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February 21, 2017 Leave a comment
Robert D. Watson, 90, of Walthill, Nebraska died on Tuesday, February 21, 2017 at Legacy Garden Rehabilitation and Living Center in Pender, NE.
Funeral services for Robert are currently pending with Munderloh – Smith Funeral Home.
February 21, 2017 Leave a comment
Donna B. Evans, 72, of Wayne, NE, passed away Monday, February 20, 2017 at Providence Medical Center in Wayne.
Memorial services are pending with Bressler-Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Wakefield.
February 20, 2017 Leave a comment
Bill M. Anderson, age 84, of Tekamah, Nebraska passed away Saturday, February 18, 2017, at the Tekamah Care and Rehabilitation Center in Tekamah.
Bill was born February 23, 1932, to Clifford and Irene (Wilson) Anderson at rural Craig, Nebraska. He graduated from Craig High School in 1952.
On May 23, 1953, Bill and Yvonne Maxwell were united in marriage at the United Methodist Church in Craig. To this union two children were born, Jeff and Michele.
Bill entered the U.S. Army June 1, 1953 during the Korean Conflict. The majority of his service was served in Germany. He was honorably discharged May 11, 1955.
After returning from his military duties, he entered Dana College, Blair, Nebraska, earning his bachelor’s degree. Upon graduation, he accepted a job teaching English and French in Pierce High School, Pierce, Nebraska. He spent two years there and then returned to Tekamah to teach English and French in the high school. During those years he attended Creighton University, Omaha to receive his master’s degree and the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, for a Specialist degree. He retired in 1995. After retirement, he spent three years on the Tekamah City Council and four years as Mayor of Tekamah. He was an active member of the Tekamah United Methodist Church and American Legion LaFrenz Post No. 15.
Bill was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He loved children, his own and those he worked with. Each day his hope was that he had helped prepare each child for the world ahead of them.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Clifford and Irene Anderson and his father- and mother-in-law, Lloyd and Naomi Maxwell.
Survivors are his wife of 63 years, Yvonne; son, Jeff (Karen) Anderson of Reuter, MO; daughter, Michele Anderson (husband, Mike Fangman) of Lawrence, KS; six grandchildren, Hannah, Elijah, Ashley, Brandt, Calissa and Dru; three step grandchildren, Simon, Lindsey and Jared; great grandchildren; sister, Betty McCracken of Wichita, KS; brothers-in-law, Vaden (Ardie) Maxwell and Vernon (Joan) Maxwell all of Tekamah; many nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be on Saturday, February 25, 2017, at 11 a.m., at the United Methodist Church in Tekamah. Burial with Military Honors by the American Legion LaFrenz Post No. 15 and VFW Bataan Post No. 3304 will be held at the Tekamah Cemetery in Tekamah, Nebraska. There is no visitation.
Memorials may be directed to the Tekamah United Methodist Church, Tekamah Fire and Rescue, Tekamah American Legion.
Pelan Funeral Services in Tekamah in charge of arrangements.
Bill Anderson
February 18, 2017 Leave a comment
Jean E. Sanders, 92 of Wahoo, formerly of rural Oakland and West Point, Nebraska passed away Wednesday, February 15, 2017, at South Haven Living Center in Wahoo. Funeral services will be on Friday, February 24, 2017, at 11 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Oakland, NE. Rev. Joel Rathbun, officiating, with Sue Beckner, organist. Burial will be in the Westside Cemetery, rural Oakland, Nebraska. Casket Bearers are: Kurt Sanders, Rudie Nemec, Leroy Nelson, Paul Pearson & Michael Lanning. Honorary casket bearers are: Duke Wagner & Jeff Richards. The family will receive friends Friday, from 10 – 11 a.m. at the Church Memorials are suggested to the Oakland First United Methodist Church, or Capital Humane Society, 2320 Park Blvd, Lincoln, NE 68502. Pelan Funeral Services in Oakland is in charge of arrangements.
Jean was born to David S. and Eva G. (Frank) Servine in Lyons, Nebraska, on January 24, 1925. Jean and her older brother, David F. “Bud” Servine grew up in Oakland, Nebraska. Jean graduated from Oakland High School in 1943.
In 1947, Jean married her high school sweetheart, Charles Sanders of Oakland and they moved to the Sanders family farm in rural Oakland. They gave birth to two daughters, Mary and Pat and a son, David. In addition to helping run the family farm and raise her family, Jean spent her spare time volunteering for the West Side United Methodist Church Women’s Society; serving as a Brownie and Girl Scout Leader; serving as an officer for the Square Oaks Square Dance Club; and serving as an officer for the Oakland High School Band Parents. Jean loved cooking, dancing, singing, swimming, ceramics, playing piano, and had a strong love for all of her pets. Jean and Charles lived at their farm for 40 years before retiring and buying their dream house in West Point, Nebraska, where they lived together for another 24 years and were able to travel and enjoy their retirement.
