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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.
Richard H. Sutphen, 67
(April 8) ALLIANCE - Richard H. Sutphen, 67, died Monday, April 7, 2003, at Box Butte General Hospital. He was born Aug. 4, 1935, at Lodgepole, to David and Agnes (Hood) Sutphen.
He served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955. On Feb. 27, 1961, he married to Linda M. Lewis at Bridgeport. He lived in the Sand Hills all of his life where he ranched south of Lakeside. He is survived by his wife Linda; sons R.D. and wife Marianne Sutphen of Lakeside, and J.D. and wife Jodi Sutphen of Hemingford; and grandchildren Kara, Ty, Morgan and Peyton. His parents, 2 half-brothers and a half-sister preceded him in death.
At his request, cremation has taken place and no services will be held. Memorials may be given to the Heart of the Hills Fire Protection District. Bates-Gould Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Dorothy A. Reinwald, 72
(April 8) OMAHA - Dorothy Anna Reinwald, 72, died Monday, April 7, 2003. She was born on March 2, 1931, at Sutherland, to John and Bertha (Berryman) Keder.
She was married to Wallace Reinwald on August 16, 1957. She graduated from Alliance High School in 1948, and received a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Chadron State College in 1952. She earned her Master of Arts in Education in 1957 from the University of Northern Colorado, and attended the University of Wyoming at Laramie. She taught at Bridgeport from 1952 to 1956, then at Gering from 1956 to 1977. She also taught English preparatory classes. She then moved into library work at the school. She and her husband moved to Omaha in 1977, where she worked as the librarian at Platteview through 1992, when she retired. She is survived by her husband; sister Donna Kinsey of Seattle, Wash.; brother Norman Keder of Alliance; and many nieces and nephews. Her parents and brother Wilbert E. Keder preceded her in death.
Mrs. Reinwald's funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 10, at First United Methodist Church, Omaha. Her graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 12, at the Alliance Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, at John A. Gentleman 72nd Street Chapel, Omaha. Memorials may be given to American Parkinson.
Evelyn Fraser, 77
(April 8) RUSHVILLE - Evelyn Fraser, 77, died Sunday, April 6, at Regional West Medical Center, Scottsbluff. She was born Oct. 5, 1925, at Howells, to Joseph J. and marie (Rhoda) Hledik.
She is survived by her husband Francis of Rushville; sons Allen (Jan) English of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Gary (Lynn) English of Evansville, Ill.; daughters Colene Adams and Al Willits of Aurora, Colo., and Loretta (Alan) Roland of Hemingford; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She also is survived by one brother Leo Hledik of Oklahoma City, Okla.; and three sisters, Wilma Karel of Clarkson, Leona Hynek and Jody Hespen of Omaha.
Mrs. Fraser's funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 10, at Cicmanec-Chamberlain-Pier Morturary at Rushville, with Pastor Craig Collins officiating. Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, at the mortuary. A memorial has been established for the Rushville Ambulance Fund. Donations may be sent to Chamberlain-Drabbels Mortuary, P.O. Box 443, Hay Springs, NE 69347-0443.
Richard Bassett, 84
(April 8) MULLEN - Richard Ray Bassett, 84, died Saturday, April 5, 2003, at Pioneer Memorial Rest Home. He was born Sept. 28, 1918, at Mullen, to Frank and Maude (Comstock) Bassett.
He attended country grade school and graduated from Mullen High School in 1937. He went to work for Marvin and Pete Tucker because they were one of the few people that owned a tractor. Marvin and Ray also started a country repair shop. He served in the U.S. Army from February 1942 to December 1945. He worked for Bud Able, Lou Bond, and Eck's Equipment, which he bought and operated. He married Leon Evert Cook on Sept. 9, 1950, at Mullen. In 1957, the family moved to Pine Bluffs, Wyo., where he was shop foreman of the Bull Canyon Ranch. They returned to Hyannis in August 1959, and purchased a home and business in November 1949. He is survived by his wife Leon of Mullen; children Jim (Eleanor) Cook of Brookings, Ore., Carolyn (Joe) Jara of Lincoln, Bertha (Mick) Downing, Robert (Heather) Bassett and Francis (Vicki) Bassett of Whitman, and Ruth (Mike) Shimmen of Tryon; 18 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren. He also is survived by sisters Thelma (Bink) Dearman of Mullen and Jean (Clinton) Daly of Erickson; sisters-in-law, Edith Maise of Fortuna, Calif., and Lucille Jenkens of Gothenburg; and several nieces and nephews.
