Columbus Telegram
Aug 5, 2007 - Aug 18, 2007

OMAHA - Ethel B. UCHTMAN, 86, of Omaha, formerly of Humphrey, died 
Aug 1, 2007, in Omaha. Born Mar 21, 1921, near Cornlea. Oldest of five children 
born to Elise (Coldwell) and John Bender, near Cornlea. Enlisted in U.S. Women's 
Army Corp in March of 1943. Married Paul F. Uchtman, a Marine paratrooper, on 
June 14, 1945, at St Paul's Church in Cincinnati. Moved back to Humphrey in 1949. 
Preceded by her parents; her husband; and nephew and godson, Herb Bender. 
Services Monday at St Francis Catholic Church, Humphrey. 
Arr. by Duesman Funeral Chapel, Humphrey.

SCHUYLER - Donald R. HARDING, 67, of Schuyler, died Aug 2, 2007, in 
Schuyler. Born Sept 22, 1939, at Newcastle to Galen and Bonnie (Bottorff) Harding. 
Joined the Army and was stationed in Korea. Married Helen Stark in 1962 and later 
married Beverly Graham Wilde on June 22, 1990 in Newcastle. Preceded by his 
father; and a sister, Patricia Anderson. Services Monday at the Newcastle 
Congregational Church in Newcastle. Burial with military honors in the Newcastle 
Cemetery. Arr. by Svoboda Funeral Home, Schuyler.

COLUMBUS - Paul GWINNER, 74, of Columbus, died Aug 3, 2007, in Columbus. 
Born July 3, 1933, in Union County, Iowa, to Glen and Margaret (Clark) Gwinner. 
Married Ellen Faust. Married Virginia Daily (Pearson) on Apr 22, 1989 
in Creston, Iowa. Preceded by his parents; daughter, Kathy Gwinner; and 
son, Stephen Gwinner. Service Monday at Gass Haney Funeral Home, Columbus. 
Burial at Prairie Lawn Cemetery, rural Creston, Iowa. 

FREMONT - Robert L. WOZNY, 67, of Fremont, died Aug 1, 2007, at his home. 
Born Sept 3, 1939, Columbus, to Edward and Ann Wozny. Moved to Fremont 
in 2005. Married Janet Peterson on May 13, 1962, Columbus. They later divorced. 
No services planned. Arr. by Moser Memorial Chapel in Fremont.

COLUMBUS - Ricky Lee JOHNSON, 49, of Columbus, died Aug 2, 2007, at his home. 
Born Feb 21, 1958, to Robert and Nancy (Morris) Johnson Sr in No. Hollywood, Calif. 
Grew up in Lincoln. Married Paula Shemek on Sept 21, 1986 in Columbus. Preceded 
by his grandparents. Services Monday at McKown Funeral Home, Columbus.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Jim E. RATZLAFF, 61, died in his sleep at home on Aug 2, 2007. 
Born July 12, 1946, in Avon, S.D., to Ezra and Olive Ratzlaff. Married Leanne Bertus 
on June 7, 1968, in Avon, S.D. Was a middle school counselor in Columbus before 
moving to Sioux Falls, S.D. Preceded by his parents; and a sister, Arlene Ratzlaff. 
Services Monday at Memorial Lutheran Church with burial at Hills of Rest Memorial 
Park. Arr. by Miller Funeral Home.

COLUMBUS - Leo HENGGELER, 77, of Columbus died Aug 4, 2007, at his home. 
Born July 15, 1930, on a farm in Platte County, to Leonard and Lucille (Welch) 
Henggeler. Preceded by his parents; brother, Loren Henggeler; sister-in-law, Joan 
Henggeler; niece, Marde Henggeler; and nephew, Chip Kaup. Services Aug 8 at 
St Isidore Catholic Church, Columbus. Burial in St Bonaventure Cemetery, Columbus. 
Arr. by McKown Funeral Home, Columbus.

PLATTE CENTER - Richard H. REINS, 82, of Platte Center, died Aug 6, 2007, in 
Columbus. Born June 21, 1925, in Platte Center, to Carl and Louise (Loseke) Reins. 
Drafted into the U.S. Army on Apr 11, 1951 and served during the Korean War. 
Married Margaret (Cyphers) Rudat, 1953. Preceded by his parents; wife; son, 
Scott Rudat; infant brother, Rawlin Reins. Services Friday at Immanuel Lutheran 
Church. Burial at the Columbus Cemetery with military honors. Gass Haney Funeral 
Home, Columbus, in charge.

