Joseph D. Callihan, Sr., age 73 of Paxton, passed away Thursday September 21, 2017 at Great Plains Health. Arrangements are pending at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home.
Month: September 2017
Minerva Gallegos
Minerva Gallegos, of Brule, NE, died Wednesday, September 20, 2017, at the Ogallala Community Hospital at the age of 56.
Minerva was born February 22, 1961, to Juan Francisco, Sr. and Amada Davila Gallegos in Dimmitt, TX. She grew up and attended school in Brule then married Isidro Ortiz in Ogallala, NE. They lived in North Platte, NE for a while then moved to Texas. They returned to North Platte and later divorced.
Minerva worked as a waitress and CNA most of her life but was also a roofer in Fort Worth, TX, and a qualified press operator in Lincoln, NE.
Minerva enjoyed fishing, cooking, and trying her luck at gambling. She especially enjoyed being with her family.
She is survived by her children, Isidro Ortiz, Jr. (fiancée Amanda Pratt) and Angelica Maria Ortiz Urbina (Manuel), all of Des Moines, IA; two grandchildren, Marisol Maria Ortiz and Jose Luis Ortiz; brothers, Joe (Karma) Gallegos, of Commerce City, CO, Frank (Berta) Gallegos, of Brule, Jessie Gallegos and Carlos Gallegos, of North Platte, and David Gallegos; sisters, Janie (Martin) Jehorek, of Lincoln, NE, Maria (Randall) Haessler, of North Platte, Rosie Juarez, of Odessa, TX, Clementine (Calletano) Perez, of Orange Grove, PA, and Amanda (Will) Deuerlein, of Ogallala; as well as many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and other family.
Minerva was preceded in death by her parents, Juan and Amada Gallegos.
Funeral Service will be 1 p.m. (CT) Tuesday, September 26, 2017, at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore with Father Bryan Ernst officiating. Burial will follow at 2 p.m. (MT) in the Ogallala Cemetery. Visitation will be prior to the service at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may also be shared at odeanchapel.com. In lieu of flowers, the family has established a memorial.
Helen Witt
Helen Witt, 87, passed away Wednesday, September 20, 2017.
Helen was born March 5, 1930, to Carl and Luise Lehmann in North Platte, NE. She married her high school sweetheart, Randy Witt, on May 24, 1952.
Helen was an active member of First Evangelical Lutheran Church, a member of Adah Circle and a long time member of the North Platte Opportunity Center Board. God, family and friends were important to her.
Helen is survived by a daughter, Christa Speed and her husband Terry Speed; granddaughter, Anna Speed and her fiancé Mike Faue; sister, Ruth Lehmann; sister-in-law, Linda Lehmann; and niece, Jennifer Swain and her husband Mike Swain.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Randy Witt, and daughter, Gretchen Witt; sister, Sue Juker; brother, Carl Lehmann; and her parents.
Memorial service will be held at First Evangelical Lutheran Church at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 23, 2017. There will be a private burial service in Fort McPherson National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the First Evangelical Lutheran Church. The memorial book may be signed at odeanchapel.com or from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements.
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BREAKING: Nebraska AD Shawn Eichorst fired effective immediately
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska has fired athletic director Shawn Eichorst, citing his failure to improve “on-field performance” by the Cornhuskers.
Chancellor Ronnie Green announced the move Thursday. Eichorst joined Nebraska in October 2012, and has about $1.7 million remaining on a contract that runs through June 2019.
Green praised Eichorst but says his “efforts have not translated into on-field performance. Green says winning “can and often does happen in concert with well-run, quality college programs.”
Eichorst and football coach Mike Riley have been under increased scrutiny with the continued mediocrity of the program. Eichorst hired Riley in 2014, replacing Bo Pelini.
Riley is just 16-13 at Nebraska, a school that has won five national championships, went to bowl games every year from 1969-2003 but has not won a conference title since 1999. The Huskers are off to a second 1-2 start in three seasons.
Statement from Nebraska Chancellor Ronnie Green…
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has announced it has begun a search for a new director of athletics. The university has ended Shawn Eichorst’s employment, effective immediately.
“Shawn has led Nebraska Athletics in many positive ways, but those efforts have not translated into on-field performance,” Chancellor Ronnie Green said. “Our fans and our student-athletes deserve leadership that drives the highest levels of competitiveness, as well as excellence across all facets of Husker Athletics.”
Eichorst joined Nebraska in October 2012, and has about $1.7 million remaining on a contract that runs through June 2019. Green and President Hank Bounds decided to seek a new athletic director and met with Eichorst today. Green and Bounds also met with Husker coaches today to share the decision.
“I want to sincerely thank Shawn for his dedication to and care for our student-athletes, and for his commitment to their success here at Nebraska, and in life,” Green said. “He has positively influenced countless lives at this university, and I wish him and his family the very best going forward.”
In a statement, Eichorst said, “While I am deeply disappointed in the decision today, I am grateful for the wonderful years that my family and I have spent at Nebraska. I am proud of how our student-athletes, coaches and staff represented this great university and state, and I am confident that the future is bright for Nebraska Athletics.”
The search for a new director of athletics began today. The university expects to appoint an interim athletic director to oversee day-to-day operations of Nebraska Athletics until a new, permanent director of athletics begins.
