Gina Rae Stinson, 44, of Hayes Center passed away February 20, 2018 at Perkins Country Community Hospital in Grant, Nebraska after losing her battle with cancer.  She was born in McCook, NE on July 4, 1973 to Dixie (Griffiths) and Robert Stinson and lived on a farm near Hayes Center until she was three.  The family moved to Palisade in January 1977 where she lived until she graduated from high school.  She attended kindergarten through her junior year of high school at Palisade Public School and her senior year at Hayes Center High School.  Gina was very talented in all sports, especially basketball and went with her team to the state basketball playoffs in 1988.

After graduating high school in 1991, Gina earned a scholarship to play basketball for Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte.  While living in North Platte, Gina went on to marry Jim Melton of Wallace.  To this 19-year union, four children were born:  Jaime, Katelyn, Jacob and Kyle.  Gina and Jim were divorced in 2011 and she did not remarry.  Early in their marriage, she and Jim lived in Norfolk, Virginia while Jim was serving in the US Navy.  After his enlistment was completed, Jim, Gina and their girls moved back to Nebraska where they lived briefly in Alliance and Wauneta, finally settling north of Hayes Center.  After their divorce, Gina and her children lived in Grainton and Wallace before settling in Hayes Center.  At the time of her death, Gina owned the Little Blessings Daycare in Hayes Center.

Gina was a member of the Wallace Community Church and she was baptized on August 7, 2016.  She loved going to church, spending time at the lake with friends and family, and going to her children’s high school ballgames.  She was a very strong woman of great faith who fought bravely against her breast cancer with a positive attitude.  She had a wonderful sense of humor and concern for others.  She was a great example for us all.

Gina is survived by her daughters, Jaime Melton (Omaha, NE) and Katelyn (Taran) Melton (Wallace, NE); her sons Jacob Melton and Kyle Melton both of Wallace, NE; her sister Lisa Stinson of Weiden, Bavaria-Germany; her brother Blaine (Tessa) Stinson & daughter Annamarie of Palisade, NE; her father Robert (Paula) Stinson of Palisade, NE, her mother Dixie (Kent) Eckhoff of Hayes Center, NE, her stepsister Renee (Bryan) & son Rylan Grayson.

A celebration of Gina’s life is planned for Saturday, February 24 at the Wallace High School gymnasium starting at 10:00 am CST with Pastor Bob Witt officiating.  Internment is at the Dickens Cemetery in Dickens, NE with a reception to follow at the Wallace High School. Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com Gina’s casket will not be open and there will be no visitation.

Carpenter Funeral Home in North Platte is in care of arrangements.

 

 

 

Lloyd Alden Connell, 98, of Tryon passed away February 20, 2018 at Linden Court in North Platte.  Lloyd was born on December 7, 1919 on the family homestead in rural McPherson County to Michael and Elisabeth (Waits) Connell.

He attended school at district #9 in rural McPherson County. He lived and was raised on the original homestead all his life until 2002 when they moved into Tryon.  On December 3, 1944 he married Flora Lutes.  To this union, one daughter Ruth was born.  Flora and an infant daughter passed away on December 26, 1946.  On July 20, 1952, Lloyd Married Cleao F. Avery in North Platte.  To this union, a daughter Sharlene was born.

Lloyd worked for Tom Kemp drilling wells, was an ASCS surveyor in McPherson County, and worked for Ron Paxton for many years.  He grew up going to Gospel Ridge Sunday School, loved to play horseshoes (winning many tournaments), played baseball in his younger years, and loved the ranch life, with his horses and cattle.  He raised lots of sweet corn and regular corn, enjoyed cattle drives, crossing rivers on horseback, hunting rattle snakes, and roping ground squirrels. Lloyd also enjoyed brandings and roped many calves in and out of branding corrals. He carried rural mail for 29 years with Cleao at his side.  Lloyd was always a good neighbor and friend, helping anyone he could.

Survivors include his wife, Cleao of Tryon, daughters, Ruth (Kenneth) Gage, and Sharlene (Blaine) Rodewald all of Maxwell; grandchildren, Rodney (Pam) Gage of Gothenburg, Pamela (Shane) Harlin of North Platte, Shannon (Michael) Dickman of Gambrills, MD, Anthony (Jennifer) Rodewald of McCook, Jerome (Bernice) Gage of Tucson, AZ, Leland (Jenny) Rodewald of Holdrege, and Andrew (Ashley) Rodewald of Sidney; great-grandchildren, Nichole, Misty, Dylan, Jessica, Elisabeth, Emily, Graydon, ElsiAnna, Kailynn, Erin, Samantha, Lyndon, Blake, Brom, and Graeme; great-great-grandchildren, Gabriel, Ivan, Joseph, and Alvina; sisters-n-law Helen Brooks, Lila Brooks both of Cozad, Gloria Marlin of Gothenburg, Wanda Connell of Kenesaw, and Twyla (Dean) Connelly of Brady; and numerous other family members and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Flora; infant daughter, Flora Mary; in-laws, Walter and Laura Avery, Siblings, William, Bernard, Wayne, Dan, Malcolm, Eva Smith, Louelva Hatch, Myrtle Gragg, Martha Gressley, and Dorothy Haney; and a great-great-granddaughter, Gretchen.

Memorials may be made to the McPherson County Fire and Rescue and online condolences may be shared at www.adamswanson.com.

Services will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 24, 2018 at the McPherson County High School in Tryon with the Reverend Bob Townsend officiating.  Burial will follow at Miller Cemetery.  Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. with the family receiving friends 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Friday at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.

Nita Delisa Madagame, formerly of North Platte, passed away Thursday February 15, 2018 at her home in Colorado.

Nita was born December 19, 1956 in Omaha, NE to Edmund and Lupe (Dominguez) Madagame.  She attended school in North Platte and Lincoln, graduating from Lincoln High School.  She worked at a nursing home in Lincoln for a short time before returning to North Platte where she married Narciso Torres.  The couple remained in North Platte where Nita managed motels for many years.  She enjoyed her friends and family, especially her grandchildren.

Nita is survived by her son Narciso “Cecil” Torres, Jr. of North Platte; grandchildren Ariah and Javien Perez of Lincoln; siblings Sharon Sandoval of Las Cruses, NM, David (Michelle) Dominguez of Raleigh, NC, Rita (Mark) Hernandez of North Platte, Tony Madagame of Las Vegas, NV, Tim Madagame of Sturgis, SD, Michael (Angie) Vieyra of Kearney and Valentino Madagame of Grand Island; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins; and special friends Howard Simpson of North Platte, Leslie “Duke” Dauphin of Colorado and Colleen Davis of North Platte.

She was preceded in death by her parents Edmund and Lupe Madagame; husband Narciso; and sister Marsha Moreno.

Memorials are suggested to the Lincoln Connection and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.  Cremation was chosen and a memorial service will be held 2:00 p.m. Friday, February 23, 2018 at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home with the Reverend Matthew Nash officiating.  Those wishing to do so may sign the register book from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. today at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.