Mr. Basset's funeral will be a 1 p.m. MDT Thursday, April 10, at the Whitman Community Club at Whitman. Memorials may be sent to Eclipse Church, c/o Linda Tucker, HC 3 Box 15, Mullen, NE 69152.
Mary Didier, 77
(April 7) FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Mary Didier, 77 of Scottsbluff, Neb., died Thursday, April 3, 2003, at the Poudre Valley Hospital in Ft. Collins, Colo. She was born on May 24, 1925, at Oshkosh, Neb. Her parents were Carl and Josie (Johnson) Klitzing.
She had taught at several country grade schools while living in the panhandle. She married John Didier on October 10, 1973, in Torrington, Wyo. She is survived by her husband, John Didier; daughter Sandy and husband Mick McCarthy of Alliance; two sons Doug and wife Jarolyn Crouse of Valentine, and Steve and wife Paula Crouse of Springview; five grandchildren J.D. Crouse and wife Amy; Cyd Caminoda and husband Niels Caminoda, Jarrod & Crystal Crouse, Tisha Hewitt and husband Russ Hewitt; and four great grandchildren. She also is survived by John's eight children and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister.
Mrs. Didier's Funeral will be at 2 p.m. today, April 7, at Dugan-Kramer Funeral Chapel in Scottsbluff, with Pastor Larry Mead officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorials have been established to the St. Agnes Foundation in Alliance or to the donor's choice.
Earl W. Schulze, 67
(April 3) SCOTTSBLUFF - Earl W. Schulze, 67, died Tuesday, April 1, 2003, at his home. He was born January 5, 1936, at Alliance, to Arnold and Mary (Rowley) Schulze.
He received his early education at Alliance and graduated from Alliance High School in 1953. He was employed at the Alliance Cooperative for several years until he moved to Denver, Colo. He married Joanne Myers on June 22, 1958, at Billings, Mont., and they made their home in Denver where he was employed with King Soopers for twelve years. In 1968 he and his family returned to Scottsbluff where he was employed as a Sales Representative for American Beauty Macaroni and later as a Sales Representative for General Foods. He retired in 1996. He was a member of St. Andrews Episcopal Church where he served on the Vestry and the Elks Lodge No. 1367. He is survived by his spouse, Joanne of Scottsbluff; daughters and sons-in-law, Mary and Dana Neidhardt of Colorado Springs, Colo.; Melanie and Glenn Reker of Centennial, Colo.; son, Michael Schulze of Marion, Ark.; son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Julie Schulze of Keller, Texas; and five grandchildren. His parents preceded him in death.
A memorial service will be 2 p.m. Friday, April 4, at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, with Rev. Gary Young officiating. Cremation was held at Sunset Memorial Park Crematory at Scottsbluff. A memorial has been established to St. Andrews Episcopal Church or to Prairie Haven Hospice. Dugan-Kramer Funeral Chapel in Scottsbluff is in charge of arrangements.
Jerry A. Bolek, 55
(March 28) MANHATTAN, Kan. - Jerry Allen Bolek, 55, died Wednesday, March 26, 2003, at Mercy Regional Health Center. He was born on April 15, 1947, at Rushville, the son of Joe and Edna (Cronan) Bolek Sr.
He was employed as an equipment operator at Kansas State University for 33 years. On Dec. 10, 1999, he married Alila Castaneda. He is survived by his wife; daughters Christina Webber of Manhattan, and Melanie Bolek of Clinton, Ind; and two grandchildren. He also is survived by his father, Joe Bolek Sr. of Alliance; brothers Richard Bolek and Lynn Bolek of Cheyenne, Wyo., and Gary Bolek and Joe Bolek Jr. of Alliance; and two sisters, Judy Taylor of Mullen, and Patty Taylor of Alliance.
Graveside services will be at 3 p.m., Monday, March 31, at the Humboldt Creek Cemetery south of Junction City, Kan., with Rev. Kevin Larson officiating. Family and friends will meet at 2 p.m., Monday at the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home at Manhattan to form a procession to the cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Jerry A. Bolek Memorial Fund, c/o the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Ave., Manhattan, KS 66502.
