Donna Rae Bailey, 8o, of McCook and formerly of Arapahoe, passed away December 31, 2020 at the Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born to Edward “Ted” Charles and Olive Delphine (Keller) Smith on November 26, 1940.

Wesley W. Esslinger, 92, of Lexington, Nebraska passed away on Monday, December 28, 2020 at Lexington Regional Health Center.

Owen Willis Brainard, 95, of Elwood, Nebraska passed away on Thursday, December 31, 2020 at the Elwood Care Home. He was born on April 7, 1925, in Lincoln, Nebraska to Willis and Florence Brainard. He grew up in Lincoln and was an active Boy Scout, earning his Eagle Scout Award. He enjoyed spending summers on the family ranch outside of Anselmo, Nebraska. He graduated from Lincoln Northwest High School in 1943 where he lettered in football, basketball, and track.

Phillis Rose Brown age 98 formerly of Cambridge, passed away at the Holdrege Memorial Homes on January 4, 2021. She was a twin, born at home near Norman, Nebraska on January 19, 1922 to Christian and Agnes (Larsen) Sorensen. Phillis attended country school and later graduated from Cambridge High School in 1940.

Robert LeRoy Ruppert, age 82 of McCook, died January 3, 2021. He was born on April 18, 1938 to Jay and Doris (Meissner) Ruppert at Quick, NE (Frontier County). He married Velma Jean Speth on December 26, 1957 whom he was married to for 63 years.

A Private Family Mass of Christian Burial for Phyllis M. Hanson will be held on Saturday, January 9, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. at the St. John’s Catholic Church in Smithfield, Nebraska with Father Thomas Lux as Celebrant. Interment will follow at the Robb Cemetery at rural Gosper County, Nebraska. Phyllis’ mass will be live-streamed on the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home Facebook page: ( HYPERLINK “https://www.facebook.com/NelsonBauer-Funeral-Homes-m6o1113801622” https://www.facebook.com/Nelson-Bauer-FuneralHomes-111601113801622

Donna F. Wier, age 94, passed away at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook on December 20, 2020. She was born in Furnas County near Cambridge on November 27, 1926 to Orva B. and Josephine (Heitmann) Trosper. Donna was united in marriage to George Wier in Norton, KS on July 6, 1946. George preceded her in death on May 9, 1988.

Mavis Lorraine (Railsback) Ohlson, age 94, passed away Saturday, December 19, 2020 at Arapahoe Good Samaritan Nursing Home. Mavis was born on October 1, 1926 on a farm in Norton County Kansas 1/2 mile from the Nebraska line to John “Lloyd” and Leona C. (Palmer) Railsback. Mavis attended country school in Norton County through eighth grade. Since there was no local high school, she then lived with her paternal Aunt Grace and her husband Lyle Young for four years while she completed her high school years in Joes, Colorado. She graduated from high school in 1944 and then attended college in Greeley, Colorado where she received her teaching certificate. She then applied for and obtained her Kansas State Teaching Certificate. She taught for one year in the Country school in Lyle, Kansas.

Beverly Julienne (Stapp) Goltl went to be with the Lord December 24th, 2020 at home surrounded by the family who loved her so much. She was born March 5th, 1941 in Farnam, NE to Myrlin and Lula (Adkisson) Stapp. She was raised North of Bartley, NE and attended Bartley High School where she played volleyball and was a cheerleader for the Bartley Bombers.

B.J. Morris, age 77, of Stamford, Nebraska, departed this life on Monday, December 14, 2020, at home surrounded by his wife and two daughters. He was born on March 6, 1943 near Honey Lake, Missouri to Burnnie J. and Sylvia Muriel (Wilmoth) Morris.