Laura Mae (McIntosh) Graves, age 41 of North Platte, left her place here on earth December 31, 2016 with family and loved ones by her side at the University of Colorado in Aurora, CO.

Laura was born on June 2, 1975 in North Platte to Frances McIntosh.  She moved with her family to Aurora, CO, Evanston, WY, Salt Lake City, UT and Denver, CO, but eventually planted her roots back in Nebraska.  She attended school in North Platte and received her GED.  She was united in marriage to Curtis D. Graves on January 30, 1997 and to this union 2 children were born, Breonna Rae and Curtis Daniel Jr.  In 2009 they were blessed with their special son Tristen Tyrael Graves.  Laura’s passions in life were her children, for whom she only wanted the best of everything.  She cared for the elderly and worked as a CNA before becoming a stay-at-home mom.  She enjoyed playing with and caring for her children and nieces and nephews, Tre’sha, Mya, Tayi, CeAnn, Millie, Lincoln, Dasyn, Elijah and Queyontae.  She truly cherished making memories to last a life time.

Laura is survived by her mother Frances McIntosh; step-father Willie Purvis; husband Curtis Graves; children Breonna (Tristen Houlden) Graves, Curtis Daniel Graves, Jr., and Tristen Tyrael Graves; her siblings Anthony (Amber) McIntosh, Stevie (Nikki Woodward) McIntosh and Willie E. Purvis III; many nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles, and cousins; as well as  special friends Randisa Purvis, Sherleen and Randy Smith, and CeCillia Childers.

She was preceded in death by her biological father Larry Jones; maternal grandparents Marvin McIntosh and Elvira Clark Blackledge; paternal grandparents Ray Graves and Sharon Graves; aunts Linda McIntosh, Kathryn Wiegel, Doris Snow; uncle Simon Martinez; cousin Travis Martinez; unborn Baby Graves; and her pet pomeranian Jazzy.

Memorials are suggested in her name and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.  A celebration of Laura’s life will be held 4:00 p.m. Saturday January 7, 2017 at the Salvation Army Church, 1020 North Adams, with Captain Tony Bowers and Breanne Bowers officiating.  A continued celebration and the sharing of cherished memories will be held in the gymnasium immediately following.  Adams and Swanson Funeral Home is assisting the family with their arrangements.

 

David Herschel White, age 58, of North Platte, NE, died December 29, 2016, at his home in North Platte.

David was born February 5, 1958, to Herschel Delbert and Carolyn Jean Vollmer White in North Platte where he grew up and attended school. He later married Jena Humphrey and they later divorced.

David worked as a disc jockey for Eagle Radio, Hot 97.1 and KELN, and was a member of the Pigeon Club.

He is survived by his siblings, Michael (Rachel) Welch and Cheryl White, of North Platte, and Angie Welch (Derek Peavey), of Golden, CO; niece and nephew, Breanna and Lathan Welch; and other family members.

David was preceded in death by his father, Herschel White; mother and stepfather, Carolyn and Frank Welch; and infant brother, Timothy Welch.

Cremation was chosen. A gathering of family and friends will be from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, January 7, 2017, at Cheryl’s house, 2602 West First Street in North Platte. Condolences may be shared online at odeanchapel.com. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.

Jasper Zoh Reynolds, 14 months old, passed away December 24, 2016 at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha.  He was born October 20, 2015 to Trill Reynolds and Danielle Lee at David City, Nebraska.  He is survived by his parents; a sister, Phoenix Reynolds; grandmothers, Jodi Matthews and Jaime Newton; uncle, Zachary Matthews; and aunts, Heather and Amber Speck.  He was preceded in death by his grandpa, Ronald Speck and a great-grandmother, Marcia Speck.

Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com.  Services will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 4, 2016 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel with Chaplain Brenda K. Lee officiating.  Burial will be at the North Platte Cemetery.  Carpenter Memorial Chapel is in care of arrangements.

Clarence “Casey” G. Jackson, 91, of North Platte, passed away December 29, 2016.

He was born in a sod house two miles north of North Platte to Fred and Nellie (Lister) Jackson. Casey grew to manhood on the family ranch, ten miles north of North Platte. He graduated from North Platte High School at the age of seventeen and worked various jobs for neighboring ranches until joining the US Navy Seabees in June  of 1943.

He served with the 116^th NCB in the Pacific Theatre, attached to the 5^th Marine Division and landed on the shores of Kyshui Japan at Japanese aircraft factory of Sasebo, Japan two weeks after the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, 20 miles north of Sasebo, which had been destroyed by fire bombs previously. During the time spent in the Seabees, Casey was a bulldozer operator, truck driver and squad leader of a machine gun squad, achieving the rate of Machinist Mate 2^nd class. In December of 1945 he was shipped back to the United States to San Francisco on points and was honorably discharged in February 1946 at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. After discharge he worked as a heavy equipment operator on road  building and in the wheat harvest in Kansas.

In September 1947, Casey  was employed by Kansas Nebraska Natural Gas Company, later KN Energy and now Kinder Morgan Gas Co., retiring in 1987 after 40 years as crew foreman and compressor station superintendent at North Platte .

Casey  married  Esther Cohn in March of 1947. To this union, two children were born, Sheryl (Sherry) and Beverley (Bev). In 1967 he was divorced from Esther and was single until 1986 when he married Orlene Adams, widow of Lowell Adams, formerly of Maxwell and North Platte, residing in Norfolk, Ne. He returned  to North Platte in 2014, following Orlene’s death in 2004. Casey enjoyed camping and sightseeing all over the United States in his motorhome, having driven through all of the continental U.S. He also loved country music, hunting, fishing and card games.

