Lois Chadwick of Omaha, Adolph and Frances Wesch of Rogers; aunt Donna Lyons and sister Megan Gore.
A Celebration of Life event will be Saturday, Sept. 26 from 2-6 pm at the Eagles Club, 649 N Main, Fremont. In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to the family to care for Jonas and his education needs.
Published Sept. 23, 2020

Funeral services for Eldon Coffman of Milo, Iowa, was held Aug. 12 at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Milo. Interment was at the Belmont Cemetery near Milo. Memorials are requested to the Milo Lion’s Club, Milo Fire Department, or the Milo Methodist Church.
Eldon Laverne Coffman was born Sept. 17, 1941, one mile south of the entrance to Lake Ahquabi to William P. and Vera Hurst Coffman. The family moved to Milo when Eldon was in the fourth grade. He continued school at Milo and was in the graduating class of 1959, the last class graduating from Milo High School. While in school Eldon played the drums and played them off beat to get the attention of Betty Shoemaker. On Oct. 28, 1960, they were married and blessed with five children: Liz, Will, Marie, Andy and Janel.
Eldon worked several jobs over the years, starting out at Briggs Printing Press in Des Moines, the South Central Coop, the Milo Locker, Shoemaker Hardware, drove a semi-truck for Clifford Becker, was a school bus driver (and would make those misbehaving sit in the front and hold hands), and also began working for the Postal Service in 1976, becoming full time in 1989 and retiring in 2010. All the while working these jobs he enjoyed farming. He was always happiest when he was working hard and was dirty.
Although he was always working hard, he made time to volunteer for his community. He enjoyed helping with the Milo 4th of July Fireworks display for over 50 years. He was also a past member of the Milo Lion’s Club supporting their work and projects. He loved helping with the benefit auctions and playing practical jokes on the bidders, such as selling 10 eggs in a carton instead of a dozen. He really was ornery, but enjoyed playing the joke more than being on the receiving end. Eldon also enjoyed singing, polka dancing, trains, farming, his dog Two, and of course his legacy of family. Eldon loved being with his family and was proud of his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many special nieces and nephews.
Eldon passed away Aug. 8 surrounded by family. He will be greatly missed by his wife of 59 years, Betty, his children Liz (Terry) Davis, Will (Sheila) Coffman, Marie (Keith) Henry, Andy (Stacey) Coffman, and Janel (Terry) Chapman of North Bend; 16 grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren and two more on the way; siblings Mildred Sargent, Dorothy Kreider, Richard (June) Coffman, sister-in-law Joyce Coffman; brother-in-law Bob (Diane) Shoemaker; many special nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Preceding Eldon in death were his parents William and Vera Coffman, and Velma Cooley Coffman; granddaughter Josie Rae Chapman; and siblings Merrill Coffman, Evelyn Boucher, Edna Mae Bales, Tucker Coffman and Rodney Coffman.
Published Aug. 26, 2020

James H. Kruger of North Bend passed away Aug. 13 at CHI Lakeside Hospital in Omaha. James was born Aug. 10, 1931, in North Bend to Herman and Mayme (Mundy) Kruger.
James grew up in North Bend and was a 1949 graduate of North Bend High School. He worked at the family business Kruger Feed & Seed in North Bend until 1955. James then worked for National By Products until 1972 when he started Aaron Corporation, later Kruger Commodities.
James married Sandra (Dahlstrom) Keyes on July 17, 1973 in Lincoln. They lived in the Omaha area until 2018. He was a former member of St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Omaha, and a member of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in North Bend.
James is survived by his wife Sandra; daughters Barbara (Kenneth) Krzycki of Mesa, Ariz., Joni (Jeff) Gunn of Fort Collins, Colo., Julie (Mark) Murphy of Papillion, Jami (Kenny) Kotera of Springfield and Karla (David) Miller of Coppell, Texas; sons, Matt (Cheri) Keyes of Omaha, and Dan Kruger (fiancée Bethany Vanderkolk) of Holland, Mich.; 15 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
James was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Lloyd, Jack and Gerald Kruger; and sisters Donna Ethridge and Evelyn Farris.
A funeral Mass was Aug. 17 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in North Bend.The Rev. Keith Rezac officiated. Interment was at Woodland Cemetery at North Bend.
Memorials are suggested to North Bend VFW Post 8332.
Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published Aug. 19, 2020

Thomas L. “Tom” Vopalensky, 63, of North Bend, died Aug. 8, at his home.
Tom was born Nov. 12, 1956, in Fremont to Albert and Elizabeth (Nick) Vopalensky. He attended North Bend schools through his junior year and then graduated from Fremont High School in 1976. Tom lived at Morse Bluff until moving to Fremont in 1974 and in 1980 moved to North Bend. He had been employed at Excel and Cargill for 42 years until retiring in 2018. Tom was a member of Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Omaha.
He found solace in nature. Often he’d be outside enjoying what God gave him. Tom was an avid gardener, and was always proud of his harvest, that he would share with neighbors, family and friends. He loved spending time with his beloved children and grandchildren, sharing memories of fishing, metal detecting, riding ATVs and playing his harmonicas for their enjoyment. Tom was a lifetime loyal Husker Fan (Go ‘Skers!!), and enjoyed watching them with friends. He loved classic cars and always wanted to visit the Barrett Jackson Auction in Arizona. In retirement, he grew fond of attending multiple auctions and collecting antiques. His children and grandchildren were his pride and joy. He was a friend to everyone he met, always willing to help others. He will be missed by all that had the pleasure of knowing this caring man.
Tom is survived by sons Chris (Shannon) Vopalensky of Statesboro, Ga., Eric Vopalensky of North Bend and Kyle (Traci) Vopalensky of Surprise, Ariz.; daughters Anne “Katie” (Aaron) Donohue of New Bern, N. C., Amanda (Michael) Sandquist of Omaha and beloved step-daughter, Lora Mackiewicz of Warsaw, Mo.; father Albert Vopalensky of Fremont; brothers Garth (Diane) Vopalensky of Shelby, Greg (Mary) Vopalensky and Tim Vopalensky all of Spokane, Wash.; sisters Mary Cook of Scribner, Michelle (John) Peterson of Fremont, Sister Mary Alphonsa, CMD, of Wisconsin and Amy (Paul) Gilchrist of Spokane, Wash.; 13 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his mother, Elizabeth “Anne” Vopalensky and brother-in-law Mike Cook.
Graveside service was Aug. 15 at Little Flower of Jesus Cemetery, south of Fremont. Bishop Mark Pivarunas officiated. Memorials may be given to the family.
Published Aug. 19, 2020

