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Belle Thomalla
GOTHENBURG - Belle Thomalla, 84, died Aug. 16, 2001, at Hilltop Estates in Gothenburg.
She was born Nov. 8, 1916, in Campbell to Henry and Rose DeMars Derra.
On April 14, 1936, she married Earl C. Thomalla at Farnam. He preceded her in death May 27, 1998. They owned and operated Bert and Earl's Bar in Gothenburg and the Blue Lounge in Lexington for many years.
She was a Cub Scout leader and a member of the Sunshine Homemakers. She enjoyed bowling, playing cards, dancing with her husband, traveling to Texas, camping and fishing. She also liked attending sporting events. She was a member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church and the Altar Society.
Survivors include a daughter, Carolyn (Larry) Malcom of Cozad; three sons, Bill (Rita) of Gothenburg, Mike (Adrian) of Lincoln and Steve (Kelly) of North Platte; a sister, Theresa (Wray) Lydic of Gothenburg; three brothers, Virgil (Elsie) Derra, Richard Derra and Don (Vonnie) Derra, all of Gothenburg; a daughter-in-law, Paula (Barry) Pfister of Lexington; 16 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Thomalla was preceded in death by her husband; two sons, Douglas and Gary; a sister, Viola Hampson; and a brother, Bernard.
Memorials are suggested to the Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church or the Gothenburg Fire Department.
Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the church.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Gothenburg with the Rev. Donald O'Brien as celebrant. Burial will be in the Gothenburg Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Blase Memorial Chapel in Gothenburg.
Bertha Wooters
WESTERVILLE - Bertha Wooters, 73, of Westerville died Aug. 16, 2001, at the Jennie M. Melham Memorial Hospital in Broken Bow.
She was born June 4, 1928, at Waco to Albion and Alvina Herman Van Ostrand. She moved with her family to Anselmo.
On Nov. 20, 1946, she married Guy Wooters in Broken Bow. She worked in the Broken Bow community for several years including working at Sandhills Manor Nursing Home and the Broken Bow Community Hospital. In August 1987, they moved to Westerville.
Mrs. Wooters was a member of the United Methodist Church in Westerville. She enjoyed knitting, baking and gardening.
Survivors included her husband; two daughters, Monetha (Larry) Spellbrink and Gaylene (Wayne) Bennett, all of Palmer; two sons, Tim (Ellie) of Lakeside and Dan (Dawn) of Broken Bow; three sisters, Florence Ritchie of Broken Bow, Edna Blakeman of Arnold and Fern Carpenter Schmidt of Seward; a brother, Ernie Van Ostrand of Ord; 20 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Mary; a son, Darrell; a granddaughter, Melissa; and a great-granddaughter Stacey.
Memorials are suggested to the United Methodist Church in Westerville.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Govier Brothers Chapel in Broken Bow with the Rev. Sherry Sklenar officiating. Burial will be in the Broken Bow Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at the Govier Brothers Mortuary . The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Emery L. Blakely
BROKEN BOW — Emery L. Blakely, 92, of Broken Bow died Aug. 18, 2001, at the Sandhills Manor nursing home.
He was born May 17, 1909, at Dunning to Thomas and Jessie Harris Blakely. He grew up on a ranch north of Dunning and graduated from Dunning High School in 1928.
In May 28, 1935, he married Helen Thomas at Broken Bow and they lived on a ranch north of Dunning until moving to Broken Bow in 1969.
Mr. Blakely is survived by his wife; two sons, Lowell D. (Norma) of Dunning and Gilmer "Gil" G. (Gloria) of North Platte; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Memorials are suggested to the Dunning Cemetery Fund.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Govier Brothers Chapel in Broken Bow with the Rev. David Hansen officiating. Burial will be in the Broken Bow Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow.
Linda Barta
BROKEN BOW — Linda Barta, 39, of Broken Bow died Aug. 17, 2001, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.
