- Date Posted: 2010-07-21
- Maiden Name: Large
Valerie Jo (Large) O'Brien, age 68, passed away July 21, 2010, in her home in Wahoo, Neb. Born to Herbert and
Madelyn (Kimberly) Large on December 14, 1941 in Lexington, Neb. She graduated from Lexington High School in 1960 and attended Kearney State University. Her career included employment at Security Mutual Insurance Company, Southeast Psychiatric Clinic in Lincoln, Wahoo High School, McGill and Martin Dental Office, and Christensen Drug. In 1962 she married Terrence A. O'Brien of Randolph, Neb. and they resided in Lincoln until they moved to Wahoo in 1971. Val battled ovarian cancer for two and a half years and she was a child polio survivor. She was a member of St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Saunders County Hospital Auxiliary and the Women's Bridge Club.
Survivors include her husband, son and daughter-in-law, Cory and Diane O'Brien of Wahoo; daughter, Marnie O'Brien of Lincoln; granddaughter, Katelyn O'Brien of Wahoo; sisters, Sharon "Sue" Pritzker of Ormand Beach, Fla., Colleen Bowers of DeKalb, Ill., Holly and Gene Comer of Newton, Iowa; brother-in-law, Dan and Bonnie O'Brien of Hayden Lake, Idaho; sister-in-law, Edie O'Brien of Orange Park, Fla.;, nieces; nephews; and granddogs.
Memorial Mass Tuesday, July 27, 2010, 10:30 a.m. at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Wahoo; interment will be private. A gathering of family and friends will be Monday, 5-8 p.m. with a rosary/scripture service at 7 p.m. at Svoboda Funeral Home. The family requests memorials be sent to them with a recipient to be determined. Svoboda Funeral Home, Wahoo, NE, 402-443-3624
- Date Posted: 2010-09-25
- Maiden Name: Gries
Elsie Louise (Gries) Brown, 68, of Bertrand died Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010, at Elwood Care Center.
Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege with the Rev. Mike Szekely officiating. Private family burial of cremains will be later. There will be no visitation. The body was cremated. Sandstrom Funeral Home of Bertrand is in charge of arrangements.
She was born Dec. 11, 1941, in Onawa, Iowa, to Melvin and Clara (Martz) Gries.
Survivors include her son, Scott of Lexington; daughters, Teola Campbell of Holdrege and Carrie McHarness of Axtell; brothers, Larry Gries of Omaha and Frank Strong of Eustis; sisters, Catherine Hoselton of Eustis and Linda Jones of Cozad; three grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; and seven stepgreat-grandchildren.Published in the Kearney Hub on 9/28/2010
- Date Posted: 2012-10-08
Howard A. "J.R." Hanson, Jr., 70, of Lexington, Nebraska, passed away Monday, October 8, 2012, at Plum Creek Care Center in Lexington.
Howard was born January 28, 1942, in Tooele, Utah to Howard A., Sr. and Marie W. (Galbraith) Hanson. He was the 2nd of four children. As a young child his family returned to Lexington where he was raised. He graduated from Lexington High School in 1960. After high school, Howard attended Kearney State College graduating in 1964, with a degree in Industrial Arts education. While attending college he was a member of the Loper football team where he served as a team captain his senior year. He married his high school sweetheart, Virginia Ann Braithwait, on July 20, 1963 at the Presbyterian Church in Lexington.
Howard and Ann moved to Broken Bow, Nebraska where they were blessed with three children; Tom in 1968, Jennifer in 1969, and Elizabeth in 1975. He taught and coached football and wrestling, managed the Cash & Carry Lumberyard and ran his own construction business. In 1975, they moved to Kearney where Howard taught at Kearney Jr. High and then again owned his own construction business.
In 1982, they moved to North Platte where he taught Building Construction at Mid-Plains Community College and earned his Specialist Degree from Kearney State College in Administration. Howard then went into public school administration and was superintendent at Hall School in rural North Platte, Greeley, Winnebago, and Table Rock. He then retired from school administration and returned to Lexington where he and Ann made their home at Johnson Lake.
