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Obituaries

Joseph W. Gilbuena, 80

Joseph William Gilbuena was born on December 13, 1944, in Richmond, Virginia, to Joe Gomez Gilbuena and Marjorie Louise (Gould). He passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on March 25 in Norfolk.

Betty L. Wales, 91

A Celebration of Life Event for Betty L. Wales, age 91, of Bassett, formerly of Chadron and Ainsworth, will be held on Friday, April 18, at 11 a.m. at the Hoch Funeral Home in Ainsworth. A Private Family Inurnment will occur in the Moulton Cemetery near Almeria at a later date. Betty Wales passed away April 7 at the Rock County Hospital Long Term Care in Bassett.

Lilian Belle Hoyle

Children: wife Jennifer of Lawrence, Kan. Chery Bowen and husband Dan of Ainsworth, Carol Foy and Husband of Centennial, Colo. and Cindy Hoyle of Estes Colo., five grand children, five great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren, along with neices, nephews, and other family members.

Olga P. Strate

Passyka Strate passed away peacefully at Sandhills Care Center in on April 5, 2025, at the age of 78. Olga was born in Senne, West Germany on January 20, 1947.

Michael “Mike” L. Lutz, 72

Michael (Mike) Laurence Lutz, 72, of North Platte, passed away Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Bassett. Mike was born May 22, 1952, in Chamberlain, S.D., the son of Thomas and Ruth Lutz.

Larry D. Goshorn, 69

A Memorial Service for Larry D. Goshorn, 69, of Ainsworth will be held on Thursday, April 10, at 10 a.m. at Hoch Funeral Home in Ainsworth. A Private Family Inurnment will occur in the Prairie Lawn Cemetery in Cody at a later date. Larry Goshorn died March 28, 2025, at Great Plains Health in North Platte.

Joseph W. “Joe” Gilbuena, 80

Funeral Service for Joseph W. “Joe” Gilbuena age 80 of Long Pine will be held on Friday, April 11 at 2:00 PM at the Hoch Funeral Home in Ainsworth. Burial with Military Honors will follow in the Grandview Cemetery at Long Pine. Joe Gilbuena passed away Tuesday, March 25 in Norfolk.

Michael Lee Skillman, 74

Michael L ee S killman w as b orn o n September 8, 1950, in Ainsworth, to Ralph and Esther (Ulrich) Skillman. Michael grew up and lived in Ainsworth, where he graduated from Ainsworth High School and attended Milford SCC for two years. He married the love of his life, Barbara Peterson, on December 27, 1969, i n B lair, a nd t o t his u nion t wo children were born: David and Christine.

Carolyn Kay Keim, 82

Carolyn Kay Keim was born November 4, 1942, to Ralph and Gwen Keim at the Ainsworth Hospital. She passed away on March 15, 2025, at Bryan Memorial West Hospital. She grew up on a farm on the Niobrara River, one mile from the Meadville General Store, where her grandparents lived and ran the store. Carolyn was a born farm girl, she loved the outdoor life and helping her father farm. She loved her horses, Silver and Flaxie. She graduated in 1960 from Ainsworth High School and went to Kearney State Teachers College, where she met John Wenburg from Cozad, Nebraska. They married on May 5, 1962.

Elva Mae (McGuire) Buoy, 91

On January 1, 1934, Alex 'Deck' McGuire and Bernice (Jones) McGuire welcomed a baby g irl n amed E lva M ae into their home. S he g rew up i n B assett, alongside six siblings: Ellen, Maxine, Harold, Dorothy, Doug, and Glenda.