U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Kenneth Palmer
TAYLOR -- Kenneth Palmer, 75, of Taylor died Sunday, Dec. 28, 1997, at Jennie Melham Memorial Medical Center in Broken Bow.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Rhoad Funeral Chapel in Sargent. The Rev. Roger Gillming will officiate. Burial will be in Madison Square cemetery west of Taylor.
Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Rose Ann Pfieffer-Wodrich
Rose Ann Pfieffer-Wodrich, 56, of 522 W. First St. died Saturday, Dec. 27, 1997, at her home after an extended battle with cancer.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at St. Mary's Cathedral. The Revs. Tom Ryan and Don Larmore will officiate. Burial will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 2 to 7 p.m., with a 7 p.m. rosary, Tuesday at Kleine Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to the family.
Mrs. Pfieffer-Wodrich was born on Aug. 16, 1941, to Arthur and Rose (Hughes) Boehl. She graduated from Central Catholic High School and from St. Francis School of Nursing.
She then attended Kearney State College, where she received her bachelor of science and her master of science degrees in education.
She married
William Pfieffer on June 15, 1965.
She married
Michael Wodrich on June 29, 1991, in Billings, Mont. They lived in Riverside, Calif., where she worked as a drug rehabilitation counselor.
The family moved to Grand Island two and a half years ago.
She was a member of the Catholic faith and was active in Christian evangelism, which included journeys to Russia and China. She was also active at the Abundant Life Christian Center.
Survivors include her husband; one son William "Billy" Pfieffer Jr. of Omaha; two daughters, Julie Pfieffer of Davis, Calif., and Erin Swinford of Riverside, Calif.; six stepchildren, Brian of Rapelje, Mont., Daniel of the U.S. Marines, Richard, Sharon and Robert, all of Riverton, Wyo., and Steven Wodrich, at home; her mother, of Grand Island; one sister, Mary Schuster of Cornelius, Ore.; and two brothers, William Boehl of Ypsilanti, Mich., and Leo Boehl of Grand Island.
She was preceded in death by her father.
Orville Duff
Orville K. Duff, 89, of Community Care of America in Grand Island died Sunday, Feb. 8, 1998, at Community Care.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home. The Rev. Roxie Davis will officiate. Masonic rites will be by Ashlar Lodge 33 A.F. & A.M. Burial will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the Central Nebraska Shrine Club Transportation Fund.
Mr. Duff was born on June 9, 1908, in Roca to James and Maude May (Meadvile) Duff. He grew up and began his education in Roca. He moved to Lincoln, where he graduated in 1928. He studied engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for one year.
He married
Gladys Lancaster on Jan. 24, 1931. The couple lived in Grand Island through most of their marriage. He worked for Krause Roofing for a time. He operated Duff Roofing from 1942 until his retirement in 1974. Mrs. Duff died on Nov. 5, 1985, and Mr. Duff moved to Lincoln in 1986.
He married
Fern Wood on March 1, 1988. Mrs. Duff died on Oct. 8, 1997. Mr. Duff moved to Grand Island in January 1997.
He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, Ashlar Lodge 33 A.F. & A.M., Order of the Eastern Star, Central Nebraska Shrine Club, Tehama Temple and Commercial Travelers. He was a 45-year member of Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 378; a 54-year member of the Elks; a charter member of Midwest Roofing Contractors Association, which he served as president in 1955; and a 17-year director of the National Roofing Contractors Association.
Survivors include four sons, Donald Duff of Lincoln, James Duff of Denver and David Duff and Brett Duff, both of Grand Island; one daughter, Karen Duff of Grand Island; 15 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Besides his wives, he was preceded in death by one son, Orville E. Duff; two daughters, Linda Sue, who died in infancy, and Sandra Lea Johnson; six brothers and two sisters.
Marvin Becker
ALBION -- Marvin H. Becker, 64, of Albion died Saturday, Feb. 7, 1998, at University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha as a result of injuries suffered in a single-vehicle accident Friday southwest of Albion.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Zion Lutheran Church in Albion, with the Rev. Brian Bergum and intern Annette Minderman officiating. Burial will be in Rose Hill cemetery in Albion with military rites conducted by American Legion Post 162 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 736.
Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Levander Funeral Home in Albion.
Mr. Becker was born on July 5, 1933, on a farm northwest of Cedar Rapids. He attended Boone County District 52 School and graduated from Albion High School in 1950.
He married
Margaret Henrichs on Feb. 9, 1954.
Mr. Becker served in the U.S. Army from Sept. 17, 1954, to Sept. 14, 1956. He then served in the Army Reserve for six years.
He worked at Klug Electronics for a short time. He then worked as a postal carrier for the Albion post office until retiring on Sept. 30, 1988. He lived south of Albion, where he farmed.
He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church and American Legion Post 162.
Survivors include his brother, Fred Becker of Albion; and a special friend, Linda Kerkman of Albion.
He was preceded in death by one sister, Merna; and one brother, Duaine.
Carl Damratowksi
WOOD RIVER -- Carl V. Damratowski, 67, of Wood River died Sunday, Feb. 8, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary's Cathedral in Grand Island. The Rev. Tom Ryan will officiate. Burial will be in Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m., with a rosary at 7 p.m., Wednesday at Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to the family.
Mr. Damratowski was born on July 21, 1930, at Loup City to Felix and Elizabeth (Stenka) Damratowski. He grew up and was educated at Loup City.
He married
Eugenia M. Hansen in April 1951 at Loup City. The couple lived in various towns throughout Nebraska. He was a farm hand for various farmers.
He later married
Diane Neuhalfen. They lived in various Nebraska towns, where he was a farm hand. He retired in 1996 and lived in Wood River.
He was a member of St. Mary's Cathedral.
Survivors include a son, Virgil of Grand Island; two daughters, Mary Ann Thompson of Elm Creek and Tova (Mrs. Jim) Guminski of Tallahassee, Fla.; six grandchildren; a brother, Lawrence of Phillips; and a sister, Loretta Paprocki of Columbus.
He was preceded in death by his first wife; a son, Dennis; and a daughter, Rose Marie.
Frank Kuchera
KEARNEY -- Frank Kuchera, 90, of Kearney died Saturday, Feb. 7, 1998, at Mount Carmel Nursing Home in Kearney.
Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Bethel United Methodist Church near Gibbon. The Rev. John Bartleson will officiate. Burial will be in Highland cemetery in Ravenna.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at O'Brien-Straatmann Funeral Home in Kearney and from 12:30 p.m. to service time Wednesday at the church.
Memorials are suggested to the church or the donor's choice.
Mr. Kuchera was born on June 7, 1907, in Buffalo County to Rudolph and Emma (Novotny) Kucera. He attended rural Buffalo County schools.
He married
Laoma Lux on Feb. 8, 1932, in Ravenna. They farmed north of Gibbon until he retired because of failing health in 1965. They then moved to Kearney. Mrs. Kuchera died in July 1979.
Mr. Kuchera was a member of Bethel United Methodist Church near Gibbon and the Odd Fellows in Gibbon.
Survivors include his daughter, Arlene (Mrs. Roy) Williams of Edgewood, N.M.; six grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; and two sisters, Rose Okrina of Ravenna and Marie Pabian of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by three brothers and two sisters.