The chancellor said the university will reach out to stakeholders knowledgeable of Nebraska Athletics, as well as those who have run successful college programs around the nation, for guidance and perspective in the search for a new permanent director of athletics. The search will focus on finding a director who helps put Husker teams into the best place of opportunity to compete and to uphold the athletic program’s outstanding academic achievement, Green said.
Green will hold a media availability at 2:30 p.m. at the Van Brunt Visitors Center, 313 N. 13th St., on the university campus.
“Winning can and often does happen in concert with well-run, quality college programs that work to ensure the success of the student,” he said. “That’s our expectation. We take pride here in doing things right and doing the right thing, and that won’t change. This is not an either-or equation. We can and should win in that kind of environment.”
Rose Marie Vogel Blincow
Rose Marie Vogel Blincow, 93, formerly of Arnold, died Tuesday, September 19, at Linden Court in North Platte.
Services will be held Saturday, September 23, 2017, at 11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Arnold. Interment will be at the Arnold Cemetery.
A memorial has been established for the First Baptist Church building fund.
Visitation will be on Friday, September 22 from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Arnold Funeral Home.
Lloyd W. Behrens
Lloyd W. Behrens, 57, formerly of Grand Island, died Sept. 12, 2017, as the result of a farming accident near North Platte.
Lloyd was born on June 16, 1960, in Omaha, the son of Robert and Martha (Behrens) Philbrick. He was raised in Stuart and graduated from Mead High School with the class of 1978.
He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1979-83. He was employed by CSS Potato Farms.
Survivors include his sisters and brothers, Mary (Mike) Pierson of Grand Island, Luann Goertzen of Columbus, Larry Philbrick of Plainview and Dennis Philbrick of Lincoln; nine nieces and nephews; and his farming friends.
Memorials are suggested to the family. Online condolences may be shared at giallfaiths.com.
Services will be at 2 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 18, at the Grand Island Cemetery with Daniel Naranjo officiating. Military honors will be rendered by the United States Marine Corps and United Veterans Honor Guard. There will be no visitation. All Faiths Funeral Home, Grand Island, is in charge of arrangements.
Harland Mark Morgan Jr.
Harland Mark Morgan Jr., 76, of Warsaw, Missouri, passed away Sept. 6, 2017, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri.
Mark was born on May 14, 1941, in Lebanon, Missouri, the son of Harland Sr. and Irene Rector Morgan. He was the oldest of seven children.
Mark’s father was a game warden, so the family moved around a bit. They moved to North Platte, and Mark graduated from high school there.
He was married to Lorna Hahn in 1959 in North Platte, and unto this union three children were born. Mark did a lot of things in his life, including working for a newspaper, horse racing magazine and Union Pacific Railroad.
In 1982, he was united in marriage to Karen Marston. They moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, and he went to work for Fluor-Daniel Corporation and worked on a team that developed rocket boosters used on the space shuttle. They then moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he was a salesman for Steve’s Shoes.
Mark loved the outdoors, especially fishing. He was also a very avid golfer. He hunted and was an expert marksman, winning several contests and awards for his muzzle loading and shooting skills. He loved animals, especially dogs. He and Karen moved to the lake area after he retired so he could do more fishing. He liked to stay busy and worked at the bait shop near his house a couple days a week for the last few years.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Kerri; infant brother, Eric; and a sister, Marilyn.
Mark is survived by his wife, Karen, of the home; son, Mark Morgan of Fairmont; daughter, Lori (Carey) Howard of Tipton, Iowa; brothers, Joe Morgan of California, Barry (partner, Susan) of Florida, Rodney of Wisconsin and Rob of Kansas; a son-in-law, Randy Olsen of Ponca; nine grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; a niece and a nephew; and other relatives and friends.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23, at Reser Funeral Home, Warsaw, which is in charge of arrangements.
Nancy Kay Sitorius
Nancy Kay Sitorius, 71, of Gothenburg, died Sept. 19, 2017 at Hilltop Estates in Gothenburg.
Nancy was born on May 30, 1946, in Gothenburg to Iver and Irene (Uhlig) Cole. They lived on the Cole family farm near Etna. She attended a one-room country school through eighth grade. She always enjoyed getting her 4-H calf ready to show. She graduated from Gothenburg High with the class of 1964.
After graduation, she went to beauty college and started her own shop, Nancy’s Beauty Salon, in 1965. She worked at her own shop for 50 years until she joined Nan’s Headhunters.
She was a member of the Cozad Gun Club, American Trapshooters Association and 4-H. Her hobbies included trapshooting, fishing, hunting, cooking and baking.
Nancy was preceded in death by her parents and brother-in-law, George Wemple.
Survivors include her husband, Milton Sitorius of Gothenburg; daughter, Betty (Bill) DeNise of Yuma, Arizona; son, Don (Nanc) Sitorius of Brady; four grandsons; many great-grandchildren; brother, Kent (Elaine) Cole of Callaway; sisters, Konnie Wemple of North Platte and Judy (Darwin) Rosentrater of Haxtun, Colorado; and many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
Memorials are suggested to the Cozad Gun Club. Online condolences may be shared at blasestrauser.com.
Burial will be at 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 22, at Gothenburg Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1-6 p.m. today, Sept. 21, at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel, Gothenburg, which is in charge of arrangements.