Obituaries

Aug. 16, 1931 - March 29, 2017

Clay Center resident, Lynn A. Hagemeier, 85, passed away Wednesday, March 29, 2017, at Fairview Manor in Fairmont, NE.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 1, 2017, at Grace Lutheran Church in Geneva, NE, with Pastor Stephen Kruschel officiating. Interment followed at the Clay Center Cemetery in Clay Center, NE, with military rites by the American Legion Mills-Schroder Post #81. Visitation was Friday, from 2-8 p.m., at McLaughlin Funeral Chapel in Clay Center, NE.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Grace Lutheran Church in Geneva, NE, or Fairview Manor in Fairmont, NE.

Condolences may be left at www.mclaughlinchapel.com.

July13, 1927 - March 30, 2017

Sutton resident, Lucille E. Perrien, 89, passed away Thursday, March 30, 2017, at the Sutton Community Home in Sutton, NE.

Funeral services were held at 10 a.m., Monday, April 3, 2017, at the Federated Church in Sutton, NE with Pastor Mary Scott officiating. Interment followed at the Sutton Cemetery in Sutton, NE. Visitation was Sunday, April 2, 2017, from 2-8 p.m., at Sutton Memorial Chapel in Sutton, NE.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Sutton Community Home in Sutton, NE.

Condolences may be left at www.suttonmemorial.com.

Lucille was born at home north of Sutton on July 13, 1927, to Nathan and Wilhelmina (Frank) Griess. She received her education at Sutton Public School, graduating in 1944. She married Albert O. Perrien on July 8, 1945, in Salina, KS.

Nov. 28, 1921 - March 25, 2017

Travis Wayne Beck died Sunday, Feb. 26, after a brave fight with cancer. He was born on Dec. 6, 1979, at Hastings, NE, to Wayne and Maria (Hart) Beck of Edgar, NE. His early years were spent helping out his Dad on the family farms. He graduated from Sandy Creek High School in 1998 and Doane College in 2002. Travis then went onto his graduate studies. After the completion of his Ph.D. at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln in 2007, Travis accepted a position at the University of Oklahoma in the Department of Health and Exercise Science, where he taught undergraduate and graduate courses in exercise physiology and statistics. He became a tenured Associate Professor in 2013. He made significant contributions to the fields of surface electromyography, mechanomyography, digital signal processing and neuromuscular physiology and was considered by many to be in the top 1 percent of his field.

Elizabeth Ann (Rempel) Friesen, age 86 of Lincoln, NE, formerly of Henderson/Aurora, NE, died Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017 at Lincoln. She was born Jan. 2, 1931 to Gerhard T. and Olga (Regier) Rempel. After graduation from Henderson High School in 1948, Elizabeth married Levi H. Friesen on Aug. 6, 1948. They farmed together for nearly 50 years and were married 61 years. They had four children: Ken, Ruth, Tim and Lee. The most important thing in mom’s life was her realization of her personal need of a Savior. As a young girl, she was helping clean house at her aunt’s house and listening to Back to the Bible radio program. In the discussion that followed, mom asked Christ to be her personal Savior. Elizabeth practiced a life of serving others. She enjoyed baking, cooking and expressed hospitality to all. She loved her family and gave selflessly. She loved seeing the grandchildren sit around the kitchen table eating fresh baked zwieback and cookies.

Jack Rath, age 64, of Giltner, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, peacefully in his sleep at home. A memorial service were held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Stockham Community Church. Rev. Paul Nauman and Rev. Rick Bartek officiated. Burial service was at 10 a.m., at the Stockham Cemetery. Visitation was held from 5-7 Friday evening, as well as 8:30-9:30 a.m., on Saturday at the Stockham Community Church, 401 Scott Street, Stockham, NE. Higby-McQuiston Mortuary was in charge of arrangements. Monetary memorials will be decided by the family at a later date. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com Jack Allen Rath, the son of Wayne Allen and Mary Ann (Buller) Rath, was born in Hastings, NE, on March 4, 1952, and passed away at his home on Feb. 21, 2017, at the age of 64. Jack grew up on his family’s farm south of Eldorado, NE. He graduated from Harvard High School in 1970.

Dean Lemkau, age 78, of Aurora, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, at CHI Health St. Francis in Grand Island. A memorial service was held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Messiah Lutheran Church. Rev. Sarah Ruch officiated. Inurnment will be at a later date. No visitation. Dean donated his body to science. Higby-McQuiston Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be made to the family to designate at a later date. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.  Dean Richard Lemkau, the son of Frank and Mary (Hoppens) Lemkau, was born in Clay Center, NE, on May 5, 1938, and passed away in Grand Island, NE, on Feb. 21, 2017, at the age of 78. Dean spent a majority of his life living on a farm in Clay County with his five brothers and two sisters. He attended Clay Center High School.

Beverly Jean (Bollig) Wilkerson passed away Wednesday, Feb.15, 2017, at her home in Plainville, KS, at the age of 76. She was born on Oct. 10, 1940 in Hays, KS to the late Eugene and Irene (Meyers) Bollig. She graduated from Plainville High School with the Class of 1958, and on Aug. 6, 1960, she was united in marriage to Larry Wilkerson at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Plainville. They were blessed with four children, Larry, Jr., Billy, Sandra Kay and Robert. Along with being a wife, mother and homemaker, Beverly worked as a Medical Records Clerk for St. John’s of Hays before retiring in 2005. She was an avid reader and loved being outdoors; from camping to gardening and yard work, she always kept a loving heart and enjoyed God in all of his creation. But the time she cherished the most was spent with family and friends, especially when grandchildren and great-grandchildren came along.

Danny Lee Kirk, the son of Ralph and Inez (Stephens) Kirk, was born on Sept. 14, 1947, in Columbus, Ohio. He passed away on Feb. 14, 2017, at the Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital at Hastings, NE, at the age of 69 years and five months. Danny attended Deshler Public School and graduated from Deshler High School. He attended the First Presbyterian Church in Deshler. He was united in marriage to Ilene Myers on Dec. 24, 1966, in the Methodist Church in Superior, NE. He enlisted into the United States Army right before his marriage on Sept. 8, 1966, serving during the Vietnam War, stationed in Germany, and was honorably discharged on Sept. 8, 1969. Throughout his lifetime, Danny lived in Deshler, Hardy, Superior, Guide Rock, Hastings, Kenesaw, David City, North Loup, and Sutton, where he has resided for the past 25 years. He was a member of the Sutton American Legion, the Superior VFW and the NRA. He was employed as a truck driver and he also did construction work.

Mary Ann McClanahan was born Feb. 21,1932, in Clay Center, NE. She passed away Feb. 10, 2017, in Tucson, AZ. Memorial services were held Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017, at 2 p.m., at Fellowship Bible Church 6700 E. Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ.