Ernest R. Jensen, 84, of North Platte, passed away Dec. 21, 2012, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center.
He was born March 13, 1928, to Jens Christian and Christina (Larsen) Jensen in Dannebrog. He always thought 13 was a lucky number. He was the 13th child, went to school district No. 13, had 13 classmates, was born on the 13th and weighed 13 pounds.
He worked at Gustofson Lumber Co. in Cozad. Ernest served in the United States Army in Germany for a year and a half. He returned to Gustofson Lumber Co. after his discharge. In August 1954, he married Margaret Budd in Cozad. That year he went to work at the United States Post Office in Cozad. In 1972, he was assigned as a postal clerk in North Platte. They moved to North Platte in 1973.
He belonged to the V.F.W., Moose Lodge, Elks and the Eagles. Ernie loved to golf every day no matter how cold and some days he was the only one out there. He loved to play cards with the retired postal workers.
Ernest is survived by his wife of 58 years, Margaret; three daughters, Roberta (Benny) Owens, Barbara (John) Williams and Brenda Jensen, all of North Platte; eight grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren; two step granddaughters, five step great-grandchildren; two brothers, Art and George (Darlene) Jensen; two sisters, Helen Armour and Leona McHargue; and many, many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Alfred, Raymond, Clarence, Carl, Harlan, Harold and Marvin; and sisters, Myrtle and Margaret.
Online condolences may be shared at carpentermemorial.com. A memorial has been established in lieu of flowers.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m., Friday, Dec. 28, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church with the Rev. James Golka as celebrant. Cremation was chosen. Inurnment will be a later date at Ft. McPherson National Cemetery. Those wishing to sign the memorial book may do so from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 26, and Thursday, Dec. 27, at Carpenter Memorial Chapel, which is in charge of arrangements.
Month: December 2012
Everett Lee “Skeeter” Thompson Jr.
Everett Lee “Skeeter” Thompson Jr., 59, of Hershey, died Dec. 22, 2012, at his home.
Skeeter was born on Sept. 28, 1953, in North Platte to Everett Sr. and Twila (Gilmore) Thompson.
Skeeter grew up in the Bignell area and graduated from Maxwell High School in 1970. He worked at Quick Electric in Ogallala for several years before moving to Hershey, where he worked for the gas company. Skeeter began working for the Hershey Flying Service and continued there for more than 30 years.
Skeeter was a past volunteer for the Hershey Fire Department, and a member of the Freedom Train Singers, where he played guitar.
Survivors include his daughter, Sydney Thompson, of Omaha; his mother, Twila Thompson, of Hershey; two sisters, Mary (Leo) Simants, of North Platte, and Jan Collins, of Hershey; and numerous other family members and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his father; a brother, Randy; and a sister, Diana Manary. Memorials can be made to Great Plains Hospice, the Callahan Cancer Center, or to his daughter Sydney for her education.
Online condolences can be made at adamsswanson.com.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 27, at the Hershey Baptist Church with James Moore officiating. Those wishing to sign the register book may do so from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home, which is in charge of arrangements.
Warren Lee Weisgerber
Warren Lee Weisgerber, 92, was born on Oct. 7, 1920, and passed away peacefully at home, with his daughters and grandson by his side, on Dec. 8, 2012.
He was born in North Platte to Carrie Scott and Frederick W. Weisgerber. As a youth, he loved photography, aviation and riding his Harley. He was an Eagle Scout and learned to fly in his teens. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps. in 1942 and flew C-47s over the Himalayas in the China-Burma-India theatre. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal and the Asiatic Pacific Service Medal. He retired from the Air Force inactive reserves as a major.
He married Angeline T. Lambert on Jan. 31, 1944, in Boise, Idaho. Upon his being discharged from the service, they moved to Denver, Colo., where they made their home until December 2010, when they relocated to Santa Barbara. Warren was manager of Automatic Beverage Corporation and Dispensing Distributors before retiring in 2000. He spent many years in his studio creating his beautiful Native American-style jewelry. He was active at Montclair Lutheran Church and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.
He is survived by his daughters, Toni (Thomas) Schultheis and Kerry (Michael) Harrington; and his grandchildren, Olivia Harrington, Warren (Rachel) Schultheis and Thomas (Laura) Schultheis, all of Santa Barbara.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Angeline, in 2011; and his brother, William R. Weisgerber, of Ogallala.
Warren was a truly kind, honest, and gentle man and his dry sense of humor will be greatly missed.
A memorial service will be Monday, Jan. 14, 2013, in Denver, followed by interment at Ft. Logan National Cemetery. Donations may be made in his name to Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care of Santa Barbara at vnhcsb.org
Broncos Roll Over Browns for 10th Straight Win
Denver won its 10th straight game Sunday as Peyton Manning threw three touchdown passes for the 72nd time of his career in a 34-12 victory over the Cleveland Browns.
