Obituaries

Mildred L. Panec, 84, of Fairbury passed away on Saturday, November 23, 2019 at CHIHealth St. Francis.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, November 29, 2019 at All Faiths Funeral Home with a service held at 7 p.m. Dan Naranjo will officiate. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, November 30, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at Fairbury United Methodist Church, 605 E St, Fairbury, NE 68352. Pastor Victor Peterson will officiate. Burial will follow at 2 p.m. at the Du Bois Cemetery. All Faiths Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements. Mildred was born on September 1, 1935 at Du Bois, NE, daughter of Emil and Lucy (Brtek) Shinn.

Mildred was raised and received her education from Du Bois, she graduated with honors as valedictorian, class of 1953.

Janice Jeri Marfice, age 78, the daughter of Carl and Emma (Wood) Cunningham, was born June 26, 1941 in Omaha, Nebraska. She passed away November 28, 2019 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Janice is survived by her husband, Norman Marfice; children: Deborah Matthews (Tom) and Douglas Marfice (Jillora); grandchildren: Ann Matthews, Sara Hoffman (Michael), Nick Matthews (Nicole), Christina Marfice, Adam Marfice (Ashley), John Marfice; several great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Emma Cunningham; grandson, Jeffrey Marfice.

Margaret Irene Mullin, 87, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her loving family on Sunday, November 17, 2019. Margaret was born on May 5, 1932 at her grandparent’s hotel (William and Mary Sebring) in DuBois, Nebraska. Her parents, Henry and Maude Triska, farmed near DuBois where they resided on various farms. Margaret attended East Start Country School, Union School, and in 1950 she graduated from DuBois High School. After graduation, she worked at the old Pawnee Hospital as a nurses aid and lived in the hospital annex.

On New Year’s Day in 1954, she was married to Jerome “Jerry” Mullin in a double ring ceremony with her sister Beverly and Byford Thomas at the DuBois Church.

Gerald D. “Jerry” Stitt, 87, of Lincoln, (formerly Tecumseh), died November 8, 2019.  He was born on April 29, 1932 in Pawnee City, Nebraska and preceded in death by his mother, Eva Caron, and his grandparents, Melvin and Mabel Stitt of Pawnee City.

Jerry is survived by his wife, Marjorie; daughter, Jane Stuart, and husband, Scott, of Lincoln, NE; son, Robert Stitt, and wife, Joan, and grandsons, Joe and Sam Stitt of New Braunfels, TX, and many cousins, nieces and nephews

In l95l, Jerry attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln for two years.  He joined the Air Force and served from 1953 to 1957, being stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  He was aide to the Commanding General, William M. Canterbury.

Dale M. Buzzard, 90 years of age, of Burchard passed away Saturday, November 2, 2019 at the Good Samaritan Society in Beatrice. He was born in Saint Elmo, Illinois on May 26, 1929 to George and Mary (Radcliff) Buzzard. Dale graduated from Lewiston Consolidated High School in 1948. He married Carol Hunt on June 6, 1950. Dale served his country in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict from 1951 to 1953. He was a lifelong farmer, attended Burchard United Methodist Church and was a member of the American Legion and VFW. Dale enjoyed old cars, boating, fishing, motorcycles, water skiing, snow skiing, traveling and especially time with his grandchildren.

Willa Ruth (Wade) Woods passed away on October 23, 2019.

Willa was born in Pawnee City, NE on April 24, 1922 to Ruth and Glen Wade. On June 1, 1941 she married the love of her life, Dale H. Woods who predeceased her in 2013.

Willa and Dale moved to San Diego, CA, right after their marriage. Willa is survived by her three children; six grandchildren (2 are deceased), 9 great grandchildren (1 is deceased), and three great great grandchildren. Willa is also survived by her beloved sisterin-law, Mary Alice Winchell of La Mesa, CA. and many nieces and nephews.

Willa was an excellent seamstress and an even better cook. She enjoyed her family and will certainly be missed by not only her family, but her friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Janet Lee Leitschuck Gartner, age 85, of York, NE died Saturday, October 26, 2019 in Stromsburg, NE. She was born January 22, 1934 in Pawnee City, NE to LaVerne and Doris O. (Bennett) Leitschuck.

Janet graduated from Burchard High School and also completed business school at Wichita Business College. On August 17, 1952 she married her high school sweetheart Otis Gartner while he was home on leave from the Army. To this union three children were born: Fred, Shirley, and David.

Otis and Janet owned and operated the Cedar Motel in Randolph, NE and the Staehr Motel in York. Upon selling the Staehr Motel they purchased a house in York. Following Otis’s death in 1991, Janet continued to live in York until 2010 when she moved to Stromsburg where she resided until her death.