Lucille Dolores Liles, 87, of Hershey, NE, died Tuesday, November 6, 2012, at Linden Court in North Platte, NE.

Lucille was born December 10, 1924, to Alva Carl and Stella Gertrude Wagner Pickel at Sutherland, NE. The family lived in Sutherland where she graduated from Sutherland High School in 1942. After graduating Lucille’s fiancé, Ray, went into the service so she moved to Seattle, WA to stay with her sister and work for Boeing Aircraft Company. After Ray was discharged Lucille moved to Philadelphia, PA to join him.

On April 28, 1945, Lucille married Ray Darrell Liles at Camden, NJ. They moved back to Hershey, NE in the fall of 1945 and settled down. They had one son, Larry Joe Liles, who lost his life in the Vietnam War on May 23, 1967. Lucille was a homemaker and later worked for the U.S. Post Office from 1964 to January 1985. She enjoyed her job and all the people she worked with.

Lucille enjoyed crocheting and quilting with family and friends. She was a member of the Hershey United Methodist Church, U.M.W. and Paul R. Martin Hershey American Legion Auxiliary and volunteered at the Hershey Senior Center.

She is survived by her half sister, Bonnie Pickel (Jay) Johnson, of Wichita, KS; great-niece, Erin (Rob) Tuffy, and their daughter, Emily Tuffy, all of Camano Island, WA; niece, Jan McQuellan, of Glide, OR; four nephews, Steve Pickel, of Oregon, Arthur Gallington, of Benkleman, NE, Clifford Gallington, of Hayes, KS and David Gallington, of Holdrege, NE; and other family members and her friends.

Lucille was preceded in death by her husband, Ray, and their son, Larry; her parents, Alva and Stella Pickel; brother, Donald Pickel; two sisters, Vivian Idonna Danielson and Evelyn Anita Shilling; her nephew, Don Danielson; and great-nephew, Erik Danielson.

Burial will be 10 a.m. Thursday, November 8, 2012, in Fort McPherson National Cemetery followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m. at the Hershey United Methodist Church with Pastor Kolawole ‘Kola’ Akinnigbagbe officiating. Visitation will be 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Odean Colonial Chapel At C & Sycamore. Condolences may also be shared at odeanchapel.com. Memorials suggested to the Hershey United Methodist Church or the Hershey Senior Center. Odean Colonial Chapel At C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.

Elaine Joyce Grasz went to be with her Lord and Savior on October 25, 2012 as a result of an auto accident near Maxwell, NE.

She was born February 12, 1967 in Gothenburg, NE, the daughter of Dale and Kathryn (Duffey) Hild.

Elaine grew up on the family farm north of Brady. She attended Wild Horse Valley country school through the 8th grade and graduated from Brady High School with the class of 1985. She attended Chadron State College for one year and graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration/Accounting in the spring of 1997 from Mid Plains Community College in North Platte. On August 8, 1987 she married her high school sweetheart and best friend, Terry Allen Grasz at Svea Dal Covenant Church. They were blessed with two sons, Tyrel Austin, born Nov. 21, 1993 and Tad Elliot, born August 16, 2001. When Terry and Elaine first married they lived at Chapell, NE, then on a ranch south of North Platte, before moving back to Brady where they have lived since. At the time of her death Elaine was working as a bookkeeper in North Platte.

Elaine gave her life to Jesus as a teen and she and Terry were members of the Svea Dal Covenant Church in Wild Horse Valley . She was very active in the church, especially with the music. She was also involved with Brady School and helped organize and participate in the Youth Sports Programs. She was a member of Brady Lions Club and was currently serving as President. Anything her boys were participating in got her full attention and she was always willing to do what needed to be done in the community.

