James W. Covalt, age 45, passed away on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 at his home south of Paxton, NE. James was born in Alliance, NE on May 3, 1974, to Landon Covalt and Lyn Billes (Covalt). James attended Alliance High School and stayed around the area until he moved to Arthur, NE where he worked on the Peterson Ranch. He then moved to Lamont, Oklahoma where he spent time with family before returning to Nebraska. Upon returning to Nebraska, James moved to Paxton where he worked for Peterson...

Janice Aileen (Sheldon) “Jan” Guest, 75, of Brule, went to be with her Lord on Monday, May, 6, 2019, in her home.  A Memorial Service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 22, 2019, in the Congregational Church at Brule, with the Rev. Lisa Hadler officiating.  She was born Aug. 27, 1943, at Cheyenne, Wyoming, the daughter of Stanley and Clementena (Palu) Sheldon.  Jan had many friends and family. She loved her critters and Fords. She enjoyed helping others and...

Christine L. Hill, 70, of Grand Island, NE, died Tuesday, April 30, 2019, at CHI Health St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.  Services will be Monday, May 6, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. at Curran Funeral Chapel.  The Pastor Jason Warriner will officiate.   Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m., Monday, at the funeral chapel.  Interment will be Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in the Hyannis Cemetery, Hyannis, NE with a 10:00 a.m. (MT) committal service. ...

Patricia "Pat" Ann Pierce, age 76, longtime Ogallala resident, passed away Monday, April 22, 2019, at the Ogallala Community Hospital with her family by her side. Patricia Ann Pierce was born January 17, 1943, in Garden City, Kansas to Leo and Margaret Deines. Pat married the love of her life, David "Buck" Pierce in Cheyenne, Wyoming on December 28, 1962. The couple made their home in Ogallala, except for 8 years when they lived in Wichita, Kansas with their four...

Dale Dean Forsstrom, age 86, of Ogallala, Nebraska, passed away on April 14th, 2019 in Ogallala. He was born May 8th, 1932 in Hemingford, NE to parents Carl and Edith (Bowser) Forsstrom. He developed a love of sports early on, which later grew to become one of his greatest passions. He graduated from Hemingford High School in 1950 and received a medal from the Omaha World Herald acknowledging his high school baseball accomplishments.  He also briefly attended Chadron State...

Dwayne Richard Orth, age 81, of rural Brule, NE was called to his eternal home on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, at Indian Hills Manor in Ogallala after a battle with recurrent pancreatic cancer.  Dwayne was born at Fairbury, Nebraska on February 24, 1938 to Gustav and Olga (Endorf) Orth.  He was baptized at Grace Lutheran Church at Fairbury, NE on March 13, 1938. He moved at a very young age with his parents to a farm near the town of Western, NE, where he went to country school through...

Edward "Ed" Cooney, age 77, of Arthur, passed away, Friday, March 29, 2019 at the Ogallala Community Hospital. Ed was born in Brule, NE on June 9, 1941 to Emery and Hazel (Jackson) Cooney. He graduated from Arthur County High School in 1959.  Ed went on to work as a truck driver, state of NE worker, and then on to Arthur County High School where he served as custodian for 47 years. Ed loved the job and the kids at school throughout the many years he worked there until he...

Roberta Hartman, age 82, of Ogallala, passed away, Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at the Ogallala Community Hospital. Roberta was born January 28, 1937 in Imperial, Nebraska to Samuel and Merna (Wheeler) Phillips. She attended Chase County Public Schools. Roberta worked at various restaurants when she was younger. In 1965, she was united in marriage to Ed Hartman and the two of them made their home in North Platte. In 1969 they moved to Ogallala where she worked for Ogallala Public Schools. In...

Scott A. Campbell, age 49, of North Platte, NE, formerly of Ogallala, NE, passed away, Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at Great Plains Health in North Platte. Scott was born April 28, 1969, in Ogallala, NE to Max and Karen (Speck) Campbell. Scott went to school in Ogallala, graduating from Ogallala High School in 1988. He worked for the Ogallala Livestock. On August 4, 1990 he married his High School Sweetheart, Bobbi Hood, at the United Methodist Church in Ogallala. In 1995 the two of them moved...

  Dorothy Thompson, age 80, of Ogallala, passed away, Sunday, March 10, 2019 at the Indian Hills Manor in Ogallala. Dorothy was born July 3, 1938 to Wayne and Jennie (Frerichs) Van Velson in Ogallala, NE. She attended grade school at District 2 and graduated from Ogallala High School in 1955. On May 26, 1955, Dorothy married Don at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Ogallala. The couple resided and farmed south of Ogallala. She worked for ESU-16 for 25 years, and then went to work for...

Velda N. Baack (Hodgson), age 65, of Lemoyne, Nebraska passed away on March 10, 2019 at the Sutherland Care Center in Sutherland, Nebraska after a courageous, fifteen-year, battle with cancer. Velda was born June 24, 1953 in La Junta, Colorado to Leslie and Clara Hodgson (Petty). Velda graduated from Karval High School, Karval, Colorado in 1971. She attended college at the University of Northern Colorado, in Greeley, Colorado and received her Bachelor's Degree in Education. Velda...

Needa Jacqueline "Jackie" Spellmeyer, age 83, of Ogallala, began her journey with the Lord on Thursday, March 7, 2019. She was a resident at the Indian Hills Manor Nursing Home for the past 2 1/2 years where she battled a condition known as Progressive Supra Nuclear Palsy. Jackie was also a stroke and breast cancer survivor. Jackie was born November 24, 1935, in Long Beach, CA to Solon and Needa Boyd. She moved to Ogallala in 1979 with her husband Marlin and family. She first...

Adeline J. Ford, age 90, of Big Springs, passed away on  March 6, 2019 at the Sedgwick County Memorial Nursing Home in Julesburg, CO.    Adeline was born in Ogallala, NE to Joseph and Helen (Sibal) VanCura. She attended Elementary School to High School in Big Springs, NE where she met her husband, Richard L. Ford. They were married on September 29, 1946, at the United Methodist church in Big Springs and celebrated 39 years of marriage before Dick's death in...

Robert "Bob" H. Riggs, age 87, of Ogallala, passed away Saturday, March 2, 2019 at his home in Ogallala. Bob was born November 19, 1931 to Robert and Edna (Halbert) Riggs in Chicago, IL.  After attending elementary school in Crystal, MI, Bob graduated from High School in Bartlesville, OK. He attended college at Oklahoma State University until he was drafted into the Army in 1953. He was stationed in Germany and was discharged May 31, 1955.  On November 11, 1953 Bob...

Nancy Lee (Chapman) Hoagland, age 80, of Ogallala, passed away on  February 16, 2019 at the Perkins County Health Services in Grant.    Nancy was born March 29, 1938 to Roger and Alberta (Bennett) Chapman in Scottsbluff, NE. She grew up in the Scottbluff area and graduated from Scottsbluff High School in 1956.   On March 31, 1956 she married Lyle Delbert Hoagland in Rapid City, SD. They lived in the Scottsbluff area for several years and eventually moved to Ogallala. This...

John A. Leder, age 61, of Big Springs, passed away, Wednesday, February 13, 2019, at the VA Medical Center in Cheyenne, WY.    John was born November 5, 1957 to Robert and Nancy (French) Leder in Lewellen, NE.   He attended school at District 80 in Big Springs, NE, graduating from Big Springs High School in 1975. After graduating High School, John joined the Air Force on October 29, 1975. He spent time in Texas, South Carolina and Frankfurt, Germany. On September 1, 1978, he...

