U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Gerald Luther
BROKEN BOW -- Gerald Franklin Luther, 81, of Broken Bow died Thursday, Oct. 28, 1999, at Jennie M. Melham Memorial Medical Center in Broken Bow.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow. The Rev. Jim Stark will officiate. Burial will be in the Broken Bow cemetery with Elks rites.
Visitation will be from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the mortuary.
Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer's Association.
Mr. Luther was born on June 20, 1918, at Mason City to Omer and Bertha (Reynolds) Luther. The family lived in Broken Bow, where he attended school and graduated from Broken Bow High School in 1936. During World War II, he worked at a Douglas Aircraft factory in California.
He married
Freda J. Carpenter Bates on Nov. 15, 1958, at Lexington. He operated Luther Sand and Gravel and was a highway road contractor. In 1974, the couple retired and returned to Broken Bow.
Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Candace D. Knipp of Aurora, Colo., and Linda A. Hansen of Gothenburg; six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren, and a half brother, Kem Luther of Toronto.
He was preceded in death by one brother and one sister.
Cheyenne Eckhardt
TALMAGE -- Cheyenne Lynn Eckhardt, 5-month-old daughter of Alen and Brandi Eckhardt of Talmage, died Thursday, Oct. 28, 1999, at the Nemaha County Hospital in Auburn.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Fusselman-Wymore-Marshall Funeral Home in Nebraska City. The Rev. Michael Knapp will officiate. Burial will be in Wyuka cemetery at Nebraska City.
Visitation will be from 2 to 9 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday and one hour before services Monday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Cheyenne was born on May 12, 1999, at Columbus to Alen Lee and Brandi Lynn (Shipley) Eckhardt. The family moved to Talmage two months ago. She was always happy and loved to play.
Survivors include her parents; grandparents, Faye Bohrer of Hampton, Rogene Eckhardt of Riverton, John and Tina Mommens of Omaha, LoRayne Shipley of Talmage and Jerry Shipley of Williamsburg, Iowa; and great-grandparents, Dave and Mickey Cochran of Talmage, Rosemary and Ivol Shipley of Burlington Junction, Mo., David Bohrer of Riverton, Roberta Bohrer of Red Cloud and the Rev. August and Lorraine Mommens of Worms.
She was preceded in death by a great-grandfather, Charles Olson.
Madron family
SENECA -- Four members of the Madron family of Seneca died on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 1999, in an auto accident near Humansville, Mo. Killed were Rourke Paul Madron, 48, Marlene Fern Madron, 43, and their two children, Janae Kylene Madron, 10, and Rendle Ivan Madron, 7.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Bethel Assembly of God Church in Thedford. Burial will be in Hillcrest cemetery at Thedford.
The family will receive guests from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the church.
Memorials are suggested to the Madron Family Memorial.
Mullen Funeral Home of Mullen is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Madron, 48, was born on Sept. 7, 1951, in Broken Bow to Paul and DeEtta (Pearson) Madron. He grew up on a ranch south of Seneca. He graduated from Thedford High School as valedictorian in 1969 and received an associate's degree in veterinary technology from the Technical College of the Rockies in Thermopolis, Wyo.
He returned to the ranch after a prairie fire in 1972 to rebuild the cattle herd and replant shelterbelts. He continued to live on the ranch and raise cattle.
He was a member of the church board, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service and the Nebraska Cattlemen's Association.
Survivors include his parents, of Thedford; two sisters, Twila (Mrs. Steve) Springer of Spring, Texas, and Connie (Mrs. Jim) Pierson of Cicero, N.Y.; and his grandfather, Ivan Madron of Broken Bow.
Mrs. Madron was born on June 29, 1956, in Kansas City, Mo., to Lee and Ardis Edwards. She grew up in the Kansas City area and graduated from Gardner High School in 1974. She earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing from William Jewell College in 1976.
She was a nurse at Shawnee Mission Medical Center from 1978 to 1983 and served as director of nursing at the hospital in Mullen for six months. She was a nurse at the Broken Bow Hospital for several years. Most recently, she was a home health care nurse for Thomas and Hooker counties.
Survivors include her parents, of Edgerson, Kan.; and two sisters, Arleta (Mrs. Ed) Davey of Olathe, Kan., and Sonja (Mrs. Scott) Zimmerman of Basking Ridge, N.J.
The couple was married
on Sept. 3, 1983, in Gardner, Kan.
Janae was born on Aug. 3, 1989.
Rendle was born on June 19, 1992.
The children were home schooled. Janae enjoyed piano lessons, participating in programs at church and helping her mother in the house. Rendle enjoyed playing with his John Deere tractors, trucks and farm machinery.
Both children were active in 4-H and spent a lot of time outdoors and accompanying their mother on her home health care visits. They started going with their father in the truck to feed cattle when they were very young. They often sang together at church.
Charles Kaelin
SOUTH RANGE, Wis. -- Charles E. "Gene" Kaelin, 82, of South Range, Wis., formerly of Ansley, died Oct. 9, 1999, at Middle River Health and Rehabilitation Center.
Mr. Kaelin was born on June 16, 1917, in Ansley to Louis and Caroline Kaelin.
He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II on a submarine tender in the South Pacific.
He married
Flora May Bristol in June 1946 in Loup City. He farmed for more than 42 years and also drove a school bus for the Maple School District.
He was a longtime member of Lakeside Baptist Church and served on its deacons board for more than 25 years. He was also a member of American Legion Post 403, served on the Wentworth Co-op board of directors for more than 10 years and was a Nebraska and Green Bay football fan.
Survivors include his wife; one son, George of Spooner, Wis.; three daughters, Carol (Mrs. Doug) Snyder of Bradenton, Fla., Barbara J. Anderson of South Range, Wis., and Bonny L. Carlson of Poplar, Wis.; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
He was preceded in death by one brother, Louis Kaelin Jr.; and two sisters, Helen Fox and Louise Hayes.
V.J. 'John' Pierce
GIBBON -- V.J. "John" Pierce, 81, of Gibbon died Tuesday, Oct. 26, 1999, in Elko, Nev.
Services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Godberson Mortuary in Gibbon with the Rev. Barbara Spangler officiating. Burial will be at 3 p.m. in the Fairbury Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the mortuary. Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Mr. Pierce was born on Feb. 22, 1918, at Crab Orchard to Venus V. and Marie (Blum) Pierce. He grew up on a farm in the Reynolds area and attended school there.
He entered the U.S. Army in 1942, served in the South Pacific and returned home in 1945.
He married
Deane Zierenberg on Jan. 20, 1946, in Fairbury. They lived on a farm near Reynolds until moving to their farm south of Gibbon in 1968. Mr. Pierce raised horses and hay in addition to farming. He also was a part-time auctioneer.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Dennis Pierce of Elko, Nev., and Dr. Eddie Pierce of Minden; a daughter, Jan (Mrs. Charles) Michalek of Colorado Springs, Colo.; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a brother, Cecil of Narka, Kan.; and a sister, Mrs. Carol McKenzie of Osage Beach, Mo.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Clifford.