Denver (12-3) pulled into a tie for first place in the AFC with Houston, which fell 23-6 to the Vikings.
Manning finished with 339 yards on 30-for-43 passing. Von Miller was in on two sacks for the Broncos, the second of which knocked Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden out of the game with a right shoulder injury.
Miller has 17 ½ sacks on the season, breaking Elvis Dumervil’s franchise record.
If Denver defeats Kansas City at home next week and Houston loses at Indianapolis, the Broncos would be the AFC’s top seed.
UTEP Defeats Huskers
Konner Tucker and Jaques Streeter had 17 points apiece to help UTEP defeat Nebraska 68-52 in the championship game of the Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational on Sunday night.
Nebraska (8-4) did not score until 13:31 into the first half. The Huskers then began to chip away at the lead when UTEP went cold for a 4-minute stretch but closed out the half going on a 16-5 run.
The second half was much of the same as UTEP (6-5) controlled the pace. Nebraska cut the lead to as little as eight with a 13-4 run late, but UTEP stayed ahead.
Nebraska shot 37.3 percent from the field for the game, while UTEP shot 47 percent and led by as many as 22 points.
Ray Gallegos led Nebraska with 22 points. Brandon Ubel had 11 points. Dylan Talley, who had averaged 15 points per game, was held to four points.
Pagano Returns to the Colts
Chuck Pagano is back at work.
The Indianapolis Colts head coach returned to team headquarters Monday morning where he is expected to address players and coaches at a team meeting before answering questions from reporters.
Pagano took an indefinite leave from the team in late September after beginning treatments for leukemia. He completed the last of three rounds of chemotherapy earlier this month and his oncologist, Dr. Larry Cripe, says the illness is in complete remission. Last week, Cripe said he gave Pagano medical clearance to return to the team.
Pagano’s return comes one day after the Colts (10-5) clinched a playoff berth. They went 9-4 in his absence.
With nine wins, interim coach Bruce Arians tied the NFL record for most wins after a midseason coaching change.
NE Man Dies in Hunting Accident
A 50-year-old man has died in a hunting accident in east-central Nebraska.
The Howard County Sheriff’s Office says Donald “Don” Vanis, of St. Paul, died Saturday at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.
The sheriff’s office says the accident occurred at 12:10 p.m. Saturday. A dispatcher said Monday that other details about the accident have not been released, pending further investigation.
Inmate Sues Three Prison Workers at NCC for Women in York
A former inmate at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women has filed a lawsuit against three prison workers there, alleging she was not given proper medical attention.
The lawsuit was filed by 52-year-old Lori Lucchino. Lucchino says she suffered a head injury in July 2009 while she was incarcerated, but that medical staff decided not to examine her for several hours.
The lawsuit says a preliminary examination suggested that she was suffering from heat exhaustion or a drug overdose, but the proper protocol wasn’t followed for either diagnosis.
Lucchino was serving a 3- to 5-year prison term after she was convicted of seriously injuring Lincoln High School track coach Bob White and his brother, Richard White, while driving drunk on Interstate 80.
Big Brother Is Watching In Downtown Lincoln
Lincoln police have installed street cameras at a busy downtown intersection to keep watch on rowdy patrons outside local bars.
The Lincoln Journal Star reports that the cameras were placed at the intersection of 14th and O streets last month. The department paid $5,000 for both with money from a drug bust.
The intersection is a few blocks south of the University of Nebraska, and a popular area during Nebraska football games.
Lincoln police chief Jim Peschong says the intersection is a “hot spot” known for assaults and shoving matches.
Marc Forney, whose company owns Brothers Bar & Grill downtown, says he thinks the cameras are a good idea, but he hopes police maintain a presence downtown.
Peschong says the cameras won’t replace any officers on the street.
Pipeline Opponents to Send Grinch and Cindy Lou to Gov’s Residence
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Opponents of the Keystone XL pipeline are claiming new allies in their push to keep the project away from the Ogallala Aquifer: the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who.
The group Bold Nebraska says the two fictional Dr. Seuss characters will visit Gov. Dave Heineman’s residence at noon on Christmas Eve day. The group says the Grinch will deliver gifts that symbolize landowner rights.
Pipeline opponents are imploring Heineman to deny state approval for the project, which would carry oil from Canada to Texas refineries. Heineman has said he expects a recommendation from Nebraska’s environmental-quality agency by early January at the latest.
Pipeline developer TransCanada has agreed to move the proposed route out of the Nebraska Sandhills, but opponents say it still cuts through the aquifer, a massive groundwater supply.