Survivors include her husband, Terry; parents, Dale and Kathy Hild; sons, Tyrel and Tad; brothers, Steve and his wife Gerri, Keith and his wife Brandi; sister, Jeaninne and her husband Duane Davis; nieces, Autumn and Adrianna Hild; Robin and Reanna Davis; Bryleigh Hild; nephews Dalton Mays, Dewey (Jaimee), Cody and Brandon (Amber) Davis; her father-in-law, Vic Grasz; brothers-in-law, Travis (Pam) and Troy Grasz; and sister-in-law Kiley. She is also survived by very special uncles, aunts and especially her “Buzzin Cuzzins” as well as many other relatives and friends.

Elaine was preceded in death by her grandparents, Earl and Ada Duffey and Phillip and Elva Hild and mother-in-law Dixie Grasz.

Visitation will be held at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel, Gothenburg, Nebraska; Sunday, November 11, 2012 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm with the family present from 2-4..

Funeral Services will be held at Brady High School Gym, November 12, 2012 at 10:30 am with Pastor Ken Sawyer officiating.

Interment will follow in the Svea Dal Cemetery, Brady, Nebraska.

Memorials may be given in her name to Gothenburg State Bank, P.O. Box 81, Gothenburg, NE 69138 or Adams Bank & Trust, P.O. 189, North Platte, NE 69103. To sign the online guest book, go to www.blasestrauser.com.

James Louis Maciejewski, 84, of North Platte, NE passed away Sunday, November 4, 2012, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte.

Jim was born September 19, 1928, at Ashton, NE to Louis Cash and Mary Polski Maciejewski. He grew up on a farm near Loup City, NE and graduated from Loup City High School. He farmed before joining the U.S. Marine Corps in September 1951. Jim was discharged in September 1953 then went to Creighton University on the GI Bill and graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration in 1958.

He went to work for the IRS in Omaha then transferred to Alliance, NE before coming to North Platte in 1973. After leaving his position with the IRS, Jim went to work for Hansen, Fuenning, Raetz, Erb, Roggow & Keck and got his CPA in 1985. When the firm disbanded he started his own accounting firm and was there until his death.

On June 18, 1960, Jim married Nancy Margaret Bayley at Omaha, NE. He was a member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church and Council 10506 of the Knights of Columbus. He was also a member of P.R. Halligan Post #163 American Legion, B.P.O. Elks #985, Nebraska Society of CPA’s and the National Society of Accountants.

Jim is survived by his wife, Nancy, and four children, Joseph Maciejewski, John Maciejewski, James (Kim) Maciejewski and Anne Maciejewski, all of North Platte; three grandchildren, Tyler and Max Maciejewski and Amber Caudillo; a great-granddaughter, Bryanna Caudillo; his sister, Harriet Kisicki, of Omaha; two brothers, Dennis (Lillian) Maciejewski, of Loup City and Francis (Gladys) Maciejewski, of Grand Island, NE; two brothers-in-law, Rene Dubas, of Elyria, NE and Charles Bayley, of Kettering, OH; many nieces, nephews and other family members.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Mary; a stillborn son; his sister, Angeline Dubas; brother-in-law, Rich Kisicki; and sister-in-law, Marianette Bayley.

Wake Service will be 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 6, 2012, at Odean Colonial Chapel At C & Sycamore. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Holy Spirit Catholic Church with Father Jim Novakowski as celebrant. Following the mass, Jim’s body will be donated to Creighton Medical Center. In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to the American Diabetes Association, Muscular Dystrophy Association or the North Platte Catholic School Endowment Fund. Condolences may be shared at odeanchapel.com. Visitation will be 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Odean Colonial Chapel At C & Sycamore which is in charge of arrangements.

