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Vern Niemoth
Vern Niemoth, 80, of 716 S. Kimball, died Tuesday, April 4, 2000, at Lakeview Nursing Center. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Messiah Lutheran Church. The Revs. Gretchen Diers and Douglas Stensby will officiate. Burial will be in the Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home with the family receiving friends from 5 to 7 p.m.
Memorials are suggested to Messiah Lutheran Church.
Mr. Niemoth was born
Feb. 28, 1920, on a farm in Hall County to Walter and Erna (Wiegert) Niemoth. He attended District 56 School in Hall County.
He entered the U.S. Army on Jan. 11, 1942, and served with the 783rd Engineering Division during World War II. He was discharged on Dec. 30, 1945.
He married Inez Irene Loescher on Feb. 28, 1943. Mr. Niemoth worked at Farmers Union Co-op Elevator for 39 years until his retirement Feb. 28, 1985.
He was a member of Messiah Lutheran Church where he served on the church council, was a youth sponsor and drove the pre-school van for 10 years. He also was a member of the Doniphan American Legion Post No. 300, the Platt-Duetsche Society, the Saddle Club, the National Rifle Association and Ducks Unlimited.
He enjoyed hunting, fishing, his Army reunions, working with ceramics and stained glass and working with youth.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Marna (Mrs. Kenneth) Porath of Dannebrog and Vernelle (Mrs. Steven) Miles of Grand Island; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Alfred of Englewood, Colo. and Dan of Elwood.
He was preceded in death by one brother, Walter Jr.
LaVern Colby
CENTRAL CITY -- LaVern A. Colby, 69, of Central City, formerly of Clarks, died Monday, April 3, 2000, at Long Term Care in Central City.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Solt Funeral Home in Central City. The Rev. Richard Fairbanks will officiate. Burial will be in the Pierce Chapel Cemetery near Clarks.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Mrs. Colby was born
Feb. 2, 1931, near Belgrade to Edgar M. and Sophia (Blankemeier) Cleaveland. She grew up near Belgrade and attended rural Nance County School. She worked at the Cold Storage in Central City from 1949 until her marriage.
She married Glenn Cumins Colby on May 4, 1952, in Central City. After her marriage she worked at the Clarks Cafe, the Clarks School cafeteria and worked with her husband at their business, Colby Garage. Mr. Colby died on Nov. 23, 1981.
Mrs. Colby did babysitting in her home until her health failed. She moved into Long Term Care in Central City in July 1997.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Clarks, the UMW Sewing Club and the Town and Country Craft Club. She enjoyed all sports, crocheting, crafts, needlework and attending her grandchildren's activities.
Survivors include one son, Douglas of Fullerton; two daughters, Karen (Mrs. Dean) Cobb of Central City and Pam (Mrs. Bill) Mues of Grand Island; two sisters, Alvera (Mrs. Harvey) McIntire and Elise (Mrs. Harold) Mace, both of Central City; two brothers, Clarence of Omaha and Earl of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and six grandchildren.
Ione Dilsaver
TAYLOR -- Ione Dilsaver, 69, of Taylor, died Monday, April 3, 2000, at her home west of Taylor.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the Marcia C. Smith Auditorium in Taylor. Fred Cram will officiate. Burial will be in the Madison Square Cemetery west of Taylor.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Rhoad Funeral Home in Sargent.
Memorials are suggested to the family or the Madison Square Cemetery Fund.
'Bob' Ducker
BROKEN BOW -- Robert "Bob" Louis Ducker, 37, of Broken Bow, died Tuesday, April 4, 2000, at Jennie Melham Hospital in Broken Bow.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Govier Brothers Chapel in Broken Bow. Dr. Charles Gregory will officiate. Burial will be in the Broken Bow Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the Education Fund for Cody and Matthew Ducker.
Mr. Ducker was born
April 25, 1962, at Broken Bow to Leonard G. and Lois F. (Aubert) Ducker Sr. He graduated from Broken Bow High School in 1980. He worked at Shea's Laundry in Broken Bow, and later worked for many years as a monument setter for Palmer Monument Company in Broken Bow.
He married Cheri Voss July 23, 1994, in Broken Bow. They moved to Minnesota in 1995. Mr. Ducker suffered a stroke while living in Minnesota, and they returned to Broken Bow in 1997. He worked at McDonalds.
Mr. Ducker served in the National Guard from 1979 to 1985. He enjoyed fishing.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Cody and Matthew of Broken Bow; his parents, Leonard and Lois of Broken Bow; two brothers, Leonard Jr. of Ansley and Duane of Broken Bow; and three sisters, Deb Ducker and Sandy Moore, both of Broken Bow and Cindy Brown of Loomis.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents.
Jim Merrick
ALDA -- Jim L. Merrick, 84, of Alda, died Sunday, April 2, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center.
Cremation and private services will be for immediate family only.
Memorials are suggested to Central Community College.
Mr. Merrick was born
Aug. 7, 1915, in Auburn to John R. and Letta (Wood) Merrick. He moved to Grand Island in 1924 with his uncle Richard I. Merrick. He graduated from Grand Island Senior High and served in the Navy as an aircraft instructor.
