Obituaries

Sutton resident Anna Marie Griess, 87, passed away Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022, at her home in Sutton.

Funeral services were conducted at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022, at Hope Reformed Church in Sutton, with Rev. Scott Henry officiating. Interment followed at the Sutton

Cemetery. Visitation was Monday, Jan. 17, from 1-7 p.m., with the family present from 5-7 p.m., at Sutton Memorial Chapel in Sutton.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the family to be designated later.

Condolences may be left at www. suttonmemorial.com

Anna Marie was born June 9, 1934, in Saronville to Carl C. and Clarice (Griess) Griess. She attended country school until the eighth grade. Growing up she herded and milked cows on the family farm. On Aug. 23, 1957, she was united in marriage to Curtis N. Griess. Anna Marie was a homemaker and worked at the Sutton Sale Barn in the kitchen and as a clerk. She was the best pie and Kuchen baker in the area.

George Bradley Cushing, 64, formerly of Harvard, passed away Jan. 12, 2022, in Harrisonville, MO due to the affects of COVID.

George was born in Aurora on Sept. 16, 1957. He was raised in Harvard where he received his GED from Harvard High

School. On Aug. 26, 1977, he married his wife Karen Cushing in Clay Center. After marriage, George joined the Air Force, serving for five and a half years through security. When he returned from service, he and Karen moved to Wichita, KS, where two of his boys were born, Richard Cushing and Andrew Cushing. While in Wichita, he attended a truck driving school and then pursued driving truck for the better half of the rest of his life.

George was also heavily involved in the Stockham Community Church through singing, missions board, Sunday school, and truly just anything he could for the church.

Hastings resident Helen Joyce Valentine, 91, passed away peacefully Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022, at her home.

Services were at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 8, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, west of Glenvil. Burial was at St. Paul’s Lutheran Churchyard Cemetery, west of Glenvil. Memorials may be given to the family for a memorial to be established at a later date. Private condolences may be sent to the family at www.lbvfh.com. Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home & Cremation Center is serving the family.

Helen was born June 6, 1930, in Columbus to Louis and Helene (Larson) Nauenburg. She graduated from Hastings Senior High in 1948. Helen married Wendell Valentine on Sept. 24, 1950; he preceded her in death on Oct. 22, 2006.

Clay Center resident Ivan Dean Godtel, 90, passed away Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, at the Sutton Community Home in Sutton, with his family by his side.

Funeral services were at 10:30 a.m., Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, at the Clay Center Christian Church in Clay Center, with Pastor Arick Johanson officiating. Interment followed at the Clay Center Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the family to be designated later.

Condolences may be left at www.mclaughlinchapel.com

Dean was born on May 8, 1931, in Clay Center to Ralph and Amanda (Nuss) Godtel. He graduated from Clay Center High School in 1948. Dean entered the service where he served as an MP in Japan during the Korean war. He returned home to help on the family farm and married Nancy Schreiner on May 8, 1958, where the two resided in Clay Center.

Jacob Junior Schaldecker, age 94 of Grafton died Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021 at Stromsburg. He was born June 27, 1927 to Margaret Elizabeth Tobiasson and Jacob Adolf Schaldecker on the farm by Grafton. He married Betty Luan McGregor on June 29, 1946 in Concordia, KS. They had four children: Jimmie Jay, Terry Lynn, Randy Lee, and Becky Lu.

Jake farmed the family farm from an early age until 1989 when he retired and turned the farming over to son Terry. While farming they raised beans, corn, milo, wheat, hay, Poland China hogs, cattle, and sheep.

He served 21 years in the Army National Guard from 1948–68. He retired as a Master Sergeant. Jake was one of the first charter members of the Grafton Fire Department. He was on the fire department from 1951-92. He bowled for Chances R on a York league. He and his wife got to do some traveling. They went to Hawaii, Monte Carlo, and Ireland.

Bertha Ljunggren, age 95, of Harvard, passed away on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, at Westfield Quality Care in Aurora.

Funeral services were at 10 a.m., Friday, Dec. 24, at the Evangelical Free Church in Aurora, with Rev. Vance Christie officiating. Interment was in the Aurora Cemetery.

Higby-McQuiston Mortuary were charge of arrangements. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.

Bertha Mae Ljunggren, the daughter of Len and Viola (Brown) Smith, was born on Jan. 25, 1926, at Vona, CO. Bertha attended school at Edgar, graduating from Edgar High School in 1944. She lived in Clay and Hamilton Counties in Nebraska most of her life.

Bertha was married to Lloyd Ljunggren on Feb. 8, 1946, at Mankato, KS. They made their home on a farm 10 miles south of Aurora. Lloyd preceded her in death on Jan. 17, 2017.

Donald L. Stilley, 86, of Hastings, passed peacefully in the company of family on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021, at The Heritage at College View Assisted Living in Hastings.

A private family burial will follow at a later time. There will be no viewing or visitation. Memorials may be given to the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation for leukemia research. Private condolences may be sent to the family at www.lbvfh.com. Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home & Cremation Center is serving the family.

Russell John Miller, 60, died on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, at the Faith Regional Hospital in Norfolk, after a four and a half year battle with cancer.

Virgil Eugene Holz, age 85, of Harvard, formerly of O’Neill, passed away Dec. 11, 2021 at the Rest Haven Nursing Home in Harvard.

Service will be at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Hastings. Virgil’s book signing is one hour before service time at the church.

Virgil was born May 17, 1936 in O’Neill, NE to Julius Holz and Pearl (Inks) Holz. He graduated from O’Neill Public School in 1954. He served in the National Guard and then started his working career in 1958 with Consumer Public Power, which is now Nebraska Public Power District. He retired after 40 years of service in 1998.

He married Judy (Lyman) Denny in 1963 until her passing in 1987. They lived in Bassett, O’Neill, and Harvard. They raised four children, Debbie, Randy, Jim, and Scott.

His hobbies included refurbishing antique tractors, woodworking, and making wine for friends. He also enjoyed following Husker sports.

Ronald Dean Yost died peacefully on Nov. 26, 2021, in Omaha at the age of 78. Born in Hastings on Oct. 9, 1943, to Robert and Florence (Hamburger) Yost, Ron grew up on a farm near Harvard and attended Harvard High School. He later went on to earn a Bachelors of Education in 1967 from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln where he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. He met wife, Suzi Yost (Reagan), a Delta Gamma, through Greek life and they were married on Jan. 21, 1967, in Lincoln. They moved to Milwaukee, WI, where Ron taught high school, but after several stops around the country, they eventually settled in Omaha in 1976 where Ron continued his career in telecommunications sales and they raised their 4 four children.