Search Archived Marriage Records
Frances M. Kennedy, 88
(Jan. 30) CRAWFORD - Frances Marie Kennedy, 88, died Tuesday, Jan. 28. She was born May 9, 1914, at Watkins, Colo., to Jesse and Alta (Drown) Rodgers.
She spent most of her childhood years in the Hemingford area. Except for a brief time living at Denver, Colo., she resided in the Hemingford area, where she married her childhood sweetheart, Ralph Kennedy. Following their marriage, they purchased a farm/ranch west of Marsland in 1948 or 1949 where they lived and worked until her husband's death in 1975. They also owned and operated the Bob Cat Inn at Hemingford. Following his death, she sold the farm and the Inn and moved to Chadron where she lived until 1988. She moved to Pondrosa Villa at Crawford in 1989. She is survived by her sons, Edward (Judy) Wright of Garden Grove, Calif., Robert (JoAnn) Wright of Oak Hills, Calif., and Jeffrey (Debra) Kennedy of Crawford; daughter, Sandy (Sam) Riggs of Lincoln; stepson Don and Donna Kennedy of Rapid City, S.D.; and step-daughter, Darlene (Zane) Craig of Hemingford; 25 grandchildren; and several great grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Ralph, her parents, two sisters, Vada Wright and Daisy Rodgers. A memorial has been established for the Ponderosa Villa Nursing Home at Crawford. Donations may be sent to Chamberlain Chapel, P.O. Box 970, Chadron, NE 69337-0970.
Mrs. Kennedy's funeral will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, Febr. 1, at Chamberlain Chapel at Crawford, with Pastor Eldon Mincks officiating. Burial will be at Alliance Cemetery. Chamberlain Chapel of Crawford is in charge of arrangements.
Maryann V. Schmidt, 88
(Jan. 31) ALLIANCE - Maryann V. Schmidt died Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2001, at Highland Park Care Center in Alliance. She was 88. She was born Dec. 4, 1912, at Chicago, Ill., to Andrew and Victoria (Pawlek) Kowalski.
She married Emil Schmidt on Feb. 12, 1936, in Chicago. Following their retirement, they moved to Lake Havasu City, Ariz., until she moved to Alliance in 1995.
Her survivors include her sister Rosalie and her husband John Durkin of Loveland, Colo., sister Sylvia Jordan of Yucaipa, Calif., and numerous nieces and nephews, including Vicki Thompson of Alliance.
Her husband, sisters Helen and Dorothy, and brothers Frank and Harry preceded her in death.
Funeral services will be Friday, Feb. 2 at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Alliance. Wake service will be Thursday at 7 p.m. at Bates-Gould Chapel. Burial will be in Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City, Ariz. Memorials may be given to Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Bates-Gould Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
George L. Kohler, 69
(Jan. 31) LAKEWOOD, Colo. - George L. Kohler, 69, formerly of Alliance, died Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2003. He was born at Chadron.
He was the owner of Turf Equipment and Parts, Turf Rentals and Year Round Equipment and Parts. He is survived by three daughters, Cathie Kohler, Vicki (Darrell) Glenn and Sheri (Darwin) Glenn, all of Lakewood; and grandson Nicholas Patston. He also is survived by sisters Winnie Rust and Carol (Bill) Penaluna of Alliance and Shirley (Al) Hanoch. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sylvia.
Mr. Kohler's funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Febr. 3, at Horan and McConaty Family Chapel, 3101 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood. Interment will be at Fort Logan National Cemetery. A memorial has been established to Hospice of St. John, 1320 Everett Court, Lakewood, CO 80215.
Pat Pinney, 85
(Feb. 1) CHADRON - Pat Pinney, 85, died Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2001, at Denver, Colo. She was born Aug. 8, 1925, at Hot Springs, Neb. Her parents were Henry and Mary (O'Mara) Mammen.
She was a member of Rebekahs, life member of the Congregational Church of Crawford, employee of Pine Ridge Job Corps, BPO Does, past president of Chadron Community Hospital Auxiliary, member of Dawes County Historical Museum Board, Genealogy Society, American Legion Auxiliary, president 8 & 40 Salon, Dawes County president of American Legion Auxiliary, RSVP of Crawford, District No. 20 school board secretary.
She is survived by her husband, Gordon of Whitney; two sons, Ralph of Denver and Sid of Sacremento, Calif.; daughters Nancy Alder of Chadron; and eight grandchildren.
Mrs. Pinney's memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Congregational Church, with Rev. Russ Mertz officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery. Memorial may be made, in care of Community First Bank. Chamberlain Chapel of Chadron is in charge of arrangements.
Leila I. Gordon, 90
(Feb. 1) DENVER, Colo. - Leila I. Gordon, 90, died January 30, 2002, at Denver. She was born June 8, 1911, at Bridgewater, Iowa.
She was married to Glenn Gordon Jan. 1, 1931, at Alliance. Her survivors include son Milton D. Gordon of Phoenix, Ariz., and daughter Shirley M. Leverett of Arvada, Colo.; six grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Her husband and her son Ronald E. Gordon preceded her in death.
Graveside services will be at 9:00 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 2, at the Alliance Cemetery with the Reverend Christine Mottl officiating. Bates-Gould Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Vida Spangler, 94
(Feb. 1) GORDON - Vida Spangler, 94, died Thursday, Jan. 30, 2003, at Gordon Memorial Hospital. She was born July 26, 1908, at Merriman, Neb. Her parents were William and Metta (Cady) Leoper.
She is survived by son Terry Spangler of Gordon, daughter Lucile Sward of Gordon, six grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. She also is survived by her sister, Dorris Coon of Gordon. Mrs. Spangler's funeral will be 2:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3, at United Methodist Church in Gordon, with Pastor Lila Slater officiating. Burial will be in Gordon Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. Sunday at Ciomanec-Chamberlain-Pier Chapel in Gordon.
Memorials may be made to United Methodist Church of Gordon. Ciomanec-Chamberlain-Pier Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Linnien Messersmith, 78
(Feb. 3) ALLIANCE - Linnien Carol Messersmith, 78, died Sunday, Feb. 2, 2003, at Good Samaritan Health Care Center. She was born Dec. 24, 1924, at Hyannis, to Gerald A. and Esther (Hayward) Bump.
Her early home was a ranch in the sandhills north of Whitman. On Feb. 5, 1946, she was married to Frank J. Messersmith at the First Presbyterian Church at Alliance. They shared their lives on the family ranch until separated by disease. She had been active in Point Rock Chapter DAR, Women's Circles of the Presbyterian Church, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 7 and two county extension clubs. She touched many lives in her work with 4-H, Head Start, Weight Watchers, and as a teacher's aide at the middle school. She was honored to receive recognition as a 25-year 4-H leader. One of her greatest joys was working with Junior Leaders of high school age who helped her lead 4-H clubs for Native American youth. She is survived by her husband Frank Messersmith; daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Don Ellingson and their children, Alicia and Timothy of Denton; son and daughter-in-law, Bruce and Lyn Messersmith of Alliance, and son and daughter-in-law, Gerald and Kim Messersmith and their children, Jared and Alex of Dakota Dunes, S.D. Frank and Linnien's foster children included Beverly (Burton) Mosser, Lynn (Kirkpatrick) Sward, and Judy Bearkiller. She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, and one sister.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 5, at the First Presbyterian Church, with Rev. Dr. Stephen Roosa officiating. Burial will be in the Alliance Cemetery. Memorials may be given to the Good Samaritan Health Care Center Alzheimer's Unit, Highland Park Care Center, or the First Presbyterian Church Music Department. Bates-Gould Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Marshall Rogers, 78
(Feb. 3) RIO VISTA, Texas - Marshall L. Rogers, formerly of Alliance, died Friday, Jan. 31, 2003, at Fort Worth, Texas. He was born June 28, 1926, at Lawrenceville, Ill., to Albert henry and Ruby Mari (Stoltz) Rogers.
He married Arlene Pearl Wilder on Feb. 6, 1956, at Gering. He was a self-employed truck driver most of his life. He retired from the Rail Car Maintenance Co. as an engineer. He was a member of the Episcopal Church and the Riverview Country Club. He is survived by his wife Arlene of the home; sons Rod Rogers of Alliance, and Roy and Randy Rogers of Fort Worth; daughter Freida (Glenn) Dagg of Flora, Ill.; eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. He also is survived by one sister Bonnie Faught of Henderson, Ky.
Mr. Rogers' funeral will be at 1 p.m., Monday, Feb. 3, at Martin's Chapel, with Fr. Richard McHenry officiating. A memorial has been established to the Marshall Rogers Youth Golf Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 658, Rio Vista, TX 76093-0658.
