Obituaries

A Memorial Visitation for Emogene Whitten, age 93 of Ainsworth, NE, formerly of Omaha, NE, will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2024 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Hoch Funeral Home in Ainsworth. Emogene Whitten passed away May 9, 2024 at her residence in Ainsworth. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Omaha, NE.

A Memorial Service for Mickey M. “Mick” Goodrich, age 79 of Long Pine, NE, will be held on Friday, May 17, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. in the Ainsworth United Methodist Church. A Private Inurnment will occur that afternoon in the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Springview, NE. Mick Goodrich passed away December 6, 2023 at the Rock County Hospital in Bassett, NE.

Memorial Service for Sharron E. Jochem, age 84 of Ainsworth, NE, were held on Monday, May 13, 2024 at Zion Lutheran Church in Ainsworth. Inurnment followed in the Lutheran Cemetery northwest of Ainsworth. Sharron Jochem passed away Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at the Brown County Hospital in Ainsworth, NE.

Paul Frederick Engler peacefully passed from this life on May 3, 2024, at the age of 94. He was born on August 23, 1929, in Stuart, NE, to Henry Paul Engler and Jenny Gill.

Carole Marie (Gilliland) Witt, was born on December 10, 1944 in Ainsworth, NE to Ralph and Delia (Morton) Gilliland. Carole passed away Friday, March 29, 2024, at the age of 79, surrounded by loving family at her daughter’s home in Valentine, NE. She succumbed to an ongoing battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Carole attended school in Ainsworth where she met her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Michael Dean Witt. In August of 1962 while Mike was home on leave from the US Navy, they were married and began their life together, living in Long Pine, NE. On December 26, 1975, they happily welcomed daughter, Michelle Marie. In 1983, Mike was transferred to Valentine, where they made their home until his death.

Lorris “Larry” Clark Rice was born at his family home on January 5, 1938 in Pickering, MO to Champ and Sylvia (Baldwin) Rice. He passed away peacefully at home in Ainsworth, NE surrounded by family on April 21, 2024.

A Memorial Service for Carole M. Witt, age 79, of Valentine, NE, will be held on Monday, April 29, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at the Hoch Funeral Home in Ainsworth, NE. Inurnment will follow in the Ainsworth Cemetery. Carol Witt passed away March 29, 2024 at Valentine.

Funeral Service for Lorris C. “Larry” Rice, age 86, of Ainsworth will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. in the Lila McAndrew Gymnasium in Ainsworth. Burial will follow in the Ainsworth Cemetery. Larry Rice passed away Sunday, April 21, 2024 at his home in Ainsworth.

A Private Family Graveside Service for Richard Crooker, age 71, of Newport will be held on Saturday morning, April 27, 2024 in the Giles Cemetery at Elsmere. Following, a Family & Friend Gathering will be held from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. at the Newport, NE Fire Hall. Richard Crooker passed away March 21, 2024 at the Rock County Hospital in Bassett.

Graveside services for Ann Hale, 85 of Merriman, NE will be held April 27, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. MST at the Merriman Memorial Cemetery, Merriman, NE.