Albert T. Grasz, age 93, of North Platte, died November 30, 2013 at Great Plains Regional Medical Center. He was born on November 3, 1920 in Garden County, NE to Benjamin and Theda (Cooper) Grasz.
Albert served during WWII from 1940 -1945. Albert returned to North Platte where he was an officer for the North Platte Police Department. He worked all areas of the police department, serving on patrol, as a detective, and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1962. He then served as supervisor for traffic and maintenance until his retirement on November 4, 1980. Albert was an assistant leader to the Police Cadet Program from 1956-57.
Albert was active in the American Legion, served as a Cub Scout leader from 1958 through 1961 where he was involved in the Training and Planning Program for the Boy Scouts of America, served on the Clean City Committee, was a life member of the P.T.A., and was a member of the 40 & 8 Club. He enjoyed hunting, traveling, and camping in his younger years, was involved in the Youth Baseball Program and organized and started the Youth Bureau Department.
Survivors include his children, Joyce (Bob) Kohler of North Platte, Dicky (Barbara) Grasz of Upper Sandusky, OH, Kenneth (Lois) Grasz of North Platte, and Helen (Keith) Hackney of McCook, NE; siblings, Victor Grasz of North Platte, Helen (Dee) Powell of Arvada, CO, Vera (Wayne) Bottrell of Kings Beach, CA, Dorothy Krumm of Julesburg, CO, Beth (Darrell) Chelen of Chappell, NE, sister-in-laws, Marie Grasz of North Platte, Jane Grasz of Lexington, OK, and brother-in-law, Wayne Powell of Brighton, CO; 9 grandchildren; 9 great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, 5 brothers, LeRoy, Jess, Art, Clarence and Harvey; 3 sisters, Edna Courter, Clara Dickenson, and Rita Powell; 2 grandsons, Steve Kohler, and Timmy Grasz. Memorials may be directed to the North Platte Honor Guard and online condolences can be made at www.adamsswanson.com.
Services will be Wednesday, December 4, 2013, 10:00am, at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home with the Revered Polly Deppen-Williams officiating. Burial will be at Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell with full military honors. Visitation will be 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. today at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Pedro ‘Pete’ V. Lopez Sr., age 85, of North Platte, passed away Thursday, November 28, 2013 at Great Plains Regional Medical Center. He was born January 18, 1928 in Platteville, Colorado to Jose and Cecelia Valdez-Lopez. His father was a migrant worker, so he and his family traveled across the Midwest working on various farms. When he was younger he enjoyed playing baseball. He married Stella Lucero and to this union was born 5 children, Sila, Debra, Orlinda, Pedro Jr. and Mario. He worked at T.O. Hass tire and later for the city of North Platte at the Parks Department and driving the city bus. On March 9, 1972, he married Jennie Caudillo in Oberlin, Kansas. Together they raised their niece Diana Apodaca since 1985.
Pete was a basic handyman who could fix or make just about anything. His specialties were fixing flat tires and restoring old cars. He enjoyed his family and spending time with them at family gatherings. He will be remembered as a kind man and wonderful husband with a gentle heart.
Survivors include his wife Jennie of North Platte; three daughters, Sila Solano of Salt Lake City; Debra (Joseph) Silva, and Orlinda Juaraze; two sons Pedro Jr. (Mary) Lopez and Mario Lopez all of Denver.
; special niece Diana Apodaca of North Platte; many grandchildren; great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Andrea Navarette and Mary Blanco; three brothers, Johnnie, Bennie and Tony Lopez.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials in his name and online condolences may be made at www.adamsswanson.com.
Christian Wake Service will be 7:00 PM, Monday December 2nd, at Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 AM, Tuesday, December 3rd at Saint Patrick’s with the Reverend James Golka officiating. Burial will follow at the North Platte City Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday from noon to 6:00 PM and Monday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home which is entrusted with arrangements.

