U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Kathleen Thompson
SUPERIOR -- Kathleen Rose Thompson, 72, of Superior died Monday, Dec. 7, 1998, at BryanLGH Medical Center East in Lincoln.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Williams Funeral Home in Superior. The Rev. Harold Backus will officiate. Burial will be in Evergreen cemetery at Superior.
Mrs. Thompson was born on Sept. 20, 1926, at Boxted, Essex, England.
She married
Glen Thompson on Oct. 24, 1945, at Boxted. She came to American in March 1947 on a ship with many other war brides. They lived in Superior for several years before moving to Geneva, Ashland and Milford.
The couple moved back to Superior in 1966. They built their home and retired in Superior.
She enjoyed knitting, camping and fishing. She was a 50-year member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary and the American Legion Auxiliary, both of Superior.
Survivors include her husband; two sons, John of Reno, Nev., and Charles of Las Vegas; three daughters, Maureen (Mrs. John) Keber of Spalding, Glenda Thompson of Hastings and Peggy (Mrs. R.P.) Foshee of Summerville, S.C.; 13 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Joan Sutton and Freda Doyle, both of England.
She was preceded in death by an infant son, Craig; and a sister, Maude Knight.
Gene Placzek
Gene T. Placzek, 64, of Grand Island died on Wednesday, May 20, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Leo's Catholic Church with the Rev. Jack Radamacher officiating. Burial will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m., with a prayer service at 7 p.m., Friday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to the Make-A-Wish Foundation or the church. Mr. Placzek was born on Sept. 22, 1933, in Columbus to Michael and Mary Placzek. He graduated from Columbus High School in 1951. He was married
to Claire Gates on May 1, 1954, in Columbus. He owned and operated a cabinet business in Columbus before coming to Grand Island in 1969. He was former owner of the Grand Island School of Business, which is now Grand Island College. He had been an agent with New York Life since 1987. He was Agent of the Year four times, received the National Quality Award six years in a row and was a two-year Million Dollar Round Table member for New York Life. He was a member of St. Leo's Catholic Church and past president of St. Leo's Parish Council. He was a member of Grand Island Life Underwriters, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the March of Dimes Walk-a-Thon and the Nebraska Postsecondary Education Committee. He is survived by his wife; four sons, Daniel of Grand Island, Richard of Lincoln, Roger of Wichita, Kan., and Matthew of Omaha; 12 grandchildren; two brothers, Zigmund of Grand Island and Mike of Columbus; and three sisters, Janet McQuisten of Plainview, Mary Paczosa and Bernadine Schbonski, both of St. Paul, Minn. He was preceded in death by four brothers, Dennis, Frank, Jack and David; and two sisters, Antonette and Claudia.
'Harold' Hameloth
ST. PAUL - John "Harold" Hameloth, 70, of St. Paul died Wednesday, May 20, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Grace Baptist Church in St. Paul. The Rev. Donald Lovell will officiate. Burial will be in Elmwood cemetery at St. Paul with military honors at the gravesite. Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Jacobsen Funeral Home in St. Paul. Memorials are suggested to the church, Howard County Hospital or St. Paul Library Foundation. Mr. Hameloth was born on Aug. 18, 1927, at Grand Island to John and Emma (Harold) Hameloth. He was educated in Grand Island and graduated from Grand Island Senior High School in 1944. He served in the U.S. Navy from June 1945 to July 1946. He returned to Grand Island and started working as a lineman for Northwestern Bell Telephone Co. He married
Jean Winters on Sept. 7, 1947, at Grand Island. In 1952, the couple moved to St. Paul, where he was a telephone installer for Northwestern Bell. He became an equipment man for the company in 1956 and was promoted to manager of the St. Paul office in 1970. He was transferred to Grand Island in 1977, and the couple moved there. He was supervisor for the Northwestern Bell central office until retiring in 1986. The couple returned to St. Paul in 1988. He was a member, deacon and trustee of Grace Baptist Church of St. Paul. He was a member of Carl Mogensen American Legion Post 119 of St. Paul and had been a Scout Master for more than 10 years. He served on the St. Paul school board for 10 years and was the first president of the St. Paul PTA. He served on the St. Paul Volunteer Fire Department for seven years and was a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America. He served on the St. Paul City Council and was serving on the planning commission in St. Paul. Survivors include his wife; three sons, Wayne of Fallon, Nev., Steven of Grand Island and Gary of Fullerton; one daughter Debbie (Mrs. Clare) Kurz of Palmer; eight grandchildren; one sister, Jean (Mrs. Dick) Odbert of North Platte; and one brother, Gordon of York, Pa.