Edward “Bud” Musiel of Morse Bluff passed away at home on Aug. 6 surrounded by his family.
Bud was born in Fremont on Nov. 27, 1940, to Ed and Della (Dawson) Musiel. He grew up on a farm and graduated from North Bend High School in 1958 and attended Doane College.
Bud was commissioned a 2nd Lt. after graduating from Officer Candidate School. Following that, he completed Medical Service Corp. training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. In addition, he completed Army Aviation Helicopter School at Fort Rucker, Ala., in 1965. Bud was also a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College. He retired from the Nebraska Army National Guard in 1990 as a Lt. Colonel Master Army Aviator.
On Sept. 5, 1964, Bud married Carole Petrzelka of Prague. They had three children: Matthew, Renae and Andrea. He operated his L.P. Gas/Musiel Propane business for 41 years, retiring in 2008.
Bud had a love and passion for aviation. He was a member of the American Legion Post 0254 in Prague; AmVets Post 20, North Bend; National Guard Association USA; National Guard Association of Nebraska, and earned the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award by the Federal Aviation Administration for 58 years of safe flying with no accidents and no violations.
Bud was also an active member of St. George Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus and a member of the North Bend/Morse Bluff Veterans Memorial Park committee. He served for 33 years on the Morse Bluff Fire Department and was a member of the Morse Bluff School Board and the Morse Bluff Village Board.
Physically active and blessed with good health for most of his life, Bud enjoyed spending quality time outside with his grandchildren whether it was playing basketball, football, or boating on the lake. He walked miles each morning with his loyal dog, Prince.
Bud is survived by his wife of 56 years, Carole; his son Matthew (Candi) Musiel of Lincoln; daughters Renae (Dave) Rangeloff of Fremont and Andrea (Zach) Wimer of Morse Bluff and nine grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Della Musiel; sisters Joan Musiel and Phyllis
(Robert) Hayes and brother David Musiel.
A memorial Mass was Aug. 11 at St. George Catholic Church in Morse Bluff. Burial was at St. John’s Catholic Cemetery with military honors by the Nebraska National Guard and Prague Legion Post 0254 followed the service.
Published Aug. 12, 2020

Carol J. (Kniep) Snover, of North Bend passed away Aug. 5 in Fremont. She was born Dec. 18, 1934, in rural Kennard to Henry and Verna (Kuhr) Kniep.
Carol was raised in rural Washington County. She received her bachelors degree from Midland College. Carol married Clayton Snover on May 31, 1953, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Bennington. She was an elementary teacher in Washington, Saunders and Dodge counties for 34 years, retiring in 1991.
Carol was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Bennington. She was a member of St. Peter Lutheran Church in North Bend since 1953; Stewardship Board, Piecemakers Quilters, Ladies Aid and LWML, and the library treasurer for many years. For 20 years, Carol was involved with the extension club in North Bend. She donated over 156 units of blood to the American Red Cross. Carol and Clayton wintered in Texas for many years and were avid square and polka dancers.
Carol is survived by her husband Clayton; son Terry Snover; daughter Lynette (Rick) Elofson all of North Bend; daughter Denise (Stu) Essman of Lincoln; brother; Thomas (Fayne) Kniep of Poplar Grove, Ill.; brother-in-law, Mark (Nancy) Snover of Stuart, sister-in-law, Judith Snover of Fremont; six grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and two step-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; parents -in-law, Sylvester and Amanda Snover; and sister and brother-in-law, Phyllis and Curtis Dockweiler; grandson-in-law, Stacy Milligan; nephew, Russell Dockweiler.
Her funeral service was Aug. 10 at St. Peter Lutheran Church in North Bend. Interment followed at Woodland Cemetery in North Bend.
Memorials to St. Peter Lutheran Church, North Bend/Morse Bluff Veterans Park or the North Bend Library.
Published Aug. 12, 2020

Ken Meyer of North Bend passed away Aug. 5 at his home.
He was born Oct. 22, 1938, to Phillip and Germaine (Seitz) Meyer in St. Marys, Kan. Ken graduated from St. Marys High School. Following high school, he served in the Unites States Army National Guard from Oct. 31, 1955, to May 8, 1962.
On Oct. 29, 1960, Ken married Mary Brockish. The couple lived in various places in Kansas including Baxter Springs and Gardner. He worked most of his life as a construction manger for telephone companies until his retirement in 2001. Ken was also an owner/operator of a trucking company, which transported bombs during the Vietnam era. Around 1977 the couple moved to Wisner, then moved to North Bend in 1983.
Ken was known as an awesome cook. He loved using his smoker for his favorite meats and catered food for weddings, graduations and family gatherings. He was an avid golfer, enjoyed fishing, loved working on old cars and trucks and was a loyal Husker fan.
Ken was a member of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.
Ken is survived by his wife Mary; daughter Jackie (Russell) Schultz; sons Alan Meyer and Ron (Debbie) Meyer; brothers Dick Meyer and Karl (Becky) Meyer; sister Margie (Jim) Reuter; granddaughters Molly, Natalie, Nicole, Jessica and Amanda; and nine great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Daniel Meyer; and sister-in-law, Mary C. Meyer.
A funeral Mass was Aug. 12 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in North Bend. The Rev. Keith Rezac officiated. Burial with military honors was at Woodland Cemetery in North Bend.
Memorials may be directed to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Baxter Springs Vol. Fire Department, or the family.
Published Aug. 12, 2020

Gerald H. Gocken Jr. of Fremont passed away July 28 at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha.
Gerald was born to Gerald and Laureen (Kucera) Gocken Sr. on Nov. 8, 1961, in Fremont.
Gerald was known for his hard work doing yard work and snow removal in the Fremont area. A lot of friends and people knew him as he rode his bicycle in any kind of weather condition and did not drive. He was always ready to help someone regardless if they knew him or not. His smile and sense of humor will be missed by all that knew him.
Gerald was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents Frank and Lilian Kucera, sister-in-law Sheri Gocken and uncle and aunt Lavern and Karen Kucera. He is survived by his brothers George Gocken and Michael Gocken, and sister Abby Schlapfer.
A graveside service will be held at Linwood Cemetery at a later date.
Published Aug, 5, 2020

Geraldine “Jean” Ruth (Jones) Gillis, formerly of North Bend, died in her sleep on July 27 at Plainview Manor in Plainview.
Jean was born in Omaha on Aug. 15, 1925, to Hugh and Ruth (Adams) Jones. She grew up in Rushville, Mo., where she met and married Roy Edward Gillis on Mar. 1, 1942.
During WWII, while Roy was enlisted, Jean moved to Omaha to be with her parents, then worked at the Nebraska Ordnance Plant at Mead.
After the war, Jean and Roy moved to North Bend where he worked as a barber until his death in 1996.
In North Bend Jean raised their three children. She also worked for North Bend Public Schools then the Blevins Popcorn Company where she worked until she retired.
Jean was a member of the First United Methodist Church in North Bend. She also volunteered with the PTA and was den mother for the Cub Scouts of America. She enjoyed bowling league, garden club and the opportunity to share coffee with friends. Jean loved children and animals deeply.
Jean is survived by her sons, Roy “Boomer” Gillis Jr. of Page, Ariz.; Robert Gillis and Eileen Johnson of Plainview; Gary (Marsha) Gillis of North Bend; brother Robert (Donna) Jones of Sun City, Ariz.; grandchildren Michelle Gillis, Daniel (Nicole) Gillis, Elizabeth (Ross) Lafleur, Melissa (Demetri) Fountas, Salem Vine; 11 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and granddaughter Patricia Cantu.
A private memorial service will be held for family. She will be buried next to her husband at Armstrong Cemetery in Rushville, Mo.
Memorials may be directed to the North Bend Public Library in lieu of flowers.
Published Aug. 5, 2020

