A Memorial Mass for Barbara J. Pruss, age 80, of O’Neill, NE, will be 11 AM Monday, April 15, 2019 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in O’Neill.  Rev. Joseph Sund will officiate. A Memorial Visitation will be 2-4 PM Sunday, April 14, 2019 with a Parish Rosary at 4 PM at Biglin’s Mortuary in O’Neill.  Barbara passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her family on Wednesday, April 10, 2019. 

Barbara is survived by her husband of 59 years, Bernard; children, Bernard Pruss II and wife Maru of Denver, Colorado, Daniel Pruss and wife Linda of Pueblo, CO, Diane Pruss of O’Neill; three grandchildren, Joe Pruss, Jacob Shelhamer and Michael Shelhamer; three great-grandchildren, Emma, Cash and Coy; sister-in-law, Delores McCarthy of Columbus, NE, sisters, Kay Butterfield and husband Larry of Beloit, KS, Lynn Higgins and husband Tom of Valentine, NE, Jim McCarthy and wife Linda of Dupuyer, MT; brothers-in-law, Jim Pruss and wife Pat of Omaha, NE, Mel Herbert of Jacksonville, FL; nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Lillian (Simonson) McCarthy; sons, Gregg and Robert Pruss; brother, George McCarthy; sister, Bev McCarthy, sisters in law, Bea Harris and husband Warren, Anne Albracht and husband AL, Marie Herbert, brother in law, Tony and wife Louise.   

A Funeral Mass for Bernadine M. O’Malley, age 83, of O’Neill formerly of  Chambers, NE, will be 10:30 AM Thursday, May 3, 2018, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in O’Neill. Burial will be in the O’Neill Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5-8 PM with a 7 PM Parish Vigil Service, at Biglin’s Mortuary in O’Neill. She passed away on Sunday, April 29, 2018, at the O’Neill Care and Rehabilitation Center in O’Neill. 

Bernadine was born in Ewing, NE, on December 24, 1934, as the eighth of 11 children to Roy and Ann (Bauer) Rotherham.  Along with her siblings, she worked at the Rotherham family restaurant – the Green Lantern; and she attended Ewing Public School, where she graduated from high school in 1953.  Following graduation, she worked for a gas company, with employment stints in Neligh, Lincoln, and Columbus, NE. 

Bernadine then started dating Leo O’Malley, who lived on a ranch nestled at the edge of the Nebraska sand hills just west of Chambers, NE.  On April 28, 1962, Bernadine and Leo married at St. Peter de Alcantara Catholic Church in Ewing.  Following the wedding, they made their home on this same O’Malley family ranch, where they would live and raise a family for almost fifty years.  Bernadine and Leo raised five children on the ranch, all born within a span of less than seven years – four boys and a girl.  Anyone who visited Bernadine’s ranch home was immediately considered family, and the environment she created – with runzas, coffee rings, carmel rolls, and an endless supply of food and friendship – spoke volumes about Bernadine’s heart and soul:  She truly lived her Catholic faith through her service to others.

Bernadine’s Catholic faith was always apparent to anyone who came into contact with her, on the ranch or otherwise.  Her faith inspired her family, her involvement in the local community, and especially her involvement in the life of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Amelia, where she enjoyed teaching catechism to 2nd grade students for many years, as she prepared them for reception of the sacraments.   She was also a passionate Pro Life advocate who regularly volunteered to support the sanctity of all life from conception to natural death.    

When Leo and Bernadine retired from the ranch in 2001, they moved to O’Neill, NE, where they would live one block from St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.  This allowed them to fulfill a desire to attend daily Mass as often as they were able.  Just as she was on the ranch, Bernadine continued in her role as a loving wife, mother, and grandmother; and a friend who was always willing to help those in need, with love in her heart and without any form of judgement. 

Bernadine also enjoyed an occasional trip to the “Hill,” where she might try her hand at the nickel slot machines or simply have dinner with Leo.  She and Leo also attended many of their grandchildren’s sports events, just as they did when their own children were growing up on the ranch.  When the football and basketball seasons arrived, they could be found sitting in the stands almost anywhere in Nebraska or South Dakota, or simply gathered around the radio listening at home.   
  