Jean is preceded in death by her husband, Charles; parents, David and Eva, and brother, Bud.
She is survived by her children, Mary and Don Lanning of Lincoln, Pat and Doug Harris of Lenexa, KS, and David and Candi Sanders of Lincoln; grandchildren, Michael and Jamie Lanning of Kansas City, MO, Katie Lanning of Lincoln, Chloe Sanders of Lincoln and great grandson, Andrew Lanning of Kansas City, MO.
Jean Sanders
February 17, 2017 Leave a comment
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Omaha/Valley NE 544 AM CST Fri Feb 17 2017 IAZ043-055-056-069-079-080-090-091-NEZ011-012-015>018-030>034- 042>045-050>053-065>068-078-088>093-171745- Monona-Harrison-Shelby-Pottawattamie-Mills-Montgomery-Fremont- Page-Knox-Cedar-Thurston-Antelope-Pierce-Wayne-Boone-Madison- Stanton-Cuming-Burt-Platte-Colfax-Dodge-Washington-Butler- Saunders-Douglas-Sarpy-Seward-Lancaster-Cass-Otoe-Saline- Jefferson-Gage-Johnson-Nemaha-Pawnee-Richardson- Including the cities of Onawa, Mapleton, Missouri Valley, Woodbine, Logan, Dunlap, Harlan, Council Bluffs, Glenwood, Red Oak, Sidney, Hamburg, Tabor, Farragut, Clarinda, Shenandoah, Creighton, Bloomfield, Crofton, Wausa, Verdigre, Niobrara, Hartington, Laurel, Randolph, Coleridge, Pender, Macy, Walthill, Winnebago, Neligh, Elgin, Pierce, Plainview, Osmond, Wayne, Albion, St. Edward, Norfolk, Stanton, West Point, Wisner, Tekamah, Oakland, Lyons, Decatur, Columbus, Schuyler, Fremont, Blair, David City, Wahoo, Ashland, Yutan, Omaha, Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista, Seward, Milford, Lincoln, Plattsmouth, Nebraska City, Crete, Wilber, Fairbury, Beatrice, Tecumseh, Sterling, Auburn, Pawnee City, Table Rock, and Falls City 544 AM CST Fri Feb 17 2017 ...VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER TODAY... Unseasonably warm temperatures and dry conditions will result in elevated fire weather concern today across much of the area. Relative humidity this afternoon will fall to around 20 percent in southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa with southwest winds 10 to 20 mph. A cold front will move into northeast Nebraska during the afternoon with humidity there between 25 and 30 percent and northwest winds 10 to 20 mph. Outdoor burning is discouraged due to the increased fire danger today. Use extra caution if using motorized vehicles in grassy areas and handle the disposal of smoking material with care.
February 17, 2017 Leave a comment
Marcella (Konopasek) Brehmer passed away February 14, 2017 at Pender Community Hospital surrounded by her family. Funeral services will be Saturday, February 18, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at St John’s Lutheran Church in rural Pender Nebraska; Pastor Robert Schilling will be officiating. The visitation will be Friday, February 17, 2017 at Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Pender from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. The burial will be at St John’s Lutheran Church Cemetery, followed by lunch at the Pender Senior Center. Memorials may be directed to the family for future designation. Arrangements are under direction of Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Pender.
Marcella was born May 24, 1925 on a farm near Beemer, NE to James and Anna (Vach) Konopasek. Marcella attended rural Cuming County Schools. On December 3, 1944 she married Leroy Brehmer. In their younger years, Marcella and Leroy enjoyed roller skating and dancing. They farmed southwest of Pender and were blessed with two sons, Gary and Keith. Leroy passed away in 1990 and Marcella moved into town shortly after.
Marcella was a life time member of St John’s Lutheran Church of rural Pender. The past five years Marcella spent at Heritage of Emerson. She enjoyed the activities and made many close friends. Marcella was very honored to be the Valentines Queen in 2014. Marcella’s greatest love was her family, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Marcella is survived by her sons, Gary (Pat) Brehmer of Ponte Vedra Beach FL, Keith (Rita) Brehmer of Pender NE; close cousin, Dale (Joyce) Doescher of Galva, IA; grandchildren Ryan Brehmer of Niagra Falls, NY, Angie (Barry) Matthewson of St Johns, FL, Ben (Katie) Brehmer of Pender, NE, Molly (Amp) Ferg of David City, NE; great grandchildren, Daphne and Gwynn Matthewson, Collins and Crew Ferg; and step great grandchildren Kolton, Rylee and Zoey Lehmkuhl.