He married Norma L. Forst on Aug. 30, 1938, in Grand Island. He was a businessman beginning with the Grand Island Oil Co. He founded Merrick Machine Co., Triad Corp. and Denver Plastics.
His hobbies included woodworking and restoration of antique automobiles.
Of the many awards he received over his lifetime, the most important to him were the Grand Island High School Hall of Honor, National Home Builders Man of the Year and the Central Community College Hall of Fame.
Survivors include his wife; one son, Richard of Grand Island; one daughter, Janice Wiemers of Grand Island; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and one sister, Madge Haith of Omaha.
Joe Poland
SARGENT -- Joseph Marvin Poland, 71, of Sargent, died Saturday, April 1, 2000, at Darien, Ga., at his winter home.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Rhoad Funeral Home in Sargent. Burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery at Sargent.
Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home with the family receiving friends from 4 to 7 p.m.
Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Mr. Poland was born
Nov. 1, 1928, in a sod house northwest of Sargent in Custer County to Vivian and Harriett Vanderveen Poland. He attended District 101 School. He ranched with his dad until 1950.
He married Elaine Young on June 20, 1950. They lived in Sargent where he ran an aerial spraying business.
On Nov. 26, 1976 he married Elizabeth "Becky" Schwinkendorf Rienks. He retired in 1979, but continued to work on the ranch until selling the ranch. They spent winters in Darien. He was a spray pilot and commercial pilot.
Mr. Poland was a member of the Church of Christ, the Nebraska Aviation Association and the Ord Elks.
Survivors include his wife; one daughter, Joey Lee Fletcher of Chicago; one son, John of Grand Island; three stepchildren, Melanie Fisher of Comstock; Doug Rienks of Dennison, Iowa, and Charlene Rienks of Comstock; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by an infant son, Mikel; seven brothers, Earl, Ernie, Gerald, Ralph, Gene, Dale and Bob; and one sister, Lucille Rumbaugh.
'Bill' Ratzlaff
AURORA -- Willard "Bill" Ratzlaff, 75, of Aurora died Tuesday, April 4, 2000, at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Aurora. The Rev. John Keefe will officiate. Burial will be in Aurora Catholic Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Higby Mortuary in Aurora.
Mr. Ratzlaff was born
Feb. 6, 1925, to Benjamin and Marie (Kliewer) Ratzlaff at Henderson. He grew up and attended school in Henderson. He worked as a farm hand for area farmers. He later moved to Omaha where he did warehousing work.
He married Mary Montoya on Dec. 15, 1948, at St. Peter's Church in Omaha. They moved to a farm near Polk for a few months, then to a farm near Stockham. They moved to another farm near Stockham, living there for 47 years.
He attended St. Mary's Catholic Church in Aurora and St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sutton.
He did carpentry work for his neighbors and built houses with his father and brother. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and gardening.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Bruce of Kearney and Bryan of Ashgrove, Mo.; one daughter, Mary Ann Ruzicka of Boelus; 16 grandchildren; one brother, Elmer of Montrose, Colo.; and two sisters, Lenora Goertzen and Leona Peters, both of Henderson.
Dorothy Warnick
OSCEOLA -- Dorothy W. Warnick, 80, of Osceola, formerly of Polk, died Tuesday, April 4, 2000, at Good Samaritan Center in Osceola.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Palmer Funeral Home in Stromsburg. The Rev. Willis Pauls will officiate. Burial will be in Polk Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Laurence Stevens
NORFOLK -- Laurence L. Stevens, 66, of Norfolk, died Sunday, April 2, 2000, in Grand Island.
Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the First United Methodist Church in Norfolk. The Revs. Glen Loy and Greg Loy will officiate. Burial will be in Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery in Norfolk with military rites by American Legion Post No. 16 and VFW Winter-Museum Post No. 1644.
Howser-Fillmer Mortuary in Norfolk is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Stevens was born
Feb. 19, 1934, at Inman to William and Ethel (Lines) Stevens. He attended Inman High School and graduated in 1951. He enlisted in the United States Army on March 3, 1954, and served until Jan. 22, 1957.
He married Janet Rae Strong on June 9, 1955, at Oklahoma City. Mrs. Stevens died on Aug. 8, 1966, in Salt Lake City.
He was employed by Kinning and Reil and later Johnson Plumbing and Heating in Norfolk.
He married Julia Renner on Jan. 30, 1976, in Norfolk. He was a member of the American Legion Post No. 16 and an avid bowler.
Survivors include his wife; one son, Brian of Page; one daughter, Cindy (Mrs. Brian) Loy of Gering; one stepson, Bob Renner of Harts, W.Va.; three stepdaughters, Linda Fisk of Grand Island, Cheryl Ray of Mesa, Ariz. and Bonnie Baumgart of Humphrey; five grandchildren; 10 stepgrandchildren; nine stepgreat-grandchildren; one brother, V.E. of Rapid City, S.D.; and one sister, Mrs. Dave Anson of Norfolk.
In addition to his first wife he was preceded in death by two infant sons, four brothers and one sister.
