U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Bruno Boettcher
SPENCER - Services for Bruno B. Boettcher, 92, of Spencer will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Spencer with burial in Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery.
Visitation will be one hour prior to service at the church. Brockhaus Funeral Home of Spencer is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Boettcher died Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, at the Butte Healthcare Center.
Karen Bren
CREIGHTON - Services for Karen Bren of Creighton are pending at Brockhaus Funeral Home in Creighton. Ms. Bren died Thursday, Jan. 12, 2006, at Creighton Area Health Services.
Howard Clark
O’NEILL - Services for Howard Clark, 77, O’Neill, will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the United Methodist Church here with military rites by the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard from Offutt Air Force Base at the O’Neill Cemetery.
Visitation will be 6-9 p.m. Friday at Biglin’s Mortuary in O’Neill.
He died Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, at Avera St. Anthony’s Hospital.
Rosemary Drieling
WEST POINT - Memorial services for Rosemary Drieling, 75, West Point, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Grace Lutheran Church in West Point with burial at a later date at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Elkhorn.
Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Friday at Stokely Funeral Home.
She died Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006, at home.
Gladys Miller
COLUMBUS - Services for Gladys Miller, 79, of Clarkson will be Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at Peace Lutheran Church in Columbus. Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. at Clarkson National Cemetery in Clarkson.
Visitation will be Friday from 2 to 8 p.m. at Miller Funeral Home in Clarkson and after 9 a.m. Saturday at the church.
Mrs. Miller died Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, at Colonial Manor Nursing Home in Clarkson.
Edward Peterka
Services for Edward Peterka, 88, of Scotland, S.D., were Dec. 30 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Tabor, S.D. Burial was in the parish cemetery under the direction of Kostel Funeral Home in Tabor.
He died Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2005, at Avera McKennan Hospice in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Edward was born Nov. 5, 1917, to James and Sophia (Petranek) Peterka in Yankton County. He attended grade school at Peterka School District 46. As a young child, Edward had a talent for music and at the age of 14 became a musician. He later formed a band named The Ed Peterka Band, specializing in waltzes and polkas and playing for many different occasions. Their talents could be heard at Tabor Czech Days and on several records they recorded.
On Sept. 15, 1944, Edward was united in marriage to Agnes Horacek and from this union five children were born. They farmed together in the Tabor area until Dec. 9, 1965, when Agnes passed away.
He was a former member of St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Tabor and at the time of his death he was a member of St. George’s Catholic Church in Scotland. He was also a member of the Czech Heritage Society.
He is survived by his children: Delores (Gary) Young of Wausa, Don Peterka of Fort Meade, S.D., Tom (Martha) Peterka of Witchita, Kan., Larry (Stella) Peterka of Wausa and Rita (Louis) Cunningham of Yankton; a special friend, Adeline Cisar of Scotland, S.D.; 13 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife Agnes on Dec. 9, 1965; sister, Theresa Vavra, on Dec. 23, 1976; his parents, James and Sophia Peterka; and a grandson, SSG Daniel Cuka on Dec. 4, 2005.
Pallbearers were Aaron Peterka, Matt Olson, Mark Krepel, Chris Krepel, Don Cisar and Robert Thorell.
Cheryl Vandry
OSMOND - Services for Cheryl Vandry, 61, Osmond, will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church here. She died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2006, at Osmond General Hospital.
Gary Ward
EWING - Services for Gary J. Ward, 66, of Ewing will be Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Ewing with burial in St. Peter’s Cemetery.
Visitation will be at the church from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday with a wake at 7 p.m. Arrangements are by Snider Memorial Funeral Home of Clearwater.
He died Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006, at his home following a lengthy illness.
Stella Beckman
PETERSBURG - Services for Stella Beckman, 81, of Petersburg will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. John’s Catholic Church in Petersburg with burial in the parish cemetery.
Visitation will be Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the church, with a wake at 7:30 p.m., and resume at 9 a.m. Friday at the church. Levander Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
She died Monday, Jan. 9, 2006, at The Willows Assisted Living in Neligh.
Stella Olivia Beckman, the daughter of Alphonse V. and Frances Bueltel Klein, was born Aug. 17, 1924, at Raeville. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Bonaventure Church in Raeville. Stella attended St. John Berchman’s Catholic School in Raeville through the eighth grade.