Marcella is preceded in death by parents; husband, Leroy; and infant granddaughter, Bobbi Jo.
Marcella Brehmer
February 17, 2017 Leave a comment
Jean E. Sanders, 92 of Wahoo, formerly of rural Oakland and West Point, NE, passed away Wednesday, February 15, 2017, at South Haven Living Center in Wahoo.
Services are pending with Pelan Funeral Services in Oakland.
February 13, 2017 Leave a comment
Kathleen F. Gralheer, 74, of Pender, Nebraska passed away Monday, February 13, 2017 at her home in Pender.
Funeral services are pending with Munderloh – Smith Funeral Home in Pender.
February 13, 2017 Leave a comment
Dena Colleen (O’Mara) Lampe, 91, of Pender, NE, passed away Saturday, February 11, 2017 at the Pender Community Hospital.
Funeral services will be Tuesday, February 14, 2017 at the United Church of Pender at 10:30 a.m.; Pastor Aaron Trimble will be officiating. The visitation will be Monday, February 13, 2017 at the United Church of Pender from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
The burial will be at Rosehill Cemetery in Pender. Memorials may be directed to the MS Foundation in Omaha. Arrangements are under the direction of Munderloh-Smith Funeral Home in Pender, NE.
Dena Lampe
February 13, 2017 Leave a comment
Helen Marie (nee Müller) Thomas, 94, died Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, at her home at Brighton Gardens in Omaha, NE. A memorial service will be held in Decatur, NE, at a date to be announced. There will be a private family burial. Pelan Funeral Services is in charge of arrangements.
Helen was born to Benjamin Harrison and Edna (nee Mueller) Müller on July 17, 1922 and grew up in Victor, IA. Her mother died when Helen was four years old. After her father remarried, she was lovingly raised as an only child by him and her stepmother, Jenny (nee McBride) Müller. Helen graduated from local public schools and from Cornell College, Mount Vernon, IA, where she majored in music education. At Cornell she met her future husband, Earl Thomas, who during WWII was attending Cornell, courtesy of the U.S. Navy. Helen taught music at Atlantic, IA, before marrying Earl in 1946 and moving with him to Indianapolis, IN, where he worked for Grumman as an aeronautical engineer.
In 1949, the young couple and their two small children moved to Decatur, NE, where Earl returned to operate his family’s farm and Helen taught K-12 vocal and instrumental music in several area public schools. Earl and Helen lived and raised all their children (eventually totaling seven) in Decatur. After Earl died in 1982, Helen earned a second undergraduate degree from Morningside College, Sioux City IA in library science, serving as a school librarian until her retirement in 1995. She lived in Decatur until 2014, when she moved to Omaha.
Throughout her life, Helen was a dynamo–gregarious, high-energy, personally generous, well-read, culturally and socially active, and interested and involved in civic affairs. She was active in many organizations including Riverside Baptist Church, Decatur United Methodist Church, Burgess Memorial Hospital Foundation Board, Onawa, IA, PEO, Delta Kappa Gamma, Eastern Star, and book clubs. She loved international travel, always welcomed the prospect of new experiences, and was fun to be around. For more than fifty years Helen regularly played piano or organ for church services, weddings and funerals, and after retirement she was a piano accompanist for sing-alongs in three different nursing homes.
Preceding Helen in death were her parents and her husband. She is survived by her children, Anne Paxson (partner, George Borsari), Bradenton, FL, Lynn Thomas, New York City, NY, Janet Thomas, North Arlington, NJ, James (Sylvia) Thomas, Decatur, NE, Susan Thomas (Steven Hutchinson), Omaha, NE, John Thomas (Susan Mayberger), Omaha, NE, and Kathryn Thomas, Chapel Hill, NC; grandchildren, Harrison Thomas, Elena Thomas, Melissa (Martin) Anderson, Cassandra (Nicholas) Easterly, Lilia Hutchinson, Jenna Hutchinson, Evelyn Mayberger (partner, Max Brodsky), Benjamin Thomas, Isaac Thomas, and Daniel Foil; and three infant great-grandchildren, Linden Anderson, and twins Amidy and Collins Easterly.
Contributions in Helen’s memory can be sent to Burgess Memorial Hospital Foundation, Onawa, IA 51040 or Future of Decatur Foundation, c/o First Nebraska Bank, Decatur, NE 68020 or to the charity of your choice.
Helen Thomas
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