Arliss May Matthews, age 75 of North Platte, passed away at her home Wednesday April 12, 2017 after a long bout with cancer.

Arliss was born on April 2, 1942 on a ranch in Holt County, Atkinson, NE to Victor Charles and Charlotte May (Warner) Rockford.  She married Charles “Chuck” Mathews on July 12, 1959.  She was a life member of VFW Post 1504 Auxiliary, Military Order of Cootie Auxiliary, FOE Auxiliary, and Moose Auxiliary.  She was a past State Grand Auxiliary President of The Military Order of Cootie, as well as President of Wild Bill Cody PT-7 Auxiliary in North Platte.  She traveled to veterans hospitals and nursing homes in support of our veterans, playing bingo and serving refreshments.  Being the proud wife of a veteran, she and her family lived in Kansas, Washington, California and Idaho as well as spending 6 years in Germany.  She loved dancing and listening to country music.  She had a “green thumb” when it came to her flowers and garden, as reflected in the Yard Of The Month award.  She adored her grandchildren and great grandchildren and made quilts for each of them.

Arliss is survived by her husband Chuck; children Charlie of Cheyenne, WY, Wendell (Dina) AND Michael (Helen) both of North Platte, and Belinda Matthews Wortman of Columbus, NE; grandchildren Christopher (Leanne) Weber of Bellwood, NE, Michael Matthews Jr. of Colorado Springs, CO, Eddie (Mariah) Wortman of Lincoln, NE, Cody Matthews of North Platte,  Nate Andresen of North Platte, Michelle Matthews of Sioux City, IA, Danyelle Matthews of Lincoln, NE, and Cassidi Matthews of Colorado; great grandchildren Tabora Baker Jr., Caiden Snare, Anika Baker, Lucia Power, A’Ja Stewart, Sophia Niemann and Avery Weber; siblings Leroy (Phylis) Rockford of Benton, AR, Georgia Dophiede of Butte, NE; sister-in-law Mae Rockford of Chambers, NE; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends, including those within her circle of military friends, and special friend Vicky Sheets of North Platte.

She was preceded in death by her son James”Jim”; parents, Victor and Charlotte Rockford; mother and father-in-law Harold and Dolly Matthews; granddaughter Kaitlin Matthews; brothers Alton and Alvin Rockford; sisters Inez Counts, Opal Staples and Darlene Furher; and son-in-laws Alan Weber and Bruce “Crash” Wortman.

The family extends a special “thank you” to Dr. Brittan and Dr. Vaziri and their staff.

Memorials are suggested to the donor’s choice and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.  Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m. Monday April 17, 2017 at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home with Pastor Gary Smith officiating.  Inurnment will be 2:00 p.m. Tuesday April 18, 2017 at Ft. McPherson National Cemetery.  Visitation will be from noon until 6:00 p.m. Saturday April 15, 2017 at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home, which is in charge of arrangements.

 

Ronald Lee Westman, 82, of North Platte, NE passed away April 11, 2017, at Great Plains Health in North Platte, NE.

Ronald Lee Westman was born August 4, 1934, to Edmund J. and Fae Waldron Westman in Callaway, NE.  He attended Callaway High School with the class of 1952. Ronald married Janice Ilene Barnes on June 26,1955. As a child he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He served in the U.S. Army stationed in Germany from 1955 to 1957. Ron and Jan moved to his family farm on Stop Table near Callaway, NE in 1958. While living near Callaway, they attended Morning Star Church. They moved to North Platte, NE in 1970.

Mr. Westman is survived by wife Jan, daughter Julie Rainbolt of Central City, NE; three sons: Jim and Kathryn (Morris) Westman of Magna, UT; Bill and Kathy (McCall) Westman of North Platte, NE; Bob and Merry (Reece) Westman of Gurley, NE; twelve grandchildren Danielle, Jenny, Sarah (Bobby Brown), and Amber Rainbolt (fiancé Jesse Herman); David (Kristine Martin) Westman and Jon (Martha Saavedra) Westman; Ryan (Connie Wickstrom) Westman and Jason (Abi Damico) Westman, Daniel (fiancé, Amanda Walker) Westman, Michael, Garrett (Kelsey Waite) and Jared Westman; and eight great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Edmund “Junior” Westman. Memorial Service will be Saturday, April 15, 2017, at 11:00 am, at Carpenter Memorial Chapel in North Platte. Cremation was chosen. Graveside service will be at 3:00 pm at Stop Table Cemetery in Custer County near Callaway, NE. Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. Carpenter Memorial Chapel is in care of arrangements.