FULLERTON - Dale L. HOYT, 75, of Fullerton, died Aug 5, 2007, in Fullerton. 
Arr. by Palmer Funeral Home, Fullerton

LITCHFIELD - Donna Mae SWELEY, 71, of Litchfield, died Aug 6, 2007, at her 
home south of Litchfield. Born May 23, 1936, Kearney, to Ben and Helen (Munster) 
Unick. Married Bob Sweley on Dec 18, 1957, in Kearney. Preceded by a daughter, 
Shannon; and a granddaughter, Amber. Services Aug 9 at the Litchfield Christian 
Church. Burial in the Litchfield Cemetery. Arr. by Rasmussen Funeral Home in Ravenna.

FREMONT - Helen KUCERA, 95, of Fremont, formerly of Clarkson, died Aug 6, 2007, 
in Fremont. Born Apr 2, 1912, to Blahous and Anna (Stoklasa) Chleboun, at Stanton. 
Married WIlliam J. Kucera on Jan 28, 1936 at New Zion Presbyterian Church in Clarkson. 
Made their home on a farm one and one-half miles east of Clarkson. Moved to Fremont 
in 2002.  Preceded by her parents; husband in 1991; a son, Kendall A. Kucera; two 
sisters and six brothers. Services Aug 9 at New Zion Presbyterian Church in Clarkson. 
Burial at Clarkson National Cemetery. Arr. by Miller Funeral Home.

HONOLULU, Hawaii - Mary Ann SELANDER, died Apr 19, 2007, in Honolulu, Hawaii. 
Born to James and Mary Dunn. Married Stanley W Selander. Preceded by her 
husband; her parents; her sister, Joeleen; her brother, Martin; and nephew, Larry 
Dunn. Memorial services Saturday at St Bonaventure Church in Columbus. Burial at 
Punchbowl National Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii.

COLUMBUS - Bernice Marie GDOWSKI, 72, of Columbus, died Aug 7, 2007, at her 
home. Born Oct 6, 1934, in St Bernard, to Peter and Anna (Dohmen) Maag. Worked 
at Becton Dickinson, retiring in 1990. Preceded by her parents; sisters, Agnes Mohr, 
Mildred Maag, Lucille Maag. Services Aug 9, at St Isidore Catholic Church, Columbus. 
Burial at St Bonaventure Cemetery, Columbus. Arr. by McKown Funeral Home, Columbus.

COLUMBUS - Sylvia HRUSKA, 93, of Columbus, died Aug 6, 2007, in Columbus. 
Born July 20, 1914, in Stanton County, to Joseph and Elizabeth (Mastny) Rayman. 
Moved to Omaha, then Schuyler where she graduated from high school. Married John 
V. Hruska on Jan 29, 1934, in Schuyler. They lived on a farm north of Schuyler. Preceded 
by her parents; her husband on Mar 2, 1976; brother, Donald Rayman; and brother-in-law, 
Lumir Fendrick. Services Friday at the Federated Church, Columbus. Burial at Roselawn 
Cemetery, Columbus. McKown Funeral Home, Columbus, in charge.

COLUMBUS - Dianne FELDMAN, 66, died July 17, 2007. Born July 28, 1940, in 
Yankton, S.D., to J. Leonard Feldman and Ida Fargo Feldman. Taught for one 
year in Rapid City, S.D., then moved to Columbus where she taught from 
1963-2001. Preceded by her parents; a brother, Stanley; and a sister, Mary Lou. 

STROMSBURG - Glenna Mae BURGESON, 96, of Stromsburg, died Aug 6, 2007, in 
Stromsburg. Services Thursday at the Evangelical Free Church in Stromsburg. 
Burial at the Stromsburg Cemetery. Dubas Funeral Home in charge.

ST. EDWARD - Ramona J. SMITH, 79, of St Edward, formerly of Valley and 
Fullerton, died Aug 7, 2007, in St Edward. Memorial services Saturday at 
Palmer Funeral Home, Fullerton. Burial for Ramona and Lester Smith will be 
May 17, 2008 in the Ponca Tribe Cemetery in Niobrara, with a Ponca Tribal 
Cemetery. There will be military rites for Lester Smith.