Larry Dean Schutt of Fremont passed away Wednesday, July 22, at Dunklau Gardens in Fremont.
Larry was born July 14, 1939, in Schuyler to Arnold and Vivian (Abts) Schutt. He graduated from North Bend High School in 1957. After high school, Larry served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War from Nov. 15, 1963, until Nov. 14, 1966.
Larry married Norma Johnson on November 14, 1966, in Fairbury. Norma preceded him in death on Dec. 27, 1999.
Larry was employed at Farmland Industries until retiring. He was a member of Alcoholics Anonymous and enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Larry is survived by his son Edward (Peggy) Schutt of Fremont; daughters Diane Schutt of Fairbury, Lori Henderson of Artesia, Calif.; brother Ray (Jeannie) Schutt of Schuyler; brother- in-law, Dale Hosch of Sioux City, Iowa; six grandchildren Richard, Casarah, Alyssa, Dylan, Krystle and Dustin; and seven great-grandchildren Jaxson, Tyson, Eleanor, Leo, Noah, Lily and Jasper.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents; wife Norma; infant daughter Christen Schutt; brothers Marvin, Lester, Bill, and Leonard; and sisters Dorothy Hosch, Evelyn Wesch and Bernice LaViolette.
Funeral service was July 25, at Moser Memorial Chapel in Fremont, with Rev. Sean Tyler officiating. Military honors were conducted by the Fremont Honor Guard. The funeral service was live streamed on www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
There was a private family burial at Memorial Cemetery in Fremont. Memorials may be directed to the family. Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published July 29, 2020

Elizabeth M. Beranek of Jacksonville, Ill., died July 15 at Prairie Village Healthcare Center.
She was born Sept. 8, 1934, in Norfolk, the daughter of Theodore and Edna Uecker Petersen. She married Morse Bluff native Junior B. “Zeke” Beranek on March 29, 1958, in Omaha. He survives.
Elizabeth is survived by two sons, Daniel Beranek of Springfield, Ill., Theodore (Deborah) Beranek of Urbana, Ill.; four grandchildren, Aunna Beranek, Jonah Beranek, Joshua Hogan and Jacob Hogan; and one brother, Donald (Yvonne) Petersen of Apache Junction, Ariz. She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister Leola Petersen and one brother, Richard Petersen.
Elizabeth attended Clarkson School of Nursing in Omaha where she worked as a registered nurse following her graduation. She then worked for Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, Mass., before joining Passavant School of Nursing in Jacksonville, Ill., where she worked as a nurse and instructor until she started her family. Elizabeth enjoyed playing the violin in the Smith College Symphony and later was instrumental in the development of the Jacksonville Symphony Society and was an active volunteer. She was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Jacksonville and Morgan County Home Extension, and enjoyed sewing, needle point, weaving, reading, and mornings spent visiting with friends at McDonalds.
A graveside service was held July 20 at Camp Butler National Cemetery in Springfield, Ill.. Memorials are suggested to Jacksonville Symphony Society or Faith Lutheran Church. Condolences may be sent online at buchanancody.com.
Published July 22, 2020

Ronald James Mehaffey of North Bend passed away July 15 after a short stay at Dunklau Gardens in Fremont. Ronald was born Aug. 20, 1930, on the family farm northwest of North Bend to Raymond and Irene (Scott) Mehaffey.
He rode his pony to District 72 and graduated from North Bend High School in 1947. As a youth, he was a member of the Purple Cane Methodist Church. As an adult, he was a member and trustee of First United Methodist Church in North Bend. Upon its closing, he became a member of First United Methodist Church in Fremont.
Ronald married Doris R. Cerny on March 3, 1951, in Omaha.
Ronald has been a farmer and cattle feeder his entire life. He felt he was fortunate to have lived at a time when teams of horses were still used on the farm and was able to see many changes and advances in farming practices. During the drought in the 1950s, after spending a day farming Ronald trucked hogs and cattle to the Union Stockyards of Omaha at night for many area farmers. He would bring back a load of Nixon Feed which he sold out of his garage.
Ronald served as a member of the District 92 School Board and was a member of the Dodge County Feeders Association. He was also a member of the Nebraska Antique Power Association Branch 25. His great loves were attending cattle sales and farm auctions and visiting with farmers at these events. His hobbies included hunting and fishing.
Ronald and Doris built a new house in 1988, just a few feet from the house in which he was born.
Ronald is survived by his wife and sons Richard James (Jane), William James (Debra), all of North Bend and David James of Burwell; four grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, three step-great grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents and daughter-in-law Cyndy (Harrison) Mehaffey.
In lieu of flowers, suggested memorials are the North Bend Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department and the Fremont First United Methodist Church.
A private funeral service will be held with interment at Woodland Cemetery at North Bend.
Online condolences may be left at: www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published July 22, 2020