Harold "Wayne"  Liggett, age 91, of Ogallala, passed away, Thursday, February 7, 2019 at the Indian Hills Manor in Ogallala.     Wayne was born May 4, 1927 in Hume, MO to Ely and Edith Liggett.  He received his early education in Brule and Big Springs, graduating from Big Springs High School in 1944. Wayne then entered the Merchant Marines and served in the Pacific for 3 years. On September 20, 1949, he was united in marriage to Betty L. Boss. The couple...

Beldora "Bel" Haythorn, age 99, of Ogallala, passed away, Thursday, February 7, 2019 at the Ogallala Community Hospital.     Bel was born February 14, 1919 to Byron and Helene (Shoup) Cochran in Sutherland, Nebraska.    Bel attended elementary and high school in Sutherland, graduating in 1937. She attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri in the fall of '37 and graduated in 1939. She then went to Kansas University in Lawrence, KS for one year,...

Bette Jane Sigwing age 79 of Ogallala died Friday, January 25, 2019 in Lincoln, NE surrounded by her loving family. Bette was born January 24, 1940 in Big Springs, Nebraska to Norman (Tater) and Pauline (Mueller) Frates. She attended Brule Public Schools where she had perfect attendance all 12 years. She attended 1 year of college at Wesleyan University in Lincoln, NE where she proudly acquired her M.R.S. :) On August 24, 1959 she married her high school sweetheart Gerald (Jerry)...

Rose M. Diedrich, age 80, of Ogallala, passed away, Wednesday, January 23, 2019 at the Ogallala Community Hospital.     Rose was born, July 3, 1938, to Clarence and Lillian (Fredickson) Schafersman, at Fremont, NE.   Rose grew up in Telbasta, NE, graduating from Arlington, NE High School in 1956. After High School, she attended Wayne State College, in Wayne, NE for 1 year. In 1957, Rose moved to California for a year, and worked for California Milling Corporation, in Los...

Bernice "Myrna" Lanford, age 82, of Ogallala, passed away, Wednesday, January 23, 2019 in her home.     Myrna was born on June 18, 1936 to Joseph and Bernice (Romero) Apodaca at Brighton, CO.  She received her education in the Denver Public Schools and attended Community College in Denver, CO for 1 year.     Myrna was united in married to Joe Lanford on November 5, 1955 in Denver. The couple resided there, until moving to Ogallala in 1974. She...

Jan Panek, age 92, formerly of Ogallala, died Saturday, January 12, 2019, at his daughters home in Shelton, Washington. Jan was born on June 16, 1926, in Lipie, Poland, to Piotr and Dorota (Koszszan) Panek. Jan's mother died when he was almost 2 years old, and was raised  by his father and grandmother. In 1939 German forces invaded Poland. Shortly after Jan completed the 7th grade, Jan, his older sister, Cecylia, and their father were forced to go to Germany and work for...

Marian N. Chestnutt, age 86, of Ogallala, passed away, Saturday, January 12, 2019 at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.  Marian was born to Fred and Louisa (Schneider) Forell on August 21, 1932 at Belvidere, Nebraska. She attended schools in NE, CO, and KS, graduating from Phillipsburg High School in Phillpsburg, KS. Marian was united in marriage to Melvin Chestnutt, January 8, 1954 at Kensington, KS. To their marriage was born 6 children; 4 girls and 2 boys.  Her hobbies...

Eva Maurine Lydiatt, age 98, of Chappell, passed away, peacefully and quietly, on Saturday, January 12, 2019 with her family present at the Indian Hills Manor in Ogallala. Maurine was born on her grandparents farm/ranch near Bartley, Nebraska on April 6, 1920 to Paul and Nellie (Book) Smith. Her family moved to Lodgepole, NE when she was 4 years old. The oldest of three, she also had a brother, Dick and sister, Donna. She went to school in Lodgepole from first grade through high school...