In 2005, Howard returned to the classroom and taught Industrial Technology in Ogallala and Paxton during the week and maintained their home at Johnson Lake until his death.
Throughout much of his life Howard was very active in Boy Scouting. As a youth he attained the rank of Eagle Scout and continued his involvement as an adult serving in various roles; including, taking two different groups to National Scout Jamboree in 1977 and 1981. In the early 1980's, Howard was awarded the highest distinction in scouting, the Silver Beaver Award, for his distinguished service to the Boy Scouts of America.
Howard was an active and faithful member of First Presbyterian Church in Lexington and was a past member of many service and professional organizations in each of the towns that he lived. He enjoyed attending his grandchildren's activities and working in his woodshop.
Howard is survived by his children; Thomas (Janni) Hanson of Seward, NE; Jennifer Piatt of Bloomington, IN; and Elizabeth (Chris) Ericson of York, NE. Eight Grandchildren; Abigail, Ashlyn, Alec and Amelia Hanson of Seward, NE; Betsy Piatt of Bloomington, IN; and Kaitlyn, Logan, and Maelynn Ericson of York, NE; sister, Sherry (Otis) Ward of Lexington, NE; brother, Jim Hanson of Plattsmouth, NE; and brother-in-law, John Caldwell of Rifle, CO. Also surviving are nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
Howard was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Ann Hanson in April of 2012; in-laws, Maurice V. and Virginia E. Braithwait; sister, Colleen Caldwell, and an infant son, David Bruce Hanson.
Memorial Services will be held Friday, October 12, 2012, at 2:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Lexington, Nebraska with Reverend Caroline Vickery officiating. Burial will be held prior, for relatives and close friends, at Robb Cemetery south of Lexington. Visitation will be Thursday, October 11, 2012, from 4-6 p.m. at the Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington. Memorials are suggested to the Family for later designation. Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington is in charge of arrangements. Please forward online condolences to the family through: reynoldslovefuneralhome.com.
- Date Posted: 2013-08-25
- Maiden Name: Dolan
Janet E. Struempler, age 71, died Aug. 25, 2013, at home in Mullen. Cremation was chosen and a memorial service and inurnment will be at a later date in the Elwood Cemetery in Elwood.
Janet was born in Ogallala to Earl and Genevieve (Willits) Dolan on April 26, 1942. She attended Lexington High School, graduated in Class of 1960. She married the love of her life, Clayton W. Struempler, Nov. 5, 1961.
They made their home north of Lexington for a few years, where Clay worked on a feedlot. The couple moved frequently between eastern and central Nebraska, where Clay also worked at Vernon Nelson and Sons Feedlot of Loomis before settling in Thedford where Clay owned and operated CJ & D Trucking for the better part of a decade. She stayed at home and raised her son. In 2006 the couple settled in the Loomis area where Clay was employed with Overton Sand and Gravel and T & F Sand and Gravel.
Through the years she raised chickens and pigs, always enjoying having them. She enjoyed her jobs at Plectron and Superior companies but her love was the bookwork she did for their trucking business.
Janet had a zest for life and always had a smile. She was a great and loving person to everyone she met. She was always willing to give the shirt off of her back. She also was very involved in genealogy. She always made sure all the family got together and had a great time every holiday. She had a passion for God. She enjoyed reading, puzzles, playing games with family and going on the truck with Clay.
Janet is survived by her son, David (Debby) Struempler of Kearney; five grandchildren, Dakota, Cody, Trisha, Daniel, Janet (Janie); brother, Bob (Colly) Dolan of Gibbon; sister, Georgia Peden of Missouri and many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, family and friends.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Clayton; her parents; brother, Donald (Buzzy) Dolan; sister, Earline Dewey; brother-in-law, Harold Peden; nephew, Rick and great-nephew, Dakota.
Mullen Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
