U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Samuel Houck Jr.
Samuel McKenzie Houck Jr., 79, of Grand Island died Saturday, Jan. 26, 2002, in Grand Island.
Services are pending with the Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home.
Sara Schnuelle
Sara J. Schnuelle, 72, of Grand Island died Sunday, Jan. 27, 2002, at the Tiffany Square Care Center.
Services are pending with Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home.
Virgil Dembowski
76, tavern owner
FARWELL -- Virgil M. Dembowski, 76, of Farwell died Saturday, Jan. 26, 2002, at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Farwell. The Rev. Larry Coulter will officiate. Burial will be in the parish cemetery near Farwell with graveside military honors by Carl Mogensen American Legion Post 119 of St. Paul.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the church with a 7 p.m. vigil service.
Memorials are suggested to St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Farwell.
Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Dembowski was born on July 24, 1925, at Fullerton to John and Lillian (Michalski) Dembowski. The family lived in various communities and he attended schools in Nance, Merrick and Howard counties.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1944 to 1946.
He married
Mary Mae Ludington on June 1, 1948, in St. Paul. The couple lived in St. Paul and later moved to Omaha. In 1958, they moved to Commerce City, Colo., where he worked as a heavy equipment mechanic. In 1966, they moved to Farwell where the owned and operated the Sip N' Eat Tavern until they retired in 1991.
Mr. Dembowski also did woodworking and furniture repair.
He enjoyed fishing, dancing, playing cards and watching baseball games on TV.
He was a member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Farwell, American Legion Post 119 of St. Paul, and was a former member of the Western Fraternal Lodge.
Survivors include his wife; three sons and daughters-in-law, Larry and Mary Dembowski of Omaha, Joe and Connie Dembowski of Grand Island, and John and Theresa of Axtell; three daughters and sons-in-law, Joan and Larry Koperski of Farwell, Shiron and Pete Johansen of St. Paul, and Valerie and Tony Papst of Farwell; 22 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; one sister and brother-in-law, Esther and Theodore Krance of Scottsbluff; and one brother and sister-in-law, Victor and Leora Dembowski of St. Libory.
He was preceded in death by one grandson, Jamie Johansen; three brothers, Joe, Frank and Tony Dembowski; and three sisters, Nellie Lee, Clara Dembowski, and Eleanor Lee.
Raymond Knerl
RAVENNA -- Raymond J. Knerl, 74, of Ravenna died Saturday, Jan. 26, 2002, at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the United Methodist Church in Ravenna. The Rev. Karla Sheffy will officiate. Burial will be in the Highland Park cemetery in Ravenna.
Visitation will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Rasmussen Mortuary in Ravenna.
Additional details will appear later.
Marie Krajewski
ASHTON -- Marie A. Krajewski, 81, of Ashton died Saturday, Jan. 26, 2002, at her daughter's home near Doniphan.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Francis Catholic Church in Ashton. The Rev. Larry Coulter will officiate. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the church with a 7 p.m. vigil service.
Memorials are suggested to St. Francis Hospice or the family's choice.
Peters Funeral Home of Loup City is in charge of arrangements.
Additional details will appear later.
Emma Thayer
91, retired teacher
ST. PAUL -- Emma Carolyn Thayer, 91, of St. Paul died Sunday, Jan. 27, 2002, at the Heritage Living Center in St. Paul.
Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the United Methodist Church in St. Paul. The Rev. Thomas G. Hyde will officiate. Burial will be in the Elmwood cemetery in St. Paul.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Jacobsen-Greenway Funeral Home in St. Paul.
Memorials are suggested to the United Methodist Church or the Howard County Community Hospital Foundation.
Mrs. Thayer was born Oct. 28, 1910, on a farm near Wolbach to James and Augusta (Hamann) Houghton. She was baptized in the E.U.B. Church in Cotesfield at age 2. She received her early education at District 57 in Greeley County and graduated from Wolbach High School in 1928. She also attended the Kearney State Teachers' College.
She married
Bert Thayer on June 5, 1929, in Cotesfield. They farmed in the Wolbach area until 1975 when they retired and moved to St. Paul. She taught in Greeley County rural schools for 15 years beginning in 1942. She later taught in Wolbach schools for 12 years and continued as a substitute teacher after moving to St. Paul. She retired in 1997.
Mrs. Thayer enjoyed teaching and being with children.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church of St. Paul.
Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Ernest and Janice Thayer of Grand Island; a daughter, Audrey Christensen of St. Paul; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband on Jan. 3, 1992; and two brothers, Andrew and Orville Houghton.
Lloyd Johnson
NORTH LOUP -- Lloyd Francis Johnson, 89, of North Loup died Thursday, Aug. 17, 2000, at the Valley County Nursing Home in Ord.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Ord Memorial Chapel. The Rev. Melanie Adams will officiate. Burial will be in Hillside cemetery at North Loup.
Visitation will be before services on Saturday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the North Loup-Scotia Rescue Unit.
Mr. Johnson was born on Dec. 23, 1910, at Tamora to Cam and Stella Johnson. The family moved to the Ord and North Loup areas, where Mr. Johnson was raised and educated.
He married
Dorothy Cummins on Sept. 29, 1936, at Taylor. The couple farmed northeast of Ord and south of Ord before settling on a farm southwest of North Loup. Mr. Johnson drove the county maintainer for several years before retirement. Mrs. Johnson died on July 7, 1987. In the early 1990s, Mr. Johnson moved to the No Lo Villa, where he lived until his death.
Survivors include four sisters-in-law, Florence Vergin and Helen Earnest of North Loup, Doris Cummins of Apache Junction, Ariz., and LaVeda Cummins of Big Springs.
He was preceded in death by two sisters and one brother.
John Wichmann
PALMER -- John W. Wichmann, 63, of Palmer died Thursday, Aug. 17, 2000, at BryanLGH Medical Center East in Lincoln.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Libory's Catholic Church in St. Libory. The Revs. David Rykwalder and Michael McDermott will officiate. Burial will be in Rose Hill cemetery in Palmer.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the church, with a 7:30 p.m. vigil service.
Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Peters Funeral Home in St. Paul is in charge of the arrangements.
Mr. Wichmann was born on Aug. 30, 1936, on the family farm south of Palmer to William and Edna (Bader) Wichmann. He attended Merrick County District 45 School. He farmed with his father.
He married
Yvonne C. Arends on Feb. 14, 1956, at St. Libory. The couple farmed and operated a meat processing business on the family farm south of Palmer.
He was a member of St. Libory's Catholic Church, the Platt-Duetsche, Eagles Aerie 378 and the Saddle Club of Grand Island. He enjoyed woodworking, playing cards and polka music.
Survivors include his wife; one son, Keith Wichmann of Palmer; two daughters, Marcia Wichmann of Central City and Kaylene (Mrs. Tom) Weller of Palmer; three granddaughters; two sisters, Madeline Simonson of St. Libory and Della Mae (Mrs. Gene) Boltz of Grand Island; and a special friend, Kathy Lewandowski of Loup City.
He was preceded in death by one daughter, Monica Wichmann; one grandson; and his parents.