Gregory Lynn Buethe, Sr., age 56, of Ogallala, passed away at his home, Thursday, January 10, 2019. Greg was born to Dale and Karolyn (Moran) Buethe on March 2, 1962 in Denver, Colorado. Greg was the only brother of 4 siblings. He loved his sisters, Kim, Brenda, and Roxanne, and loved to pick on them as much as he could, he also watched out for them. In his free time, he loved to fish, hunt and go camping with his friends and family. Working and rebuilding cars is another thing you could...

Diane K. Barnhill, age 72, of Ogallala, passed away, Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at her home. Diane was born on September 20, 1946 at Scottsbluff, NE to Harold and Juanita (Cook) Hergenrader. Diane grew up and received her education in Scottsbluff. She married LeRoy Conrad in Scottsbluff.  In 1981, Diane married Gary Barnhill. They made their home in Ogallala. She was employed by the Ogallala Holiday Inn and later by the hospital in Grant. She also worked for the Greyhound bus depot in...

Barbara K. Covel, age 50, of Ogallala, passed away on January 6, 2019 at the Perkins County Health Services in Grant. Barbara was born on September 12, 1968 to David and Carol (Jones) Morgan, in Scottsbluff, NE. Barbara attended school in Scottsbluff and New Mexico. After graduating, she went to work at the Job Core in the computer lab in Tulsa, OK. Barbara and her family moved to Colorado, and worked various jobs in the Greeley area, where she met her husband, Phillip Covel. The two of...

Sandra Estrada, 62, of Big Springs, NE, passed away on Friday, December 28th, while in the company of her family, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center, in North Platte Nebraska. Sandra was born in Rocky Ford, CO on May 23, 1956, a daughter of Elias and Erma (Sandoval) Jaramillo. She was the wife of Steve Estrada, they were married September 28, 1978.  Sandra was a very loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. she loved spending time with her...

David E. Dunaway, age 58, of Ogallala, died at his home on Saturday, December 8, 2018. Cremation was chosen. No services scheduled at this time. Draucker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Life long Ogallala resident, Mary E. Mitchell "Liz", passed away, on Thursday, December 6, 2018, at the Brookdale Village Assisted Living, in Greenwood Village, Colorado. Liz was born on November 11, 1923, in Ogallala, to Frank J. and Mary (Losure) Sibal. She grew up in Ogallala, graduating Ogallala High School in 1941. Liz attended and graduated from the North Platte School of Commerce, then going on to work as an Executive Secretary for the United States Government. On November...

Robert "Bob" W. Cottrell, age 75, of Ogallala, Nebraska, passed away on Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at the Ogallala Community Hospital.  Bob was born January 1, 1943 in Chadron, NE to George and Amy (Stowers) Cottrell. The family moved to Igloo, South Dakota in 1947 where his father worked as a Guard and a Body Mechanic until he was medically retired from Civil Service in 1955. They moved to Whitney, NE where Bob went to school until 8th grade. He attended High School...

Wilma M. Schilz, age 97, of Grant, Nebraska, passed away on Monday, November 26, 2018 at the Golden Ours Convalescent Home in Grant. Wilma was born July 18, 1921 in Culbertson, NE to Asa and Lulu (Sommers) Schlegel. She attended country grade school north of Culbertson. Wilma married Leo Edward Schilz in 1940, in McCook, Nebraska. The 2 of them moved to Brule, Nebraska where Leo worked on the McGinley ranch and farm. During her time she cooked for hired hands and did the payroll and book...

Warren E. Mays, age 71 of Big Springs, passed away peacefully on November 13, 2018 at his home on the family ranch.  Warren was born in Eads, Colorado on August 30, 1947 to Johnny and Sallie (Brown) Mays. As a young man, the family moved to Benkelman, Nebraska, where he graduated from Benkelman High School in 1965. He moved to Denver, Colorado that same year, where he worked for Tempte Manufacturing for a short time, returning to Benkelman to work for Miller Disc Manufacturing. Warren...