Robert Talbitzer of Kearney passed away July 13 at his home surrounded by family. Funeral services were held July 18 at Kearney First Baptist Church with the Rev. Sean Dougherty officiating. Burial was at Stanley Cemetery near Amherst.
Robert James Talbitzer was born June 24, 1965, in Omaha to Charles and Barbara (Lyle) Talbitzer. He received his education from North Bend Central High School, graduating with the class of 1983. Bob attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he earned his bachelors of science degree in education. He later received his masters of biology degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
On June 27, 1986, Bob was united in marriage to Roxanne Crabtree. To this union three children were blessed: Trenton LeRoy, Grahm Arch, and Lyndee Mae. The couple made their home in Kearney where Bob was a biology teacher and pole vault coach for Kearney High School.
Bob greatly enjoyed working with young students and athletes. During his tenure at Kearney High, Bob received many awards for his teaching and coaching. The list of honors and accolades include President of Nebraska Association of Teachers of Science (1993-1995), Tandy Technology Scholars Award (1998), Peter Kiewit Foundation Teacher Achievement Award (1998), Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching (1998), Track & Field Coaches Association Nebraska Coach of the Year (2014), Vernier and National Science Teachers Association Technology Award (2018) and Kearney High School Athletic Hall of Fame Assistant Boys Track and Field Coach (2019). In 2018, Bob was instrumental in receiving a grant from America’s Farmers Rural Education Program for implementation of a biotechnology class at Kearney Senior High. After 29 years of teaching, Bob retired in October 2019.
He was an active member of the Kearney First Baptist Church. Bob served on various church committees, as well as teaching Sunday school. Bob enjoyed the outdoors, whether it be hunting, fishing, or hiking in the mountains. He was very active; riding his bike was a favorite pastime. He loved football and everything it entailed. He enjoyed watching his boys play, refereeing with friends on Friday nights and cheering on the Huskers. He would tell you though that one of his greatest joys was teaching his three children. He loved his children and grandchildren dearly. At his core, Bob was about relationships with people; mentoring, teaching, encouraging and loving others.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife Roxanne of Kearney; children Trenton (Sarah) Talbitzer of Kearney, Grahm (Shay) Talbitzer of Denver, Colo. and Lyndee (Mitchell) Whalen of Lincoln; grandchildren Jackson, Elise, Gwyneth and Heath Talbitzer; mother Barbara Bird of Fremont; father Charles (Sherry) Talbitzer of Malcolm; siblings Cathy Bird, Melinda (Curtis) Miller, Lyle (Dana) Bird, Jenny (Chris) Smithberg, David (Sara) Bird, Barbie (Michael) Johnson, Lisa (Marcus) Schmidt, Jennifer (Jim) Vaughn, Tori (Greg) Parde, Rachel (Jordan) Powell and several nieces, nephews and extended family and friends.
Bob was preceded in death by his father, LeRoy Bird, and grandparents.
Memorials are suggested to Kearney First Baptist Church, Kearney Public Schools Foundation, or Platte River Recovery Whooping Crane Memorial. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services.
Published July 22, 2020

Arline Polacek, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother passed away at her home on July 8.
Arline June was born on June 14, 1927, to James and Barbara (Pospisil) Cizek in the rural Prague area where she grew up and graduated from Prague High School in 1945. She had employment in Lincoln at Sunny Brook, then married Robert Polacek on Feb. 17, 1947. Five daughters were born to this union. They resided on a farm south of Prague for 57 years, retiring to Wahoo in 2005.
Her greatest pride and joy was her family. She had a very warm and welcoming personality. A convert to Catholicism, Arline was a very supportive member of St. John’s Baptist Church in Prague where she was in the choir and was involved in many church organizations. Later she became a member of St. Ludmilla’s Guild at St. Wenceslaus in Wahoo.
Arline was an excellent cook. She always delighted others with her best recipes. Arline was a seamstress and enjoyed crocheting. She was a past 4-H leader and volunteered for many school, church, and community events. Arline was the last remaining charter member of the Social Lites Extension Club. She enjoyed bowling, working at a call center, and other times spent in North Bend. Arline and Robert enjoyed traveling, bus tours, and a recent trip to Europe to connect with their Czech heritage. They attended church dinners and family events. Robert and Arline were awarded the Ak-Sar-Ben Pioneer Award in 2015.
She lived life to the fullest with grace and optimism, never missing an opportunity to show her love and support of friends and family. She kept a positive outlook in spite of health issues.
Arline was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband of 73 years, Robert; daughters Audrey (Steve) Chromy, Eileen (Allen) Bell, Carole Polacek, Julie Miller (Daryl Bartek), and Terri (Dr. Bob) Mathews, grandchildren are Bryan Bell, Alyssa (Brent) Michels, Angela (Chris) Bauer, and Sherie (Kurtis) Van Slyke, and six great-grandchildren are Nolan, Jack, and Avery Van Slyke, Roy and Max Bauer, and Luciana Michels.
Memorials may be directed to the Robert and Arline Polacek Memorial Fund for Neumann High School or the American Cancer Society.
Funeral services were held on July 11 at St. Wenceslaus in Wahoo with burial in St. John’s Cemetery, Prague.
Published July 15, 2020

LeRoy P. ”Lee” Maly of Fremont passed away July 5 at Dunklau Gardens. He was born on March 8, 1939, in Schuyler to Lambert and Catherine (Grady) Maly.
He was a lifetime resident of Fremont. Lee attended St. Patrick’s Elementary and High School. After graduation, he worked for his parents at Reynolds Grocery Store and Locker. In 1957, he bought Lee’s Vicker’s Shell Gas Station. His specialty included muffler installation.
Lee married Sue Hovenden of North Bend on April 18, 1959, at St Patrick Catholic Church in Fremont. In 1960, he sold the gas station and became partners with his father at Fremont Meat Market. Later, Chuck Kubin became his partner and they operated it for over 27 years. When Lee retired, he began to do home repair and woodworking. He became a master woodworker and filled their home with memorable items that he created.
Lee loved fishing, boating on the Missouri River or Table Rock Lake and enjoyed a good cigar. He never lost his love for vintage cars, the Good Guys Show in Des Moines was the highlight especially when he could attend with his son, Mike.
Lee was a member of Knights of Columbus and formerly an Eagles member.
LeRoy is survived by his wife Sue; sons Michael (Cindy )Maly of Ankeny, Iowa, Mark (Pam) Maly of West Linn Ore.; sister Joan Webber of Mesa, Ariz.; brothers Larry (Mary Jo) Maly of Tempe, Ariz.; brother-in-law Tom (Cindy) Hovenden of Reno, Nev.; sister-in-law Holly (Don) Ellis of Prescott, Ariz.; five grandchildren, two great grandsons and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and niece Kim Maly.
A funeral Mass was July 10 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Fremont. Burial was at Calvary Cemetery.
In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Bergan Fund.
Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published July 15, 2020

Kathleen J. Soderberg, of Fremont passed away July 2 at her home. She was born Sept. 23, 1960, in Fremont to Darrell and Gladys (Humpal) Dykman.
Kathy grew up in North Bend and graduated from North Bend Central High School in 1978. She received her bachelor’s degree from Wayne State College. Kathy has devoted her entire working life to ENCOR now “Develop, Unite, Empower, Together,” called DUET. Kathy was the DUET director for Dodge and Washington counties.
She was a member of First Lutheran Church in Fremont and was a Sunday school teacher. Kathy volunteered at FAMC, now Methodist Fremont Health.
She is survived by sons Sean Soderberg of Omaha and Tyler Soderberg of Salida, Colo.; brothers and their children, whom she adored, Dennis Dykman of Warner, S.D., and Mitchell, Tiffany and Michael; Dan (Donna Meyer) Dykman of Rogers, and Josh; Steve Dykman of Britton, S.D., and April; and David Dykman of Fremont and Adam and Ali.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Her funeral will be 10 a.m. Thursday, July 9, at First Lutheran Church in Fremont. Rev. Scott Jensen will officiate. All directed health measures will be followed. Masks are suggested but not required. Controlled visitation will be from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday at Moser Memorial Chapel in Fremont.
Memorials are suggested to DUET or to the Dodge County Humane Society.
Online condolences may be left at:www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published July 8, 2020

Janice M. Winkelman of North Bend passed away June 30 at Methodist Hospital in Omaha. She was born July 14, 1931, in Prague to Edward and Hattie (Kohout) Kratky.
She was born in Prague and raised in Rescue. She married Marvin Winkelman on Feb. 13, 1976, in Zapata, Texas. They settled in North Bend. Janice was a homemaker, a caregiver at Birchwood Manor, and a home health caregiver for the community.
Janice was a member of St. Charles Catholic Church of North Bend and the Prague Auxiliary.
She is survived by her husband Marvin; sons Pat (Debra) Albert of Omaha, Scott (Monica) Albert of North Bend, Jim Winkelman of Omaha; daughters Jenny (Steve) Dickey of Denton, Texas; Cheryl Albert of Fremont; Pam (Mike) Swanson of Malmo; Tracy (Scott) Lambley of Benkelman, Rhonda (Dave) Wichman of Dakota City; daughter-in-law Denise Albert of Omaha; brothers Richard Kratky, Edward (Charlotte) Kratky all of Prague, Ronnie Kratky of Tulsa, Okla., Gary Kratky of Omaha; sister Georgianne Malousek of Wahoo, 27 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.
Janice was preceded in death by her parents, son Michael Albert and grandson James Albert.
Funeral service was July 6, at St Charles Catholic Church in North Bend. Memorials may be directed to the family.
Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published July 8, 2020

Hattie E. Pabian, 89, of David City passed away June 16, at her home.
Hattie was born April 18, 1931, to Cyril and Barbara (Brousek) Vyhlidal on a farm near Morse Bluff.
On November 22, 1949, she married Frank Pabian Sr. Hattie worked as a bartender in North Bend and waitressed around the Snyder and Schuyler area most of her life, as well as caring for her children.
Hattie loved to travel and was able to make it to all 50 states. She loved to dance and listen to polka music.
She was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church in David City, VFW Auxiliary in Morse Bluff, and the Eagle’s in Schuyler.
Hattie was preceded in death by husband Frank Sr., sons Douglas and Frank Jr. and brother Donald Vyhlidal.
She is survived by her daughter Marlene (Nick) Hein; sons Duane (Pam) Pabian and Daniel (Sue) Pabian; 11 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
A funeral Mass was June 20 at St. Mary Catholic Church in David City. The Rev. Jay Buhman was the officiate. Burial was at Woodland Cemetery in North Bend.
Memorials may be directed to Cedar Hill Sacred Heart Catholic Church near Morse Bluff.
Online condolences may be left at: www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published June 24, 2020

Ruth (Thege) Halliday passed away May 30 at her home in North Carolina.
Ruth grew up in Saunders County and graduated from Linwood High School in 1940. She was raised on the family farm near Linwood, experienced the Great Depression, built aircraft in Omaha during World War II and eventually followed her older sister, Dorothy, to Washington D.C., where she worked for the Food and Drug Administration. Ruth worked in retail clothing sales in North Carolina until the age of 90.
Ruth loved singing in her church choirs, beginning in the Prague Presbyterian Church. Another favorite pastime was walking the North Carolina beaches in search of seashells.
Ruth is preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Amanda Thege; brother Edward Thege (in WWII); sister Dorothy Turner of Maryland; and brother Harold Thege of North Bend.
She is survived by her children Harlow, Doug and Caryl Halliday of North Carolina; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and her sister-in-law Gloria Thege of Fremont.
Published June 17, 2020

Beverly J. Evert “GG” passed away June 2 in Fremont. She was born Oct. 23, 1934, in North Bend to Chester and Blanche (Scott) Hull.
Bev attended grade school at District 70 near Ames and graduated from North Bend High School in 1951. She worked at the Fremont Tribune after graduation and was a receptionist for several doctors.
Bev married Donald Evert in Fremont on Feb 12, 1955, and they were lifelong residents of Fremont. He passed away Dec. 20, 1996.
She was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church.
Bev is survived by her two sons Gary (Patty) Evert of Beatrice and Mark Evert of Fremont; daughter Kay (Richard) Brumm of San Antonio, Texas; special friends Harold and Linda Harper of Fremont; five grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and brother Keith Hull.
A memorial Mass was June 6 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Fremont. Burial was at Calvary Cemetery in Fremont.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Serene Care Hospice.
Online condolences may be left at: www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published June 10, 2020

David Cecil of Papillion died on May 23 at Hillcrest Cottages after suffering with Parkinson’s disease for many years. Originally from Fremont (born Sept. 17, 1948) and the oldest of three siblings, he graduated from Midland University and the University of Nebraska with degrees in music. His passion for music included teaching at North Platte, North Bend and Papillion. He was active as a clinician, adjudicator and soloist throughout the area. David will long be remembered for his affable, easy going personality. He always had time for people and most certainly had time for his students. He empowered thousands of young people to step into adulthood with a song in their hearts.
David had the honor of performing in two USO tours. He served in many leadership roles, conducted church choirs, and was honored as Papillion-La Vista Secondary Teacher of the Year, Outstanding Choral Director of Nebraska, and inducted into the Nebraska Music Educators Association Hall of Fame.
David was preceded in death by his son, Andrew, and his parents, Phil and Delores. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Nancy (Kammerer), daughter Kari (Brian) Armstrong of Papillion, sisters Kay Schroeder of Apple Valley, Calif., Lauren Cecil of Omaha, and grandchildren.
David wanted friends and family to celebrate his life with love, laughter, and, of course, a little music. A Celebration of David’s life will be determined at a later date. If you wish to honor his memory, donations may be made to the family to establish a music scholarship.
Published June 3, 2020

Roberta M. Winkelman Johnson passed away on May 17 at Dunklau Gardens in Fremont at the age of 95.
Roberta was born on May 22, 1924, to Ernest and Ruth Winkelman. She married Raymond (Mike) Johnson on Feb. 6, 1949. To this union, three sons were born: Rodney and twins Ricky and Randy.
Roberta was a lifelong housewife to her farming husband, making sure meals were prepared, moving all the equipment to the next field to be farmed and a loving grandmother. She was employed at Gambles before her marriage.
Roberta is survived by her son, Rodney (Diana) Johnson; grandchildren; Tracey (Mike) Roth, Matthew Johnson, Steven Johnson; great-grandchildren Hanna and Lyndsey Roth, Addison Johnson; sister-in-law Evelyn Winkelman; daughter-in-law Leora Johnson; and three step-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Raymond, sons Ricky and Randy and her brother Gale Winkelman.
Funeral service is 10:30 a.m., Friday, May 22, at Moser Memorial Chapel in North Bend. Controlled Visitation is Thursday, May 21, from 5-8 p.m. also at Moser’s in North Bend. Burial in Woodland Cemetery.
Memorials may be directed to the family.
Online Condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapel.com.
Published May 20, 2020