Bernadine was preceded in death by her parents and eight siblings:  Pat, Michael, Jim, Betty, Donna, Vince, Jerry, and Geraldine.  She is survived by her husband, Leo; her sister, Sharon Ward of Norfolk; brother, Butch Rotherham of Ewing; and sisters-in-law, Marge, Karen, and Carol Rotherham.  Her children included Patrick (Colleen) of Centerville, SD; Karrie (Dan) Duffy of Rapid City, SD; Charles (Laurel) of Chambers; James (Deb) of North Platte; and William (Patricia) of North Platte.  Her grandchildren included:  Kieran, Seamus, Rory, Shannon, Malloy, and Nora O’Malley; Brendan, Liam, Caitlin, Moira, Ciara, Aislinn, Mairin, and Declan Duffy; Daniel O’Malley; Sean, Mandy, and Logan O’Malley; Joseph and Anna O’Malley.

Bernadine will be dearly missed by all who had the good fortune to know her.  Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon her.  May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Funeral Services for Agnes Loy Lawrence Douglass, age 100, of Stromsburg and formerly of O’Neill, will be 11:00 am Monday, April 23, 2018 at the First Presbyterian Church in O’Neill.  

Pastor Dean Seger will officiate. Burial will be in the O’Neill Cemetery. 

Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the Church.  

Agnes passed away on Thursday, April 19, 2018 at the Midwest Covenant Home in Stromsburg.  

Biglin’s Mortuary in O’Neill is in charge of arrangements.  Visit biglinsmortuary.com.

 Memorial Funeral Mass for William John Edwards, age 89, of Inman will be 10:30 am Friday, April 13, 2018 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in O’Neill.  

Burial will be held at 2:00 p.m. at the Orchard Hill Cemetery with Military Rites provided by the Orchard American Legion Victory Post 136.

There will be no Memorial Visitation the evening prior to the service. Bill passed away on Monday, April 9, 2018 at his home in Inman.  

The family requests that memorial contributions be made in the name of William John Edwards to Autism Speaks; 1060 State Road, Second Floor, Princeton, New Jersey, 08540.  

Biglin’s Mortuary in O’Neill is in charge of the arrangements. 

William John “Bill/Bud” Edwards was born on November 4, 1928 and passed away on April 9, 2018.  His parents, John William and Mabel (Meuret) Edwards raised him with three brothers and two sisters on their family’s homestead located two miles west and six miles north of Orchard, NE. 

Bill graduated from Orchard High School in 1947 and attended Wayne State College before enlisting in the U. S. Army.  He served in Korea as a member of the U. S. Army Special Services Company.  He married Doris Dwinell in 1954 and they parented two children, Terry and Karen.  Doris passed away in 1981.   Bill married Dian Kirkpatrick Neill in 1991.

Bill retired from a career of public service in 1992.  During his 38-year career with the State of Nebraska, he served with the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Nebraska Dealer Licensing Board. 

He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed trapping, hunting, and fishing.  He was a skilled woodworker and enjoyed gardening.  However, music was his favorite avocation.  Bill shared his talent as an accomplished guitarist throughout his lifetime and he enjoyed entertaining at parties, retirement centers, and nursing homes until his spinal cord injury in 2012.  Bill held continuous membership for over 63 years in the American Legion Post 136 and was a lifetime member of the Orchard Historical Society.

Bill is survived by his wife of over 26 years, Dian Edwards of Inman; son, Terry (Teri Ann) Edwards of Palmyra, Nebraska; daughter, Karen Edwards of West Jordan, Utah; stepdaughters, Christine Neill and Leah Chapman of Round Rock Texas; seven grandchildren, Tim Edwards, Tom Edwards, Kaley Norris, Kleat Norris, Hannah Chapman, Adam Chapman, and Azalea Chapman; and, many nieces and nephews.
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He was predeceased by his parents, Will and Mabel Edwards; Doris, his wife of 27 years; three brothers, George Edwards, Delos Edwards, and Art Edwards; and two sisters, Catherine Rose and Mildred Thelander.

Memorial Services for Menna Derickson, age 94, of O’Neill will be at 11:00 am Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at Biglin’s Mortuary in O’Neill with Fr. Randy Goeke officiating.  

Inurnment will take place in the O’Neill Cemetery.  

There will be no visitation the evening prior to the service.  

Menna passed away on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at Avera St. Anthony’s Hospital in O’Neill.  

Biglin’s Mortuary in O’Neill is in charge of arrangements. 

Menna is survived by her daughter, Pam Kathol and her husband, Cliff, of Lenexa, Kansas; two grandchildren; and seven great grandchildren.
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Menna was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Al, in 2003; and her son, Greg, in 1990.  

A Funeral Mass for Betty Chmiel, age 92, of O’Neill will be 10:30 am Friday, April 6, 2018 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in O’Neill with burial in the O’Neill Cemetery.  

Visitation will be from 6-8 pm Thursday, April 5, 2018 at Biglin’s Mortuary in with a 7:00 pm Rosary.  Fr. Bernard Starman and Fr. James Weeder will officiate.  

Betty passed away on Sunday, April 1, 2018 at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Atkinson, Nebraska.  

Biglin's Mortuary of O'Neill is in charge of arrangements. 

Elizabeth R Chmiel was born on October 18, 1925 in Leigh, Nebraska to James and Elizabeth (Rose) Charvat.  She graduated from Ewing High School in 1943.
Betty married Alexander Chmiel on November 28, 1946 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Wisner, Nebraska.  She and Al lived and worked in Omaha and Columbus, Nebraska after spending several years in Washington and California.  Their last stop for the last 25 years was O’Neill.

Betty is survived by her brother, John “Jack” Charvat and wife, Nadine of Bellevue, Nebraska, and numerous nieces and nephews, scattered around the country.
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She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Al in 2014; two sisters, Mary Finicle and Irene Burke; and one brother, James Charvat.

Funeral Services for Helen M. Mitchell, age 94, of O’Neill, NE will be 11:00 AM Wednesday, April 4, 2018, at Biglin’s Mortuary in O’Neill. Pastor Barbara Gage and Rev. Don Spicer will officiate. 

Burial will follow at the Union Cemetery in Spencer, NE. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 9:00 AM until time of the service at Biglin’s Mortuary. 

Memorials may be made to the Golden Age Senior Center in O’Neill. 

Helen passed away at her home in O’Neill on Saturday, March 31, 2018.

Biglin's Mortuary of O'Neill is in charge of arrangements. 

Helen was born on February 29, 1924, a Leap Year Baby, to Ernest “Ernst” and Albertha “Bertha” (Schmidt) Eilers in Spencer, NE. She was the middle sibling between two brothers, August and Henry “Heinie” Eilers. They grew up on the family farm north of Spencer, NE.

Helen married Wilbur E. “Bud” Mitchell on Nov. 4, 1946. They lived on a farm south of Lynch in the Redbird area, then moved to a farm south of Spencer where they lived for many years, before retiring from the farm and moving to O’Neill.

Helen was known for her talent of baking & decorating wedding cakes.  Many Boyd & Holt County weddings were celebrated with a cake baked & decorated by Helen.  She & Bud were also well known for raising chickens and selling the eggs, delivering eggs to customers near & far.

Helen enjoyed playing board games, domino's and in her early years going to square dances with Bud. She was a member of the O’Neill Wesleyan Church for many years.

She is survived by nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
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She was preceded in death by her parents, Ernst and Bertha Eilers, husband Wilbur “Bud” Mitchell, and brothers, August and Henry “Heinie” Eilers.

Funeral Services for Duane E. Summerer, age 88, of Chambers, NE, will be 10:30 AM Thursday, April 5, 2018, at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Chambers, NE. Burial will follow in the Valley View Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5- 8 PM at Biglin’s Mortuary in O’Neill, NE with a Prayer Service at 7 PM. Memorials may be given to the family for future missionary designations. Duane passed away on Saturday, March 31, 2018 at the Good Samaritan Society in Atkinson, NE. Biglin’s Mortuary in O’Neill is in charge of arrangements.

Duane is survived by his seven daughters and their husbands, Julie and Wayne Larson of Billings, MT, Janeen and Rev. Edgar Keinath of Seymour, IN, Becky and Harold Larson of Chambers, NE, Barbara and Doug Rudolph of Elk River, MN, Eileen and Rev. Mel Mertens of Delta, CO, Mari Jo and Steve Knapp of North Platte, NE and Brenda and Bret Schmidt of LaSalle, CO; 21 grandchildren, 34 great grandchildren; one sister, Marjorie Tomjack of Chambers, NE and many nieces and nephews.
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He was preceded in death by his wife, Myra Summerer, parents, P.W. and Anna (Primus) Summerer and brother in law, Frank “Bud” Tomjack.