Gladys (Garrett) Maseberg, age 94, of North Platte, died November 5, 2012 at Centennial Park Retirement Community. She was born August 29, 1918 at Mullen, NE to Walter and Edna (Hatch) Garrett. She attended a rural school until the sixth grade, then went to Mullen to school where she graduated from Hooker County High School in 1935.
Gladys worked for ten years at the Welfare Office in North Platte and 25 years in the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service in Thedford and North Platte, NE. She was a former member of Retired Federal Employees Association. Gladys taught Sunday school for many years, first in the Methodist church in Mullen and later in the Wesleyan Church in North Platte. She was baptized in the Methodist Church in Mullen,
NE. Gladys enjoyed house plants and making quilts. She leaves behind many relatives, friends and good neighbors.
Gladys is survived by one son, Myron (Elaine) Maseberg of North Platte; two grandsons Mark (Jennifer) Maseberg of North Platte and Paul (Nicole) Maseberg of Winfield, IL; and great grandsons Hunter and Noah Maseberg. She was close to many nieces, nephews, cousins and relations, both Hatch and Garrett.
Gladys was preceded in death by her parents; son Gary Maseberg ; sister and brother in law Maxine and Harold Childerston, brother and sister in law Eugene and JoAnn Garrett; nephews Bernard Childerston and Dan Garrett; and numerous cousins and relatives in Nebraska and other states.
A memorial has been established to the Goodfellow Shoe Fund and online condolences may be made at www.adamsswanson.com. Funeral services will be Friday November 9, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at Adams and Swanson Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow at Floral Lawns Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be noon to 9:00 today and 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.

Dorothy Helen Lobdell, 82, of Gothenburg, Nebraska, died November 1, 2012 in Lincoln, NE. Dorothy was born on March 4, 1930 to Henry and Mary Margaret Weber Cler. She was baptized and confirmed at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Lexington. She moved to Scottsbluff and attended Grade School there. She then moved back to Lexington to finish her High School education. She worked for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company as an Operator for several years. She married Bruce Lobdell in 1950 and they farmed North of Cozad for several years. To this marriage there were three children born, Gary, Marlene and Sandi.
Dorothy was an active member of the American Lutheran Church in Gothenburg and she spent time volunteering at the Gothenburg Senior Citizen Center. She also belonged to the Red Hat Society. She loved quilting, crocheting, gardening and traveling. Bruce and Dorothy spent 13 years traveling throughout the United States after their retirement. Bruce and Dorothy were able to celebrate their 62nd Anniversary on September 30th.
She is survived by son Gary, daughters Marlene (Larry) Fiese and Sandi (Mike) Brown. Grandchildren Jason, Casey, Scott , Cameron, Torey, Hillary and Whitney. Step-Grandchildren Josh, Cassie and Chantel. Great-Grandchildren Bryce, Cyrus, Brady, Cash and Ava. Step-Great-Grandchildren Jada, Presley, Carter and Kennedy. Also Two Sisters, Mary Jacobs and Rosie Vlcek.
She was preceded in death by her Husband (Bruce), Daughter Lana, Brother Philip Cler, as well as 5 half-brothers and 10 half-sisters.
She will be missed by not only her family but also her many friends.

Visitation will be held at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel, Gothenburg, Nebraska; Sunday, November 04, 2012 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm.

Services will be held at American Lutheran Church, November 5, 2012 at 10:30 am with Lonna Grabenstein PMA, Pastor Tom Wilson officiating.

Interment will follow in the Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell, Nebraska.

Memorials may be directed to the Gothenburg Senior Center, 410 20th St, Gothenburg, NE 69138, or the American Lutheran Church, 1512 Ave. G, Gothenburg, NE 69138. To sign the online guest book, go to www.blasestrauser.com.

Otto E. Franzen, 85, of Gothenburg, Nebraska, died October 31, 2012 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.

Otto Eilert Franzen was born on January 10, 1927 in Gothenburg to Eilert and Gesina Schmidt Franzen.

He graduated country school and farmed with his family. In April 1952, he married Marie Litchenberg in Gothenburg. Otto served in the US Army during the Korean War, stationed in Germany. Upon returning to Gothenburg, he and Marie welcomed four children into their union – Charlotte, James, Wayne and Celeste. After Marie’s passing in 1968, Otto married Lois Hickenbottom on April 1, 1969 in Callaway. Along with Lois came four more children -Tim, Steve, Jim and Molly Lange. And born to this union was their son, Eric.