Marie A. Damrau, 51
(Feb. 3) BRAINERD, Minn. - Marie A. Damrau, 51, formerly of Alliance, died Friday, Jan. 31, 2003, as the result of an automobile accident. She was born July 7, 1951, at Hampton, Iowa, to John and Rosa (Ehlert) Ward. S
he graduated from Marshalltown Community College in 1972. She was married to Edward A. Damrau on Aug. 19, 1973, at New Providence, Iowa. They lived at Alliance until 1991, when they moved to Brainerd where she worked for Good Neighbor Home Health Care. She was a member of the Brainerd Assembly of God Church. She is survived by her husband Ed; and son Shawn, at home. She also is survived by her mother, Rosa Ward and brother Jimmy Ward of Swea City, Iowa; foster parents, Ken and Evelyn Cook of New Providence; and foster sisters, Diane Nelson, Andrea Brown and Pat Gourley of New Providence. She was preceded in death by her father, grandparents, and foster sister Cheryl Cook.
Mrs. Damrau's funeral will be at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 5, at the Assembly of God Church at Brainerd, with Pastors Mark Boone and Hank Whinery officiating. Interment will be in Maple Grove Cemetery, Brainerd. A memorial has been established to B.A.Y. Ministries. Halvorsen-Johnson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Robert Culwell, 72
(Feb. 3) LINCOLN - Robert W. "Bob" Culwell, 72, died Friday, Jan. 31, 2003. He was born at Ainsworth on Aug. 28, 1931. His parents were Wayne and Helen (Campbell) Culwell.
He was a retired electrical engineer. He was a prisoner of war during the Korean War. He was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Kansas Hospital Engineers Association, Junior Chamber of Commerce at Lincoln, American Legion Post 3 and Elk's Lodge. He is survived by his wife Donna; son Rick (Shirley) Culwell of Lincoln; daughters Michelle (Warner) Schulze of Alliance and Julie Culwell-Gates of Woodland Park, Colo.; grandchildren Chris, Nick and Theresa Schulze and Jeremy Gates; step-grandchildren, Jason and David Codr and Kim Stockman; great-granddaughter, Kaitlyn Schulze; and step-great-granddaughter Madison Stock. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother.
Mr. Culwell's funeral Mass will be at 3 p.m., Monday, Feb. 3, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, with Msgr. Myron Pleskac officiating. Condolences may be sent to contact@roperandsons.com.
James "Red" Boyd, 78
(Feb. 3) FAIRBURY - James "Red" Boyd, 78, died Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003, at St. Elizabeth Hospital at Lincoln. He was born March 18, 1924, at Lincoln, to Charles and Bessie (Little) Boyd.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He is survived by his wife Jean; son Mark (Janet) Boyd of Clearfield, Penn.; daughter Shelley (Randy) Bartling of Alliance; three grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. He also is survived by one sister Charlotte Gaughenbaugh of Republican City; brother Michael (Joyce) Riley of Des Moines, Iowa; and brother-in-law, Willis Bloyd of Seward.
Mr. Boyd's funeral will be at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 4, at Gerdes-Meyer Chapel, with Pastor Ron Cleaver officiating. Burial will be in the Fairbury Cemetery. A memorial has been established to the American Heart Association.
Victor Eldred, 93
(Feb. 4) ALLIANCE - Victor Eldred, 93, died Saturday, Feb. 2, 2002, at the ranch where he was born. He was born Sep. 15, 1908, to Everett M. and Mary Ellen (Avery) Eldred.
He was a son, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and a friend. He was a company commander at the Northwestern Military and Navel Academy. His interests included being a student of art, a builder, a pilot, an inventor, an environmentalist, a rancher and instilling his sense of responsibility to everyone. He married Martha K. Miller on Nov. 15, 1932, in Alliance at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church. His survivors include his wife, daughters Mary Anna Gilman of Loxley, Ala., and Carolyn Eldred of Austin, Texas; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son Everett.
Funeral services will be at10 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 5, at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church with Father Paul Mottl officiating. Burial will be in the Alliance Cemetery. Memorials may be given to St. Matthew's Episcopal Church Youth Program, Knight Museum Foundation or to a charity of the donor's choice. Bates-Gould Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