'Bobby' Holmes
HASTINGS - Robert E. "Bobby" Holmes, 43, of Hastings died Wednesday, May 20, 1998, at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the First United Methodist Church. The Rev. Earl Higgins will officiate. Burial will be in Parkview cemetery in Hastings. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to noon Friday at Butler-Volland Funeral Home in Hastings and one hour prior to service time Friday at the church. Memorials are suggested to the family. Mr. Holmes was born on April 28, 1955, in Hastings to Grant E. and Ruth E. (Johnson) Holmes. He graduated from Kearney High School in 1973. He married
Bernadine Pavelka on Feb. 8, 1992. He worked for Holmes Plumbing and Heating in Kearney and Gessford Machine Shop. He was employed by ABC Electric at the time of his death. He was a member of Southern Hills Golf Course. Survivors include his wife; two stepdaughters, Bridget (Mrs. Marty) Harrington of Grand Island and Babbette Board of Kearney; two step grandchildren; his mother, of Hastings; and a brother, Jerry Holmes of Hastings. He was preceded in death by his father.
Paul Kowalski
ST. PAUL - Paul L. Kowalski, 65, of St. Paul died Wednesday, May 20, 1998, at the Grand Island Veterans Home. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in St. Paul. The Rev. Michael McDermott will officiate. Burial will be in Elmwood cemetery at St. Paul with graveside military honors by Carl Mogensen American Legion Post 119 of St. Paul. Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday at Peters Funeral Home in St. Paul and will continue from 6 to 8 p.m. at the church with a 7 p.m. wake service and Knights of Columbus rosary. Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Lowell Hillrichs
CRAIG, Iowa - Lowell Eugene Hillrichs, 71, of Craig, Iowa, died Tuesday, May 19, 1998, at Floyd Valley Hospital in LeMars, Iowa. Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at St. John's Lutheran Church in Craig. The Rev. Doug Dowling will officiate. Burial will be in Resthaven Memory Gardens. Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements in LeMars, Iowa. Mr. Hillrichs was born on July 31, 1926, on the family farm east of Akron, Iowa, to Henry and Katherine (Westergard) Hillrichs. He was educated in a country school near Akron. He married
Cornelia Ritter on Nov. 28, 1952, in Hawarden, Iowa. He farmed for 24 years in the Craig area before moving into Craig in 1976. He also worked for Lorensen Refuse in Akron for several years. He was an active member of St. John's Lutheran Church. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Linda (Mrs. Harlan) Priekstat of Grand Island; two grandchildren; a twin sister, Lois (Mrs. Ervin) Stevens of Centerville, S.D.; and two brothers, Robert Hillrichs of Akron, Iowa, and Donald Hillrichs of Fremont. He was preceded in death by a son, Mark, who died in 1973; and a sister, who died in infancy.
Mildred Larson
Mildred M. Larson, 87, of Grand Island died Sunday, June 7, 1998, at Tiffany Square Care Center in Grand Island.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Gollaher Chapel at Trinity United Methodist Church with the Rev. Jocelyn Tupper officiating. Burial will be at 3 p.m. Thursday in Madison Crown Hill cemetery in Madison.
Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to Trinity United Methodist Church or the American Cancer Society.
Janet Hummel
CENTRAL CITY -- Janet A. Hummel, 61, of Central City died Sunday, June 7, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at United Presbyterian Church in Central City with the Rev. Dale Sallans officiating. Burial will be in the Central City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Solt Funeral Home in Central City.
Memorials are suggested to the United Presbyterian Church, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or the Central City Library.
Mrs. Hummel was born on Oct. 14, 1936, in Central City to Harold and Mae (Garbacz) Ross. She graduated from Central City High School in 1954 and attended Wesleyan University in Lincoln. She was a member of the Willard Sorority.
She married
Douglas W. Johnson on Feb. 25, 1956. They lived in Colorado; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Lincoln. Mr. Johnson died in 1987.
She married
John Hummel on Sept. 15, 1989. They lived in Central City. She was an interior decorator for commercial and residential properties and also taught piano lessons for many years.
She was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, where she was a member of the church chancel choir, bell choir and served as a deacon and an elder. She was a member of the Central City Library Board, an avid reader and belonged to a local book club.
Survivors include her husband; three daughters, Jacki (Mrs. Steve) Hinrichs of West Des Moines, Iowa, Susan (Mrs. David) Opel of Portland, Ore., and Karen (Mrs. Monty) Rohde of Lincoln; one stepson, Steve Hummel of Brainard; one sister, Jean (Mrs. Bill) Pullen of Omaha; six grandchildren and two step grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, first husband and a stepdaughter, Gretchen Hummel.
Laura McCarthy
GIBBON -- Laura S. McCarthy, 83, of Gibbon died Sunday, June 7, 1998, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Shelton with the Rev. Ray Kosmicki officiating. Burial will be in Riverside cemetery in Gibbon.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Mt. Carmel Home Chapel in Kearney with a 7 p.m. rosary recited by the Rev. Ray Jasinski.
Memorials are suggested to Mt. Carmel Nursing Home or to the Food for the Poor Association.
O'Brien-Straatmann Funeral Home of Kearney is in charge of arrangements.
John Paprocki
ELYRIA -- John Paprocki, 65, of Elyria died Saturday, June 6, 1998, at Rose Lane Home in Loup City.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church with the Rev. Jim Warner officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary's cemetery in Elyria.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Monday with a 7:30 p.m. rosary at Ord Memorial Chapel.
Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer's Association.
Mr. Paprocki was born on April 2, 1933, at Elyria to Tom and Katherine (Gregorski) Paprocki. He was raised in Elyria and attended Rural School District 33. He served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1954.
After the service, he returned to Elyria where he farmed and worked for Roman Motor Freight. He worked on the Sich farm and had also worked for Lech Implement Co. at Burwell.
He married
Evelyn Iwanski on July 15, 1961. They lived and farmed at Elyria. For the last eight years, he lived at Rose Lane Home in Loup City. He was a member of the American Legion in Burwell.
Survivors include his wife; one brother, Joe Paprocki of Ord; two half-brothers, Jim Paprocki of Pell Lake, Wis., and Edmund Paprocki of Chicago, Ill.; three sisters, Frances Karwarcki of Pell Lake, Wis., Matilda Polak of Ord and Dommie Michalski of Ord.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Florence, and a half-sister, Angie.
Grace Rombach
S. Grace Rombach, 91, of Park Place Nursing Center in Grand Island died Saturday, Dec. 20, 1997, at the nursing center.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary's Cathedral. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday at the Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home with a 7:30 p.m. rosary. The family will receive friends from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the funeral home Monday.
Memorials are suggested to the St. Mary's Restoration Fund or the family's choice.
Mrs. Rombach was born on May 6, 1906, at Rogers, Ark., to Robert G. and Minnie (Ashbranner) Martin. She moved with her family to a farm at Haskell, Okla., when she was a child. She was educated in rural schools at Haskell.
She married
Louis R. Rombach on Oct. 30, 1928, at Haskell. In the spring of 1929, they moved to Grand Island. She assisted her husband in their trucking business until their retirement. Her husband died April 10, 1985. In 1988, she moved to her daughter's home until June 1995, when she moved to Park Place Nursing Center.
She was a member of the church.
She enjoyed fishing, crocheting, knitting, crossword puzzles and watching television.
Survivors include her daughter, Betty (Mrs. Dick) Jolkowski of Grand Island; her son, Paul of Ogallala; 18 grandchildren; 63 great-grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; nine great great-grandchildren; and a sister, Lorena McMahon of Tulsa, Okla.
She was preceded in death by her husband; a daughter, Roberta Blair; a grandson, Michael Jolkowski; four great-grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; her twin brother, Gray Martin; two brothers, Olan Martin and Dale Martin; and three sisters, Winnie Finke, Verda Rombach and Ruby Holmes.