Evangeleen “Vangie” (Hyland) Resavage, 89, of Littleton, Colorado, formerly of North Platte, passed away March 1, 2017.

Evangeleen Resavage was born on Oct. 18, 1927, in Kearney to James and Zella Lymber. She spent her childhood in North Platte, where she always enjoyed dancing and entered many dance contests.

After graduation she attended college and during this time, she married Lester Hyland. They had three children, Constance, Lester and Stuart.

Vangie moved to Denver and married Dave Resavage there. She was an employee of Mountain Bell Telephone until she retired, and a member of Daughters of the Nile, serving as queen.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Zella Lymber; sister, Freddie; brother, Jim; her husband, Dave; and a granddaughter, Kara Campbell.

Vangie is survived by her children, Connie of Littleton, Lester (Ruthi) of Maxwell and Stuart of North Platte; granddaughter, Amy Campbell; two great-grandchildren, Christian and Campbell; and her half-sister, Sulin Best.

Memorials are suggested to The Daughters of the Nile.

Services were on March 25 at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church in Littleton. Ellis Family Services Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Iva Mae Kallhoff, 75, formerly of North Platte, passed away March 11, 2017, in Las Vegas.

Iva was born on April 20, 1941, in Scottsbluff. She was the middle child of Ivan and Della (Mowry) Echelberger. With her father working for the railroad, Iva moved to several different Nebraska towns and attended various schools during her younger years. The family eventually settled in McCook, where Iva graduated from McCook High School in 1959.

On Jan. 16, 1960, she was united in marriage to Loren W. Larington in McCook. To this union four children were born, Deborah Kay, David Wayne, Daniel James and Andrea Irene.

Later, Iva moved to North Platte, where she served the community doing customer service at J.C. Penney and Herberger’s, as well as being an investigator for the Department of Health and Human Services.

Iva married Douglas Kallhoff on Nov. 24, 1982, and they made their home in North Platte. After her retirement from Social Services, she trained to be a medication aide and then put these new skills into practice at Centennial Park Retirement Village. She enjoyed her work helping and serving others.

For the past seven years, until her health would no longer allow, Iva had been traveling all over the United States in her RV with her furry canine friend, Trouble. Although Iva traveled a lot, she headquartered in Arizona. She loved to travel and was always up for an adventure, especially if it involved friends, family, beautiful scenery and a nice glass of wine.

Iva was preceded in death by her parents; mother, Della, in 1991; father, Ivan, in 1999; and husband, Doug, in 2009.

Survivors include her daughters, Deborah (Robert) Rose of Grand Island and Andrea (Mike Castor) Larington of North Platte; sons, David Larington of Las Vegas and Daniel (Michelle) Larington of McCook; grandchildren, Tosha Gott and Tim Rose of Grand Island, Alicia (Levi) Most of North Platte, Sara (Jack) Loomis of Hayes Center and Dane Larington of McCook; four great-grandchildren; sister, Beverly (Dale) Friedemann of Canby, Oregon; brother, Sam Echelberger of Johnstown, Colorado; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials are suggested to St. Jude Children’s Hospital at stjude.org.

Inurnment will be at 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 13, at East Lawn Cemetery near Minatare. Joliffe Funeral Home, Scottsbluff, is in charge of arrangements.

Catherine A. (Duggan) Casey, 58, beloved mother, daughter, sister and friend, passed away March 28, 2017.

Cathi was born in Renton, Washington, on Feb. 21, 1959, and grew up in Hershey. She was a graduate of Hershey High School, where she was very active in several clubs and athletics.

Cathi furthered her education at Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte and went on to work as a paralegal in Lincoln, a career that she loved and was very proud of.