She was born April 21, 1962, at Loup City to Grant and Margy Holland Schnase. She attended school in Ansley, where she graduated in 1980.
On April 20, 1985, she married Thomas Barta at Ansley. They lived in the Broken Bow area and she worked as a waitress and was a homemaker.
She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, needlepoint and her family.
Mrs. Barta is survived by her husband; two sons, Zachary and Dillion, both of Broken Bow; her parents; six sisters, Merna Snell of Sidney, Kathy Schnase of Minatare, Rose Samples of Ansley, Helen Linder of Marshfield, Wis., Julie Wells of Palmer and Loretta Tucker of Broken Bow; and four brothers, Gerald Schnase of Torrington, Wyo., Grant Eugene Schnase of Broken Bow, Bill Schnase of Grand Island and Eldon Schnase of Ansley; sisters-in-law; brothers-in-law; nieces and nephews.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow with the Rev. Jim Stark officiating. Burial will be in the Broken Bow Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Merle Elizabeth Crosser
Merle Elizabeth Leidy Crosser, 86, of North Platte died Aug. 18, 2001, at Aspen Park.
She was born Feb. 26, 1915, to William and Myrtie Manchester Leidy at Inman. She was raised in the Inman area. After graduation from Inman High School, she attended Reynolds Beauty Academy. She owned and operated Merle's Beauty Shop in Inman until her marriage.
On Oct. 15, 1939, she married Elmer LeRoy Crosser at Neligh. They moved to Cherokee, Iowa.
While her husband served in the U.S. Army during World War II, she lived with him in Missouri, Minnesota, New Jersey and Colorado. During her husband's active service in Europe, she returned to Nebraska, where she operated a beauty shop in Neligh. After the war, they returned to Cherokee and later moved to Sheldon, Iowa.
In 1960, the Crosser family moved to North Platte, where they became active in many community, school and church activities. Her husband preceded her in death Aug. 25, 1968.
She volunteered for 30 years at Linden Manor, where she shared her love of crafts with the residents. This service resulted in her receiving the 1998 State of Nebraska Volunteer Award from the Healthcare and Assisted Living Association. Other volunteer work included helping at the food pantry, the immunization clinic, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, Nebraskaland Days, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Blue Birds and Campfire Girls.
Mrs Crosser was a lifelong member of the RLDS Community of Christ. Her church activities included youth work, Bible school, mother-daughter banquets, Easter egg projects and Santa Claus cookie projects. She was a Sunday school teacher and a Women's Department leader, and helped with summer camp programs and numerous other activities. She was ordained as a priest in 1991.
Survivors include two daughters, Carla Crosser (David) Harrington of Iowa and Nancy Smith of South Africa; three sons, Rick (Bonnie) of Colorado, Mark (Diane) of New Hampshire, and Brian (Cathy) of Iowa; a brother Leonard Leidy of Texas; and nine grandchildren, Hanna, Aniela, Marek, Robert, Dorothy, Lauren, Jenna, Alexandra and Reggie.
She was also preceded in death by her parents; and two brothers, Kenneth Leidy and Keith McGraw.
Memorials are suggested to the Outreach International (African Projects); P.O. Box 210; Independence, MO 64051-0210.
Services will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home in North Platte with David Harrington officiating. Burial will be in Fort McPherson National Cemetery south of Maxwell.
Visitation will be from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday with family receiving friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home.
Argil F. Donner
FARNAM - Argil F. Donner, 81, of Farnam died Aug. 20, 2001, at Hilltop Estates in Gothenburg.
He was born July 24, 1920, south of Farnam to Walter and Emma Slater Donner. He attended country school for eight years. He served in the U.S. Army from September 1942 to February 1946.
On Feb. 23, 1946, he married Lily Houser at Cambridge.
Mr. Donner was a member of American Legion Post 288 of Farnam. He farmed and worked on construction at the hay mills, piled hay and did commercial trucking.