Bernice M. Conkling of Wahoo, formerly North Bend, passed away May 14 at the Saunders Medical Center Long Term Care in Wahoo. She was born Oct. 9, 1933, at Malmo to Harry and Sylvia (Brecka) Tenopir.
Bernice grew up near Cedar Bluffs and attended country school there. She married Richard Zakovec on February 17, 1953. They moved to the farm at Morse Bluff where she helped farm for many years.
After Richard’s death in 1972 Bernice started working at Campbell’s Soup Co, Plumfield Nursery, the North Bend Post Office and cooked at the Rawhide Steakhouse in North Bend.
Bernice married Frank Conkling Sept. 30, 1990. He died in 2000.
She is survived by son, Francis (JoAnn) Zakovec of Morse Bluff; grandchildren, Ryan (Brienna) Zakovec, Brent (Brook) Zakovec and Mike Albert; great-grandchildren, Haley, Dustin, Ashtynn, Kinsley, Grayden and Barrett Zakovec.
Bernice is preceded in death by her parents, both husbands, daughter Janice Leffers, brother Wilford Tenopir and grandson Adam Buchta.
Funeral was May 18 at Moser Memorial Chapel in North Bend. Rev. Michael Hill of United Presbyterian Church in North Bend officiated. Burial was at Maple Grove Cemetery in Cedar Bluffs.
Memorials to Dodge County Humane Society. Online condolences at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published May 20, 2020

Dorothy Lee Poggensee of Fremont passed away April 30 at her home. She was born Sept. 23, 1928, in Omaha to Arthur and Alberta (Jewell) Welty.
Dorothy lived in Arcadia until 1936 when her family moved to North Bend. She graduated from North Bend High School in 1947.
Dorothy married Vernon Poggensee on July 11, 1948, in North Bend. They resided in Fremont for the past 72 years.
Dorothy was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fremont, an Altar Guild member for over 50 years, and a 50-year member of Pals & Gals Extension Club. She enjoyed bunco, crafting, reading, playing cards, auctions and garage sales.
Dorothy is survived by her husband Vernon; son Ronald of Reno, Nev.; daughters Carol Thompson of Fremont, Denise (Tom) Ussery of Roseville, Calif.; sister Gloria Thege of Fremont; five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sister Norma O’Conner; brother Donald Welty; brothers-in-law Matthew O’Conner, Harold Thege; and two grandchildren, Michael and Jessica Ernstmeyer.
A celebration of life service will be held Monday, July 6, at 10:30 a.m., at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fremont with the Rev. Ryan Ankersen officiating. Private family burial will be at Memorial Cemetery in Fremont.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.
Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published May 6, 2020

Kenneth R. Beznoska of Mason City, Iowa, passed away at his home on April 20.
He was born Oct. 30, 1943, in Fremont. He resided in North Bend, Lincoln and Nebraska City before moving to Mason City, Iowa. Kenneth was a 1962 graduate of North Bend High School.
Kenneth is survived by his wife Janice Beznoska of Mason City; children Leah (Phil) Splichal of Payson, Ariz., Frank (Moria) Beznoska of Sioux Falls, S.D., Scott (Robin) Shafer of Rockford, Iowa, Billie Jo (Rick) Palmer of Rockford, Iowa; grandchildren Nicholas Beznoska of Lincoln, Joshua Beznoska of Phoenix, Ariz., Zachary, Kelsey, and Jayden Beznoska of Sioux Falls, S.D., Jennifer Reinke of Rudd, Iowa, Jessi (Andy) Jeffery of Rockford, Iowa, Emily (Christopher) Deetz of Mason City, Iowa, Eric Palmer of Rockford, Iowa, and seven great-grandchildren.
Published April 29, 2020

Nicholas Nelson of Morse Bluff was born April 22, 1941. He grew up in Omaha and attended North High, graduating in 1959. Following high school, Nick was an auto mechanic for O’Daniel Oldsmobile.
On June 25, 1961, he married his high school sweetheart, Patricia Andrew, at Pearl Memorial Methodist Church in Omaha. Later in life he became the owner of Nelson Plumbing for 26 years.
Nick died April 10. He was a member of Saint Peter Lutheran Church of North Bend. He enjoyed time spent at his cabin in Lynch. Nick loved family time especially celebrating holidays with his grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Nicholas and Edith Nelson, and sister Joan Galbraith.
Nick is survived by wife Patricia of Morse Bluff; daughters Kathie Englert (Jimmy Williams), Vicki (Sam) Orsi,Connie (Dave) Rathbun and Jennifer (Dan) Abels all of Omaha; brother Don (Sandi)Nelson of Silverton; 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Services will be held on April 15 at Saint Peter Lutheran Church in North Bend. Visitation from 9 to 11 a.m. Private family service at 11 a.m. The funeral will be live streamed.
Memorials are suggested for the Open Door Mission.
Published April 15, 2020

Kenneth G. Chromy, of Geneva, formerly of Lincoln and Ohiowa, passed away on March 26, at Heritage Crossings in Geneva.
Kenneth was cremated and a Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date.
Published April 1, 2020

Mark Allen Stecki was born Aug. 8, 1958, and died March 5.
Mark retired from the Union Pacific Railroad after 38 years of service. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing and spending time with family. He practiced conservation and provided shelter and habitat for wildlife on his farm.
Mark is preceded in death by his father Joseph Stecki. Survivors include his mother Elsie Stecki; brother Edward (Nikki) Stecki; sisters Lucy (Mark) Hahn, Mary (Perry) Tompkins, Barbara Gabel and Laura (Don) Heins; nieces Haley Gabel, Marissa Heins, Mallory Stecki, Teresa Maly, Stacy Brewer, and Stephanie Hahn; and nephews Chris Gabel, Lance Gabel and Zach Stecki.
Please join the family for a memorial service March 11 at 11 a.m. at Moser Memorial Chapel in North Bend. In lieu of flowers, memorials suggested to outdoornebraska.gov/wildlifeconservation.
Published March 11, 2020

Donna M. Hines of Morse Bluff passed away Feb. 16 at Methodist Fremont Health in Fremont.
Donna was born Nov. 21, 1934, to Ignac and Ella (Mares) Curda on a farm northwest of Plasi. She was a 1952 graduate of Prague High School and a graduate of Midland College in Fremont. Donna taught in Saunders County school districts 19 and 94.
On May 26, 1956, Donna married Arnold Hines at the Presbyterian Church in Prague. The couple lived in Prague for seven years until moving to the family farm near Morse Bluff in 1963, where they raised hogs and farmed. She was a member of the Morse Bluff American Legion Auxiliary.
She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Grace Kasper and infant grandson Samuel Minarick.
She is survived by her husband Arnold; twin daughters Sharen (Steve) Minarick of Morse Bluff, Karen (Tim) Cech of Rochelle, Ill.; sons Allen (Linda) Hines of Lincoln, Greg (Maria) Hines of Morse Bluff; 12 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral service were Feb. 21 at Moser Memorial Chapel in North Bend with the Rev. Scott Jensen officiating. Burial was at Killian Cemetery near Morse Bluff.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Morse Bluff Fire and Rescue, North Bend Fire and Rescue, or the Morse Bluff American Legion Auxiliary.
Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com
Published March 4, 2020

