U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Eldon Higby
AURORA -- Eldon E. Higby, 87, of Aurora died Friday, Dec. 14, 2001, at Hamilton Manor.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the United Methodist Church in Aurora. Dr. Joe Scahill will officiate. Burial will be in Aurora Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Higby Mortuary.
Mr. Higby was born Aug. 17, 1914, at Aurora to Austin L. and Louise A. (Stratton) Higby. He grew up in Aurora and graduated from Aurora High School in 1934.
He was owner of Higby Mortuary in Aurora and held an active funeral director/embalmers license at the time of his death. He began his career by serving an apprenticeship at Wadlow's Mortuary in Lincoln. In July 1935, he attended Williams School of Mortuary Science in Kansas City, graduating in December 1935. He received his embalmer's license in January 1936. He worked for several mortuaries in McCook, Beatrice and Nelson before returning to Aurora on July 1, 1938.
He married
Dorothy E. Bargen on Aug. 27, 1939, at her parent's home in Nelson. He worked with his father at Chapman-Higby Mortuary. In 1946, he purchased interest in the mortuary and at the time of his father's death purchased the remaining interest. In 1972, Higby Mortuary Inc. was started with his son.
His wife died Sept. 25, 2001, after 62 years of marriage.
He was active in the community. He served on the Aurora cemetery Board from 1947 to 1989, most of the time as chairman. He served on the Chamber of Commerce Board for two years and was a longtime member of Aurora Rotary. He was a member of the Aurora Volunteer Fire Department for 25 years, from 1943 to 1968, serving five years as chief of the department. He was a member of the United Methodist Church, serving on various committees of the church. In April 1986, he received a 50 year plaque for serving as a funeral director/embalmer. He was selected for outstanding performance in the Professional, Civic and Community Endeavors by the Nebraska Funeral Supply Salesmens Club. He served as president of the Nebraska Funeral Directors Association from 1970 to 1971 and served on various committees of that organization.
Survivors include two sons and a daughter-in-law, Dick Higby of San Antonio, Texas, and Jim and Linda Higby of Aurora; four grandchildren; a sister, Geraldine Oldham of Genoa, Ill.; and a brother, Vernon Higby of Aurora.
He was preceded in death by his wife and two brothers, Wayne and Warren.
'Art' Holland
ANSLEY -- Harold "Art" Holland, 73, of Ansley died Thursday, Dec. 13, 2001, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at First Christian Church in Ansley. The Rev. Mel Shepherd will officiate. Burial will be in Ansley cemetery with military rites.
Visitation will be from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Govier Brothers Mortuary.
Mr. Holland was born July 11, 1928, at Broken Bow to Clarence L. and Anna (Fox) Holland. He grew up in the Ansley area and attended Mason City and Ansley schools. He served in the U.S. Army from June 1948 to June 1950.
He married
Grace E. Snider of Broken Bow on Dec. 24, 1949, in Hopkinsville, Ky. In 1955, he started working for the Don Luther Gravel Company. He drove a truck and operated a drag line.
He continued to work for Paulsens Inc. after the business was sold. He operated the Gates gravel pit and the Elm Creek gravel pits until his retirement in 1992.
He was baptized at Church of Christ in Broken Bow in 1983. He was a member of Masonic Lodge 187 and Eastern Star 287 in Mason City where he served as past grand master. He coordinated the parade float for his Masonic Lodge and Eastern Star for many years.
He enjoyed watching his sons and grandsons in all sports and was an avid Warrior and Husker fan, going to Rosebud with his friends and conversing at Custer's Last Stop in Ansley.
Survivors include his wife; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Bob and Nancy Holland of Axtell, and Bruce Holland of Broken Bow; a daughter and son-in-law, Sue and Danny Keezer of Ansley; nine grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Betty and Leslie Miller of Hazard and Margy and Grant Schnase of Ansley; and three brothers and two sisters-in-law, Bill and Barb Holland of Broken Bow, Don Holland of Ansley and Dick and Margo Holland of Fairbanks, Alaska.
He was preceded in death by three brothers, Tommy, Calvin and Gerald, a sister, Bernice Schulte, and a sister-in-law, Georgia Holland.
Rochelle Howsden
HASTINGS -- Rochelle A. Howsden, 65, of Hastings died Thursday, Dec. 13, 2001, at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital in Hastings.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Paul's Lutheran Church west of Glenvil. Les and Bonnie Larson will officiate. Burial will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Highland Park cemetery in Ravenna.
Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Butler-Volland Funeral Home, and one hour prior to services Monday at the church.
Memorials are suggested to the church.
Mrs. Howsden was born April 11, 1936, at Allentown, Penn., to Russell and Viola (Hoxworth) Mann.
She married
Clifford Behrendt on Dec. 26, 1955, in Ravenna. Her husband died Feb. 18, 1990.
She married
William "Bill" Howsden on May 14, 1994. The couple moved to Hastings. She worked for Army Ammunition Depot in Grand Island, Safeway in Ravenna and later at the Garden Café in Hastings.
She was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church and WELCA, both of Glenvil, VFW Auxiliary in Ravenna and Women's Bowling Association in Hastings.
Survivors include her husband, Bill Howsden of Hastings; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Rick Behrendt and Bill and Becky Behrendt, all of Ravenna; a daughter and son-in-law, Sue and Tam Romans of Lincoln; stepson and stepdaughter-in-law, James and Jenny Howsden of Hastings; a stepdaughter and stepson-in-law, Carol and Mike Hamik of Hastings; four grandchildren; four step grandchildren; and a brother, Richard Mann of Cheyenne, Wyo.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Clifford Behrendt, two brothers and a grandchild.
Lorene Johnson
CLARKS -- Lorene I. Johnson, 70, of Clarks died Thursday, Dec. 13, 2001, at BryanLGH East Campus in Lincoln.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at United Methodist Church in Clarks. The Rev. Richard Dimond will officiate. Burial will be in the Pierce Chapel cemetery of rural Clarks.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Solt Funeral Home chapel in Central City.
Mrs. Johnson was born May 26, 1931, at Oswatomie, Kan., to William O. and Edna M. (Arnold) Hill. At the age of seven, her mother died and she was placed in St. Johns Orphanage in Windfield, Kan., along with one sister and two brothers. A year later she was placed with Herman and Elsie Peters in Harrington, Kan. She was later adopted.
She attended grade school and high school in Harrington, Kan., where she graduated with the class of 1949. She worked for several years to reunite with her siblings. She worked as a telephone operator in Beatrice and later transferred to Grand Island in 1953.
She married
Richard L. Johnson on Sept. 19, 1954, in Central City. The couple lived north of Clarks. She volunteered for Meals on Wheels, in the Thrift Shop in Central City and in the Clarks Elementary School.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church of Clarks and VFW Auxiliary. She enjoyed her family, especially her grandchildren.
Survivors include her husband; a son and daughter-in-law, Greg and Nolyne Johnson of Clarks; two daughters and a son-in-law, Gwen and Dave Zegar of Grand Island and Gaelyn Johnson of Hastings; seven grandchildren; and a sister and brother-in-law, Liz and Tom Hawkins of Beatrice.
She was preceded in death by a son, Glen "Charlie" in 1976 and two brothers, Fred Scheele and Bill Hill.
Wilma Lemburg
CAIRO -- Wilma L. Lemburg, 73, of Cairo died Friday, Dec. 14, 2001, at St. Francis Memorial Health Center.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Christ Lutheran Church in Cairo. The Rev. Glen Keylon will officiate. Burial will be in Cameron cemetery in Hall County.
Visitation will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the church.
Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to the church or the family's choice.
Mrs. Lemburg was born Nov. 13, 1928, at Hazard to Henry and Minnie (Brewer) Smith. She grew up in the area and graduated from Hazard High School in 1949. She then attended medical school in Omaha.
She married
Willis A. Lemburg on Feb. 18, 1951, in Ravenna. The couple lived in Cheyenne, Wyo., for a short while and then returned to Nebraska.
She worked at Omaha Cold Storage in Ravenna and the Gibbon Turkey Plant.
They later moved to Cairo where she and her husband ran the bowling alley, Cairo Bowl, for many years. She also candled eggs.
She was a member of the Christ Lutheran Church in Cairo and the Eagles Club. She enjoyed bingo, reading, sewing and bowling.
Survivors include her husband; a son and daughter-in-law, Brent and Stephanie Lemburg of Giltner; three daughters and sons-in-law, Delphine and Michael Ciemnoczolowski, and Doreen Lemburg, all of Kearney, and Sharon and Dan Lindell of Cairo; 10 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; a brother, Lyle "Skeeter" Smith of Hazard; and two sisters, Shirley Palasek of Fullerton and Arlone Breiner of Grand Island.
She was preceded in death by a brother, Harold Smith.