GIBBON - David E. CARUTHERS, 52, of rural Gibbon, died Aug 6, 2007, at his 
home. Born Aug 9, 1954, Wichita, Kan., to Orville and Zelda (Keiper) Caruthers. 
Entered the U.S. Marine Corp on Dec 29, 1971 and served during the Vietnam era. 
Married Jodene Waldman, June 4, 1977, Columbus. Preceded by his father. Services 
Aug 10 at O'Brien Straatmann Funeral Home, Kearney. Burial Kearney Cemetery 
with military honors.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Myra May CARR of Las Cruces, N.M., died Aug 6, 2007. 
Born to Lillian and Lewis Thompson in Rose on Sept 25, 1918. Taught at a 
country school for 3 years. Married Max Carr. Preceded by her parents; 
her sisters, Audrey Petranto and Margorie Michell; and her brothers, Dean 
and Merlin Thompson. Memorial service at Trinity Lutheran Church.

OMAHA - Ed RENKEN, 70, of Omaha, died Aug 8, 2007, of cancer. 
Services Saturday at St Robert's Catholic Church in Omaha. Burial 
at Calvary Cemetery, Omaha.

DECATUR - Joann I. FRENCH, 67, died bef. Aug 12, 2007.  Married Larry. 
Services Monday (Aug 13) at Trinity Lutheran Church in Walthill. Burial 
Hillcrest Cemetery, Decatur. Pelan Funeral Services, Tekamah, in charge.

CARLSBAD, Calif. - Joel C. DAVY, 55, died July 21, 2007, at her home in 
Carlsbad after a battle with lung cancer. Born May 14, 1952, Washington, D.C., 
to David and Elizabeth Reeher. Grew up in Baltimore, Md., and 
Springfield, Va. Commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force in 1977. 
Married Kent R. Davy. Preceded by her mother. Services at Christ 
Presbyterian Church in Carlsbad on Aug 3, followed by inurnment with 
full military honors at the Ft Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego. 

STROMSBURG - Vera Maud DELK, 94, of Stromsburg, died Aug 10, 2007, 
in Stromsburg. Services Tuesday at the Stromsburg Baptist Church. 
Burial at Stromsburg Cemetery. Dubas Funeral Home of Stromsburg 
and Osceola in charge.

OMAHA - Ilene Frances Post LIEBSACK, 82, of Omaha, formerly of Wayne, Norfolk 
and Columbus died Aug 10, 2007 at Omaha. Born Dec 17, 1924, on a farm near 
Belden, to Leslie and Gladys (Jones) Phillips. Married John Post, Feb 10, 1946, at 
United Presbyterian Church in Wayne. Farmed southwest of Wayne until 1960 
when they moved to Columbus. Married John Liebsack, Dec 17, 1989, at Shepherd 
of Peace Lutheran Church in Norfolk. Lived in Novfolk. Moved to Omaha in 1996. 
Preceded by her parents; husband John Post in 1986; husband John Liebsack in 
1993; and one sister. Services Tuesday at Our Savior Lutheran Chruch in Wayne. 
Burial at Greenwood Cemetery, Wayne. Hasemann-Schumacher Funeral 
Home, Wayne, in charge.

OMAHA - Gene LeRoy HELLBUSCH, of Omaha, died Aug 12, 2007, in Omaha. 
Born May 23, 1941, at the family farm west of Belgrade, to Helmuth and Olga 
(Oltmanns) Hellbusch. Enlisted in the Navy and served utnil July 19, 1963. 
Suffered aneurysm in 1976. Preceded by his parents. Graveside services Wed., at 
Peace Lutheran Cemetery, rural Belgrade. Arr. by Levander Funeral Home.

COLUMBUS - Carolyn A. BERNT, 71, of Columbus, formerly of Greeley, died 
Aug 12, 2007, at Columbus. Born Oct 17, 1935, in Spalding, to WIlliam and 
Clara (Mansfield) Nelson. Mother passed away when she was an infant. 
Adopted by her aunt and uncle, George and Amelia Vandenberg. Raised in 
Montana and Spalding. Married Francis "Mike" Bernt, Oct 17, 1953, Spalding. 
Preceded by her husband in 1986; parents, William and Clara Nelson and George 
and Amelia Vandenberg; son, Don Bernt; son-in-law, Bob Meyer; infant daughter, 
Margaret Clare; and brothers and sisters. Service at McKown Funeral Home, Columbus. 
Interment in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Greeley.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Christopher John SAALFELD, 46, of Orlando, Fla., formerly 
of Columbus, died in Orlando. Arr. by Gass Haney Funeral Home, Columbus.

