Cecil Valentine February 16, 1915 ~ March 2, 2010
		Draucker Funeral Home 700 N. Spruce Street Post Office Box 296 Ogallala, NE 69153 Ph:  308.284.4021

 OBITUARY

 
Cecil Valentine, 95, lifetime Arthur County rancher, died Tuesday, March 2, 2010 in the Ogallala Community Hospital.

Cecil was born February 16, 1915 in a "soddie" on the family homestead in Arthur County, the son of Lynn and Orpha Shaw Valentine.

Besides the ranch chores that youth from that era were expected to perform, Cecil and his siblings rented fishing boats and cleaned fish for sportsmen who came to Lake McGuglin, on their property. During the winter the lake was a favorite gathering place for ice skating, which was one of Cecil's youthful joys. Although Cecil was not able to attend high school, he was very proud of the fact that he graduated from eighth grade.

In 1934 Cecil joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and served at Ft. Crook near Omaha. When his father died in 1938 he moved back home to live with and care for the family.

On December 21, 1940 Cecil borrowed the neighbors' Model A Ford and eloped with his lifetime friend Wilma Allison Gessford. They were married in Scottsbluff. To this union eight children were born. The couple first lived with Cecil's mother on the Valentine homestead and then moved to the Gessford homestead in the spring of 1947. Cecil finally owned the ranch in 1983, after share cropping with his father-in-law Charles Gessford. Throughout his life Cecil worked as a ranch hand and carpenter. Most of the years he was raising a family he not only had the full care of the ranch, but worked construction and helped build many of the homes and businesses in Arthur County.

Cecil volunteered as a scout master while his boys were young, and also enjoyed helping out with grass and cattle 4-H projects with the county's youth. Cecil was proud of his work with the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service and won awards for the wise care of his own land. He enjoyed gardening and caring for his home place and his cattle.

Preceding him in death was his wife, parents, step-father Lloyd Rice, daughter Sharlene Joyce Valentine, daughter-in-law Irma Valentine, and two brothers Lesley and Virgil.

He is survived by his children: C. Harvey Valentine of North Platte; Shirley (Doug) Garner of Trenton; John (Sheilah) Valentine of Arthur; Walter (Linda) Valentine of Omaha; Leona (Wayne) Godfrey of North Platte; Olin (Denise) Valentine of Centennial, CO; and Marjorie (Gary) White of Lincoln. Fifteen grandchildren: Tom (Lori) Brey; D. Eugene (Jamie) Garner; Sharlene Garner; Steffanie (Dustin) Kotik; Lisa (Fred) Rookstool; Miranda (Jared) Minshew; Julie Boggs; Domingo Valentine; Brandon (Enereida) Valentine; Dagen (Diane) Valentine; Shaylea Valentine; Whitton Valentine; Erin Godfrey and fiance Calvin Hobbs; Jared Godfrey; and Matthew White. Nine great-grandchildren: Tallon, Dalton, & Brooke Brey; Shelby, Shantel, and Ryan Rookstool; Dylan Kotik; Jada Minshew; and Brandon Daniel Valentine. One sister Velma Patchin of Omaha and one brother Ollie (Lauretta) Valentine of Kearney.

Visitation will be Friday, March 5, from Noon to 6 p.m. at Draucker Funeral Home.

Funeral Service will be Saturday, March 6, at 2 p.m. in Arthur Baptist Church with Rev. Ben Keene and Pastor Duane Dunwoody officiating.

Interment in the Arthur Cemetery. A memorial has been established to the Arthur Area Community Foundation.

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Draucker Funeral Home of Ogallala is in charge of arrangements.