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J. Louise Cooley
J. Louise Cooley, 98, Lincoln, died Monday, May 24, 2004 and was born in Saline County, Neb. April 1, 1906, to James Manfred and Mary Ann (Trace) Wright.
She was a retired elementary school teacher; a member of the Old Cheney Alliance Church; a graduate of Crete High School and Doane College with additional studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. She taught K-12 at Benkelman, Ashland, Nebraska Center for Children and Youth—"Whitehall" and Lincoln Christian School and taught classes in Child Evangelism Fellowship.
Louise lived with her family on a farm 17 miles south of Imperial, Neb. from 1930-1953.
Funeral services were held Saturday, May 29, 2004, at 10 a.m. at Old Cheney Alliance Church with Pastors Merrill Bakk and Jeff Peterson officiating.
Interment was at the Fairview cemetery in Lincoln.
Memorials may be given to the Old Cheney Alliance Church, 5201 Old Cheney Rd., Lincoln, Neb. 68516 or Tabitha Hospice or Child Evangelism of Nebraska.
Survivors include sons and daughters-in-law, Burdette and Pat Cooley, Lemoyne, Neb., Wesley and Nancy Cooley, Branson, Mo. and C.W. 'Bill' and Linda Cooley, Lincoln; daughters and sons-in-law, Vivian and Stan Johnson, Bybee, Tenn., Beryl Laura and Richard Renollet of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; 13 grandchildren; and 27 great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her husband, Wilber Cooley; and sisters, Esther and Dorothy.
Arrangements were made by Roper and Sons Funeral Home, 4300 "O" Street, Lincoln, Neb. 68510.
Eugene 'Willie' Williams
Eugene "Willie" Wayne Williams was born Oct. 22, 1945, in Dundy County, Neb., to Royce Oren and Lula Belle (Davis) Williams. He was educated in Rural Dundy County School District #46. Gene graduated from Haigler High School in 1963.
He married
Nadine Morrison on Apr. 2, 1966, and to this union a daughter, Brookie Lyn, was born. Gene was inducted into the U.S. Army on Dec. 14, 1971. He was honorably discharged on May 1, 1973 and returned to Dundy County and the family ranch. Gene was married
to Nancy Covert on June 11, 1987 and they made their home on the ranch. He was employed in several different areas over the years but held working with his father and ranching as his main occupation. Gene passed away Sunday afternoon, May 30, 2004, at the Chase County Community Hospital, due to an accident on the family ranch south of Champion. He was 58 years of age.
Gene had many hobbies including playing cards with friends and attending horse races.
Survivors include: mother, Lula of Haigler; daughter, Brookie Vincent and husband, Craig, Doniphan; three grandchildren, Christa, Cameron and Christopher; brothers, Rex Williams and wife, Kay, Wiggins, Colo.; Max Williams and wife, Pauline, Topeka, Kan.; sisters, Evelyn Bronzynski and husband, Donald, Norfolk; Shirley Corrons and husband, Jim, Truth or Consequences, N.M.; Sharon Statz and husband Bud, Champion; Carolyn Morrison and husband, Randy, Pierce, Colo.; and Marilyn Ellis and husband, Duane, Tyrone, Ga.; numerous nieces and nephews; step-sons: Fred Hamilton, Seattle, Wash.; Shannon Hamilton and wife, Lois, Alloway, N.J.; Bryan Hamilton and wife, Sarah, Greeley, Colo.; former wife, Nancy Williams, Wauneta.
He was preceded in death by his father, Royce, in 1998.
Graveside services for Gene Williams were held June 3, at 11 a.m. at the Crete cemetery, Champion, with Martin Harmon officiating.
Music was by Kim Silvester.
Casketbearers were Ricky Williams, Kevin Williams, Joe Jackson, Steven Statz, Glen Rapue, Frank Jackson, Greg Bronzynski, Richard Morrison, Terry Rapue and Brian Ellis.
Military rites were by VFW Post #4688, Imperial, Neb.
Interment was at Crete cemetery, Champion, Neb.
A memorial has been established in Gene's memory.
Liewer Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Harold Gloy
Harold Martin Gloy was born on Feb. 18, 1909 in Perkins County northwest of Grant, Neb. He was the oldest of five children born to William Edward and Eva Elizabeth Boehmer Gloy.
Harold attended rural school at District 33 and later Trinity Parochial School. He graduated from Perkins County High School in Grant in 1929 where he was the president of the senior class. Harold enjoyed athletics and was part of the first winning football team in Grant High School history. Later on he enjoyed playing baseball for the Farmersville team and always encouraged his boys to play baseball. He also participated in the music program while in school and played several instruments and enjoyed singing in the chorus.
