July 2017 – Page 26 – North Platte Post Archive

George Weldon “Bunk” Odean

Posted on July 6, 2017July 10, 2017

George Weldon “Bunk” Odean, of North Platte, NE, passed away on Wednesday, July 5, 2017, at Great Plains Health, at the age of 84.

George was born March 25, 1933, to George and Olive Noreen “Sunshine” Dixon Odean at Sutherland, NE. He grew up in Hershey, NE, and graduated from Hershey High School in 1951. He was active in high school, lettering in football, basketball and track, participated in class plays and was on the yearbook staff.

After high school, Bunk worked for a while then attended Doane College in 1953. When he returned to Hershey he hired on with the Union Pacific Railroad, working in the freight house. Bunk later became a clerk and eventually retired from the railroad in 1996.

On June 11, 1957, Bunk was united in marriage to Lavughan Kathleen Dircksen in North Platte where they made their home and raised two sons. He loved his family and all kinds of sports, especially the Huskers.

Bunk was a member of the Parkview Community Church of the Nazarene where he had served on the church board and helped with other activities.

He is survived by his wife, Lavughan, of North Platte; sons, Mark (Carlyn) Odean, of North Platte and Murray Odean, of Phoenix, AZ; grandson, Mark Ollie Odean; great-granddaughter, Maci Odean; as well as many nieces, nephews and other family.

Bunk was preceded in death by his parents, George and Olive “Sunshine” Odean; and brother and sister-in-law, Ollie and Alice Odean.

Cremation was chosen. Graveside Memorial Service will be 2 p.m. on Friday, July 7, 2017, in the North Platte Cemetery with Joe Sukraw officiating. The memorial book may be signed at odeanchapel.com or from 9 to 6 p.m. Thursday at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials are to the Youth for Christ or the North Platte Animal Shelter.

Esther M. Blevins

Posted on July 6, 2017

Esther M. Blevins, age 87, of Stapleton passed away July 4, 2017 at Great Plains Health in North Platte, NE.

Esther was born May 26, 1930, in Gandy, NE, to William and Gertrude (Hughes) Fablinger. She graduated from Logan County High School in 1948. After taking normal training she began teaching rural school and attending Kearney State College in the summers. She married Byron R. Blevins on September 13, 1953 in Gandy while he was home on a 9-day leave from the U.S. Army. Byron was sent to Korea and Esther continued to teach at the Garfield School. When Byron returned to the States they lived at Fort Crowder, MO until he was honorably discharged in April of 1955. They began their farming life together on the Fablinger farm 11 miles south and east of Stapleton. To this union were born three children; Gary Wayne, Robert Dale and David Ray. Esther was a member of Cornerstone Presbyterian Church and Christian Woman, former member of Lifeboat Mariners, Hub Bub Extension Club and a 4-H Leader.

She is survived by her 2 sons, Gary (Kelli) of Stapleton and their daughters Jaime of North Platte and Kali of Sutherland, and Robert (Janis) of Stapleton and stepson Jake Schrock of Gandy and stepdaughter Sarah Schrock of Aurora, CO; daughter-in-law Jody of Stapleton and her children Brian (Kelsea) of Superior, NE with their children Breea and Cruz, Bradley of Kearney, NE, Tyler of Lincoln, NE and stepdaughter Angie (Mike) Lyon with their children Makayla, Addyson and Selah of Grand Island, NE; sister Lucy Johnson of North Platte; brother and sister-in-law Don (Lyla) Blevins of Gandy; nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years Byron; son David; granddaughter Felicia; grandson Brent; sister Alice Rockwell; sister and brother-in-law Elsie and Edgar Hubbell; brother-in-law Russell Johnson; and brother and sister-in-law Emory and Frances Long.

Memorials are suggested to Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Stapleton or the Stapleton Fire and Rescue and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com. Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Friday July 7, 2017 at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Stapleton with Pastor Eric Mockaitis officiating. Burial will follow at McCain Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday July 6, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home; and 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Stapleton. Adam and Swanson Funeral Home will be in charge of arrangements.

Autopsy: Nebraska man’s body recovered from Montana river

Posted on July 5, 2017July 5, 2017

POLSON, Mont. (AP) — An autopsy confirmed the body of a 23-year-old Nebraska man has been recovered from a northwestern Montana river.

