Obituaries

Death Notice

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, April 18, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at the United Methodist Church, Pawnee City, Nebraska with Reverend Sherry Sklenar officiating. Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at the Wherry Mortuary, 919 "G" Street, Pawnee City, Nebraska. The family will greet friends from 6 to 8:00 p.m. Interment will be at the Pawnee City Cemetery, Pawnee City, Nebraska. Memorials may go to the family's choice. Condolences can be placed online at www.wherrymortuary.com.

Melva Jean Hartshorne, 90, of Lincoln, passed away on April 11, 2019. Born on October 18, 1928 to Raymond and Blanche (Callam) Slater in Pawnee City, Nebraska.

Melva enjoyed everything about cooking. She was so interested in it, she worked most of her life as a cook, bartender, waitress, catering, etc. She enjoyed all kinds of needlework in her spare time as well as a game of golf with her husband, Alan while they lived on a golf course in both Wisconsin and Florida.

Family members include her daughter, Gwendolyn Meister and husband, Bill Behmer, Lincoln; Son, Melvyn and wife, Margie Meister, Las Vegas, Nevada; Step-daughter, Deborah Meister, Hillsville, Virginia; Sisters, Arlene and husband, Phil Tyler; Doreen Johnson; Waunita McKnight; Brother, John and wife, Cathi Slater; 3 grandchildren, 2 step grandchildren and many numerous extended family and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Alan; brother, Robert Slater; sister, Ione Richardson.

Carrie Natasha (Gross) Bleich, 43, of Waverly Nebraska was born on April 29, 1975 in Fairfax, Missouri to John W. Gross and Linda J. Horner.  Carrie lived in Rock Port, MO, Tecumseh, NE, Omaha, NE, Greenfield, IA thru age 8 and then Humboldt, NE.  Carrie attended Greenfield Elementary School from Kindergarten until 2nd grade and then Humboldt Public School from 3rd until 12th grade. After high school, she attended college to pursue a degree in Nursing.  Carrie has 2 sons, Dylan M. Lang and John Wyatt Schmit.  On August 12, 2005, Carrie was united in marriage to Duane Bleich.  She enjoyed training obedience and service dogs, teaching women self-defense techniques as well as a variety of shooting sports, and loved making crafts items.  Carrie also enjoyed spending time with family and friends.

Zelma Mae Schnepp 83 of Beatrice, Nebraska formerly of Du Bois, Nebraska passed away on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at Good Samaritan Society in Beatrice. She was born on October 16,1935 in Branson, Missouri to Ernest and Violet (Bacon) Bockus. When she was a small child the family moved to Pawnee City, Nebraska area where she grew up and attended school. Zelma met Lee Roy Schnepp in the spring of 1955, they were married on December 31, 1955. Lee Roy and Zelma farmed all of their married life in the Du Bois area. They were blessed with three precious daughters, Susan, Ann and Lori. Zelma’s greatest joy was spending time with her girls and their families. Zelma also loved music, reading, gardening and flowers. Following a heart attack in 2001, she moved to a retirement home in Beatrice to be closer to her heart doctor and other family members.

Zelma was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters, Belva Mendenhall, Ethel Sugden and Melva Waldron.

Barbara Jo ‘Barb’ Ford, 40, of Hutchinson, died Sunday, March 24, 2019. She was born April 17, 1978, in Pawnee City, Nebraska, the daughter of Charles Henry and Donna Jean (Trecek) Boydston.

She was a 1996 graduate of Pawnee City High School, Pawnee City, Nebraska, and a 2000 graduate of Sterling College, with a degree in elementary education. Barb had been an elementary teacher for 14 years, the last five years as a part-time 1st grade teacher at South Hutchinson Elementary.  On April 21, 2012, she married Dustin P. Ford in Hutchinson. He survives. Also surviving are: daughters, Cyra Kelley, Asha Kelley, and Braylen Ford; parents, Charles and Donna Boydston; sisters, Angie Morehead and Jerry Stallbaumer, Karen Hunzeker and husband Greg; brother, Charles M. Boydston and wife Thelma; and nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by a sister Donna DeJonge.

Beverly Jean Geschwender, 85, of Guernsey, Wyo., died March 8, 2019, in Wheatland, Wyo.

Bev was born in DuBois, NE, October 27, 1933, to Henry and Maude Triska. She was the middle child of three children. She was joined in marriage to Byford Thomas on January 1, 1954, in a double wedding with her sister. They had two daughters. Byford was killed in an accident.

Bev later married Dick Thiemann. They had a son. Dick brought three other children to the union. They lived on a farm in DuBois and later divorced. Bev married Mark Geschwender in 1983. They were happily married 36 years. They enjoyed the entrepreneur lifestyle and were involved in several different adventures. She was a talented sewer who made and sold hats as well as cat toys and beds. She ended her career selling popcorn. They were known as the “Popcorn People.”

Randal L. Grimes, age 56, and Annette L. Grimes, age 51, both of Douglas passed away on Saturday, March 23, 2019. They are survived by Parents: Bernard & Ruth Grimes, Sandra Traux, Children: Felicia Bertram, Desiree Kunzman, Tori Bertram, Kami (Treven) Thies, Jesse (Alexis) Grimes; Grandchildren: Nathaniel, Aidan, Eithan, Kasha, Sean, Kyla, Carsten, Dominik, Zophia, Amelia, plus 2 on the way; Siblings: Debbie, Jeff, Dale, Karla, Vicki, Norman “Chunky”, Jeanna, and tons of other family.

Funeral service was Saturday, March 30 at 10:30 A.M. at Douglas United Methodist Church. Visitation was from 9:30 – 10:30 at the church.

Check and cash can be mailed to Adams State Bank ATTN: Annette Grimes Memorial Fund P.O. Box 106 Adams, NE 68301.

Arrangements By: Fusselman Allen Harvey Funeral Home, Syracuse, NE

Condolences to www.fusselmanallenharvey.com

Carl Allen “Butch” Schuetz, 69, of rural Humboldt, Nebraska was born November 16, 1949 in Humboldt, Nebraska to Carl Albert and Maddie Mae (Storant) Schuetz. He attended Humboldt High School graduating with the class of 1968. After graduating, he joined the Army Reserve National Guard on June 2, 1968 and served until his honorable discharge on June 1, 1974. One of his favorite things was farming and he worked for several farmers in the area. Butch later purchased the Storant family farm from his uncles. His mother was born in the home and it has been in his mother’s family since his great-great- grandfather Christ Storant homesteaded the place around 1877. Butch became the 5th generation to farm it.

Omaha, NE- Preceded in death by husband, Duane A. Smith; son, Verlyn; daughterin-law, Kathy; brothers, Donald, Henry, John and Kenneth Peacock.  Survived by children: Patricia Wokurka, Donald (Teresa), Verneal Rogers, Douglas (Jackie), Kevin (Nancy), and Kimberley Arnold (William); seventeen grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; sisters, Isabelle Royce (Landis) and Mary Beth Kellerman (William); brother, William Peacock (LaRae); sister-in-law, Carol Collins; many other loving family members.

The family received friends Sunday, March 17th from 3pm to 5pm at the West Center Chapel, 7805 W. Center Rd.in Omaha.  FUNERAL was Monday, March 18th at 10am, First Christian Church, 6630 Dodge St., Omaha with additional FUNERAL SERVICE in Pawnee City at 3pm at First Presbyterian Church.  Interment was at the Pawnee City, Nebraska Cemetery.

June 26, 1936 ~ January 9, 2019

John Henry Curtis, son of Nathan and Noma A. Richardson Curtis, was born June 26, 1936, in Pawnee City, Nebraska. He departed this life Wednesday, January 9, 2019, in Lebanon South Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, in Lebanon, Missouri, at the age of eighty-two years, six months, and fourteen days.

In 1958, he married Trudy, and they shared forty-fi ve years together and lovingly raised their children. Trudy passed away in 2003.

On February 11, 2005, he was united in marriage to Sharon Maxine Cox and they shared the last thirteen years.

He was also preceded in death by his parents; and a sister, Margie.