HASTINGS, Neb. (AP) — A pathologist says a 72-year-old Hastings man died of natural causes — a heart attack — after a physical altercation.
Authorities say Stephen Cash died at a Hastings hospital July 10. He’d been taken there after being stricken following a fight with another man over ownership of a bicycle. Toxicology test results are still pending.
Police arrested the other man on suspicion of assault by mutual consent. Online court records don’t yet show that he’s been formally charged.
Suzanne Gollihare, age 71, of North Platte, died July 15, 2018 at Great Plains Health. She was born August 31, 1946 in Scottsbluff, NE to Lloyd and Joan (Wardyn) Peters. After her father’s death, she and her siblings were adopted by her step-father, Paul Lockard. Suzanne graduated from North Platte High School.
Suzanne resided in Scottsbluff, Moses Lake, WA, El Paso, and settled in North Platte where she worked at Sears as service manager, Karls, and Herberger’s, where she retired in 2006. Suzanne married John R. “Tex” Gollihare on February 4, 1972 in North Platte. She was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, former PTA president at Buffalo School, member of the Painting Princesses (cancer survivors group) where she developed a love for water painting, and was Auxiliary President of the VFW. Suzanne loved to sew and make wedding and prom dresses for relatives, and enjoyed quilting.
Survivors include her husband, John “Tex” Gollihare of North Platte; children, Henry (Michele) Kivett of Hershey, Jerome (Michelle) Gollihare of Denver, Shawn (Cammie) Gollihare of Colorado Springs, Bridget (Mark) Haneborg of North Platte; grandchildren, Anessa, Kaitlyn, Ashley, Joel, Dominic, Sydney, Gracie, Brady, Khloe, and Max; great granddaughter, Zoey; siblings, Joseph (Mary) Lockard of Lincoln, Nancy (Nathan) Shrieberg of North Platte, and Victor (Wendy) Lockard of North Platte; and many other family members, and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; her step father, and a brother Mitchell Lockard. Memorials may be directed to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and online condolences can be made at www.adamsswanson.com.
Christian Wake Services will be 7 p.m. Wednesday July 18, 2018 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Thursday July 19, 2018 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church with the Rev. Matthew Nash as celebrant. Burial will be at Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell, NE. Visitation will be Wednesday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Adams & Swanson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Franklin Kenneth “Ken” Wachholtz, 78, of Bentonville, Arkansas, passed away June 29, 2018, in his home, surrounded by his family.
He was born on June 25, 1940, in Neligh, to Edwin and Bernadine (Gilster) Wachholtz. Ken graduated from North Platte High School in 1959 and was a football and basketball letterman.
He was employed by Union Pacific Railroad and married his high school sweetheart, Judith Wilnes, in 1960. They soon moved to California, where Ken learned the electrical trade.
In 1977, he started his own electrical contracting business, Star Electrical Contractors. During that time, Ken mentored many young men who later became electricians.
Ken and Judy proudly celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary on June 5, 2018.
Ken’s favorite activities were spending time with his family, boating, hunting, fishing, golfing, cards and of course, following USC and Nebraska football along with the Green Bay Packers, the Lakers, the Angels and Norco High. He also participated in Ducks Unlimited.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Harlan.
Ken is survived by his wife, Judy; two daughters, Kena Jo Wachholtz and Sherry Rolsma, both of Bentonville; one son, Kyle (Nicole) Wachholtz of California; two sisters, LaJean (Val) Long of Iowa and Linda (Steven) Campbell of California; one brother, Larry (Vicki) Wachholtz of South Carolina; five grandchildren, Haley and Brady Rolsma, Braxton, Leighton and Kylee Wachholtz.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Circle of Life Hospice, Bentonville, nwacircleoflife.com/donatesupport or Hope Lutheran Church, Palm Desert, California, hopepd.org/give. Online condolences may be shared at eptingfuneralhome@gmail.com by placing Ken’s name in the subject line.
Services will be at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 21, at Hope Lutheran Church, 45900 Portola Ave., Palm Desert, California. Epting Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Ruth L. Parker, 89, died June 26, 2018, in Mesa, Arizona.
She was born in Frontier County on Feb 10, 1929, the daughter of Harry and Rena Fenton. She graduated from the Farnam High School in 1946, then worked for the First National Bank in North Platte.
In addition to being a faithful housewife and mother, she worked at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for over 20 years.
She married Curtis W. Parker on April 7, 1951, who preceded her in death.