Lake County Undersheriff Ben Woods said Wednesday that Richard Mitchell of Minatare, Nebraska, drowned after falling into the Flathead River on May 31. Officials say Mitchell and others had continued past warning signs at a scenic overlook just below the SQK Dam on the Flathead Indian Reservation.

A fisherman spotted the body June 27, about 17 river miles (27 kilometers) from the dam.

Woods says Mitchell’s identity was confirmed due to his tattoo art.

Homemade explosive sends metal chunk into Lincoln home

Posted on July 5, 2017

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police in Lincoln cited a man after they say he set off a homemade firework that sent a 5-pound chunk of metal into a neighboring home.

Police say the 21-year-old man and a friend set off the explosive Monday night, sending the metal piece hundreds of feet into the air. It crashed through the roof and first floor of a home two doors down, landing in the home’s basement.

Police say an occupant of the home had just left the basement when the metal chunk crashed into it. No one was injured.

Police say the home suffered about $2,000 in damage.

The man was cited for felony for possession of an explosive device.

Nebraska Public Service Commission names new director

Posted on July 5, 2017

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A former executive director of the Nebraska Public Service Commission is reclaiming his old job.

The commission announced Wednesday that it has named Mike Hybl as its new executive director. Hybl replaces Jeff Pursley, who resigned in May following criticism of his part-time work for a telecommunications consulting firm.

The 63-year-old Hybl served as the commission’s executive director from 2007 until 2012, when he left to become chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer.

In a statement, commission Chairman Tim Schram says members are excited to have Hybl back in his old job.

Hybl will receive $135,000 a year in his job. He is set to begin on July 19.

The commission regulates oil pipelines, telecommunications, natural gas utilities, grain dealers, taxies, manufactured homes and recreational vehicles.

Kearney youth center worker pleads no contest to sex assault

Posted on July 5, 2017

KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A former mental health practitioner at the state youth treatment center in Kearney has pleaded no contest to second-degree sexual abuse.

27-year-old Samantha Halstead of Pleasanton will be sentenced in August.

Halstead was charged last summer with sexual assault of an 18-year-old male being treated at the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services says Halstead quit before her arrest.

Omaha Police Department looking to hire experienced officers

Posted on July 4, 2017

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Omaha Police Department is taking applications for law enforcement officers with previous experience.

The department says in a news release that it’s looking for currently certified officers to apply for a lateral transfer police class. Lateral transfers will go through condensed academy and field training.

Salaries range from nearly $44,000 to $77,000, depending on years of experience.

Applications may be submitted online at https://hr.cityofomaha.org/employment . Applications will be accepted through July 14.

Bald eagle recovering from loss of feathers on head

Posted on July 4, 2017

ELMWOOD, Neb. (AP) — A bald eagle, the soaring symbol of America, is recovering from an injury or ailment that left its head featherless.

Fishermen spotted the bird on the ground south of Syracuse last month. On its head was what looked like a pock-marked scab.

They reported the eagle to a state conservation officer, who took it to Fontenelle Forest’s Raptor Recovery center near Elmwood. The center manager, Betsy Finch, says the injury on the bird’s head has baffled her and other raptor experts. They’re treating it with medicated ointments — so far to no avail.

The center’s goal is to release the eagle back into the wild after the mark disappears and feathers grow back. She says that could be a few months away.

Farmers can learn more about soil health techniques

Posted on July 4, 2017

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Farmers can learn more about keeping their soil healthy at one of dozens of field workshops this summer and fall.

The Soil Health Partnership is planning about 70 field days in Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The workshops will offer tips about nutrient management, tillage strategies and using cover crops.

Nick Goeser says the workshops are designed to be valuable both to novices and experienced farmers. Goeser is director of the Soil Health Partnership and works for the National Corn Growers Association.

Details about the workshops are available online at www.soilhealthpartnership.org.

Groups urge Nebraska to reject request for voter data

Posted on July 4, 2017

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Two groups are urging Nebraska’s secretary of state to reject a federal commission’s request for voter information.

The voting-rights group Nebraskans for Civic Reform and the American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska sent the letter Monday to Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale.

President Donald Trump’s voting commission has asked all 50 states for voter information. Trump established the commission to investigate allegations of voter fraud in the 2016 elections, but Democrats have blasted it as a biased panel that is looking for ways to suppress the vote. Some states have said they won’t comply with the request.

A spokeswoman for Gale has said he has not yet seen the Trump administration’s request.