Obituaries

Ruth LaVonne Luehrs was born on May 25, 1926, to Lester and Bertha Kurtz in the family home on 7th Street of Long Pine, NE, the youngest of five daughters. That home is still occupied. At the time of her death, Ruth had the distinction of being known as the oldest resident of Long Pine for several years. Per her wishes, Ruth passed away peacefully in her own home in Long Pine on January 30, 2023, at the age of 96 years.

com. The Reverend Eugene (Gene) Wayne Morse, 79, passed away Friday, January 6, 2023, Born August 21, 1943, Gene grew up in Gothenburg, NE.

Long Pine resident Sammy D. Ellis, born September 9, 1955, passed away on Saturday, January 21, 2023.

Memorial Services will be held at a later date, for Donald Ray Fernau age 93 of Ainsworth, NE. Donald Fernau passed away Monday, January 23, 2023 at the Sandhills Care Center in Ainsworth.

Walter Wayne Larson was born December 17, 1955 in Bassett, NE to George H. and Opal I. (Taylor) Larson. Walter grew up in Springview, NE graduating from Keya Paha High School in 1973. He married Vicki L. Wantz on April 13, 1974 in Johnstown, NE. On March 2, 1975, they were blessed with twins, Michael and Michele. They lived on the family ranch and worked for his parents milking cows.

Herbert Charles Kenyon was born on February 15, 1931, in Spokane, WA, to Guy and Edna (Decker) Kenyon. He joined sisters Anita and Anola, and later the family grew with the birth of brothers Douglas and Rodney. When Herbert was age three, the family returned to the family farm north of Johnstown, NE. As the eldest son, Herbert learned farming from his father, continuing to work on the family farm while his father sought work at other farms to help support the family. He graduated from Ainsworth High School in 1948 and soon met a beautiful young lady named Ruth Shaw at church, and they fell in love. In 1951, he enlisted in the US Air Force, and they continued their courtship by way of cards and letters. Herbert was discharged from the service in December 1955, and he married Ruth the following summer on June 29, 1956.

Funeral Services for Walter W. Larson, age 67, of Springview, NE will be held on Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at the New Hope Community Church in Springview. Burial will follow in the Mt. Hope Cemetery at Springview. Those attending services are asked to please wear casual attire.

Word has been received of the death of Merrill D. Strate, age 85, of Ainsworth, NE.

Lonnie Gene Schnakenberg, originally from Deshler, NE, was born on December 24, 1959 and passed from this life on January 4, 2023 in Tucson, AZ. Lonnie’s wife, Shirley Schenk Schnakenberg resides in Oro Valley, AZ.

Eleanor F. (Hartmann) Schipporeit was born at home on March 2, 1930 near Corunna, IN to Hilda A. (Ziebell) and Walter H. Hartmann. Because her father was a Lutheran pastor, Eleanor’s family lived in a number of different towns in Indiana and Illinois during her school years. When World War II broke out, Eleanor’s father joined the United States Army and served as a chaplain. During this time the family moved again, ending up in Fort Wayne, IN, where Eleanor graduated from high school in 1947. Shortly after that, Eleanor moved with her family to Ainsworth, NE, where her father had accepted a call to Zion Lutheran Church. Here, Eleanor met Ralph Schipporeit, and on August 20, 1950, they were united in marriage. Ralph and Eleanor raised four children. Over her lifetime, Eleanor worked in the Ainsworth Bakery, was a farm wife and mother, sang in the Zion Lutheran Church Choir, served in various ways as part of the Ladies Aid and LWML at the church, worked as a school cook at Ainsworth Community Schools, volunteered at the Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop, and greatly enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.