Dec 6, 2023

John Drake, 68 years old, passed away Wednesday, December 6th, surrounded by his family.  John was born to Gerald and Velma (Smith) Drake and was the 11th of 14 siblings.  He grew up in Western, NE with a large family in a house full of love, chaos, and a lot of childhood sports.  Every day after someone in the...

Dec 6, 2023

Connie Marie (Meyer) Bleich was born on March 8th 1944, daughter of Benjamin and Marie Meyer. She died on December 6, 2023 peacefully at Heritage Care Center surrounded by family. She was born at Fairbury hospital and baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church. She was confirmed at Cub Creek Church, North of Jansen. She was raised and lived in the...

Dec 5, 2023

Jane Louise Bakewell, 97, of Endicott passed away December 5, 2023.  She was born August 7, 1926, to Captain Eber and Edna Hester (Compton) Fairchild in the farmhouse built by her grandparents Herman and Jane Hannah (Alderman) Fairchild.  This farmhouse would be central to her life as she and husband Robert Bakewell would purchase it in 1954.  Here they...

Dec 4, 2023

Richard LeRoy “Dick” Bugbee was born August 27, 1929, to Lewis & Ila Bugbee at Steele City, NE. He was the youngest of 4 children. He passed away on December 4, 2023, at Gardenside Nursing home in Fairbury.

He attended District 88 school east of the home place where he walked to school “uphill both ways”. He...

Dec 1, 2023

Jeanne Alice Anne Knepper was born on June 1, 1945 to Staff Sergeant Stephen William Knepper and Florence Claire Stillman Knepper at Dr. E. C. Hazard Hospital in Long Branch, New Jersey.

Jeanne was baptized July 8, 1945 as a Roman Catholic at Chapel Number 2, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. Her Aunt Rose Marie Smith was her...

Nov 30, 2023

Charles Raymond Shellhase, 74, formerly of Fairbury, passed away Thursday, November 30th, 2023, at Bryan West Memorial Hospital in Lincoln, NE. Born in Superior Nebraska December 18, 1948, to Donald Delphos and Donna June (Snavely) Shellhase. After graduating from Superior High School, he attended Fairbury Junior College where he met Sherylln Siefford of Fairbury. He would later propose to...

Nov 27, 2023

Nancy Rae Shaw was born to Delbert and Diahmer Shaw on October 11,1945. She joined the union of three older siblings, 2 sisters, Janice, and Sally and 1 brother Ronnie. Nancy was born at the family farmhouse, located three miles west of Verdel, Nebraska. Nancy loved farm life and helped with the animals and chores. She attended eight years...

Nov 22, 2023

Carol Jean Schnuelle Barber. 90, of Fairbury, Nebraska, passed away on November 22, 2023. She was born to Alfred and Mary (Allpress) Schnuelle in Fairbury, on August 24, 1933. Carol grew up on the family farm near Harbine and attended country school near Harbine until high school when she attended Fairbury High School.

Carol worked at the...

Nov 20, 2023

Norma Katherine Roelfs, was born March 30, 1932 at Wilber Nebraska.  She was the Daughter of Edward and Ludmila (Vozenilek) Kasparek. She lived in the Wilber and Dorchester area and attended elementary school K-8th at District 72 and 55.  She graduated from Wilber High School in 1951 and attended Doane and Fairbury Jr. College. She taught country school District...

Nov 10, 2023

Scott Lyle McGee, 70 of Fairbury, passed away Friday, November 10, 2023. Scott was born April 25, 1953 in Hastings, NE to Curtis and Delores (Vahle) Morgan. Scott was 5 years-old when they moved to Ord and later, at age 11 he and his two siblings were adopted by their new step father, James McGee, and moved to Oxford,...

Nov 6, 2023

Robert W. Yantz (Bob) was born July 26th, 1927 on the Yantz family farm located southeast of Daykin.  His parents were William and Caroline (Marschman) Yantz.  Robert was baptized at the Saint John Lutheran church in Daykin on August 21, 1927.  Robert attended grade school at the “Village View” (District 54) country schoolhouse that was located near the family...

Nov 6, 2023

Bertha Mary Pingel age 92 of Steele City, Nebraska passed away on November 6th, 2023. She was born August 15th, 1931 at Reynolds Nebraska, the daughter of Edward Eugene and Clara Bertha (Huss) Cerveny.

She was married to Don Pingel on August 14th, 1955. They moved to a farm near Steele City. In their early years, one...

Nov 3, 2023

Rex Fay Lichtenberger’s legacy hasn’t come to an end with his death. Rex was born on July 18, 1924, to Howard Faye and Alta “Merle” (Townsend) Lichtenberger. Rex passed away after a life well lived in Fairbury, NE, at the age of 99.

Rex was the fourth child out of eight, and grew up on the family...

Oct 21, 2023

Frank John Gaydusek, Jr. passed away on October 21, 2023, at the Onaga Hospital following a brief illness. He was a resident of Westmoreland Community Care Home for 14 months. Before that he lived with his daughter for over 4 years. Frank was born June 18, 1922, in Bratrejob, Czechoslovakia, which is now the Czech Republic. In 1926 he...

Oct 21, 2023

Ruth Elaine (Zabel) Schmidt was born October 5, 1927, in Fairbury, NE, to Lloyd and Winifred (Cox) Zabel.  She died October 21, 2023, at the age of 96. Ruth attended District 82 in Jefferson County for eight years and then entered Fairbury High School, where she was a twirler in the high school band and a member of the...

Oct 12, 2023

James A. Lugenbeel was born on February 12, 1957, in Fairbury, Nebraska and departed his life on October 12, 2023, at Jefferson County Health and Life Hospital in Fairbury, Nebraska. He was born to James O. Lugenbeel and Winifred Jean Harper Lugenbeel. James grew up in Fairbury and attended school thru 9th grade. He joined the Army for a...

Oct 4, 2023

Michael Richard Balbach, 52, formerly of Kearney, passed away peacefully Wednesday,  October 4, 2023 in Western,  NE. He was born August 18, 1971 to RoyDean and Kay Balbach. Mike obtained his GED and certificates in Welding and Horticulture. He was an avid artist on paper and in metal work.  He had a love for fishing,  hunting,  growing beautiful roses...

Sep 28, 2023

Gary Raymond Haddan, lovingly known as “Big G”, was born September 15, 1941 in Fairbury, NE to Raymond and Ella (Naiman) Haddan and passed away September 28, 2023.  He was a life-long member of Grace Lutheran Church, having been baptized in 1941 and confirmed in 1955.    He graduated from Fairbury High School with the Class of 1959 and enlisted...

Sep 16, 2023

Lorraine Sue (Baete) McCown, 73, caring mother, grandmother, sister, and friend passed on September 16, 2023 in Beatrice, Nebraska.

She was born to Adolf Baete and Edith (Hermle, Baete) Fairbanks on June 19, 1950. She graduated from Beatrice High School in 1968. Her life was one focused on service and care to others through her work at...

Sep 11, 2023

Harold W. Germer, 62, of Endicott, Nebraska passed away on September 11, 2023.  Harold was born October 2, 1960 in Fairbury, Nebraska.  He is the oldest of three children born to Harold H. and Shirley (Stelling) Germer.

Harold grew up on the family farm just south of Jansen, Nebraska.  He graduated from Fairbury High School, Class of...