Obituaries

Clara “Phyllis” (Holt) Anderson, 92 years of age, of Beatrice passed away Monday, February 25, 2019 at Pawnee County Memorial Hospital in Pawnee City. She was born on November 7, 1926 in Bancroft, Kansas to Forrest and Grace (Heffner) Holt. Phyllis was raised in rural Kansas and graduated from high school at Wetmore, Kansas. She continued her education receiving her teaching certificate from Emporia State Teachers College in Emporia, Kansas. Upon graduation, Phyllis married Robert “Bob” Anderson on April 28, 1946 and they moved to DuBois. To this union, one daughter was born, Connie. She spent several years teaching at rural schools where she loved her pupils and their well-being was very important to her. Phyllis was an exceptional seamstress. She sewed outfits for cheerleaders, wedding ensembles and made her granddaughters wedding dress. Phyllis didn’t mind when guys came with a stack of overalls that needed patched.

Phyllis Louise (Edgerton) Johnson, 84 years, 3 months and 27 days, of Omaha, Nebraska, formerly of Pawnee City, Nebraska, passed away Saturday, February 16, 2019. She was the sixth child born to Lloyd and Myrtle (Ellsworth) Edgerton on October 19, 1934 in Pawnee City, Nebraska.

Phyllis and her siblings attended country school west of Pawnee City until 1942 when their father passed away and they moved to town.

The family did not have a lot of money, but there was a lot of love in the house. They entertained themselves by riding the pony (while still on the farm) and playing a lot of outside games. Phyllis broke her arm when she was young and could not play in the family ball game. However, she was watching the game and her brother threw the bat and broke her nose.

After graduation from Pawnee City High School in 1952, she moved to Omaha to get a job. She lived in an apartment with her sister Carolyn at first and then with Yvonne, Janice and Earleen.

Helen Marie (Johnson) Schuetz, 83, of Humboldt, Nebraska was born October 10, 1935 in Pawnee City, Nebraska to Ralph and Nellie Mae (Colson) Johnson. She graduated from Bratton Union High School in Richardson County with the class of 1953. Helen was united in marriage to Joe Tichy in 1954. To this union four children were born Vicki, Laura, Robert and Ronald. The couple later divorced and in 1978 Helen married Butch Schuetz. The couple adopted their daughters Lisa and Sue Ann McKee.

Helen passed away on February 17, 2019, at Premier Estates in Pawnee City, Nebraska having reached the age of eighty-three years, four months and seven days. She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter Laura Marie Tichy, brothers Ralph Jr. and Richard Johnson, granddaughter Serenity Kay Marie McKee, brother-in-law Hank Sullwold and nephews Terry Sullwold and Steve Johnson.

DeLores Jeanene Dougherty, 89, of Beatrice died Friday afternoon, February 15, 2019 at the Beatrice Community Hospital. She was born on October 29, 1929 at Beatrice and attended Beatrice High School. She married Paul Dougherty on March 13, 1948 at St. Joseph Catholic Church. She worked as a switchboard operator for Lincoln Telephone and Telegraph for three years and then at BSDC on the switchboard for 22 years, retiring in 1989 as the switchboard supervisor. She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church of Beatrice and was a member of a quilting group. She enjoyed her family and all her grandchildren and great grandchildren, quilting, crafts, gardening, cooking, camping and going to the cabin.

Norman L. Kroemer, 64, of Bern, passed away on Monday, February 11, 2019, at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital.

Norman L. Kroemer was born on June 23, 1954 at the Axtell Hospital to Lavern and Evelyn (Fritch) Kroemer. Norman lived his first 25 years on the family farm north of Seneca on the Nebraska State Line, where his family raised cattle, hogs, chickens, had a large garden and enjoyed living the country life.

Frances Louise McClintock, 79 of Pawnee City, Nebraska passed away on Saturday, February 9, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska. She was born on February 1,1940 to Clyde and Hettie (Mitchell) (Dobson) Gibson in Iowa City, Iowa.

She attended school at Shenandoah Public Schools. Frances married Clarence McClintock on May 17, 1959 at the Methodist Church in Pawnee City. To this union three children were born, Diane, Shelly and Jeff.

Frances worked at several Cafe’s while her kids were in school. She worked at the Pawnee Manor in Housekeeping then went to work at the Pawnee Hospital until she retired. She was a EMT for the county for many years. Frances also worked as a CNA at the Humboldt Hospital for many years. After Frances retired she enjoyed reading and doing word games.

Frances was preceded in death by her parents, mother-in-law and father-in-law, sisters, Pauline Conley and Alice Gibson, brothers, Rex, Max, Bob and sister-in-law Mary, brother-inlaw, Elmon Conley.

Chalmer William “Hank” Knick, 84, of Pawnee City died at Premier Estates of Pawnee on Friday, February 8, 2019. He was born September 2, 1934, one of 16 children, in Froid, MT at the family farm. He grew up on his family’s farm where he tended livestock, harvested crops and especially enjoyed his time on a tractor or combine for many long hours. He became his own personal radio by singing all Hank Williams, Sr. songs at full volume along with his harmonica which he had taught himself to play. The local neighbors said they could hear him playing his harmonica when he would be rounding the corner of the fields, even above the equipment he was operating and was said to be quite good, too! He was also a big talent on the dance floor with his fancy two-step and swing moves. The ladies were always lined up waiting – so he never had to go looking for a partner.

Leota May (Trimmer) Uhri, 95, of Table Rock, Nebraska was born on February 9, 1923 to Bert and Selena Matilda Mae (Lewis) Trimmer in Humboldt, Nebraska. She was raised in Humboldt and graduated from Humboldt High School with the class of 1940. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Peru State College and a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. During her lifetime, Leota lived in several different states, as well as Canada and Puerto Rico. She taught school in Tecumseh, Pawnee City, Table Rock, Nebraska and in Puerto Rico while living there. Leota was united in marriage to Robert Uhri in Humboldt, Nebraska. To this union four children were born, Carolyn “Sue”, Robert “Bob”, Bill and Meri Lou.

Lawrence “Larry” E. Bstandig, 70 of Burchard, Nebraska, passed away on Thursday, January 31, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was born on March 14, 1948 to Lyle and Esther (Kalin) Bstandig in Pawnee City, Nebraska. He grew up on the family farm east of Burchard where he resided until his death. He was baptized at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Burchard, Nebraska and was confirmed at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Steinauer, Nebraska.

He attended St. Anthony’s Parochial School in Steinauer, Nebraska, through the 8th grade. He then attended Steinauer High School and graduated in 1966 as part of the last graduating class. He played basketball and sang in the choir.

James (Jim) Lynn Friesel, of Pawnee City, Nebraska was born on August 5, 1943 to Henry Owen Friesel and Mae (Bowne) Friesel in the family home in Weeping Water, Nebraska.  Jim was the youngest of four children.  He was an avid outdoorsman from an early age. As a young boy, Jim and his family would go to Minnesota each summer, staying in a cabin on a lake, boating and fishing. This is where Jim developed his great love of fishing for walleyes. He trapped muskrats and mink in the creeks near the family home and even raised a number of coon hounds.  He and his dad and brothers loved to “go out west” in central Nebraska and hunt pheasants. He attended Weeping Water Public Schools and graduated with the class of 1961.  Jim was a light heavy-weight boxer in high school, only losing one bout. He excelled at football, starting all but one game in his four years and had an opportunity to play at Peru State College, but decided to focus on academics.