She is survived by three sons, Joseph in Missouri, Raymond in Arizona, Kirk in Lincoln; one daughter, Lori in Illinois; sister, Betty Cover in North Platte; brother, Gene Fenton in Arizona; as well as numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Ruth will be buried with her husband, Curtis, at 9 a.m. on Friday, July 20, at Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell. Visitation with the family will immediately follow the funeral and continuing until 2 p.m., in Room 148, of the Quality Inn & Suites Hotel, 2102 S. Jeffers St.
Suzanne Gollihare, age 71 of North Platte, passed away Sunday July 15, 2018 at Great Plains Health. Services are pending at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home.
LaDonna Kay Schmidt, age 57 of North Platte, passed away Friday July 13, 2018 in Lincoln, NE. Arrangements are pending at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home.
Orville Eugene Schaeffer, 65, of North Platte, died Friday, July 13, 2018, at Great Plains Health.
Orville was born on February 27, 1953, in Loveland, CO, to Charles Vernon and Lois Marie (Armstrong) Schaeffer. He grew up in Loveland where he graduated from high school then moved to Alaska to work in the oil fields for a while. Orville later returned to Loveland where he worked as a security guard. He attained the rank of Captain then retired due to his health.
Orville was married to Brenda Wiener for many years until her death. In 2011 he moved to North Platte to be closer to his sister. He enjoyed elk hunting in Colorado and doing wooden craft projects.
Along with his wife, Brenda, Orville was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Lois; and daughter, Sheila Schaeffer.
He is survived by his daughter, Saundra Smith, of Ohio; sister, Bonnie (Steve) Pursley, of North Platte; brothers, William and Jerry Schaeffer, of Missouri, and Johnny Schaeffer, of Illinois; two grandchildren; as well as many nieces, nephews and other family.
Cremation was chosen. Memorial Service will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 18, 2018, at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore with Pastor Jeremy Rinke officiating. The memorial book may be signed at odeanchapel.com or prior to the service at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore, which is in charge of arrangements.
Verna H. (Gebhards) David, 97, of North Platte, passed away July 13, 2018 at Linden Court. She was born to Henry and Carrie (Gruben) Gebhards on August 6, 1920 in Nuckolls County, NE.
She attended Nebraska Public Schools and graduated from Nelson High School, where she earned an Elementary Teaching Certificate and was awarded a four year scholarship, which she used at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She worked for a short time during WWII in the Dept. of Commerce in Washington D.C. before returning to Nebraska to complete a college degree. Following graduation she taught business subjects and home economics at Paxton High School.
In 1948, she and Virgil T. David, a WWII veteran from Paxton, were united in marriage at Salem Lutheran Church in Superior, NE. Following a wedding trip to California, they established a home in North Platte, where they built a home on East Circle Drive. They became active members of the community. Their two sons were born in North Platte.
Verna enjoyed short-term teaching when needed in the typing and bookkeeping classes in North Platte Senior High School until her sons finished Junior High. She then accepted a position to teach eight grade English at Adams Junior High. During the 19 years she taught at Adams, she took numerous relevant college courses.
As a child, she was baptized and confirmed at Salem Lutheran Church in Superior. In North Platte, she became an active member of First Evangelical Lutheran Church. There she was active in the children’s Sunday School many years, held offices in the Women’s Organizations, and served on the Church Council and Leadership committees. She was also an active leader in grade school National PTA, a member of National and Nebraska English Teachers, local teachers organizations, and DELTA KAPPA GAMMA International Teachers Honorary.
Verna devoted many hours to maintaining a family home and supporting activities of her family. She looked forward to opportunities to travel and felt fortunate to be able to tour Europe and China.
She is survived by her sons, Mark B. David of Lincoln, NE and Paul T. David, MD and his children Philip and Caroline of Santa Barbara, CA; and two sisters, Annetta Oden of North Platte and Carrie Pasewark of Dunkirk, MD.
She was preceded in death by her husband of fifty one years; her parents; a sister, Adessa Dunn; a brother, Chester Gebhards; and an infant brother.
Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. A memorial has been established in her memory. Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 17, 2018 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel. Services will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 18, 2018 at First Evangelical Lutheran Church with the Rev. Steve Berke officiating. Burial will be at Ft. McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell. Carpenter Memorial Chapel is in care of arrangements.
A man in the Scotts Bluff County Health Department jurisdiction tested positive for West Nile virus according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
“This is the first human case so far this season and there will be more,” said Dr. Tom Safranek, State Epidemiologist for DHHS. “West Nile virus can be a mild illness for some but serious for others. It’s important to get into the habit of protecting yourself from mosquito bites now because we’ve got a summer of warm weather and outdoor activities ahead of us.”