NEWMAN GROVE - Wayne "Buddy" WALLIN, 78, of Newman Grove, died 
Aug 13, 2007, at his home in rural Newman Grove. Services Saturday at Rosehill 
Evangelical Free Church, rural Newman Grove. Burial at Rosehill 
Cemetery. Arr. by Newman Grove Memorial Funeral Home.

COLUMBUS - Irene KELSEY, 75, of Columbus, died Aug 14, 2007, at 
Columbus. Born APr 23, 1932, Columbus, to Leon and Elizabeth (Schmoll) Coulter. 
Preceded by her parents; son, Thomas Patchen; stepson, Bill Kelsey, Jr; sister, 
Leona Coulter; one infant sister; and brothers, Raymond Coulter and Harold Coulter. 
Services Thursday at Gass Haney Funeral Home. Burial at Columbus Cemetery.

COLUMBUS - Stephen FREMAREK, 86, of Columbus, died Aug 14, 2007, at his home. 
Private services at St Bonaventure Catholic Church. Burial at All Saints Cemetery, 
Columbus, with military honors.

COLUMBUS - Preston James BRUNKHORST, infant son of Ashley Brunkhorst and 
Christopher Moore of Columbus, died Aug 13, 2007, at Columbus. Services at 
McKown Funeral Home, Columbus. Burial at St Bonaventure Cemetery, Columbus.

SPALDING - Marilyn BERGER, 73, died Aug 12, 2007, in Lincoln. Born Feb 7, 1934, 
in Spalding, to Floyd Charles Porter and Marian C McMaster Porter. Married John 
Joseph Berger, Oct 20, 1954. Preceded by her husband in May 1990; son, Jerome 
Edward Berger, December 1995; one sister, Margaret Porter Mahoney; and her 
mother and father. Servcies Aug 18 at St Michael's Catholic Church, Spalding. 
Burial in St Michael's Cemetery, Spalding. Arr. by Dolce Scheef Mortuary, Spalding.

COLUMBUS - Stephen Charles FREMAREK, 86, of Columbus, died Aug 14, 2007, at 
his home. Born Oct 5, 1920, in Chicago, Ill, the only child of Stanley and Ann 
(Palowski) Fremarek. Served in the US Marines during WWII from Sept 1940-June 1946. 
Married Mary Ann Margaret Todey, July 8, 1946, at the US Naval Base in Crane, Indiana. 
Preceded by his parents. Private family services at St Bonaventure Catholic 
Church, Columbus. Interment in All Saints Cemetery, Columbus, with military honors. 
Arr. by McKown Funeral Home, Columbus.

COLUMBUS - Helen GERKEN, 80, of Columbus, died Aug 15, 2007, in Madison. 
Born June 8, 1927, rural Creston, to Herman and Clara (Hoefelman) Gerken. 
Preceded by her parents; brother, Marvin Gerken. Services Saturday at 
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Columbus. Burial at Roselawn Memorial 
Cemetery, Columbus. Arr. by Gass Haney Funeral Home, Columbus.

COLUMBUS - Arlo "Dutch" HOPPE, 87, of rural Schuyler, died Aug 15, 2007, at Columbus. 
Born Nov 3, 1919, in Colfax County. Longtime Schuyler area farmer and livestock producer. 
Veteran of the US Navy from 1945-46. Preceded by his wife, Marilyn; parents, Henry and 
Clara; three brothers, Louis, Fred and Roy; and two sisters, Mildred and Marion. Services 
Saturday at Gass Haney Funeral Home, Columbus. 

COLUMBUS - Kamdyn J. KUDRON, infant son of Ryan and Donna Kudron, Columbus, 
died Aug 15, 2007, at Columbus. Services at McKown Funeral Home, Columbus. 
Burial at St Bonaventure Cemetery, Columbus.

ELKHORN - Reginald BALHORN, 61, of Elkhorn, formerly of Fremont, died 
Aug 15, 2007, in Omaha. Services Saturday at St Mary's Catholic Church, Schuyler. 
Arr. by Svoboda Funeral Home North Chapel, Schuyler.
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