Donald Paul Ogorzolka

Feb. 7, 1923 - June 5, 2009

Donald Paul Ogorzolka, 86, died Friday (June 5, 2009) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook.

He was born in Cambridge on Feb. 7, 1923, to Anthony and Marie (Olmstead) Ogorzolka. He went to country school and later graduated from Cambridge High School in 1941.

He was married to Nettie Arendell on Nov. 5, 1950.

Don was later married to Mariann (Marquissee) Gerdes on April 14, 1973, in North Platte. He lived in Bartley, Indianola and McCook during his life and worked many years as a tractor mechanic at his Southside Tractor Service business. He also worked for Burton Well drilling. After retirement he spent many Christmas seasons as a Santa's helper at the Degroff Department Store in McCook.

He was a former member of the Elks Club, Eagles, K of C, the Bartley Fire Department and the Nebraska Well Drillers Association.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include his wife, Mariann of McCook; daughter Nancy, and husband, Les Schmidt of Indianola: four sons, Daniel of Bartley, Eldon and wife, Carol of Lincoln, Lloyd and wife, Mary of Indianola and Todd and wife, Denise of Henderson; two step-sons, Ron and wife, Linda Gerdes of Spring, Texas and Rod and wife, Debra Gerdes of Horton, Kan.; one sister, Betty and husband, Paul Meyerle of Cambridge; 16 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m., Tuesday at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Cambridge with the Rev. Robert Barnhill officiating. Burial will be in the Fairview Cemetery in Cambridge.

Rosary will be recited tonight at 7:30 p.m., at Lockenour-Jones Mortuary in Cambridge.

Memorial may be left in his name to the Bartley Ambulance Fund at the Lockenour-Jones Mortuary, PO Box 247, Cambridge, NE 69022.

Lockenour-Jones Mortuary of Cambridge is in charge of arrangements.