After high school he returned to the family farm and also worked for neighboring farmers. Harold was married
to Zelma Pankonin on April 21, 1935 at the Trinity Lutheran Church. They lived their entire 66 years of marriage on their farm northwest of Grant. After Zelma’s death in August of 2001, Harold was able to stay on the farm with the help of his family. He had been transferred to the Perkins County Community Hospital in Grant late last week where he died early Sunday morning, May 16, 2004. He had reached the age of 95.
Harold had been active in many community organizations. In 1950, he was one of the founding directors of the Perkins County soil and conservation district, where he served until 1972 when it became the NRD. He was a member of the Grant Lion’s Club and had been a board member of the Grant Co-op elevator board. He helped coach his son’s baseball teams and was active with 4-H. He appreciated following his children’s activities and later his grandchildren as they grew to adulthood.
Harold was a lifelong member of the Trinity Lutheran Church and participated in the actual building by assisting in digging the basement using his father’s workhorse team. He was active in the church choir and served on numerous committees and boards during his lifetime.
In addition to his parents and wife, Harold was preceded in death by one sister, Eleanor Hodde and one brother, Leonard Gloy.
He is survived by three sons, Royston, Donald (Jorga) and Robert, all of rural Grant; two grandchildren, Brent and his wife Angela of Ithaca, New York and Kristen and her fiance’ Chad Hurley of Lincoln; one brother, Reinhold (Edith) of Wauneta and one sister, Hulda (Vic) Pankonin of Grant; other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held on Wednesday, May 19 at 10:30 a.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church with Pastor Wayne Pick officiating. Burial will be in the Trinity Lutheran cemetery. A memorial has been established. Bullock-Long Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
William ‘Bill’ Hinel
William "Bill" Hinel, 87, of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, died May 4, 2004, at the VA Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa.
He was a World War II Veteran, serving in North Africa and Italy, with the 5th Army.
He spent over 40 years working for various newspapers, The Beatrice Times, Lincoln Journal and Star, Clay County News, Sutton and Tecumseh Chieftain. He retired from the Grant Tribune in 1983, but retirement was not for him. He came to Fairbury and was farm editor for The Fairbury Journal News.
They later moved to the Des Moines, Iowa, area to be close to family. He worked for Casey’s Headquarters as a security guard for the next seven years and retired again at the age of 82.
His hobbies were fishing, hunting, gardening and photography.
Survivors include his wife, Evelyn; stepdaughters, Dianne Bomer of Altoona, Iowa, and Jan Gemar and her husband Gary of Austin, Texas; daughter, Beverly Wagner of Bend, Okla.; sons, Brian of Phoenix, Ariz., and Bruce of Wichita, Kan.; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Services were May 8, at the United Methodist Church in Fairbury. Burial was in the Fairbury cemetery.
Dr. Ian D. Murphy
Dr. Ian D. Murphy of Falling Water, W. Va., passed away May 3, 2004, father of Pastor Bill Murphy of Imperial.
Dr. Murphy was born June 4, 1916 in Puerto Rico. He attended Penn State on a track scholarship and attended Hahnemann Medical School. He won a gold medal in the shot put and discus in PanAm Games representing Puerto Rico.
Dr. Murphy served as a naval doctor in the Pacific and Europe in WWII and served at Normandy Beach on D-Day.
He practiced orthopaedic surgery in Puerto Rico and South Florida.
Survivors include his wife, Rosemarie; five children; three step-children; 23 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.
Interment will be in Pompano Beach, Fla.
Calvin Bentz
Calvin Bentz, age 96, passed away Saturday evening, May 1, 2004, at the Imperial Manor Nursing Home in Imperial, Neb.
Survivors include son Calvin Bentz Jr. and wife Carolyn of Lincoln, Neb.; six grandchildren, Laura, David and Matthew Bentz, Jane Canaan, Abigail Davis and Molly Anderson.
Memorial services for Calvin Bentz will be held at a later date in Roseland cemetery, Roseland, Neb.
A memorial has been established in Calvin’s memory.
Liewer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Rita Conner
Rita Conner, a resident of Wauneta, Neb. passed away Friday afternoon, April 30, 2004, at Presbyterian St. Luke’s Hospital in Denver, Colo. She was 72 years of age.
Survivors include step-mother Lois Kanost of Wauneta, Neb.; sons David Boyd and wife Barbra of Colorado Springs, Colo., Dan Boyd of New Orleans, La., Bill Worske of Florida; aunt Neva Kanost of Arapahoe, Neb.; two grandsons; one granddaughter and several great grandchildren.
Graveside inurnment services will be held Thursday, May 6, 2004, at 1:30 p.m. at Riverside cemetery, Wauneta, Neb. with Pastor Michael Laing officiating.
A memorial has been established in Rita’s memory.
Liewer Funeral Home of Wauneta is in charge of arrangements.
Thelma B. Cushing
Thelma B. Cushing, 85, died Tuesday, April 27, 2004 at Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman.
She was born June 29, 1918 in Rawlins County, Kan. to Roy and Margaret (Zrubek) Wilkinson and attended school near her home. At an early age, Thelma moved with her family to Colorado where her family helped work on a farm near Vona.
On June 13, 1936 Thelma was united in marriage to George Wayne Cushing and they moved to their farm north of Stratton, Neb. where they raised their two sons, Gary and Roy.
They retired from farming in 1979 and moved to their home in Max, Neb.
After Wayne’s passing in 1991, Thelma remained in her home until failing health forced her to move to Benkelman. She resided at Rainbow Fountain Park for a short time before moving to Sarah Ann Hester Memorial Home in the spring of 1999.
When Thelma wasn’t helping out on the farm or working with the animals, she could often be found tending to the flowers and vegetables that she grew in her garden. She also liked to crochet and was an avid quilter. Thelma loved to go fishing and was a great cook. She enjoyed children and spending time with her family.
She was an active member of the Busy Bee Club and looked forward to visiting with friends and neighbors. She was a loyal friend and was always quick to lend a helping hand to those around her.
Preceding her in death are her parents, Roy and Margaret Wilkinson; her loving husband, George Wayne Cushing; one brother, Lloyd Wilkinson; and one great grandson, Lincoln Claiborne.
Survivors include her sons, Gary Cushing and wife Merlena of Manistree, Mich. and Roy Cushing of Imperial, Neb.; sisters, Arlene, Wilma and Helen; brothers, Earl and Loren; six grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; and numerous other nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were Saturday, May 1, 2004 at 10:30 a.m. at the Christian Union Church in Stratton with Rev. Steven Kellett officiating.
Interment followed at Rose Hill cemetery in Stratton.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be given in Thelma’s name to the Dundy County Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 85, Benkelman, Neb. 69021.
Forch Funeral Chapel of Stratton was in charge of arrangements.
Ruby Harris
Ruby Lee Harris, youngest daughter of Alexander Hamilton and Olive Belle (Sharp) Lowry, was born on Jan. 11, 1922 at Hereford, Texas.
She moved with her family, before the age of one, to Flagler, Colo., then to Norton County, Kan. in 1923.
Ruby attended Cactus Country Grade School and then Almena Rural High School, graduating in May of 1941.
Ruby married
Pleasant Monroe Harris on June 4, 1941, in Norton, Kan. Two children were born to this union: Jack Monroe and Maxine Louise.
The couple moved to the Blanche community of northeast Chase County in 1942, where they farmed until moving into Imperial, Neb., in 1957.
Ruby and Pleasant lived and worked at various places in Chase County for many years.
They moved to Kearney, Neb. in later life because of health reasons and to be near family.
When Pleasant passed away in May of 2003, Ruby chose to move back to Imperial, as it was home. She entered the Imperial Manor Nursing Home in August of 2003.
Ruby was baptized and joined the Imperial Methodist Church in May of 1959. She was a faithful member and worker in several offices of the church and also the evening circle.
Ruby was a loving and caring mother and grandmother. She made many handmade quilts and each family household has a quilt made especially for them. Her last quilting project was a beautiful Christmas tree skirt made for grandson Doug and his wife, Cindy, two years ago.
Ruby and Pleasant spent many enjoyable hours playing cards with family and friends. The Lowry family always had a card game going. Her grandchildren held a special place in her heart, she was so proud of them all.
Ruby also enjoyed attending her grandchildren’s activities, from sports to music programs.
Ruby passed away Tuesday morning, April 27, 2004, at the Imperial Manor Nursing Home. She was 82 years of age.
Survivors include son Jack Harris of Los Angeles, Calif.; daughter Maxine Cox and husband Bob of Kearney, Neb.; four grandchildren Kent and Kristi Harris of Los Angeles, Calif., Dodd Cox and wife Tonja of Grand Island, Neb. and Doug Cox and wife Cindy of Council Bluffs, Neb.; brothers Harry Lowry of Norton, Kan. and Ned Lowry and wife Dorothy of Liberal, Kan.; eight great grandchildren; sisters-in-law Maxine Lowry of Norton, Kan., Velma Lowry of Hays, Kan., Letha Harris of Grant, Neb., Naomi Harris of Evanston, Wyo. and Mariam Lowry of Ft. Collins, Colo.
Ruby was preceded in death by her parents, husband Pleasant, daughter-in-law Lei, brothers Edgar, Everett, Roger and Jack and sister Viola.
Funeral services for Ruby Harris were Friday morning, April 30, 2004, 10:30 a.m. (MDT) at the First United Methodist Church, Imperial, Neb. with Pastor Murray Schmechel officiating.
Music was by Mr. and Mrs. Don and Melody Newman.
Casketbearers were Dodd Cox, Doug Cox, Max Lowry, Don Lowry, Bill Lowry and Duane Dizmang.
Interment followed at Mount Hope cemetery, Imperial.
A memorial has been established to the Imperial Community Center and the Imperial Manor Nursing Home.
Liewer Funeral Home of Imperial, Neb. was in charge of arrangements.