He is survived by his wife; two sons Jim and Dan, both of Farnam; a sister, Waunetta Crisman of Gothenburg; a sister-in-law, Clara Clement Donner of Grand Island; five grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and other friends and relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters and two brothers.
Memorials may be made to the Farnam Rescue Unit or the Farnam Senior Center.
Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Farnam Cemetery with the Rev. Steve Bales officiating.
Visitation will be from 1 to 5 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday at Blase Memorial Chapel in Gothenburg.
Reakus Franzen
COZAD - Reakus Franzen, 80, of Cozad died Aug. 18, 2001, at Hilltop Estates in Gothenburg.
He was born Sept. 1, 1920, north of Gothenburg to John R. and Reaka D. Lange Franzen. He attended Imperial High School during his junior year and graduated from Gothenburg High School in 1939. He married Genevieve L. Stevens on Nov. 18, 1942, at the Zion Lutheran Church. She preceded him in death on Nov. 19, 1993.
Mr. Franzen farmed and ranched north of Cozad most of his life.
He was an active member of the Zion Lutheran Church, serving on the church council and participating in the choir. He enjoyed going to the Gothenburg Senior Center and all family activities.
Survivors include two daughters, Paula (Roger) Hood of Gothenburg and Brenda (Michael) Cunning of Sutherland; a son, Darren (Jane) of Gothenburg; a sister, Darlene (George) Jensen of Cozad; a brother, Glenn (Gloria) of Cozad; 10 grandchildren, Kerri and Beth Hood, both of Chicago, Heath (Angie) Franzen of Lincoln, Greg and Dirk (Shelby) Hood, both of Lincoln, Kevin (Lisa) and Matthew Franzen, both of Gothenburg, Amber (Dustin) Smith of Castle Rock, Colo., Jody (Ernie) Johnson of Lincoln, and Chelsea Cunning of Sutherland; two great-grandchildren, Taylor and Drew Franzen; a special friend, Jean Klein of Gothenburg; and many nieces and nephews.
He was also preceded in death by his parents; his stepmother, Lena; a brother, Vernon; and a sister-in-law, Ruth Franzen.
Memorials are suggested to the Zion Lutheran Church or Gothenburg Senior Center.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Zion Lutheran Church in Gothenburg with the Rev. Jeff Ruetten officiating. Burial will be in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today at Blase Memorial Chapel in Gothenburg.
Alma M. Gierhan
LEXINGTON - Alma Martha Struempler Gierhan, 92, of Lexington died Aug. 17, 2001, at the Tri-County Hospital in Lexington after a brief illness.
She was born Nov. 9, 1908, at Oconto to William C. and Johanna Augusta Tiede Struempler. She was baptized and confirmed in the Buffalo Lutheran Church near Oconto. She grew up in the Oconto area.
On Jan. 8, 1930, she married Walter Gierhan at Buffalo Lutheran Church. They lived in Utica from 1930 to 1932. They then moved to a farm north of Lexington, where they remained until they moved to town in 1976.
Mrs. Gierhan helped on the farm and gardening was a favorite pasttime. She also enjoyed reading and crocheting. She was a member of an extension club for many years. Music was always in their home and often family gatherings would include a card party. She was a charter member of the Nebraska District's Lutheran Women's Missionary League and a member of the local LMWL.
Surviving her is a daughter, Carolyn (Don) Fisher of Lake Oswego, Ore.; a son, Gilbert (Ethel) of Lexington; a brother, Albert Struempler of Lexington; six grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband in 2000; a son, Dennis, who died in an automobile accident in 1960; three sisters; and nine brothers.
Memorials may be made to the donor's choice.
Services will be at 2 p.m. today at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Lexington with the Rev. Michael Gruhn officiating. Burial will be in the Hillside Cemetery near Lexington.
Reynolds-Love Funeral Home of Lexington is in charge.