Carl (Bud) August Tuenge passed peacefully with family by his side November 28, 2013 at Indian Hills Manor Nursing Home, Ogallala, Nebraska.
Born February 22, 1918 in Grand Island, Nebraska, Carl (Bud) was the second child of Carl Albert Tuenge and Mabel Mildenstein Tuenge. Attending schools in Grand Island and North Platte, Carl graduated from North Platte High School in 1936. After graduation he hired on as a Fireman with the Union Pacific Railroad.
Bud enlisted in the Navy, January 3, 1942 serving in the Pacific during World II as a Ship Fitter First Class and was certified as an underwater welder instructor.
While stationed in San Diego at the end of the war, he met Mary Virginia Cooper in Los Angeles. They married May 5, 1945 in Bell Gardens, CA. After his discharge, the newlyweds moved to North Platte in September, 1945 and Bud returned to the Union Pacific. As a Union Pacific engineer he served as a Union Griever, a Local Chairman and as General Chairman for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen. Representing local B of L F&E he worked with state and national railroad and political figures to resolve the full crew law in 1964 and in 1966 was instrumental in the success of the widely tested railroad union strike advocating collective bargaining. He retired in 1979 after 43 years of service.
Carl and Mary were married thirty one years. Mary was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1966 at the age of 40 and passed in April, 1976. He married Marie Liedtke in 1977. Marie passed in 1994 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.
Over the years he was a member of P.R. Halligan Post No. 163 American Legion, Valley Masonic Lodge No. 32, Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers, and First Evangelical Lutheran Church, North Platte, NE.
Carl is survived by his daughter, Suzanne ( Bob) Wiederrich of Broomfield, CO, son Michael Tuenge of Lemoyne, NE, daughter-in-law Siti Manaf (Carl) Tuenge of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, three grandchildren Nathaniel Tuenge, Eugene, OR, Aaron Tuenge, Loveland, CO, Megan Tuenge, Lincoln, NE , step grandson Marc (Pam) Wiederrich, Broomfield, CO, three great grandchildren Kira, Kaelyn and Conner Wiederrich, sister Phyllis Tuenge (Dale) Smith , Hamilton MT, sister-in-law Wanda (Cecil)Tuenge, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Mabel Tuenge, wife Mary Virginia, son Carl Eugene, sister Bernice Jones, three brothers Cecil, Donald and Larry, and his second wife Marie.
Memorial services will be 1:30 p.m. Monday, December 2, 2013 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel with Rev. Frank Fitch officiating. Private family inurnment with military honors will be at Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell, NE. Visitation will be 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013 at Carpenter Memorial Chapel.
Condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. Memorials are suggested to The American Cancer Society.

Aaron Luke Burks, 33, of North Platte, NE, died Monday, November 25, 2013, at his home.

Aaron was born September 29, 1980, to Geoffrey Rex and Pamela Sue McCollum Burks in McCook, NE. He grew up and attended school in Stratton, NE and worked as a welder for Diamond Country. The family later moved to North Platte where Aaron completed his senior year of high school, graduating from North Platte High School in 1999.

Following graduation Aaron worked as a welder at the Gerald Gentleman Station during the shutdowns. He later worked in Lincoln, NE for Structural Enterprises doing both construction and welding. Aaron then went to work for Zachry Industrial building coal fire power plants in Nebraska City, Arkansas and Texas and was an Iron General Foreman. In 2011 he went to work for Cleary Buildings in North Platte where he became a Foreman and then a Subcontractor for them. He was an avid gun collector, member of the N.R.A. and liked to target shoot.

Aaron married Amanda Lorraine Doucette on October 28, 2006, at North Platte.

He is survived by his wife, Amanda, their dog, Sandy, his parents, Geoffrey and Pamela Burks, and father and mother-in-law, Edmond and Bonnie Doucette, all of North Platte; two sisters, Dawn (Jason) Tuller, of Imperial, NE and Becky Burks (fiancé, Drew Fausett), of Grand Island, NE; brothers-in-law, Michael (Debra) Doucette, of Honeyville, UT and Douglas (Clea) Doucette, of Pocatello, ID; his nieces and nephews, Amanda, Ashley, J.D., Amber, Isaac, Eli, Ariel, Whitney, Hunter, Tanner, Taylor and Alissa; and other family.

Aaron was preceded in death by his son, Adan Luke Burks.

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, November 29, 2013, at the Parkview Community Church of the Nazarene. Burial will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Stratton. Visitation will be 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday with family greeting friends from 5 to 7 p.m. at Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore. Condolences may be shared online at odeanchapel.com. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers the family has established a memorial.

Jonathan (Jon) J.W. Foran, 42, of North Platte, passed away Nov. 24, 2013 at Great Plains Regional Medical Center. He was born Jan. 6, 1971 to Robert Robles and Judith Foran at Santa Barbara, CA. He attended North Platte High School and went on to serve in the United States Army with a tour in Iraq. On August 26, 2013, he was united in marriage to Mychelle Seerley. Jonathan was a volunteer fire fighter and EMT with the North Platte Fire Department, involved in AYSO Soccer and loved to fish. He is survived by his wife, Mychelle; two step sons, Brandon and Andrew all of North Platte; his parents; a sister, Noelle (Chris) Anderson; a brother, Matt (Mindy) Foran both of Houston, TX; mother and father-in-law, Dora and Doug Seerley of Sutherland; a sister-in-law, Crystal Ponce; special aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews of North Platte and Santa Barbara. Memorials are suggested to the MD Anderson Cancer Center for Brain and Spine Cancer research. Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. Cremation was chosen. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 27, 2013 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church with the Rev. Neal Hock as celebrant. Rosary will be at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday before the service at the church. Inurnment will be at Ft. McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell with a dinner following at the VFW club in North Platte. Those wishing to sign the book may do so from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at Carpenter Memorial Chapel, which is in charge of arrangements.

