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Irene Tompkins Smith 1918-2003
Irene “Billy” Smith of Carson, Calif. crossed over on Nov. 25, 2003 at the age of 85.
A memorial service in celebration of her life will be held Jan. 10, 2004 at her sister, Bernice “Bunny” Foster residence at the Harbor Estates Mobile Home Park in Calif.
Irene came into the world on May 9, 1918 in Potter in 1929. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jess Tompkins moved to Sidney with their five daughters. After Irene graduated from Sidney High School, she went to Alliance and taught school at the Peterson Ranch for three years. She met her future husband, Robert V. Smith in Alliance and they were married in 1939 in Harrison, Neb.
During the war, Irene followed her husband to Texas and then California, from there he was shipped to England as a mechanic on Mustang airplanes. During that time, Irene returned to Sidney and lived with her parents.
Her son, Robert V. Smith, Jr. was born in 1944. After the war ended, Irene and her husband and son moved back to California. Her daughter, Renee, was born in 1950.
Survivors include her son Robert V. Smith Jr. of Los Angeles, Calif.; twin grandchildren, Tamara and Tom Egan; three great grandchildren and one sister, Bernice “Bunny” Foster of Harbor City, Calif.
Irene was preceded in passing by her husband, Robert V. Smith, Sr.; her daughter, Renee Egan; her parents, Jess and Victoria Tompkins; and three sisters, Evelyn Jorgenson, Vera Poole and Arvilla Higgins.
Irene had a beautiful spirit and gentle heart and will be greatly missed by all those who loved her.
Dennis Petersen 1939-2004
Dennis Petersen, 64, of Dix, died Saturday, Jan. 3, 2004. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at the First English Lutheran Church in Kimball with the Pastor Dwayne Hunzeker officiating. Burial will be in Dix Rural Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be made to First English Lutheran Church. Cantrell Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Mr. Petersen was born on February 23, 1939 in Kimball. He was involved in farming throughout his life. He grew up in Dix and lived in Potter. Dennis graduated from Dix High School. On Oct. 8, 1976 he married Shirley Beanblossom in Sidney. He owned a farm and farmed for Jack Gotte and Bob Thompson.
Dennis was involved in the Dix Lions Club and was a past board member for the Village of Dix. He will be remembered as always being helpful to his neighbors, grandchildren and church members. He enjoyed collecting antique Case and International tractors.
Dennis is survived by his daughters, Deb and husband Don Forbes of Sterling, Colo., Cindy and husband Lee Stewart of Sidney, brother Jens Petersen of Lakeville, Minn.; sisters Rose and husband Dave Graham of Kimball and Ruth Ann and husband James McCaig of Sidney; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren of Sidney.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Shirley Petersen, and sister Jeanette Petersen.
Wilma Gabriel Harrison
Wilma Gabriel Harrison
1923-2004
MORRILL — Wilma Gabriel Harrison, 80, of Morrill, died Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2004 at Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 9, 2004 at St. Ann Catholic Church in Morrill with Father Stephen Deaver officiating. Interment will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Greenwood Cemetery in Sidney. Visitation will be from 2 to 6 p.m. today at The Jolliffe Funeral Home in Scottsbluff. Memorials may be given to St. Ann Catholic Church in Morrill.
Wilma was born November 25, 1923 at Sidney, the daughter of James E. and Edna (Mercier) Harr. She attended St. Patrick’s grade and high school, graduating with the Class of 1940. She attended Kearney State College. On May 24, 1949 she was united in marriage to Roy Gabriel in Sidney. He passed away on September 13, 1968. She married James S. Harrison on April 14, 1973 in Ponca, Neb. He passed away on June 14, 1995.
During her working career, she was employed by Barney Insurance Company in Kearney, Platte Valley Finance Company in Sidney, Dalton State Bank in Dalton, and Lincoln Bank South in Lincoln.
She was a member of St. Ann Catholic Church in Morrill, the American Legion Auxiliary in Morrill, and the VFW Auxiliary in Sidney.
She is survived by two step-daughters Jerry Pat Miller and her husband Adelbert of Placitas, N.M. and Penelope Harrison of Milford, Mass.; one brother Wayne Harr and his wife Angela of Sidney; two step-granddaughters; one niece; and one nephew.
Her parents, both husbands, and one nephew preceded her in death.
Hazel “Maxine” Blezek 1910-2004
Hazel “Maxine” Blezek, 93, Columbus, Neb., died Sunday, Jan. 11, 2004 at her home. Her funeral will be Thursday, Jan. 15 at 10:30 a.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Columbus with Rev. Douglas Zurek officiating. Visitation is from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Thursday with a 10:15 a.m. family prayer service at the church. Graveside services will follow at 1:30 p.m. in the Stanton Cemetery in Stanton, Neb.
Hazel was born Jan. 21, 1910 in rural Stanton, the daughter of Clarence and Mary Nancy (Purdy) Everson. She attended a country school near Stanton and high school in St. Charles, S.D. where her father farmed. Hazel received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education and English from Wayne State College. She taught school at District #83 south of Stanton and later in Wolbach, Neb.
Hazel married John W. Blezek on June 20, 1941 at her parents home south of Stanton. To this union two sons were born, John and Ronald Blezek. The family lived in Fort Worth, Texas while John was stationed in the US Army/Air Force during WWII. Following his discharge, they moved back to Nebraska.
Hazel and John taught in several school in Nebraska until retiring in Sidney in 1971.
She was a member of the Eastern Star in Sidney and Wayne State Alumni Association.
Survivors include her sons, John Blezek, III and wife Nancy of Columbus and Ronald Blezek and wife Shirley of Reno, Nev.; sister-in-law, Alvera Everson of Colorado Springs, Colo.; brother-in-law, Glen Blezek and wife Ruth of Victorville, Calif.; four grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; brothers, Clarence and Leonard Everson; sisters, Ethal Everson and Eleanor Vossberg and brother-in-law, Harold Vossberg.
Alice Jean Amen 1943-2004
Alice Amen, 60, Sidney, died Friday, Jan. 30, 2004 at Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center in Denver, Colo. Memorial services will be held Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 10 a.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Sidney with Rev. Bradley Heinecke officiating.
Gehrig Funeral Home in Sidney is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to the family.
Alice Jean Amen, the daughter of Vincent Jess “Mike” and Theda Alice (Eskew) Phillips, was born Feb. 16, 1943 at her parents home in Imperial, Neb. She grew up at the Sioux Ordinance Depot and attended school in Sidney. She later studied beside her sister Connie Brauer when they both celebrated and received their GED’s in 1994.
Alice was an exceptional homemaker. She enjoyed crafts, needlework and cooking, especially for her family.
Alice and husband, Dan, enjoyed fishing and camping.
She married Jim Rodgers in 1959. To this union a son was born.
In 1961, Alice married Frank McClure. She raised three of Frank’s children. To this union, two daughters were also born.
In 1976, Alice married Dan Amen and became the step-mother of four children.
Survivors include her husband, Dan Amen of Sidney; five sons, John Rodgers and wife Myrna of Gillette, Wyo., John McClure and wife Michell of Sidney, Mike Amen and wife Pam of Bridgeport, Steve Amen and wife Chris of Omaha and Danny Amen and wife Charlene of Sidney; five daughters, Starleen Platt and husband Marv of Blaine, Minn., Dorothy Koch and husband Scott of Chappell, Wendi Schuessler and husband Jerry of Sidney and Theda Russell and Jackie Bonanno, both of Sidney; one sister, Susan and husband Calvin Langley of Sidney; one brother, Jim Phillips and wife Gay of Pueblo, Colo., 21 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Alice was preceded in death by her parents and one sister, Connie Brauer of Sidney.
Rosemary Deeds 1932-2004
Rosemary Deeds, 71, of Mitchell, died Monday, Feb. 2, 2004 at her home. A Memorial Service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Jones Mortuary Chapel in Mitchell, with Reverend Ron Nuss-Warren officiating. Inurnment of her cremated remains will follow at the Mitchell Cemetery. Memorials in her name may be made in care of the family. Jones Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements.
Rosemary was born May 20, 1932 at Smackover, Ark., to Wiley and Opal Lucile (Price) Perry. At a young age she moved with her family to Kilgore, Texas, where she grew up and received her education, graduating from high school there with the class of 1952. She later relocated to Sidney, where she and her future husband Ed Deeds met in a dime store. She married Ed on September 21, 1959 at Sidney. The couple lived in Sidney until 1976 when they moved to Mitchell, where she has resided since.
Rosemary enjoyed collecting chimes, doing crafts and collecting dolls. She greatly loved her family and one of her greatest joys was spending time with her grandchildren.
She is survived by her husband Ed; sons and daughters-in-law Rick and Diana Deeds of Scottsbluff and Randy and Tammy Deeds of Gering; five grandchildren; and one sister and two brothers.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a son Ronnie and one sister.
Berniece Regina “Nancy” Merrell 1918-2004
Berniece Regina “Nancy” Merrell, 86, of Gering, formerly of Bridgeport, died Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2004 at Northfield Villa Medical Center. At her request, cremation has taken place at the Jolliffe Funeral Home and Crematory in Scottsbluff. Condolences may be sent to sympathy@jolliffefuneralhome.com to be forwarded to the family.
Berniece was born Jan. 19, 1918 at Lodgepole, the daughter of Noah and Libbie (Pavlat) Walters. She graduated from Lodgepole High School with the Class of 1936. She was united in marriage to Thomas Richard Merrell on August 13, 1938 at the Garden County Courthouse in Oshkosh. The couple moved to Bridgeport before relocating to Jacksonville, Fla. where they lived for five years. They returned to Bridgeport where she lived until moving to Northfield Villa in Gering in 1994.
She was a member of the Presbyterian Church and a Past Matron of the Bridgeport Order of Eastern Star No. 260.
She is survived by her two sons John Merrell and his wife Sally of Bonnie Lake, Wash. and Richard Michael Merrell and his wife Bonnie of Glendale, Ariz.; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, five brothers Edward, Jack, Richard, Arnold, and Oren, and three sisters Dorothy Griener, Lillian Norton, and Bertha McGuire.
Chester “Chet” Bruns 1920-2004
Chester “Chet” Bruns, 83, a former Pine Bluffs, Wyo. resident, died Jan. 29, 2004 in Cheyenne, Wyo. Funeral services were held Feb. 3 at Grace English Lutheran Church in Pine Bluffs with Rev. Leslie Judge officiating. Burial followed with military honors performed by the American Legion Honor Guard in the Pine Bluffs Cemetery.
Memorials have been established to the Grace English Lutheran Church, P.O. Box, 670, Pine Bluffs, WY 82082.
Chet was born July 16, 1920 on a farm near Lodgepole, the son of Herman and Dena Bruns. He was a veteran of W.W.II, serving in the Marines from 1942-1944.
In his younger years, Chet enjoyed playing baseball and flying his airplane.
He married Margie Kokes on Dec. 10, 1944.
Chet dedicated his life to farming, first on the family homestead near Lodgepole and then in 1951, he bought a farm northwest of Pine Bluffs. There Chet raised his family and worked until 1973 when he partially retired and moved to Pine Bluffs. In his senior years, he enjoyed visiting the farm he worked all his life to build, watching baseball and visiting his family.
Chet was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church in Pine Bluffs.
Survivors include his wife, Margie Bruns of Cheyenne; two sons, Dennis Bruns and Terry Bruns and wife Lorna, all of Pine Bluffs; daughter, Cheryl and husband Jack Swensen of San Diego, Calif.; sister, Esther Siemers of Sidney; brothers, Alvin Bruns of Mesa, Ariz. and Lewis Bruns of Lodgepole; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Chet was preceded in death by his parents.