Janice R. “Grandma Jan” Crofton, age 82, of Fremont formerly North Bend, passed away Feb. 11 in Omaha. Jan was born Jan. 15, 1938, in Dorchester to Henry and Helen (Tesar) Krivohlavek.
Jan grew up in Dorchester and was a 1956 graduate of Dorchester High School. Jan married Dale Crofton on Oct. 18, 1958, in Dorchester.
She worked at the Old Scout and Town & Country Cable Company and owned Wagon Wheel Ceramics, all at North Bend. She was a seamstress at JP Originals in Fremont.
Jan was a member of St. Peter Lutheran Church, North Bend, Fremont Friendship Center in Fremont and was an avid quilter and seamstress.
She is survived by son Craig (Jane) Crofton, Elwood; daughter Kim Mann-Davenport (Jeff), Ames; eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren and Murphy, her beloved beagle.
Jan was preceded in death by parents, husband Dale and brother Allen Krivohlavek.
The funeral was Feb. 15 at St. Peter Lutheran Church, North Bend. Burial was at Killian Cemetery, Morse Bluff.
Memorials are suggested to the Dodge County Humane Society. Online condolences may be left at: www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published Feb. 19, 2020

Jack Dale French of Morse Bluff died Feb. 5. He was born June 2, 1935, to Irl and Lona (Witt) French of Palisades. Jack served two years in the U.S. Army. Jack also went by the names of Mr. Easy, Jackson, Pierre, Stonewall, Cactus Jack and Old Fart.
Jack married Leona Witt on Jan. 29, 1963. They moved to Scribner area where they managed a 660 hog unit then moved to Prague in 1985 where they managed their own hog unit. Jack and Leona moved to Morse Bluff in 2004.
Jack is survived by his daughters Jackie (Billy) Hare of Maryland, JoAnn (Randy) Prochaska of Morse Bluff; sons Leon French (Lisa) of Prague, Dwight French (Ruth) of Fairbury; brother Wayne (Mary) French of Springfield; sisters Jane (Herb) Davis of South Dakota, Carol (Lonnie) Shafer of York and two grandsons.
Jack is preceded in death by Leona, his wife of 54 years, two sisters and a brother.
Jack loved gardening, mowing and falling down basement steps. He loved his cats.
Jack’s wish was to be cremated. There will be no services.
Jack and Leona ask that you remember them by sharing a kind word, a smile and hug with those you love.
Published Feb. 12, 2020

Dennis L. Novak of Wahoo died Jan. 29. He was born on a farm near Malmo to Adolph and Helen (Placek) Novak. Dennis attended District 92 grade school and Morse Bluff and Prague high schools.
After high school graduation Dennis joined the Air Force, and after four years of military service he returned home and farmed north of Prague. He then worked in construction for many years in the Omaha area.
Dennis is best known for his talents as a self-taught drummer. He had his own polka band and could also be heard playing in numerous bands around the region. In the last two years Dennis played with an ensemble at nursing homes in the area.
Dennis was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by brother Francis “Shorty” Novak of Wahoo; sisters and brothers-in-law Leona and Lyle Torrens of Wahoo and Darlene and Dean McVicker of Bellevue; nine nieces and nephews and many great-nieces and nephews and friends.
Services was held at Wahoo Presbyterian Church Feb. 1.
Published Feb. 5, 2020

Wallace C. ‘Wally’ Kelberlau, age 91, of Scribner passed away Tuesday, Jan. 28, at the Hooper Care Center.
Wally was born April 15, 1928, in rural Scribner to Carl and Hattie (Wegner) Kelberlau. He was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church near Scribner. Wally grew up in the area where he attended grade school and high school.
He married Elaine Westphalen on Feb. 15, 1948, at St. John’s Ridgeley Lutheran Church south of Scribner.
Wally was a true John Deere man. He began farming in the Winslow/Scribner area, and then moved northwest of Dodge where he also did custom corn shelling and baling. Wally and Elaine raised their family there. In the late ‘80s they moved to rural Scribner.
Wally was an active member at Trinity Lutheran Church until it closed. He served on the Trinity Cemetery Board along with being the grounds keeper for many years. He was currently a member at Ridgeley.
Wally was always pleased to share his memories of the history of the surrounding area and family ancestry to anyone who asked. Playing cards with friends and family, listening to polka music and working on puzzles were some of his favorite past times.
Survivors include his children Ken (Julie) Kelberlau of North Bend, Nancy (Tim) Kean of Papillion, Robert (Shirley) Kelberlau of Norfolk, Don (Liz) Kelberlau of Parker, Colo.; six grandchildren Aaron (Heather) Kelberlau, Marcus (Mindy) Kelberlau, Kelly (Jonathan) LaPar,
Nicholas (Dani Porter) Kelberlau, Bradley (Dominique) Kelberlau, Brittany (Tyler) Uhing; 13 great grandchildren; brother Charles (Beverly) Kelberlau of Fremont; sister-in-law Betty McDonald of Faribault, Minn.; and many nieces and nephews.
Wallace was preceded in death by his parents, wife Elaine, sister Joyce (Marvin ‘Doc’) Moeller, brother Stan (Mary) Kelberlau, sister-in-law Doris (Herbert ‘Buck’) Bennett and brother-in-law Harry McDonald.
The funeral will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 8, at St. John’s Ridgeley Lutheran Church, burial will follow in Trinity Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Trinity Cemetery Association, St. John’s Ridgeley Lutheran Church or the Hooper Care Center. Visitation with the family present will be Friday, Feb. 7 at the Ludvigsen’s Scribner Funeral Chapel from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Online guestbook at www.hooper-scribner.com.
Published Feb. 5, 2020