Otto worked at Monroe Auto Equipment from 1970- 1979. But the majority of his life was spent farming. He was one of them that said once farming gets in your blood, it stays there for a lifetime. He didn’t fully retire until the couple sold the farm and moved into Gothenburg in 2005. Otto was a stickler for a beautiful lawn, and didn’t allow just anyone to help tend to it. As the kids grew up, moved on and raised families of their own, Otto and Lois turned their attention to raising their four-legged kids. Until their passing, Angel, Pebbles and Bobo were the most loved and spoiled critters on this earth.

In addition to his parents, Otto was preceded in death by a sister, Bernice Bodtke; first wife, Marie; granddaughter and grandson Natasha and Zachary Franzen; and several in-laws.

Left to mourn his passing are his wife, Lois, and children Charlotte (Tom) Tauche, Colorado Springs, CO; James (Laura) Franzen, Lincoln; Tim (Patty) Lange, Grand Island, Wayne (Duane Woutzke) Franzen, Wymore, NE; Steve (DeAnna) Lange, Callaway; Celeste (Larry Miller), Cahokia, IL; Jim (Katy) Lange, Healy, KS, Molly Lange, Grand Island; and Eric (Tia) Franzen, Grand Island; sisters, Lucille Sommers, MO, Alvina Krueger, Gilead, NE; Evelyn Waltman, Ord, NE; brother Marvin (Jill) Franzen, Gothenburg; 18 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews,and the four-legged twins, Abby and Laci.

Visitation will be held at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel, Gothenburg, Nebraska; Friday, November 02, 2012 1:00 pm – 8:00 pm with the family present from 6-8 pm.

Funeral Services will be held at American Lutheran Church, November 3, 2012 at 10:00 am with Pastor Tom Wilson, Lonna Grabenstein PMA officiating.

Interment will follow in the American Lutheran Cemetery, Gothenburg, Nebraska.

Memorials may be given to the Gothenburg American Legion or Donor’s Choice. To sign the online guest book, go to www.blasestrauser.com.

Kenneth John Walz, 60, of Hershey, NE died Wednesday, October 31, 2012, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte, NE.

Ken was born November 4, 1951, at North Platte to Bernard ‘Bernie’ Henry and Shirley Irene Simants Konruff Walz. The family lived 15 miles north of North Platte and he attended Stapleton School for a year before the family moved southeast of Hershey. Ken then attended Leth School District 122 and graduated from Hershey High School in 1970.

On January 23, 1971, Ken married his high school sweetheart, Patricia Hampton, in Hershey at the United Methodist Church. For the first five years they lived in a little house along the North Platte River before moving into a home they built themselves in 1976. Ken worked for the Dutton-Lainson Company in North Platte and became a self-taught electrician. He then went to work for Schmidt Electric in North Platte for 10 years. During this time he took his State Electrical Test and received his Master’s License in 1985. He then started his own business, Ken’s Electric, with his wife, Pat, until the business closed due to health reasons. Ken most recently worked for Knobel Refrigeration.

He was an avid hunter and fisherman. Ken enjoyed spending hours in a duck or goose blind and hunting deer along the South Platte River. He was a loving husband, father and papa. Ken possessed an unconditional love for his family and did whatever he could to protect, provide and care for them.

Ken is survived by his wife, Pat, of Hershey; two children, Steven Walz (Sam White), of Denver, CO and Alicia (Lucas) Odean, of North Platte; three grandchildren, Emma, Brady and Alise Odean; his mother, Irene Walz, two brothers, Randy (Sheila) Walz and Rich Walz and a sister, Sherri (Dave) Laubner, all of North Platte; several nieces, nephews and other family.

He was preceded in death by his father, Bernie; and his mother and father-in-law, Hannah and Bob Hampton.

Cremation was chosen. A memorial service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, November 3, 2012, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church with Father Jim Novakowski officiating. The memorial book may be signed from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday at Odean Colonial Chapel At C & Sycamore or online at odeanchapel.com. Memorials are suggested to the family. Odean Colonial Chapel At C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.