Casey was preceded in death by his second wife, Orlene and first  wife Esther; his parents; sisters, Lucille Callahan of Nyssa, Oregon and Marie Stevenson of Tryon, Ne; brothers, John Jackson of Rushville, Ne and Loren Jackson of Hershey, Ne; a stepson,  Russell  Adams of Des Moines, Iowa.

He is survived by daughters, Sherry Jackson of Kearney, Ne. and Bev Henderson of Hayden, Idaho; sister, Dorothy Hodo of La Harpe, Kansas; granddaughter, Ashley Adams of Chicago, Illinois; grandsons,  Conner Richardson of Chicago, Illinois and Todd Adams of Fremont, Ne; stepson, Leonard Adams of Fremont, Ne and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

A memorial has been established in his name to the Heart Association. A memorial gathering will be 2:00 pm Saturday, January 7, 2017 at  Carpenter Memorial Chapel in North Platte, Ne. Cremation was chosen. Inurnment will be Monday, January 9, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. at Ft. McPherson National Cemetery in Maxwell with Military Honors. Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. Those wishing to sign the memorial book may do so from 9am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. Carpenter Memorial Chapel is in care of arrangements.

Gary R. Cooper, 73, of North Platte, passed away December 13, 2016 at the Denver Hospice inpatient Care Center in Denver, CO.

Gary was born February 17, 1943 in East Alton, IL to Ralph and Lucille (Ford) Cooper.  He graduated from Wood River, Illinois High School in 1961, attended and graduated from Fort Hays University in 1965, and went on to receive his Masters Degree also from Fort Hays.  In May of 1965 he married Kay Dutton in Hutchinson, Kansas.  The two moved to North Platte where Gary took a teaching job in Physical Education.  He began the gymnastics program at North Platte High School and had been the head coach for both the boys and girls program until the program ended.  Gary also coached the long jump and pole vault in track, and was also the tennis coach at one time.  He retired in 2005 with the most tenure and was proud to be the ribbon cutter for the new high school.

Gary was an energetic and caring person who loved his family and his students.  His hobbies included goose and turkey hunting, fishing with Kay, and skiing.  He and Kay enjoyed dancing and that was a big part of their lives.  Gary played baseball and softball until his late 60’s, and enjoyed Legion Baseball where he was a proud supporter. Family and friends were special to him and spending time with them was always important, especially visiting his family in Illinois.  He was a man who always had a smile on his face and was proud and happy to be the father of his son, Ryan.

Survivors include his wife, Kay of North Platte; son, Ryan (Bobbi) Cooper of Parker, CO; granddaughter, Charlee Rayn; nieces, Starla (Chris) Klaffer, of Warrenton, Missouri, and Debbie (Steve) Brazier of East Alton, Illinois; mother-in-law, Frances Nichols of Hutchinson, Kansas; brother-in-law, Steve (Julia) Dutton of Rockport, Texas; sister-in-law, Jo Ann Dutton of Los Angeles, California; several other nieces, nephews; and great-nieces, and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Harold (Shirley) Cooper; and father-in-law, Bill Dutton.

In lieu of flowers a memorial may be made in his name for future designation.  Online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.

A Celebration of Life service will be held 5:00 p.m. Saturday, January 7, 2017 at the Quality Inn and Suites.  A reception will follow.  Cremation was chosen and inurnment will be held at a later date in Floral Lawns Memorial Gardens.  Those wishing to sign a register book may do so 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Friday, January 6, 2016 at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.

Mary Jane Anderson, age 84, of North Platte, beloved mother, devoted wife, child of God and friend to all, passed away on Jan. 2, 2017, after a courageous battle with cancer.  She was born on February 1, 1932, in Milan, Missouri, to Othel Thomas (Pete) and Goldie Helen Forrester.  Mary moved with the family to North Platte, NE in 1940, and married Ralph W. Anderson on February 16, 1951.  She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Ralph W. Anderson; three children, Michael (Laurie) Anderson of Toivola, Minnesota, Susan (Steve) Schmit of North Platte and Mitchell (Kelly) Anderson of Spokane, Washington; brothers, Othel Thomas Forrester, Jr. (Barb) of McAllen, TX, Robert Forrester of North Platte; sisters, Peggy Ward of Clive, IA, Phyllis (Larry) Randsdell of Omaha, NE; 9 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; four great great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Joeann ten Bensel; and a brother, Rex Forrester.

Mary was a long-time member of First Baptist Church in North Platte, and cherished her church family.   She lived her life with the attitude that everyone else came first, and it was not about her.  At the end of her life, she announced that she was prayed up at the foot of the cross and ready to go when the Lord called her home.  She worked many years in retail sales at JC Penny’s, making lifelong friends there.  Even after her retirement, she looked forward to the Penny’s luncheons.  Mary was very creative, and she made beautiful quilts for new babies in the family, and for old family friends.  Everyone who visited Mary knew her knack for making cookies and baked goods.  You could always count on cookies at Mary’s house.  She enjoyed caring for her long time feathered friend, Pade, quilting, walking, flower gardening, and family time.

The family would like to offer a special thank you to the staff and admiration of Great Plains Health, and North Platte Care facility for caring for Mary with such compassion at the end of her life.  Your kindness is deeply appreciated.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Thursday, January 5, 2017 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel.  A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church.  An inurnment will be at Floral Lawns Memorial Gardens.  A memorial has been established in her memory.  Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com.  Carpenter Memorial Chapel is in care of arrangements.