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Flossie Mae Crooker McMahon
Fairmont resident, 100
Flossie Mae Crooker McMahon died Jan. 31, 2004 at Fairview Manor in Fairmont at the age of 100 years, 1 month and 1 day.
She was born Dec. 30, 1903 at Exeter to Ernest Clayton Crooker and Mary Martha Johns Crooker and was one of six children.
The family moved from Exeter to Enterprise, Wash., in 1904 and then back to Exeter and later to Wicks, Ark. In 1909 they moved to Fairmont.
She was employed by the Telephone Company and worked for the State Center for Women in York. In 1969, she retired and spent the rest of her life at her home in Fairmont until moving to Fairview Manor July 9, 2003.
She married
Francis Charles McMahon of Fairmont May 18, 1925. They had one son, Francis Charles Jr., born Aug. 10, 1927. Throughout her life, Mae was a very independent and strong-minded woman who was not afraid to let you know where she stood. Even in later years she always loved her yard and garden and made every effort to keep busy. She was a private person who was content in her own solitude and enjoyed playing solitaire. Mae was a member of United Methodist Church. Methodist Women, Star Rebecca Lodge #8 and a life member of the American Legion Auxiliary.
Surviving are her grandchildren, Frances Ann Bondegard, Michael McMahon, Coleen Seitz, Maureen Hergenrader, Patricia Kelly Gerken, Shannon Monson and Erin Hall; daughter-in-law, Mabel Moser of Friend; sister-in-law, Ellen Crooker of Ketchikan, Alaska; 17 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Mary Crooker; three brothers, George, Warren and Frank; two sisters, Ruth and Alice and son, Francis Charles McMahon Jr.
Services will be Saturday, Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. at Farmer & Son Funeral Home in Geneva. Visitation will begin Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the funeral home in Geneva. Memorials are directed to the Fairmont cemetery Association.
Christena M. (Leininger) Kaspari
York resident, 94
Christena M. (Leininger) Kaspari, 94 of York, NE died Sunday, February 1, 2004 in York. She was born November 16, 1909 at Exeter, NE to Patrick and Christena (Noel) Nevin. Christena was a 1928 graduate of Exeter High School and married
John A. Leininger on October 30 of 1928 in Exeter. John died in 1963. She married
Henry Kaspari in 1969 in York. He also preceded her in death. Christena was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in York, St. Joseph's Altar Society, C.D.A. and Legion of Mary.
She is survived by one sone, Jerome (Elaine) Leininger of York; daughter, Marilyn (Francis "Tanny") Reinsch of Shickley, NE; 11 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren and a great-great grandson; step-son, Don Kaspari of Lincoln; step-daughter, Laurene Meredith of Lincoln and step-daughter-in-law, Jackie Kaspari of Lincoln.
Preceding her in death were her parents, husband's, daughter and son-in-law Marcella and Vernon Heinz, 4 brothers, 4 sisters and a grandson.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, February 4th at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in York. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Rosary service at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Metz Chapel in York. Memorials in care of the family. Visitation will begin at 5:00 p.m. Monday at Metz Mortuary in York. Condolences may be emailed to metz@metzmortuary.com. Metz Mortuary of York is handling arrangements.
William Collett
Hampton resident, 81
William W. Collett, 81, of Hampton, died Saturday, Feb. 7, 2004 at Bryan/LGH East Hospital in Lincoln.
He was born March 25, 1922 in Bradshaw to William J. F. and Ida (VonHausen) Collett. He grew up in rural Bradshaw and lived and worked on the family farm all of his life.
On Dec. 29, 1946, William was united in marriage to Julia Ann Smith at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Polk. In 1987 William retired from farming and moved to Hampton. During retirement, William enjoyed woodworking and was very active in church functions. He was a lifelong member of Zion Lutheran Church in Hampton and held many positions on the church council. He was baptized on April 22, 1922 and confirmed on Palm Sunday, April 14, 1935.
Survivors are his wife, Julia Ann of Hampton; three sons, Dan (Shirleen) Collett of Lincoln, Dwayne (Jewel) Collett of Chesterfield, Mo. and Bill (Sandy) Collett of Bradshaw; one sister, Sylvia Werth of York; five grandchildren; a great-grandson; three step-grandchildren and eight step-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Viola Stuhr, Lucille Driewer and Frances Smith; a granddaughter, Angelica; and two great-grandchildren, Andrew and Johanna.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. at Zion Lutheran-LCMS in Hampton with the Rev. Loren Cooper officiating. Interment will be in the Zion Lutheran cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary in Aurora.
Robert Johnson
Stromsburg resident, 69
Robert Marlyn Johnson, age 69, of Stromsburg died Thursday, Feb. 5, 2004 at Bryan LGH East in Lincoln.
He was born Aug. 9, 1934 on a farm west of Osceola to Albert E. and Lena B. (Lundgren) Johnson. He attended District 47 School near Swede Home. He served in the United States Army from April 14, 1960 through April 23, 1962. He was employed as a manufacturer at Kroy Industries in York for 30 years. He was a lifetime member of Calvary Lutheran Church in Swede Home.
Survivors include one brother, Mervin (Marge) Johnson of Sac City, Iowa; four sisters, Clarine Andersen of Ocean City, Calif., Marion Smith of Mesa, Ariz., Alice (Bob) Willits of Clarks and Carola Hopkins of Aurora, Colo.; one brother-in-law, Howard Anderson of Torrence, Calif.; 21 nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Ruby Lundstrom and Bertha Anderson and one brother, Ronald Johnson.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2004 at 2 p.m. at Calvary Lutheran Church in Swede Home with Pastor Donna Durrette officiating. Visitation will be Monday, Feb. 9 from 4 - 7 p.m. at Roberts-Dubas Funeral Home in Osceola. Interment will be in the Swede Home cemetery.
Roberts-Dubas Funeral Home in Osceola is in charge of arrangements.
John T. Friesen
Henderson resident, 92
John T. Friesen, 92, of Henderson, died Thursday, Feb. 5, 2004, at Henderson.
Services are pending at Metz Mortuary in Henderson.
Lloyd Grudzinski
Loup City resident, 93
Lloyd A. Grudzinski, 93, of Loup City, died Sunday, Feb. 1, 2004, at the Howard County Community Hospital in St. Paul.
He was born on Nov. 30, 1910, on a farm near Ashton, the son of Peter and Teckla (Woitaszewski) Grudzinski.
He married
Clara Palu on Oct. 20, 1934, at Loup City.
He is survived by his wife, Clara of Loup City; two daughters, Althadene Placek of Loup City and Betty Kaslon of York; one son, Allen Grudzinski of Grand Island; eight granddaughters and 16 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Aileen Zeleski of Loup City and Deloris St. Louis of Craig, Colo.; and two brothers, Arnold of Loup City and Eugene of Ashton.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, at St. Josaphat's Catholic Church in Loup City. The Rev. Louis A. Nollette will officiate. Burial will be in the Evergreen cemetery in Loup City.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 3-5 p.m., at Peters Funeral Home in Loup City and will continue from 6-8 p.m., at the church, with a 7 p.m. vigil service.
Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Beulah I. Hagan
Stromsburg resident, 80
Beulah I. Hagan, 80, of Stromsburg, died Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2004 at Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas.
She was born Aug. 17, 1923 to Joel W. and Lillie H. (Carlson) Toline at Swede Home, Ne. She attended Stromsburg Schools graduating from Stromsburg High School in 1940. She was employed in Omaha at Immanuel Hospital until 1944 when she enlisted in the United States Navy Women's Auxiliary Voluntary Emergency Service (W.A.V.E.S.) After basic training at Hunter College, Bronx, N.Y., she attended Hospital Corp School at Bethesda Naval Hospital, MD. Upon completion of training, she was assigned duty at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Corona, Calif., where she served until 1947. She pursued continuing education at Long Beach Business College and San Francisco Baptist College.
On June 2, 1951, she married
William (Bill) Hagan at Parkside Gospel Chapel in San Francisco, Calif. God blessed this union with a daughter and a son. She found great purpose and joy in being a homemaker, wife and mother. After residing in San Francisco for some thirty years, the family and her husband's retirement, they moved to Stromsburg. This was a memorable experience for all.
Surviving are one son, Bill (Phyllis) of Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas; son-in-law, Bob Mayne of Sykesville, Md.; two sisters, Doris Whitney of Stromsburg and Frances Wafer of Evergreen, Colo.; one brother, Vance (Elaine) Toline of Stromsburg; two sisters-in-law, Laura Toline of Stromsburg and Mary Catherine Harden of Duncan, Okla.; granddaughter, Morgan Hagan of Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas, and many other relatives and friends.
Preceding her in death were her husband and daughter, Beverly Sue; two sisters, Ruby Peterson Farris and Eda Brayton Peterson; and one brother, Harlan Toline.
Services will be held Monday at 10:30 a.m. at Stromsburg Baptist Church in Stromsburg with the Rev. Duane Tweeten officiating. Visitation will be Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Palmer Funeral Home in Stromsburg. Burial will be in the Stromsburg cemetery.
Palmer Funeral Home of Stromsburg is in charge of arrangements.
Lilah Schultz
Henderson resident, 74
Lilah Schultz, 74, of Henderson, died Sunday night, Feb. 1, 2004, at Hamilton Manor in Aurora.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6, at the Mennonite Brethren Church in Henderson. Pastor J. Edward Epp will officiate. Interment will be in the Mennonite Brethren cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m., Thursday at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary in Aurora. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at higbymortuary.com.
Lilah Betty Schultz, the daughter of John B. and Katherine (Penner) Goertzen, was born in Hamilton County, Nebraska on Jan. 11, 1930.
She grew up on the farm in Hamilton County. Lilah attended District 33 through the eighth grade and graduated from Hampton High School. She furthered her education by attending Tabor College at Hillsboro, Kan., for one year. There she met LeRoy Schultz who became her best friend and partner. They were married
on July 25, 1948 at the Mennonite Brethren Church in Henderson.
From 1948 to 1953 Lilah spent her time helping LeRoy on the farm in Hamilton County. There they were blessed with two sons, Virgil and Lowell. In 1953, they moved to a farm at Lehigh, Kan., while living there they were blessed with two more children, Milton and Lola. In 1959, the family moved to a farm in Hamilton County, where she lived until she had to go into Hamilton Manor due to the strokes she suffered.
Lilah had many things she enjoyed to do: playing the piano, drawing, quilting, needlework, singing, teaching Sunday School and helping LeRoy where ever he needed help on the farm. She got great joy in reading and studying the Bible until her strokes left her unable to do so. Lilah also enjoyed gardening and flowers. In later years when her health deteriorated she found great joy from her friends and family. She looked forward to visits from her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Lilah grew up in the Mennonite Brethren Church in Henderson. She was saved in 1942 and baptized on Sept. 17, 1946 by Rev. H. B. Kliewer.
LeRoy and Lilah enjoyed 55 years of marriage together. They celebrated their 50th Anniversary and she so enjoyed seeing all the family and friends again. She made every grandchild a quilt when they graduated from high school, even though it became very difficult to do the last few.
Lilah cleaned the Henderson Post Office and worked as a nurse's aid at the Henderson Care Center. She got great joy from helping others and did so as much as she possibly could and spent many hours being a prayer warrior.
She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Glenn W. Goertzen.
Those left to cherish her memory are her husband LeRoy of Henderson; four children, Virgil (Charlene) Schultz of Nelson, Lowell Schultz of Marquette, Milton (Lori) Schultz of Superior and Lola (Mike) Dorsey of Blue Earth, Minn.; 10 grandchildren, Ann O'Connor, Mark, Kurtis and Kevin Schultz, Avery Witt, Richard, Brian and Matthew Schultz, Jeremy and Joseph Dorsey; two great-grandchildren, Taylor Dorsey and Calvin Schultz; and a brother, Merle Goertzen of Oregon.
Wayne C. Kinnan
Stromsburg resident, 94
Wayne C. Kinnan, 94, of Stromsburg died Saturday, Jan. 31, 2004 at Midwest Covenant Home in Stromsburg.
He was born May 4, 1909 at rural Shelby to Herbert Spencer and Ethna Louise (Stewart) Kinnan. He attended country schools and graduated from Old Kramer High School in Columbus. After high school, he attended the University of Nebraska and was a member of the University Boxing Team and Theta Chi Fraternity.
On April 2, 1932, he married
Zeltine Walker at Plattsmouth, Ne. They made their home near Tarnov where they farmed for two years. Then they moved to Butler County where they farmed. In 1940 they moved to Buffalo, N.Y., where he was a shop instructor with Curtiss-Wright Aircraft. He also worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad for one year. In 1946 they returned to the family farm in Shelby. In 1975 they retired and moved to Diamond City, Ark., and then back to Stromsburg in 1989. They were married
71 years.
He was a member of Salem Lutheran Church in Stromsburg, Stromsbug Masonic Lodge #126. He was a 50-year Maron. He enjoyed fishing, traveling and camping.
Surviving are his wife, Zeltine of Stromsburg; two sons, Dennis of Seattle, Wash., and Owen (Milrae) of Stromsburg and two grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Herbert Stewart Kinnan and one sister, Hazel Irene Watson.
Services will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Salem Lutheran Church in Stromsburg with the Rev. Keith Brozek officiating. Burial will be in the Shelby cemetery in Shelby. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 - 7 p.m. at Palmer Funeral Home in Stromsburg.
Palmer Funeral Home in Stromsburg is in charge of arrangements.
Teresa S. (Mills) Trent
Ohio resident, 39
Teresa S. (Mills) Trent, 39, of Cincinnati, Ohio, formerly of Utica and McCool, died Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003, at Cincinnati.
She was born Jan. 4, 1964, at Seward, the daughter of Roger and Sandra (Klebe) Mills.
She was baptized at Immanuel in Gresham and confirmed in St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Utica. She graduated from St. Paul's Lutheran School in Utica.
Survivors include her husband, Glenn Trent; son, Glenn Robert; daughter, Amanda; her parents of McCool; her sister, Sherry (Jay) Kranz, nieces Kelsey and Kendra of York; paternal grandmother, Opal Mills of Lincoln; maternal grandparents, Lloyd and Hilma Klebe of Utica; and mother-in-law Norma Trent of Cincinnati, Ohio.
She was preceded in death by her grandfather, Charles Mills, and father-in-law, James Trent.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 1, at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in McCool with the Rev. Michelle Olson officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to her parents, at Box 211, McCool, NE 68401 -- for the Glenn R. and Amanda Education Fund.
Rev. Wilbur Nachtigall
Iowa resident, 84
Rev. Wilbur G. Nachtigall, 84, proud resident of the Iowa City area died Oct. 2, 2003 at the Oaknoll Retirement Community.
He was born Nov. 17, 1918, in Hamilton County, the son of Bernard E. and Lena (Franz) Nachtigall. As a child of God, Wilbur accepted Christ as Savior, was baptized and received into membership of the Mennonite Brethren Church in Henderson, in August of 1934. He graduated from Henderson High School in 1936.
Following high school, Wilbur enrolled at York College for two years before transferring to Hastings College where he graduated in the class of 1940. He began his teaching career at Surprise High School. He taught for one year before accepting an interim pastorate in a local Methodist Church while continuing to teach.
Wilbur was a conscientious objector to World War II and entered into the Civilian Public Service in January of 1942 in Denison, Iowa. His alternative service during the war, through the Mennonite Central Committee, eventually brought him to Puerto Rico to begin what became the La Plata Mennonite Unit on the island -- the place of Wilbur's heart. During this time, he met Grace Kauffman, an MCC volunteer nurse. Upon completion of a four-year term of CPS service, he returned to Lincoln to receive an MA degree in secondary education from the University of Nebraska.
On March 31, 1946, he married
Grace Kauffman at the Mennonite Church in Manson, Iowa. The couple moved to Buhler, Kan., where he taught in the local high school as well as continuing his pastoral work in a church at Medora, Kan. After receiving a call from the Mennonite Board of Missions, he was ordained into the Christian ministry in Manson, Iowa at the Mennonite Church in August of 1948. Following a short residence in La Junta, Colo., Wilbur and Grace returned to Puerto Rico in 1949 serving in evangelical and medical work until 1955. Their work in Puerto Rico during these years laid the early foundations for what would become Mennonite General Hospital in Puerto Rico. During this time, they took a yearlong furlough in Goshen, Ind., where Wilbur studied at the Biblical Seminary, then housed at Goshen College. In 1955, the couple returned to La Junta, Colo., where he took a pastorate of the Mennonite Church there and later accepted a teaching position at the local high school as well. In 1959, they moved to Iowa City, Iowa where Wilbur became pastor of the First Mennonite Church. While in Iowa City, Wilbur continued his education by receiving his MA degree in Spanish in 1962 and his PhD in 1969 from the University of Iowa. During this time, he served churches in both Iowa City and Des Moines while also working as a teaching assistant at the University of Iowa for two years.
In 1969, Wilbur took a teaching position in the Spanish Department of Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Ill. While achieving tenure at Wesleyan, he also served a number of churches in the area. They returned to Iowa City in 1980 accepting an 18-month interim pastorate at First Mennonite Church. Following retirement, he continued to serve churches in Iowa, Illinois, and Texas. On Sept. 16, 1990, the First Mennonite Church of Iowa City conferred upon Wilbur G. Nachtigall the honor of Pastor Emeritus. Wilbur has been a member of honor societies in the social sciences and foreign languages departments of the various institutions where he held positions. In retirement, he remained extremely active in their local church, his family, and at the Oaknoll Retirement Community. Most recently, in January of this year, they were honored by the Puerto Rican community by having a chapel in the new Mennonite Hospital in Cayey, Puerto Rico named after the founders.
His family includes his wife of over 57 years, Grace; children, John Nachtigall of Goshen, Ind., Ramon Nachtigall and his wife, Karen Birky of Hopedale, Ill., Rosa Brunsma and her husband, Curt of Davenport, Iowa and Nita Michels and her husband, Jay of Lake Elmo, Minn.; grandchildren, David Brunsma and his wife, Rachel, Brian Brunsma and his wife Katie, Mark Brunsma, Alicia Donovan and her husband, John, Christopher Nachtigall and his wife, Marena, Michael Nachtigall, and Elizabeth Nachtigall; brother, George Nachtigall and his wife, Norma of Buhler, Kan.; sister, Betty Gerbrandt and her husband, John of San Jose, Calif.; and brother-in-law, Harland Pankratz of Kearney. He also has three great-grandchildren, Karina, Thomas and Henry Brunsma.
Wilbur was preceded in death by his parents, his grandson Nick Michels, and sister Florence Pankartz.
A memorial service will be held Sunday, Oct. 5 at 2 p.m. at the First Mennonite Church in Iowa City. His ashes will be taken to the Masoleum of Memory Gardens cemetery in Iowa City.
Memorials may be made to Palo Hincado Mennonite Church at HC-02, Box 8370, Barrio Palo Hincado, Barranquitas, Puerto Rico, 00794.
