Custer County Chief
Feb. 9, 2006
 
Kenneth C. JACKSON, 85, of Merna, died Feb. 2, 2006 in Broken Bow.  
Kenneth was born May 1, 1920, at Arnold, Neb., to Richard and Rose Anne 
(Boggs) Jackson.  He married Pauline Mae Prescott on Christmas Eve 1940.  
Pauline preceded him in death on Dec. 13, 2005.  He was precided in death 
by his parents, brothers Loren and Cecil, and his sister, Inez.  Funeral services 
were conducted in Govier Brothers Chapel in Broken Bow. Burial was in the 
Merna Cemetery.
 
Betty Petet DURYEA, 77, died at Serenity Gate, a hospice in Warner Robins, Ga. 
Jan, 28, 2006.  Betty was born Nov. 28, 1928, in Springfield, Neb.,  Her parents 
were Lee and Murial (Henderson) Petet.  On June 26, 1949, she wed Ladd Duryea.  
She was preceded in death by her parents; her aunt and uncle (Mona and Stan Emry); 
one sister, Virginia; and brothers Everett, Gerald, Frank, Jack and Walter Petet.  
Interment of Betty's ashes will be in Douglas Grove Cemetery near Comstock.
 
Christina V. ROOD, 84, died at St. Mary's Hospital in Nebraska City, Feb. 5, 2006.  
She was born Nov. 26, 1921, in Lamoni, Iowa to Alvin and Lenna (Spitznogle) Slauter.  
She married Gale "Bill" Rood on Feb. 10, 1940, in Maryville, Mo.  Bill passed away in 1990.  
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and eleven brothers and sisters.  
Funeral services were at Govier Brothers Funeral Chapel in Broken Bow.  
Burial will be in the Broken Bow Cemetery.  
 
Opal WELCH, age 90, passed away Dec. 8, 2005 in Sublimity, Ore.  
She was born May 4, 1915, to Roy and Olive Dare at Gates, Neb.  
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Floyd Dare; 
husband, Leroy Welch and daughter Precilla McGill.
 
DEATH NOTICE
 
Barbara Geiser RONDON, 92, passed away Jan. 9, 2006, Las Vegas, Nev.  
She was born to Raymond and Margaret (Davis) Geiser Jan. 14, 1913. 
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Edward Martin and her 
second husband Jack Rondon, her parents, and three brothers, Henry, Floyd 
and George.  Private family services were held at the Broken Bow Cemetery.
 
Marie Newman PAYNE, 65, of Kearney, died Jan 29, 2006.  Marie was 
born Nov. 23, 1940, in Ansley to Tom and Opal (Sigler) Newman and 
married Robert Payne Dec. 21, 1958, in Merna.  Funeral services were 
at O'Brien-Straatmann-Apfel Funeral Home in Kearney with interment 
in the Riverdale Cemetery.
 
Esther SCHROEDER, 98, formerly of Miller,died Feb. 7, 2006 in Bertrand, Neb.  
Funeral services are pending.  Horner-Lieske-Horner Mortuary of Kearney is 
in charge of arrangements.
 
Michael "Earnest" SLEDGE, 62, died Jan. 31, 2006, in Omaha.  
He is the husband of Kathy (Jacquot) Sledge formerly of Merna.  
Graveside services were at the Dale Catholic Cemetery near Merna.

February 16, 2006
 
Leona Mae Kelly HEATH, died Feb. 9, 2006 in Brokn Bow. 
Leona was born third of four children to Mary Martha (Cassiday) and 
Charles Edward Kelly in Missouri Valley, Harrison County, Iowa July 7, 1920.  
Leona was united in marriage to Wiley Sans Heath on Dec. 12, 1943.  Leona 
was preceded in death by her husband, parents, two brothers, and sister-in-law, 
Ralph (Elsie) Kelly and Charles (Margie) Kelly; sister Janie Heath, and grandson 
Tim Lien. Services were at the United Methodist Church in Broken Bow.  
Interment was in the Broken Bow Cemetery.  
 
Lila Lenora STARK of Broken Bow died Feb. 12, 2006.  Lila was born May 26, 1929, 
in Lincoln, to Elmer and Martha (Watts) Lloyd.  She was preceded in death by her 
parents and a brother.  Services were conducted at the First Christian Church in 
Broken Bow.  Burial was in the Lillian Cemetery in the Lillian community north of 
Broken Bow.  
 
Michael SLEDGE was laid to eternal rest in Dale Cemetery, Merna, Feb. 8, 2006.  
He died Jan. 31, 2006, after a three year battle with laryngeal cancer.  His funeral 
was at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Omaha. Michael was born Earnest 
Parker Sledge Nov. 10, 1943, in Fairhope, Ala., to Ora Lee (Young) and Claude Sledge, Sr.  
He enlisted in the Marine Corps in July 1961.  He spent one year in Japan, supporting troops 
in the Vietnam conflict.  In 1964, he change his name to Michael Parker Sledge.  He married 
Kathryn Lynn Jacquot Oct. 10, 1981.  Michael was preceded in death by his parents, Ora Lee 
(Young) and Claude Sledge., Sr., Omaha; his parents-in-law, Meta (Steinmeyer) and Cecil 
Jacquot; and brother-in-law Jerry Jacquot, all of Anselmo.
 
Verna Mae OWINGS, 65, of Grand Island died Feb. 13, 2006, at her daughter's home 
in Grand Island following a long battle with cancer.  Services were at Messiah Lutheran 
Chuch in Grand Island.  The Rev. Jack Eske will officiate.  Burial will be in Westlawn Memorial 
Park Cemetery.  Verla Mae was born Feb. 14, 1940, at Mason City, to Dwight and Violet 
(Lewis) Brundiege. Verla was married to Richard DeBolt, and later married Lyle Wilson.  
She then married Longion Krakowski. She married Ronald Owings April 27, 1973.  
Ronald Preceded her in death April 29, 1990.  Verla was preceded in death by her parents, 
an infant brother, LaVern' two sisters, Connie Sue Brundiege and LaVonne Day; her 
husbands; one granddaughter and one great-grandson.  
 
Graveside services for Brett Andrew FOSTER, infant son of Joshua and Jennifer Foster, 
of Edmond, Okla., were conducted at Gracealwn Cemetery in Edmond,  Okla. Brett was 
born Jan. 14, 2006, in Oklahoma City, Okla, and lived one hour.  
 
Robert D. (Bob) TIMMONS died peacefully the morning of his 68th birthday Jan. 11, 2006.  
Bob was born Jan. 11, 1933 to George and Rachel Timmons of Oconto.  Bob was never 
married.  Bob was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Donald who was killed in a 
tractor accident in 1967, a sister Dorothy who died in infancy, a half sister Dollie Middleton 
in 1968, and a half brother Raymond Timmons in 1986. Graveside services were conducted 
at Lovell Cemetery.  Haskell Funeral Home of Lovell, Wyo, was in charge of arrangements.
 
DEATH NOTICE
Harold Ray SMITH, 64, of Loup City, formerly of Brownlee, died at the Grand Island 
Veterans Hospital Feb. 11, 2006.  Funeral services will be at the Thedford United Church 
of Christ.  Interment will be at the Hillcrest Cemetery at Thedford.  Harold Ray was born 
Dec. 17, 1941, at Broken Bow to Sherman LeRoy and Lillian Louise (Grammer) Smith.  
Ray was preceded in death by his parents.  

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