Doris Irene Cruickshank, 89, of Loveland, Colo., passed peacefully away on Jan. 26. Doris was born on Dec. 16, 1930, in North Bend, the only child of Ellsworth and Beulah (VanArsdol) Spies. She grew up in North Bend and graduated from high school there in 1948.
She was a skilled stenographer and typist and was employed in real estate, Hormel and Mutual of Omaha.
Doris married Robert V. Cruickshank on March 21, 1951. They moved from their first home in Fremont to Uehling, where Bob began his career in education. From Uehling, they moved their family, which now included daughters Julie and Janet, to Leigh, where Bob was a teacher, coach, principal and eventually superintendent of schools. Another move took the family to Mapleton, Iowa, where they lived for three years. They then moved to Loveland in July 1964 where their third daughter Jaymie was born. In each location Doris made each house into a home.
Doris enjoyed her life in Loveland where she made many friends and worked at Westlake Pharmacy, Fort Medina and Johnson Publishing. After Bob’s retirement, they both enjoyed watching their thoroughbred horses race and Doris enjoyed attending horse shows. She loved her life and lived it well.
Doris is survived by daughters Julie Mills, Janet (Jim) Hardin, all of Loveland, Jaymie Cruickshank of Platteville, Colo; grandsons Joshua Hardin of Loveland, Jonathan (Amy) Hardin, great-grandsons Grant and Bryce Hardin, all of Fort Smith, Ark.; her friend and caregiver, Troy Beattie; cousin Kenneth (Pat) Beebe, North Bend, for whom she had the fondest of memories.
Doris was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years Bob Cruickshank, her parents and son-in-law Patrick Mills. Private graveside family services are planned.
Graveside services were held in Loveland Jan. 30.
Memorial contributions can be made to Pathways Hospice, 305 Carpenter Rd., Ft. Collins, CO, 80525, and to the Thompson Education Foundation, 800 S. Taft Ave., Loveland, CO, 80537.
Published Feb. 26, 2020

Stanley D. Kelberlau of Scribner died Sunday Jan. 26 at Nye Pointe in Fremont
Stan was born Sept. 29, 1941, in West Point to Carl and Hattie (Wegner) Kelberlau. He was raised on the family farm northwest of Scribner. He graduated from Scribner High School in 1959. After high school he served in the U.S. Army as a cook. After his service he returned to Scribner and married Mary Stibor in 1966 and lived on his family’s farm. After his marriage Stan worked at IBP in West Point for ten years while he continued to farm. He and Mary then began the Kelberlau Mills (sawmill) and farmed.
Stan was a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Scribner.
Survivors include daughters Linda (Steve Herbolsheimer) Kelberlau of Scribner, Sandy (David Baeumler) Kelberlau of Raleigh, N.C., Kathy (Andy) Ortmeier of Dodge; nine grandchildren Adam Muller, Megan (Andy) Stock, Carly (Kevin Mendick) Muller, Ashley Ortmeier, Taylor Ortmeier, Trevor Ortmeier, Allison Ortmeier, Calvin Baeumler, Theodore Baeumler; great granddaughter Izeyl Stock; brother Charles (Beverly) Kelberlau of Fremont; mother-in-law Alice Stibor of Fremont; sisters-in-law Cindy (Jim) Shotkoski of Scribner, Sara (Tim) Nielsen of Fremont; brothers-in-law John Stibor of Scribner, Pete (Georgia) Stibor of North Bend.
Stan was preceded in death by his wife, sister Joyce (Doc) Moeller, sister-in-law Elaine Kelberlau. His brother Wallace died two days after Stan.
The funeral was Feb. 3 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Scribner. Burial was in Trinity Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Trinity Cemetery Association. Sign the online guestbook at www.hooper-scribner.com.
Published Feb. 5, 2020

Bernard C. Pollard of Fullerton, formerly North Bend, passed away Jan. 23 at the Boone County Hospital in Albion.
Bernard was born Jan. 10, 1941, to John and Emma (Koliha) Pollard in North Bend.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his cousins, Genelle (Pollard) Rosenbaum, Frank Pollard, Tom Pollard, Pat Foust; great cousins Tami Jackson and Janette Rosenbaum.
Funeral Mass will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 29 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in North Bend. The Rev. Keith Rezac will officiate. Visitation will be one hour prior to Mass at church. Burial will be at the Holy Trinity Cemetery near Clarkson.
Online condolences may be left at: www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Pubished Jan. 29. 2020

Robert L. “Bob” Johnson of North Bend died Jan. 22 at his daughter’s home in Omaha. Bob was born May 30, 1934, to Warren “Percy” and Meta (Black) Johnson on his family farm near North Bend, where he lived most of his life.
He was a 1953 graduate of North Bend High School, where he was an active member of Future Farmers of America. Bob was drafted into the Army in 1956 and served in Germany with the 2nd Armored Division.
Bob returned to North Bend in 1958 and began farming. He raised Angus cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, with corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa crops.
Bob married Lorrie Drevo on April 16, 1960, at United Presbyterian Church in North Bend.
He is survived by his daughter, Christine (Vivek Chand) Vivek of Omaha; sister Rosemary Euken of Aliso Viejo, Calif.; brother Richard “Dick” Johnson of Broken Arrow, Okla.; five nieces and one nephew. He was preceded in death by his parents and wife.
A funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at United Presbyterian Church in North Bend. The Rev. Michael Hill will officiate. Visitation on Friday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Moser Memorial Chapel in North Bend. Visitation on Saturday at the church is one hour prior to service.
Burial will be at Woodland Cemetery near North Bend.
Memorials may be given to United Presbyterian Church or Cancer Research Foundation.
Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Published Jan. 29, 2020

Dorothy A. Kavan, 87 years, of Morse Bluff died Jan. 15, at Nye Pointe in Fremont.
Funeral Mass was Jan. 20 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church at Cedar Hill.
Memorials may be given to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Morse Bluff Fire Department, American Legion Post 340 in Morse Bluff, the Morse Bluff/North Bend Veterans Memorial Park and Kindred Hospice.
Online condolences may be left at: www.mosermemorialchapels.com

Mass of Christian Burial for Mary Lou Fuchtman of Creighton was Jan. 11 at St. Ludger Catholic Church in Creighton. Reverend Jeremy Hans was the celebrant, with burial in St. Ludger Catholic Cemetery in Creighton.
Mary Lou died Jan. 7 at Avera Creighton Care Centre.
She was born Jan. 6, 1928, to Earl and Amanda (Stark) Stockman on the family farm in Plainview.
Mary Lou attended rural school until the fourth grade when the family moved into Plainview. She graduated from Plainview Public School in 1946. After graduation, she was employed at Sehnert’s bakery, Council Oak Grocery and Falter and Smith’s Ideal Market in Plainview. Mary Lou was later employed at the New Home Bakery in Norfolk.
On Feb. 18, 1957, Mary Lou married Willard Fuchtman at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Plainview. They made their home on the east end of Creighton and later on a farm east of town until 1989 when they moved into Creighton. In December of 2012, Mary Lou moved to Avera Creighton Care Centre where she resided until her death.
Mary Lou was the mother of Barbara (Patrick) Kelley of Winnetoon and Marie (Roger) Nordboe of Ames and grandmother of Ryan Nordboe of North Bend and Melissa Nordboe of Scribner.
She was preceded in death by her husband Willard in 2010, parents, two infant brothers Herman and Charles, brothers Leo and Lawrence and sister Frances Pendergast.
Memorials may be directed to Avera Creighton Care Centre.
Published Jan. 15, 2020