Preventive tips:
West Nile virus is transmitted to people through the bite of a mosquito that picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Most people who are infected will have no symptoms or only mild flu-like symptoms. Some people will develop a fever with other symptoms like headache, body aches, vomiting, fatigue and weakness. Fewer than 1 percent of people will develop a serious illness like encephalitis or meningitis (inflammation of the brain and surrounding tissues). People over 50 and those with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable to the disease and are more likely to experience serious consequences.Last year there were 68 human cases in Nebraska and two deaths.
DHHS started its West Nile virus surveillance at the beginning of June. A mosquito pool in Lancaster County and a mosquito pool in Phelps County tested positive early that month.
By GRANT SCHULTE , Associated PressThe 117 laws will go into effect Thursday, three months after this year’s legislative session adjourned and the end of the normal grace period for new state statutes.
Here’s a look at some high-profile measures:
— ANIMAL MASSAGE: Massaging a horse, dog or cat will no longer require a state-sanctioned license. The law was originally aimed at horse massage, a common practice to relieve tension in high-performance horses, but was expanded to include other animals. Nebraska previously required so-called “equine massage therapists” to be a veterinarian or a licensed human massage therapist with special training. The law is LB596.
— LOOSENING GUN RESTRICTIONS: People who are released from mental health facilities will get the opportunity to ask a mental health board to reinstate their rights to buy a handgun or obtain a concealed-carry permit. The law requires boards to reinstate gun rights if petitioners show “clear and convincing evidence” that the restriction should be removed. The law is LB100.
Another new gun law would let university-sanctioned firearms teams possess rifles, pistols and shotguns on campus. Current law only lets them have rifles. The law is LB321.
Still another will prohibit local law enforcement from disclosing individual gun permit records to the public, a policy cheered by gun-rights advocates as a way to protect firearm owners from harassment. Open-government advocates say it’s unnecessary. The law is LB902.
— SERVICE MEMBERS RELOCATING: Active-duty military service members who are ordered to relocate will be able to cancel their cable, cellphone and internet service and gym memberships without penalties. Supporters say service members shouldn’t be punished with cancellation fees when they’re deployed.
“It’s really important that we do things to help relieve stress on our military families who are going in and out of Nebraska,” said Sen. Carol Blood, of Bellevue, who sponsored the law.
The law will also allow service members to terminate their leases without penalty if they’re ordered to move into government housing. Blood, who represents many service members at Offutt Air Force Base, said previous state and federal laws didn’t account for new technology. The law is LB682.
— TELEHEALTH: Doctors can now prescribe drugs and meet new patients through “telehealth” services that allow them to connect remotely through the internet or by phone. Lawmakers have moved in recent years to make the state more welcoming to the technology in hopes of addressing a shortage of rural health care providers. The law is LB701.
— PRESCRIPTION DRUGS: Health care professionals will face new safety restrictions when prescribing opiates in an effort to prevent widespread abuse, a problem that has plagued other states. Doctors will now have to discuss the risks with younger patients and limit the amounts they prescribe to minors in most situations. Additionally, pharmacists now must request identification from customers of such products unless they already know the person. The law is LB931.
— PERSONAL DATA: Any company that stores consumers’ personal information will be legally required to enact “reasonable security procedures and practices” to prevent data breaches. Consumer reporting agencies will also be barred from charging any fees to place a temporary security freeze on a customer’s credit. The law was introduced in the wake of the 2017 Equifax Breach that affected nearly 148 million people.
The law “is critical after Equifax lost hundreds of thousands of Nebraskans’ financial data last year, such as Social Security numbers, birthdates and bank account information,” said Sen. Adam Morfeld, of Lincoln, the law’s sponsor. “No company should be able to profit off their mistakes.”
The law is LB757.
— THREATENING TEXTS: Threatening or harassing a person by text message will become a misdemeanor punishable by up to three months in jail and a $500 fine. The new law expands an existing state statute that only applied to threatening or harassing phone calls. The law is LB773.
— CERTIFICATES FOR NONVIABLE BIRTHS: Women who have a miscarriage will be able to request a commemorative certificate from the Department of Health and Human Services to recognize the pregnancy. Supporters said the certificates could help grieving parents cope with their loss.
“Each generation will have a history for their families, and they’ll know the loss was felt by many,” said Sen. Joni Albrecht, of Thurston, who introduced the law. “To me, it’s a privilege to help all the grieving families remember their loved ones.”
The law is LB1040.
— SEX TRAFFICKING: Sex trafficking victims with a prostitution conviction will be able to ask a judge to set aside their convictions if they were under a trafficker’s influence at the time. The law is part of an effort to rehabilitate victims and shift punishments onto traffickers and sex purchasers. The law is LB1132.
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Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter at https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte
