Obituaries
Obituaries -
1961-1970
~~~~~~~~
1963
NERN, MAE MARTHA (HOPKINS)
Gordon Nebr. -1963
Mae Martha Hopkins, daughter of James and Mississippi
Hopkins, was born July 3, 1871 in Freeman, Mo., and died
on Febr. 5, 1963 at the ripe old age of 91 years, seven
months and two days. On Sept. 9. 1898 she was united in
marriage at Sioux City, Ia. to Felix William Nern of
Boswell, Ind. They made their home on a ranch at New
Castle, Nebr. until 1911 when they moved to a ranch south
of Gordon, Nebr. They lived here until 1945 when they
retired and moved to Gordon where they have since lived.
Mrs. Nern leaves to mourn, her immediate family - one
son, Lee Myers; three daughters; Mrs. Chester Skanadore
and Mrs. Orin Slater of Gordon, and Mrs. Harry Baker of
Lusk, Wyo.; 16 grandchildren; many other relatives and a
host of friends. One daughter, Mrs. Frank Gwynn, preceded
her in death. At the age of 62 Mrs. Nern accepted Christ
as her personal Savior and was baptized in a lake on the
ranch. For the past seven years she has been confined to
a wheel chair, but here she continued her Christian
evangelism by mail and with those who came to visit her.
Her prayers for her family and friends have gone round
the world. Funeral services were conducted from the
Church of God in Gordon, with the pastor, the Rev. Carl
C. Williams, officiating, assisted by the Rev. Melvin
Grosenbach. Burial was in the Gordon Cemetery with Gates
and Son Mortuary in charge.
[transcribed by Kaylynn]
~~~~~~~~~~
1966
SANDOZ, MARI
Gordon Nebr. -1966
Mary Susette Sandoz, whose pen name is Mari Sandoz, was
born on May 11, 1896, at the family home on the Niobrara
river. She was the oldest child of Jules Ami Sandoz and
Mary Elizabeth Fehr Sandoz. At nine she entered school in
district 112, unable to speak English. When Mari was 14,
she and a brother, James, moved to the sandhills where
the Sandoz fruit farm now stands, to hold down the family
homestead. Two years later, she passed the teacher's
examinations and taught the hme school alternately with
other schools for a number of years. Following a short,
difficult marriage, Mari and a cousin, Rosalie Sandoz
went to Lincoln where both took business courses. Later,
she changed to an English major, while teaching part-time
an extension course under Professor Melvin Vanden Bark,
and working for Smith and Dorsey, a pharmaceutical supply
house. Mari began writing early, and wrote intermittently
for years until the first issue of the Prairie Schooner
printed her first short story, The Peachstone Basket.
After the death of her father, work began on his
biography that led to a continuous career, and collection
of numberous awards in literature. Her abiding interest
in the Indian won their trust and confidence until she
had access to much hitherto unknown details of their
history. She suffered a lifetime of migraine headaches,
but was able to finish 20 books, numerous short stories
and to guide the careers of young authors. In years of
teaching crative writing on a professional level, at the
University of Wisconsin, she made a wide acquaintance in
the literary world and her active life spanned such
giants of writing as T. S. Eliot, Somerset Maugham and
Gertrude Stein. Mari was proud of the Sandoz family name
and tradition and delighted in tracing her ancestry back
to the 1300's when they were religious exiles in
Switzerland. She hoped to enlist some member of her
family in writing her biography. Survivors are three
brothers, Jules of Gordon, James of Wllsworth and Fritz
of Lakeside; two sisters, Flora Sandoz of Ellsworth and
Mrs. Robert (Caroline) Pifer of Gordon; and aunt, Mrs.
Susette Grossenbacher, 89, who was a sister of her mother
and one of few living realtives who came from
Switzerland. Mr. Grossenbacher has a home in Rushville,
but lives at Good Samaritan center, Gordon. A short
reading service was attended in the Chamberlain funeral
home by the immediate family and the body was taken to
the Sandoz fruit farm for burial. There were no
pall-bearers as such, no funeral and no flowers outside
of those of the immediate family, in accordance with the
deceased's wishes. (Transcribers note: Mari Sandoz died
March 10, 1966 at New York.)
[transcribed by Kaylynn]
~~~~~
1967
The Gordon Journal, Gordon, Sheridan County, Nebraska,
after 1967
Jesse Merle Spindler was born July 26, 1903 to George and
Margaret Spindler of Atkinson. He was one of nine
children. He attended school at Spencer and Atkinson,
graduating from Atkinson high in 1925. He taught public
schools in Bolt and Sheridan counties for ten years and
one year Hisle, S.D. in the BIA schools. In 1931 he was
united in marriage to Myrtle Forster at Rushville. Three
children were born to them: Peggie Johns of Chadron, Rosa
Sullivan of Mission Viejo, Calif., and Dick, deceased in
1959. Merle and Myrtle held a star route mail contract
from 1942 until 1974 when they released it. Merle served
on the Gordon Police force from 1951 to 1967. Ten of
these years he was chief of police. He worked part-time
for nine years at the Gordon Journal. He also worked at
Kirby Vac-Chadron for a time. In 1967 they were
semi-retired and traveled extensively; camping was their
hobby. He is survived by his wife, Myrtle, of Chadron,
the three daughters, brother Floyd of Atkinson and one
sister, Rose Johns of Atkinson, eight grandchildren and
two great-grandchildren. His other brothers and sisters
preceded him in death.
~~~~~
1968
NERN, FELIX
Gordon Nebr., -1968
Felix William Nern, son of John and Cathrine Nern, was
born at Baswell, Ind. on Feb. 22, 1874 and died at the
Good Samaritan center at Gordon on Feb. 13, 1968 at the
age of 93 yers, 11 months and 20 days. Mr. Nern was
united in marriage to Mary M. Myers at Sioux City, Ia. on
Sept. 9, 1898. To this union one son and four daughters
were born. The Nerns resided at Newcastle, where he was
engaged in farming and cattle feeding until 1912. They
then moved to the sandhills region south of Gordon where
he was engaged in ranching until 1942 when they moved
into Gordon and resided there until the time of their
death. Mr. Nern also owned a ranch north of Lusk, Wyo.
Mr. Nern was preceded in death by his wife Mary in
February 1963. A daughter, Lavern (Mrs. Frank) Gwynn and
an infant son, Harry also preceded him in death.
Survivors include one step-son, Lee Myers, Gordon; three
daughters, Grace (Mrs. Chester) Skanadore, Raye (Mrs.
Orin) Slater, both of Gordon and Faye (Mrs. Harry) Baker
of Hat Creek, Wyo.; 16 grandchildren, 36
great-grandchildren and 10 great-great grandchildren.
Some six or seven years ago Mr. Nern committed his life
to Christ and therafter he had a testimony for his Lord,
who meant so much to him in the closing days of his life.
Memorial services were held in the Gordon Church of God
on Feb. 17 with Pastor Carl C. Williams officiationg,
assisted by the Rev. Melvin Grosenbach of the Gospel
chapel. Burial was in the Gordon cemetery with
Chamberlain - Gates mortuary in charge of arrangements.
Pallbearers were grandsons; Nern and Robert Skanadore,
James Gwynn, Donald, Stanley and Maurice Slater.
[transcribed by Kaylynn]
~~~~~~~~~~
1969
MYERS, LEE
Gordon Nebr. -1969
Lee Herman Myers was born October 16,1889 at Harrison,
Mo., the son of Mr. and Mrs. (Mae M. Hopkins) Umphrey
Myers. He died in the Gordon Memorial Hospital on June
19, 1969, being at the time of his death 79 years, eight
months, and three days of age. Mr. Myers was united in
mariage to Maude M. Alder on July 1, 1927 at Wagner, S.
D. In addition to his wife, he is survived by one
daughter (by a former marriage,) Mrs. Catherine Dixon of
Naches, Wash., three sisters, Mrs. Grace Skanadore, Mrs.
Rae Slater, Gordon, and Mrs. Faye Baker, Hat Creek, Wyo.;
many nieces and nephews. Mr. Myers spent the early years
of his life in eastern Nebraska, and in 1915 came to the
Gordon vicinity where he spent the re- (end of clipping).
[transcribed by Kaylynn]
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