Terry L. Cerny, 69, of Arthur, passed away on Saturday, November 3, 2018, at his sons home in Greeley, Colorado. Terry was born on November 19, 1948 to Ernest "Ernie" and Bonna (Johnson) Cerny, in Arthur. Terry graduated from Arthur High School in 1966. He attended college at the Grand Island School of Business, where he earned an accounting degreer. After Terry graduated college, he worked in construction and roofing in Grand Island until 1978. He moved to Colorado that same...

  Brenda Lee Shavers-Terrell, age 56, of Richmond, VA, passed away on Thursday, October 25, 2018, in Richmond at the H.H. McGuire VA Medical Center. She was born on January 12, 1962, in State Line, Mississippi, to Melvin Raine and Emma Shavers. Brenda was a vibrant woman who loved life and accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at Moments of Blessing Church of Sacramento, California. She attended Burbank Elementary School and Burbank High School in Sacramento, CA, before...

Wanda A. Draucker, age 99, of Ogallala, died Wednesday, October 24, 2018 at Porter Hospice in Centennial, Colorado. Wanda Alice Draucker was born September 6, 1919 in Daykin, Nebraska, the daughter of Isaac and Sarah Miller Draucker.  As a young child, she moved to Paxton with her family. Wanda’s father had a dray line business, meeting the train and transporting goods to the store. When she was seven years old, the family moved to Sarben. Wanda attended school in Paxton and...

Robert "Bob" Clarence Hood age 69, of Lincoln, passed away on October 17, 2018 at his home in Lincoln. Bob was born on April 11, 1949 to Thomas "Blondie" and Esther (Sanders) Hood in Ogallala, NE. He attended Ogallala High School and graduated in 1968. In 1970 he married Connie Johnston at St. Paul's Lutheran church in Ogallala. Bob grew up working beside his father, Blondie at the Plumber farm, and in high school he worked at the Standard station along the...

Daniel Joseph Kessen age 57 of Lewellen, passed away on Wednesday October 17, 2018 at his home northeast of Lewellen, NE. Dan was born on February 22, 1961 in Dodge City, Kansas to Lawrence and Carolyn (Roberts) Kessen. He attended Spearville High School in Kansas and graduated in 1979. He married Cheri Hensley on March 25, 1983 in Ford, KS. After working a variety of jobs in Kansas, Dan and Cheri moved to the Nebraska Sandhills where they worked for Myron and Kay Peterson. In 1994, the two...

Paula Kay Blair, age 67, of Ogallala, passed away on Friday, October 5, 2018 at her home in Ogallala, NE. Paula was born October 6, 1950 in Ogallala to Earl Jr. and Vivian (Riedel) Blair. Paula attended St. Paul’s Lutheran School and later Ogallala Junior High, graduating from Ogallala Sr. High School in 1968. She was employedat Paradise Motel and was also employed as a waitress at the Smyth Restaurant and Stagecoach Restaurant for several years. Paula began working at TRW (which...

Rene' J. Foran, 72, of Ogallala, passed away on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at the Perkins County Health Services in Grant. Rene' was born on September 27, 1946 to Edwin and Phyllis (Bublitz) Fletcher in Winona, MN. She attended school at Winona High School and graduated in 1964.  She then attended Winona Secretarial College for 2 years before attending college at New York State in Fredonia, NY. Rene' married Leslie Foran on October 18, 1973 in Winona, where they...

Ronald E. Hornbacher 82, of North Platte formerly of Ogallala  passed away October 1, 2018 at Great Plains Health in North Platte. He was born May 18, 1936 to Wilbert and Agatha (Rou) Hornbacher of Bayard, NE. He graduated from Scottsbluff High School.  Ron went to work for Montgomery Wards where he started selling Appliances.  Ron moved to Lexington Ne to work for Henekes Company selling Appliances.  On October 17 1966 he married Beverly J. Greeley in Lexington. ...

Floyd O. Allen, Jr. age 58 of Ogallala died at his home on Tuesday September 18, 2018. Cremation was chosen. No services are scheduled at this time. Draucker Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.      