Yet her proudest accomplishment was raising her two daughters. They, along with her grandchildren, were her pride and joy. The love she had for them was written all over her face.

Cathi moved to Ogallala in 1998, where she was quick to make lifelong friends. Cathi loved walking Cassie to the park on a nice day, chili and cinnamon rolls and Husker football. She looked forward to her old-fashioned donuts on Saturday mornings, took pride in gifting her home-baked cookies and puppy chow, always made sure to have her toes painted and most of all, she always made herself available to her family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, Kenneth Duggan, and niece, Cortney Duggan. They were waiting to embrace her.

Cathi is survived by her mother, Mary Duggan; daughters, Alysia (Harles Elliot Cone) and Nichole (William Jackson Dozier); grandchildren, Lexie Lucile Ann Cone, Lyla Mary Nan Cone, Morgan Lee Dozier, Maddox Cate Dozier and Jackson Thomas Dozier; sisters, Phyllis (Rick Engelhardt) and Sharon (Jeff Randle); brother, Doyle (Kimberly) Duggan; and many loving nieces, nephews, family and friends.

Cathi will be remembered for her witty sense of humor, her sincere kindness and thoughtfulness and her unconditional love, friendship and strength. She is our hero. We are so proud to call her our mom, daughter, sister and friend.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Hershey United Methodist Church or the National MS Society at P.O. Box 172625, Denver, CO 80217 or online at nationalmssociety.org/Chapters/COC/Donate.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 4, at the Hershey United Methodist Church. A reception will follow. Committal services will be private.

Phyllis J. Gausman, 83 of Fairbury, NE passed away April 8, 2017 at Heritage Care Center in Fairbury. She was born December 7, 1933 to Robert Joseph and Daisy Marie Grunwald at Union, NE.

Phyllis attended Union Grade School and High School, graduating in May 1950. She went on to Peru State Teachers College where she met the love of her life, Robert Allen Gausman. She would go on to teach at a country school in Cass county before she and Robert were married on June 5, 1954. To this union four children were born: Julie Little (Rick), Joni Backer (Michael), and Jeffrey Gausman. Before moving to Fairbury, the family lived in Davenport, Nebraska until 1965, where Robert taught science and coached high school football, basketball, and track.

Phyllis remained a stay-at-home-mother until her youngest started school. She worked at Kellwood sewing factory, then at Jefferson Memorial Hospital (now Jefferson Community Health and Life) as a pharmacy technician until her retirement.

She was an active volunteer with Meals on Wheels and the Senior Diner, where she decorated the tables with her collection of holiday trinkets. Active in the First United Methodist Church, she worked tirelessly in the women’s group, an eternally gracious, loving and invaluable part of the local community. In her final two years, she resided in Heritage Care Center in Fairbury, where she stole the hearts of staff and residents alike, and will be greatly missed by those who knew her.

Phyllis is survived by her three children and grandchildren Karenna Awtry (Josh), Mikaela, Jareb, Andrew, Mallory, and Madelyn Liewer, and Patrick Backer, as well as great grandchildren Allison and Drew Awtry, Ivan Liewer, and Aurora Nelson.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother Robert Duane Grunwald; daughter Jill Suzanne; grandson Jordan Gausman.

Services will be Thursday, April 13, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Fairbury with Pastor Doug Griger officiating. The family will greet friends Wednesday evening from 5:00 – 7:00 at the Funeral Home. Burial in Chester Cemetery, Chester, NE. Memorials will go to the Family’s Choice. Gerdes-Meyer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Steven “Steve” Joseph Toelle, 62, died April 6, 2017, of colon cancer, at his home in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Steve was born on April 21, 1954. He grew up in Fremont.

During his 35-year career as a North Platte police officer, Sergeant Toelle was twice recognized as the American Legion Outstanding Officer of the year. A graduate of Northwestern University’s Center For Public Safety, he also held an Associates Degree in Business.

Steve is survived by his wife of 24 years, Gloria (Ronje) Toelle of Corpus Christi, and other family listed in an expanded obituary at maxwellpdunne.com.