On Feb. 10, 1948, Stella was united in marriage to Vernol Beckman at her parents’ home in Raeville. They lived in the Elgin and Petersburg area throughout their married life. In December 2005, Stella moved to The Willows Assisted Living at Neligh.
She was a member of the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Petersburg and the Christian Mothers. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.
Stella is survived by eight children, Lois Avalon and husband Manuel of Garden City, Kan., Dale and wife Carolyn, Roger and wife Mary Kay, Jim and wife Elaine, all of Petersburg, Paul and wife Connie of Elgin, June Racely and husband Warren of Columbus, Karen Meikle and husband Terry, and Tom, all of Norfolk; 18 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; two sisters, Genevieve Starman of Petersburg and Bernice Grudmeyer and husband Willis of Lamont, Iowa; brother, Ralph Klein and wife Mary of Elgin, along with many other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Vernol on Aug. 21, 2002; grandsons, Bob, Brad, and Ricky Beckman; two sisters, Lorraine Stuhr and Alma Beckman; brother, Eugene Klein, and an infant child.
Joe Bode
ELGIN - Services are pending at Huffman’s Brooks Chapel for Joe Bode, 84, Raeville. He died Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006, at Boone County Medical Center.
Bruno Boettcher
SPENCER - Services for Bruno B. Boettcher, 92, of Spencer are pending at Brockhaus Funeral Home in Spencer. Mr. Boettcher died Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, at the Butte Healthcare Center.
Rosemary Drieling
WEST POINT - Services are pending at Stokely Funeral Home for Rosemary (Mrs. Mervin) Drieling, 75, West Point. She died Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006, at home.
Clayton Higgins
NIOBRARA - Services for Clayton Higgins, 91, of Niobrara will be Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at the Niobrara Lutheran Church with burial in L’Eau Qui Court Cemetery.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Brockhaus Funeral Home in Niobrara.
Mr. Higgins died Monday, Jan. 9, 2006, at Alpine Village in Verdigre.
Clayton Higgins was born to Ben and Maggie (Muller) Higgins on a farm west of Center on Oct. 10, 1914. He began his life as a farm boy and attended rural elementary schools. He graduated from Niobrara High School in 1933. He always wanted to be a farmer. He worked for neighbors and his parents doing farm work for several years. His one desire was to own his own farm. He loved to work on machinery and his car.
On June 1, 1941, he married Ella Mae Stewart at Center. They went to live on a farm east of Niobrara, which they lived on all their married life, until moving to town about six years ago. To this union three children were born, Douglas, Darold and Carla, who lived in Niobrara. She passed away in 2001 at the age of 47 years.
Clayton was 91 years of age on Oct. 10, 2005.
He leaves to mourn his wife of 65 years; his sons, Douglas and his wife, Myra of Creston, Iowa, and Darold of Denver, Colo.; a son-in-law, Greg Jones of Niobrara; seven grandchildren, Amy Jo Higgins, Beth Jones, Jason Jones, Ben Higgins, Melanie Higgins, Adam Higgins and Curtis Higgins; three great-grandchildren, Briella and Olivanna Jones and Joshua Higgins.
He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Carla; and two brothers, Bernard and Gail.
Zoe Higgins
Services for Zoe Higgins, 95, of Gregory, S.D., formerly of Naper, will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Gregory. Burial will be in the Stuart Cemetery. A wake will be at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the church.
She died Saturday, Jan. 7, 2006. Koterba Funeral Home of Gregory is in charge of arrangements.
Gladys Miller
CLARKSON - Services are pending at Miller Funeral Home for Gladys Miller, 79, of Columbus. Mrs. Miller died Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, at Colonial Manor Nursing Home in Clarkson.
Robert Schurman
SCHUYLER - Services for Robert C. Schurman, 69, of Schuyler will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Schuyler. Burial will be in the Schuyler Cemetery.
Visitation will be at Svoboda Funeral Home North Chapel in Schuyler on Wednesday from noon to 8 p.m., with a 7 p.m. prayer service, and resume Thursday at 9:30 a.m. at the church.
He died Sunday, Jan. 8, 2006, at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Lincoln.
Gary Ward
EWING - Services for Gary J. Ward, 66, of Ewing will be Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Ewing with burial in St. Peter’s Cemetery.
Visitation will be at the church from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday with a wake at 7 p.m. Arrangements are by Snider Memorial Funeral Home of Clearwater.
He died Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006, at his home following a lengthy illness.