Kris A Christiansen 54 of Sarben, NE received his angel wings September 17, 2018 surrounded by his loving family at Great Plains Health in North Platte.  Kris was born June 28th,1964 in Salt Lake City, UT to Robert and Luana (Burrows) Christiansen as the youngest of four. He attended Brighton High School after which he began working as a Department Manager for Dan’s Foods. Kris married his soul mate, Kay Padgette, on January 24, 1986.  They were blessed with three children...

Ruby Orr Stimson, 98 of Ogallala died Friday September 14th, 2018 at Indian Hills Manor. She was born November 24, 1919, on a farm in Garden County near Lewellen, Nebraska. Her parents were Warren Harold and Alma C. (Boggs) Orr.  Ruby attended District #45 in Garden County and later attended District #26 in Keith County. She attended Garden County High School and then transferred to Ogallala High School for her last two years, graduating in 1937.  On June 10, 1937 Ruby married...

Betty Mae (Elizabeth) Jones Feusner 87 of Ogallala, died in her home on Tuesday, September 11, 2018 after a lengthy illness.  Betty was born February 3, 1931 on a family (VanDyke) farm near St Francis, Kansas, the second of 6 children. Her parents, Earl Francis and Edna (Johnson) Jones were both from large farm families near Huntley, Nebraska. The Feusner family farmed nearby. The dustbowl 30s were a tough time for the Jones family and Betty never got over the time she and her siblings...

Terry A. Ogle, 60 of Ogallala died Saturday Sept 1st, 2018 at Great Plains Health in North Platte, Nebraska.  He was born October 25, 1957 in Maywood, CA to Al & Beverly J. "Leistritz" Ogle His family moved to Alliance, NE. Terry attended Alliance public schools graduating from Alliance High School. Terry married Frances Mart making their home in Alliance working various jobs in the area. He moved to Ogallala in 2006 where he began working for ASC. Terry was a hard...

Diana Kay "Annie" Wheelock, 58, of Hyannis died August 30, 2018 at the Ogallala Community Hospital in Ogallala following a brief illness. Diana Kay “Annie” Minor was born April 27, 1960 to Dick and Arlene Minor in Gordon, NE.  She grew up on her parents’ ranch and loved all things western, especially horses, dogs, cattle, special cats, and the Sandhills. Annie attended the Willow Valley country school, then Hyannis where she graduated from Hyannis High...

Linda Louise Phillips, age 67, of Arthur, Nebraska, passed away on August 9, 2018 at the Ogallala Community Hospital.  Linda was born May 24, 1951 at Walla Walla, Washington to Raymond Virgil and Emily Louise Braden Trapp.  She grew up and attended school in Walla Walla and graduated from high school there in 1969. She then attended Washington State and graduated with a BS in Fashion Design in 1973. She moved to Portland, OR, where she worked for various businesses in accounting....

Lloyd Elmer Lust,87, passed away Tuesday, August 7, 2018, in Indian Hills nursing home with family by his side. Lloyd was born May 29, 1931, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Melvin and Mildred (Hiland) Lust. He married Barbara Louise Harding on June 17, 1950, in Iowa City, Iowa, just days aftergraduating from high school. They moved to Colorado in 1952 where they lived for 18 years. They then returned to Iowa, next Minnesota, then back to Colorado and retiring in Ogallala in 2005. He owned a...

Sharon Lee Hughes, 76, of Ogallala passed away Wednesday Aug 1, 2018 at the Swedish Medical Center in Englewood Colorado. Sharon was born on April 3, 1942 in Omaha, Arkansas, the daughter of Robert M. and Mary Maxine (Logan)Young. Sharon received her early education at Roscoe School District #15 through eight grade. She graduated from Ogallala High School with the class of 1960. After High School Sharon worked for TRW. On January 9, 1965 Sharon married Melvin E. Hughes in Brule. The couple...