Obituaries

George E. Casper

George E. Casper, 64, of Carlinville died November 26, 1991at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday at Carlinville Area Hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Davis-Anderson Funeral Home, Carlinville, with burial in Lexington, Neb.

Surviving are his wife, Nellie; two daughters, Karen Casper of St. Louis, Mo., and Sheryl Casper of Champaign; one granddaughter; mother, Mary Casper of Lexington, Neb.; four brothers, Mose of Indio, Calif., Jack of North Platte, Neb., Nicholas of Lexington, Neb., and Paul of Elm Creek, Neb.; four sisters, Mrs. Sophia Brown of San Pablo, Calif., Mrs. Roberta Brunk of Schuyler, Neb., Mrs. Carol Bihlmaier and Mrs. Virginia Meyers, both of

Lexington, Neb.; several nieces and nephews.

State Journal-Register, Springfield, IL, November 28, 1991, Page: 21

Contributed by:  Sara Hemp

Mrs. John (Amanda Jane White) Gerdes  

Mrs. John Gerdes died at her home in this city last Sunday night. January 19, 1919.

She was a well known resident of this neighborhood for over thirty years. Her death was one of infirmities and weakness of old age chiefly.

Amanda Jane White was born at Dayton Ohio Dec 20, 1848.

She married John H. Gerdes March 20, 1978 in Coatsburg Illinois.

The husband died Nov 17, 1917.

Deceased made her home in this city the past eight years.

Mr and Mrs Gerdes came to Gothenburg about thirty years ago and established a homestead northeast of the city.

Rev Conrad Krekeler conducted funeral services at the home Tuesday afternoon.

Interment was at the Gothenburg cemetery.

Newspaper: Gothenburg Independent
Submitters Name: D. Koether

Minnie Violet Rice  

Mrs Minnie Violet Rice passed away at her home in Gothenburg early Monday morning, March 14th,1938. She had been in failing health for several months and suffered a heart attack from which she failed to rally.

Borne in Woodhull, Illinois, in 1866 she would have reached her 72nd birthday anniversary September 25th. She grew to womanhood in the community, where she was a familiar figure. She is survived by her daughter, Mrs. Arthur Evans of Kansas City and Mrs. John Harms of Adams, Neb with whom she was raised as a sister.

Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon from the Shodund Chapel conducted by Rev. John W. Pressly Jr. pastor of the First Presbyterian church.

Members of the Gothenburg Volunteer Fire department attended in a body and served as pallbearers. Mrs. Rice having been made and honorary member following her discovery of a fire some years ago.

Interment was in Gothenburg Cemetery beside her husband whose death occurred several years ago.

Newspaper: The Gothenburg Times
Submitters Name: D. Koether

Ernest H. Gerdes   

Ernest H. Gerdes 66 years of age and a former Gothenburg resident, passed away at a Lincoln hospital Monday January 6th, following a lingering illness.

He was born east of Gothernburg on September 1, 1891. Survivors are two sisters Mrs Mary Harms of Adams Nebr and Mrs Arthur Evans of LaPuente California.

Funeral service for Mr. Gerdes will be held at the Olesen Funeral Home Friday afternoon January 10th at two o'clock Rev. R. Beckman of the American Lutheran church officiating. Interment in the Goethnburg cemetery.

Newspaper: The Gothenburg Times
Submitters Name: D. Koether 

Montrose - Mary Jane Porter, most recently of Montrose, Colo., passed away at her home at the age of 87 on Sunday morning, March 20, 2005.

Born in Oskaloosa, Kan. on May 23, 1917, she was the daughter of Vera (Dede) Prater and John William Trusdale.

After graduation from Topeka, Kan. High School in 1935, Jane attended Kansas State University and graduated from the University of Missouri in 1939.

She taught art at Neosho, Mo. public schools where she met Herbert Duis who was stationed at nearby Camp Krauter. Herb and Jane were married March 2, 1941 and made their home in Gothenburg, Neb.

She was one of the earliest patients to have open heart surgery at the Mayo Clinic in 1947.

In 1950 she made national news by campaigning door to door with her young children and friends for her husband's run for the Legislature. His election brought him home from the Army instead of being deployed to Korea.  During Herb's 16 years in the Legislature and subsequent tenure as

chair of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, Jane helped manage their insurance and real estate business and raise their children.

Shortly before their 50th anniversary, Herb died at age 76.

On June 15, 1996 she married Victor Lofgreen and moved to Hastings, Neb. where they lived until his death.  She remained there until her marriage to Clarence Porter on July 2, 2002 brought her to his home in Montrose, Colo.

Mary Jane played golf and participated in dance club, various P.E.O. groups and many bridge clubs. She also enjoyed attending Herb's state functions. Favorite activities included the First Presbyterian Church, Legislative Ladies League and San Juan Coloradans for Nebraska. She was

active in all three communities and made and enjoyed friends wherever she went.  Love of travel, in the United States and abroad, led to her representing Nebraska in an international travel show in Sweden in her late 70's, where she was hosted by the Lord Mayor of Gothenburg, Sweden at

a champagne reception.

She was vibrant and always on the go.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her three husbands, her brother William P. Trusdale, and a special aunt, Helen Prater.  She is survived by her sister, Virginia Eicholtz, and brother, Robert Trusdale, both of Topeka, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the Duis, Porter and Lofgreen families.

A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 at 4 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Montrose.

A graveside service will follow this service on Thursday, March 24, 2005 at 2:30 p.m. at Fort McPherson National Cemetery in Maxwell, Neb.

Memorial contributions can be made to:  First Presbyterian Church, in memory of Mary Jane Porter, 1840 E. Niagara Rd., Montrose, CO 81401; or San Juan Coloradans for Nebraska scholarship committee, 1035- A Margo Ct., Montrose, CO 81401.

Arrangements were handled under the direction of Crippin Funeral Home and Crematory, (970) 249-2121.

Note:  Obituary for Clarence W. Porter may be found  Mesa and Montrose counties, Colorado.

Mrs. Frank Shields   

The news of the death of Mrs. Frank Shields, of Lexington , Neb. , is a sad shock to her relatives and many friends in Preble County .

The deceased was a daughter of William and Anna Kirrin? Weadick, and was born and reared in this vicinity.

She died two weeks ago and leaves a husband and seven children, two girls and five boys. A sister, Mrs. Ella Sullivan and a brother James Weadick, of Preble County , and Lou Weadick of Denver , Colo. , attended the last sad rites of their loved one.

Mrs. Sullivan brought a little two-year-old boy home with her and will be as a mother to the child.

Hamilton Evening News March 14, 1913

Transmitted and Contributed by:  Nancy Hannah