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Local deathsFay Obester

Fay D. Obester, 74, of Grand Island, died Monday, Oct. 29, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Mary's Cathedral. The Rev. Tom Ryan will officiate. Burial will be in the Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home.

Memorials are suggested to St. Mary's Cathedral.

More details will appear later.

Edward Vejvoda

87, Railroad brakeman

Edward J. Vejvoda, 87, of Grand Island died Saturday, Oct. 27, 2001, at his home.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. The Revs. Donald E. Larmore and Frank L. Hoelck will officiate. Mr. Vejvoda chose for his body to be donated to the University of Nebraska Anatomical Board for medical research following the service.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the church with family receiving friends from 5 to 7 p.m. and a rosary at 7 p.m.

Kleine Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Memorials are suggested to the donor's choice.

Mr. Vejvoda was born April 27, 1914, in Verdigre to Edward J. Sr. and Barbara (Pica) Vejvoda. After graduation from Verdigre High School he worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps.

He married Grace Welch on June 24, 1941. He entered the U.S. Army and served from May 1, 1942, to Dec. 25, 1945. For 34 years after his discharge, he worked for the Union Pacific Railroad as a brakeman, retiring in 1986. His wife died April 10, 1996.

He married Dorothy A. Swanda-Kindler and later had their marriage blessed at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Grand Island.

He was a member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, American Legions in St. Paul and Grand Island, a lifetime member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and Veterans Club in Grand Island.

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy A. Swanda-Vejvoda of Grand Island; two sons and daughters-in-law, J. Gary and Linda Vejvoda and William and Bonnie Vejvoda, all of Grand Island; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; a stepson and his wife, Sid and Sandy Kindler of Staplehurst; a stepdaughter and her husband, Sharon and Ronald Burhoop-Kindler of Utica; five stepgrandchildren; five brothers and sisters-in-law, Pat "Adolph" and Winnie Vejvoda of Boston, George and Shirley Vejvoda of Surprise, Ariz., Frank and Nancy Vejvoda of Omaha, Donald "Mick" and Villa Vejvoda of Tulare, Calif., and Jack and Jennie Vejvoda of Hesperia, Calif.; and two sisters, Lydia of Norton, Kan., and Helen of Mesa, Ariz.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Grace and a sister, Marie Larson-Vejvoda.

Thomas Waltemath Jr.

Thomas R. Waltemath Jr., 23, of Grand Island died Sunday, Oct. 28, 2001, at BryanLGH West Campus in Lincoln.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Sanctuary of Trinity United Methodist Church. The Rev. Rose Bartleson will officiate. Burial will be in Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home.

Memorials are suggested to the family

Mr. Waltemath was born November 2, 1977, in North Platte to Thomas Sr. and Creta (Wilmeth) Waltemath. He grew up in Hershey, moving to Grand Island in 1988 and attending Grand Island Senior High. He then attended Southeast Community College in Lincoln.

He married Renae D. Anderson on July 19, 1997, at the First Christian Church in Grand Island. The couple lived in Grand Island where he was a service mechanic at Wolfe Cycle Sports of Hastings.

He enjoyed hunting, jet skiing, four wheeling and the outdoors.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Mikaela, at home; his parents of Johnson Lake; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Theron and Wilda Rookstool of Lexington and Travis and Angie Rookstool of Holdrege; and a sister and brother-in-law, Teresa and Bill Bivens of Cheyenne, Wyo.

Area deaths

David Buller

77, Farmer

CLARKS — David H. Buller, 77, of Clarks died Friday, Oct. 26, 2001, on his farm.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Wagner Funeral Home in Central City. The Rev. Melvin Zichek will officiate. Burial will be at a later date.

There will be no visitation. His body was cremated.

Memorials are suggested to the family.

Mr. Buller was born Jan. 7, 1924, to Henry P. and Maria (Janzen) Buller in Langham, Saskatchewan, Canada. He grew up in the Henderson area. He completed eighth grade at West District 73 School in the Henderson area, but was forced attending school and help his family on the farm during World War II.

He was baptized Sept. 3, 1939, in the Blue River by the Rev. John R. Barkman. He became a member of the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church in Henderson. In 1946, during World War II, he was part of a crew that took a shipload of cattle and other livestock to Europe to feed the American soldiers.

He married Elsie E. Zimmerman on Feb. 20, 1949, at the First Christian Church in York. The Rev. G. R. Miller officiated. After renting farmland near York, Silver Creek and Central City, the couple purchased their own 320 acres of farmland three miles north of Clarks in 1973. During the winter months, he worked various jobs, including building the Central City High School and installing cable boxes throughout Central City and Clarks area.

He enjoyed farming, the fall season and farm animals.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years; two sons and daughters-in-law, Sidney and Terra Buller and Duane and Carole Buller, all of Clarks; a daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Rhett Hall of Seaside, Calif.; five grandchildren; and three sisters, Anna Wiebe of Beatrice, Sara Regier of Evansville, Ind., and Tena Brenneis of Hollenberg, Kan.

He was preceded in death by three brothers, Henry H., John H. and Jacob H. Buller.

Clifford Hockenberry

DONIPHAN — Clifford G. Hockenberry, 93, of Doniphan died Monday, Oct. 29, 2001, at Lakeview Care Center.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at United Methodist Church in Doniphan. The Rev. Jim Johnson will officiate. Burial will be in Cedar View Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home.

More details will appear later.

Dorothy Lepp

86, Homemaker

WOOD RIVER — Dorothy Lepp, 86, of Wood River, died Sunday, Oct. 28, 2001, at Tiffany Square Nursing Center in Grand Island.

Service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the First United Methodist Church in Wood River. The Rev. Rose Bartleson will officiate. Burial will be in Grand Island City Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Apfel Funeral Home in Wood River.

Memorials are suggested to the First United Methodist Church or the donor's choice.

Mrs. Lepp was born Oct. 3, 1915, in Alda to Art and Dora (Barr) Denman. She graduated from Alda High School.

She married Wilbur Lepp in 1941 in the Methodist Church in Grand Island. The couple lived on a farm north of Wood River. Her husband died March 20, 1993.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church. She enjoyed her church circles, neighbors and playing cards.

Survivors include a sister-in-law, Josephine Denman of Grand Island.

She was preceded in death by a brother, Alvin.

Agatha Luebbe

ST. LIBORY — Agatha M. Luebbe, 86, of St. Libory, died Sunday, Oct. 28, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Zion Lutheran Church in Worms. The Rev. Karl Ziegler will officiate. Burial will be in Zion Lutheran Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home.

Memorials are suggested to Zion Lutheran Church.

Mrs. Luebbe was born May 25, 1915, in Merrick County to Alfred and Katrina (Hinrichs) Dammann. She attended Zion Lutheran Parochial School in Worms and graduated from Palmer High School.

She married Fred Luebbe on Oct. 6, 1933, at Zion Lutheran Church. The couple farmed and then ran the Farmer's Union Co-op Grocery in Worms. They also owned and operated Luebbe's Tavern. They later sold the tavern and retired.

She enjoyed quilting, baking, sewing, traveling and volunteering her time at neighboring nursing homes.

She was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church where she was baptized, confirmed and married.

Survivors include three daughters and sons-in-law, Joan and Bill Braden of Midland, Texas, June and Quenten Stanley of Sugarland, Texas, and Vicki and Ray Brown of Henderson, Nev.; two sisters, Hildegard Brase of Elkhorn and Irene Bahensky of St. Paul; one brother, Arnold Dammann of St. Libory; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband.

Alyma Luther

WOOD RIVER — Alyma G. Luther, 93, of the Good Samaritan Center in Wood River, died Monday, Oct. 29, 2001, at the Good Samaritan Center.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the First Christian Church in Kearney. The Rev. Don Bryant will officiate. Burial will be in the Kearney Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home.

Memorials are suggested to the family.

More details will appear later.

Leta Lynch

BROKEN BOW — Leta L. Lynch, 81, of Broken Bow died Sunday, Oct. 28, 2001, at Jennie Melham Memorial Medical Center in Broken Bow.

There will be no services. Her body was donated to the Nebraska Anatomical Board.

Govier Brothers Mortuary of Broken Bow is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Lynch was born Oct. 17, 1920, in Broken Bow to Everett and Ruth (Haefele) Fuller. She attended Dutchman Valley country school and lived in the Broken Bow community most of her life.

Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Bob and Connie Gunther of Kearney and Vernon and Cheryl Daugherty of Broken Bow; a daughter and son-in-law, Katherine and Sherril Drake of Kearney; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Myrtle Gunther of Broken Bow and her twin sister, Reta Geisler of Oregon.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Phillip Lynch; a son, Ronald Gunther; a brother, Eugene Fuller; and a sister, Evelyn Phoenix.

Ruth McDaniels

KEARNEY — Ruth G. McDaniels, 88, of Kearney died Saturday, Oct. 27, 2001, at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the O'Brien-Straatmann-Apfel Funeral Home in Kearney. The Rev. Matt Robinson will officiate. Burial will be in the Kearney Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to the First Presbyterian church nursery.

Mrs. McDaniels was born Dec. 16, 1912, in Galina, Ill., to Friend and Mary (Gilbert) Smith.

She married Ray A. McDaniels in Galesburg, Ill., on Sept. 11, 1949. She worked for Simson Paulson Lumber Co. as a bookkeeper before moving to Kearney in 1962. While in Kearney she worked for Kaufmann and Wernets.

After retiring, she worked as a care provider for children at many area churches.

She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Kearney and the Rebekah Lodge.

Survivors include three sons, Ray McDaniels Jr. of Burleson, Texas, Preston McDaniels of Aurora and Perry McDaniels of Kearney; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1976; three brothers; and four sisters.

Leonard McIntire

KEARNEY — Leonard L. McIntire, 77, of Kearney, formerly of the Central City area, died on Monday, Oct. 29, 2001, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.

Services are pending with Solt Funeral Home in Central City.

More details will appear later.

State deaths

Robert Ditman

OMAHA — Robert L. Ditman, 64, of Omaha died Sunday, Oct. 28, 2001, in Omaha from lung cancer.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Crosby-Kunold-Burket-Swanson-Golden Funeral Chapel in Omaha. Burial of a portion of his remains will be in the Memorial Cemetery in Winside.

There will be no visitation.

Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society and the Winside Library Fund.

Mr. Ditman was born Dec. 22, 1936, in Norfolk to Dr. and Mrs. N.L. Ditman of Winside. He graduated in 1954 from Winside High School. He attended Iowa State University for one year and then attended Wayne State College, graduating in 1959.

He married Barbara J. Ewert of Columbus on June 27, 1957. The couple was divorced in 1980. His early career as a teacher and coach culminated in the fall of 1964 in Lynch by winning the Class D state championship title in football.

His later career, as a businessman of 25 years, was in the insurance industry.

He married Janet Gray of Omaha on April 3, 1982, in Omaha. The couple lived in Omaha.

Survivors include his wife, Janet; his mother, Irene of Wayne; a daughter and son-in-law, Debra Ditman and Jim Lemburg of Los Angeles; two stepsons, Jeff and Mark Grey of Athens, Ga.; a grandchild; and three stepgrandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his father, Norma L. Ditman.

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