Pearl Lucille Page

Pearl Lucille Page, 93, of Brady, died Aug. 15, 2009, at Gothenburg.

She was born on Oct. 20, 1915, to Jesse and Hilma (Nelson) McClellen at Maxwell.

On Oct. 27, 1933, she married Louis Page in North Platte. To this union three children were born: Luaine, Larry and Leon. Pearl and Louis lived and farmed in the Brady area.

She worked as a homemaker and helped on the family farm. She was always there to lend a helping hand. She was a terrific cook, especially making bread, fried chicken, chicken fried steak and potatoes. She enjoyed hosting Fourth of July picnics, and other holidays, canning, even when she had poor eyesight, making quilts. She was very fond of her dog, Buster, who she raised from a puppy.

After Louis passed away in 2005, she lived by herself, with help from family and close friends.

Survivors include her son, Leon (Helen) Page of Waverly; grandsons, Randy (Annie) Harper, Vince (Dianne) Harper, Kent (Lindy) Harper, Scott (Kim) Harper, Brent (Latonia) Page, and Lyle (Cheryl) Page; granddaughters, Virginia Harper, Carol (Scott) Aldrich, Diane Harper, Sherrie Harper, Stacy (Jason) Ferguson, Tammy (Tim) Brown, and Carolyn (Richard) