Obituaries

Opal Marie Gregg May 20, 1928 – Jan. 12, 2019 LONGMONT, Colo — Opal Marie Gregg passed away on Jan. 12, 2019, at her home in Longmont. She was 90 years old. Opal was born in Cambridge, Neb., to Charles and Alta Mae (Easton) Trainer, the third youngest of six siblings. She graduated from McCook Senior High School in 1946...

Vivian Jane (Sanford) Ohrman Jan. 9, 1953 - Jan. 21, 2019 BENKELMAN, Neb. — Vivian Jane (Sanford) Ohrman was born in Benkelman to Stanley Lloyd and Violet Mae (Garner) Sanford on Jan. 9, 1953. She passed away Monday, Jan. 21, 2019, at the Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman...

Merwyn Davidson LINCOLN, Neb. — Merwyn Davidson, age 85, of Aurora, Neb., passed away on Friday, Jan. 18, 2019, at Lincoln. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019, at the United Methodist Church in Aurora. Revs. Greg Reed, Michelle Reed and Lonnie Ott will officiate. Inurnment will be prior to the church service at 10 a.m., at the Aurora Cemetery. No visitation...

John A. Malcolm CHICAGO ILL. — John A. Malcolm, Lt. Col. USAF, (ret), passed away at Smith Village, Chicago, on Dec. 12, 2018, at the age of 98. John was born in Naponee, Neb., and grew up in McCook, Neb. He was active in the YMCA and attended McCook Junior College before enlisting after the attack on Pearl Harbor. ...

Cohleen Nienhueser KEARNEY, Neb. — Cohleen Nienhueser, 85, of Kearney, was carried home by her Lord and Savior supported by family and friends on Monday, Jan. 14, 2019, at CHI Health-Good Samaritan Hospital. Memorial services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 21, 2019, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Kearney. Reverend Duane Duley will officiate. Inurnment will take place at a later date at Evergreen Cemetery in Omaha...

Ila Marie Schutz Sept. 12, 1941 - Jan. 14, 2019 CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — Ila Marie Schutz, age 77, of Cambridge passed away at the Cambridge Manor on Jan. 14, 2019. She was born in Norton, Kan., on Sept. 12, 1941, to George and Bernice (Bryant) Sweeley. The family moved to Elwood and Ila continued her education and graduated from Elwood High School in 1959...

Mary Ann Downing-Schwerdt June 5, 1929 - Jan. 13, 2019 STRATTON, Neb. — Mary Ann Downing-Schwerdt was the third daughter born to Joseph Anton and Marie Anna (Podskubka) Vachuta on the family farm in Rawlins County, Kan., on June 5, 1929. She attended the Lone Tree District School three-fourths of a mile south of their farm from 1934 to 1942. She attended McDonald Rural High School in the fall of 1942 and graduated with the Class of 1946...

Lois G. May March 26, 1920 - Jan. 12, 2019 HAYES CENTER, Neb. — Lois G. May, 98, of Hayes Center, passed away Jan. 12, 2019, at St. Luke’s Care Center in Kearney. The oldest of six children, Lois was born on Good Friday, March 26, 1920, to Guy F. and Florence H. ...

Dawn C. Salyer Aug. 27, 1982 - Jan. 10, 2019 KEARNEY, Neb. — Dawn C. Salyer, 36, of Kearney, passed away on Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019, at her home. Funeral services will be on Friday, Jan. 18, 2019, at 10:30 a.m., at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Pastor Chad Anderson will officiate and burial will be at Kearney Cemetery. ...

Sharon Buffington  June 3, 1942 - Jan. 12, 2019 IMPERIAL, Neb. — On June 3, 1942, Sharon Kay Hewitt was born at home in Palisade, Neb., to Clarence H. and Anna E. (Cunningham) Hewitt.  Sharon grew up and attended school in the Wauneta, Neb., area, graduating from Wauneta High School in 1961. She then went on to study at the McCook Beauty Academy. ...

David L. Fischer Oct. 5, 1936 - Jan. 9, 2019 NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — David L. Fischer, 82, of North Platte, formerly of Maywood, Neb., passed away Jan. 9, 2019, at Great Plains Health. He was born on a farm southwest of Curtis, Neb., on Oct. 5, 1936, to James and Leota “Ruth” (Kistler) Fischer...

Scotty Lee Inman May 7, 1958 - Jan. 12, 2019 ALMA, Neb. — Scotty Lee Inman, 60, of Stamford, Neb., died Saturday (Jan. 12, 2019), at the Harlan County Hospital in Alma. He was born May 7, 1958, in Alma, to Harold C. and Lena M. (Leiding) Inman. He graduated from Stamford High School in 1976. ...

Roger Scott SUTHERLAND, Neb. — Roger Scott, formerly of McCook, Neb., died Sunday (Jan. 13, 2019) at the Sutherland Care Center. Services are pending with Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel in McCook.

Vernetta Jeneva Haack Oct. 31, 1923 - Jan. 9, 2019 LOVELAND, Colo. — Vernetta Jeneva Haack, 95, of Loveland, Colo., formerly of Bird City, Kan., died Wednesday (Jan. 9, 2019), in Loveland. She was born Oct. 31, 1923, in Beatrice, Neb. She was a homemaker...

Norma J. Brown April 3, 1930 - Jan. 8, 2019 OBERLIN, Kan. — Norma J. Brown, 89, died Tuesday (Jan. 8, 2019), at Decatur County Hospital in Oberlin. She was born in Allison, Kan., on April 3, 1930, to Arthur and Ruby (Black) Duncan. She married Harold Brown on Sept. 25, 1952, in Oberlin...

John Ernest “Ernie” Stalder Sept. 14, 1926 - Jan. 7, 2019 BEAVER CITY, Neb. — John Ernest “Ernie” Stalder, 92, of Beaver City, died Monday (Jan. 7, 2019), at the Beaver City Manor. He was born Sept. 14, 1926, to John Ernest Sr. and Edith (McCormack) Stalder at the family farm near Long Island, Kan. He served with the United States Army beginning May 8, 1945 and was honorably discharged Feb. 4, 1947. He married Joy Schleicher Lambert on Nov. 9, 1957. He retired from farming in 1998...

Ellis Ray Vaughn Oct. 17, 1950 - Jan. 5, 2019 LINCOLN, Neb. — Ellis Ray Vaughn, 68, of Lincoln, passed away Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. He was born to Jesse “Bill” William Vaughn Jr. and Treese (Belieu) Vaughn on Oct. 17, 1950, in Sidney, Neb. Ellis graduated from Sidney High School, Class of 1968. ...

Donald Arthur Farley Sept. 3, 1936 - Jan. 3, 2019 LINCOLN, Neb. — Donald Arthur Farley, 82, passed away suddenly at Bryan Hospital in Lincoln on Jan. 3, 2019, surrounded by his loving family. His celebration of life will be at the Havelock United Methodist Church in Lincoln on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019, at 11 am...

Ryan James Scott Feb. 27, 1988 - Jan. 6, 2019 NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — Ryan James Scott passed away Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, at his home in North Platte. He was 30 years old. Ryan was born on Feb. 27, 1988, at McCook, Neb., to Richard Allen Scott and Susan Marie Lambert. Ryan was baptized as an infant at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. He graduated from McCook High School with the class of 2007...

Dale Carter SPOKANE, Wash. — Dale Carter, 87 of Spokane, died Jan. 1, 2019, in Washington. Services are pending with Carpenter-Breland Funeral Home of McCook, Neb.

LaDonna Longmore Oct. 4, 1940 - Jan. 5, 2019 NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — LaDonna Longmore, 78, of North Platte, passed away peacefully at her home on Jan. 5, 2019, after a short battle with cancer.   She was born Oct. 4, 1940, to Floyd and Addalecia (McFate) Patterson at Callaway, Neb. She graduated from Callaway High School with the Class of “58” and later attended Grace Bible College. She was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, Stanley Longmore, on Sept. 5, 1959, at Callaway...

Helena Augusta Emma (Schievelbein) Ziebell Feb. 10, 1921 - Jan. 4, 2019 ARAPAHOE, Neb. — Helena Augusta Emma (Schievelbein) Ziebell, age 97, of Arapahoe, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, at C.A. Mues Good Samaritan Center in Arapahoe...

Gilbert Martin Janssen March 29, 1930 - Jan. 1, 2019 NORTON, Kan. — Gilbert Martin Janssen, 88, of Norton, died Tuesday (Jan. 1, 2019), at Norton County Hospital in Norton. He was born on March 29, 1930, to Harm and Caroline (Kamprath) Janssen in Seward, Neb. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He married Gretel Kapp on July 25, 1954 in Norton...

Carol J. (Mick) Quinn July 16, 1935 - Dec. 31, 2018 OXFORD, Neb. — Funeral for Carol J. (Mick) Quinn will be on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Oxford with Pastor Brian Jenkins officiating. Burial will follow at the Oxford Cemetery...

Rodney Garth Walker Dec. 28, 1937 - Dec. 31, 2018 MANHATTAN, Kan. — Rodney Garth Walker, 81, died on Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, in Manhattan. He was born Dec. 28, 1937, in McCook, Neb., the son of Joseph H. and Bessie I. (Tjaden) Walker. A proud Nebraskan, Rod was named Distinguished Alumnus by The University of Nebraska, Lincoln, where he received a bachelor degree in music education in 1959. ...

Phyllis Graham HOUSTON, Texas — Phyllis Graham, 66, of McCook, Neb., passed away Dec. 12, 2018, at the Caring Hands Hospice in Houston, after an eight year battle with cancer. Phyllis loved reading, beadwork and photography and at one time had her own studio in Houston. Her photography was featured in shows in both Houston and McCook. She retired from Continental Airlines in Houston and moved to McCook in 2008, where she worked in the Edward Jones office of Sharleen Riemenschneider...

Lorain Christopher Buethe Dec. 4, 1928 - Dec. 22, 2018 SAVANNAH, Ga. — Dr. Lorain Christopher Buethe, PhD, was born Dec. 4, 1928, on a family farm near Elk Creek, Neb. He passed peacefully at age 90 on Dec. 22, 2018, in Savannah. Chris (Lorain) was preceded in death by his parents, Chris and Lydia Buethe; as well as his two sisters, Fern and Leona; and two brothers, Chet and Vic...

Michael E. Pollnow Sept. 2, 1952 - Dec. 26, 2018 CULBERTSON, Neb. — Michael E. Pollnow, 66, of Culbertson, died Wednesday (Dec. 26, 2018), at Community Hospital in McCook. He was born Sept. 2, 1952, in Oberlin, Kan., to Vollie and Elizabeth Suzanne (Broderick) Pollnow. ...

Lenna R. Berry May 6, 1942 - Dec. 2, 2018 OSBORNE, Kan. — Lenna R. Berry, 76, died Thursday (Dec. 27, 2018), at Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kan. She was born in Benkelman, Neb., on May 6, 1942, to Elsie (McCallister) and Leonard Gauger. She was a certifed nursing assistant at Parkview Care Center in Osborne...

Wilma Wioma (DeGarmo) Ferguson March 23, 1929 - Dec. 29, 2018 IMPERIAL, Neb. — Wilma Wioma (DeGarmo) Ferguson was born March 23, 1929, in Haigler, Neb., to Glen DeGarmo and Iva (Samson) DeGarmo. She was welcomed home by big brother Mervin Berdell DeGarmo...

David E. Berger Jan. 19, 1925 - Dec. 27, 2018 KENT, Wash. — David E. Berger, 93, died Thursday (Dec. 27, 2018), at Kent. He was born Jan. 19, 1925. He served in the U.S. Marines during World War II. He will be buried at the Tacoma, Wash., Veterans Cemetery...

Keith Messersmith June 20, 1933 - Dec. 25, 2018 CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — Keith Messersmith, 85, of Farnam, Neb., died Dec. 25, 2018, in Cambridge. Keith was born June 20, 1933, to Herbert and Zella (Adkisson) Messersmith. The family lived off the land and ate a lot of wildlife to get them through the tough times. ...