Shirley McCall Sellers, 90, of Florida, formerly of North Platte, passed away November 21, 2013 in Florida. She was born July 26, 1923 in Sutherland to Clarence F. and Fern V. (Fye) McCall. On July 26, 1959, she was united in marriage to Vernon H. Sellers. Shirley was employed at the Federal Land Bank until retiring in 1982. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in North Platte and the American Legion Auxiliary. Shirley is survived by her daughter, Cheryl Sellers of Hobe Sound, FL; granddaughters, Elaine (David) Hagebush, San Ramon, CA and Brenda Muirhead of Lawrence, KS; four great grandchildren, Heather, Megan, Jessica and Rachel; one great grandson, Christopher; one great great grandson, Mason; and a furry companion, Eddie. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Vernon and a sister, Roselma Flebbe. Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. Memorials are suggested to The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105. Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2013 at The First United Methodist Church with Dr. Douglas A. Delp officiating. Burial will be at the North Platte Cemetery. Carpenter Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Judith Arlene “Judy” Crank, 68, of North Platte, NE, died Saturday, November 23, 2013, at the Golden Living Center in Cozad, NE.

Judy was born February 3, 1945, to Virgil Chester and Viola Mae Robson Crank at Hutchinson, KS. Her family then moved to North Platte where she grew up and graduated from North Platte High School. Judy first worked as a bookkeeper for O’Connor’s Drug Store for three years and for her father at his gas station for five years. She then spent 20 years working as a store manager for Kwik Stop before going to work at the Comfort Inn and Suites as a desk clerk. Judy stopped working in 2000 due to a disability.

Judy was a member of the Civil Air Patrol. She loved her cats, Hazel and Lucky, and enjoyed taking her nieces on vacations with her. Judy also liked to gamble and enjoyed her trips to Rosebud and Las Vegas.

She is survived by her sister, Beverly Ruhaak, of North Platte; four nieces, Brenda (Daniel) Lindsay, of North Platte, Pamela (Rueben) Moyte, of Cheyenne, WY, Karla (Mary) Dunder, of New Castle, WY and Gloria Ruhaak, of Seattle, WA; 11 great nieces and nephews; six great great nieces and nephews; and other family.

Judy was preceded in death by her parents, Virgil and Viola Crank.

Cremation was chosen and there will be no services. Condolences may be shared at odeanchapel.com. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.

Vernon G. Roethemeyer, 84, of North Platte, passed away November 20, 2013, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center.
He was born January 9, 1929, to Albert and Emma (Fleer) Roethemeyer at Charlotte, Missouri. Vernon attended the Wiseman School during his early years. At the age of 17 he followed the wheat harvest to Montana before coming back to work on the farm with his uncles who had settled in the Wellfleet and Curtis area of Nebraska. On August 16, 1958 he married Marjorie Godeker Burch, who had two young children that he helped raise, and they resided together in North Platte until the present.
Vernon began his career with Union Pacific Railroad as a switchman in June 1950, retiring as a conductor in December 1990. He recently celebrated his 60th year as a member of the United Transportation Union. He and his wife Marge owned and operated Roethemeyer Soft Water Company from 1958-1997. He loved to garden and share his produce with friends and neighbors.
He was preceded in death by his father, mother and two brothers, Albert, Jr. and Martin. He is survived by his wife, Marjorie, of North Platte; two sons, Rev. Herbert (Markie) Burch, Jr. , of Santa Maria, California, and Rev. Professor Robert V. (Kay) Roethemeyer of Fort Wayne, Indiana; two daughters, Ronda M. (Ed) Gale, of Billings, Montana and Vernita (Ron) Hare, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; a brother, Eugene Roethemeyer, of St. Louis, Missouri; a nephew, Dale Roethemeyer of Fenton, Missouri; 12 grandchildren, Kim, Rod, Justin, Michelle, Ben, Sara, Becca, Will, Dorothy, Jordan, Ashlyn and Christina; 12 great grandchildren and 3 great- great grandchildren.
Online condolences may be shared at www.carpentermemorial.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in memory of Vernon to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1400 East E Street, North Platte, NE 69101 or Concordia Seminary Student Aid, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105.
Services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, November 25th at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. Burial will be at North Platte Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 1-6 p.m. on Saturday Nov 23 and Sunday Nov 24 with family accepting friends from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday at Carpenter Memorial Chapel, 1616 W. B St., North Platte.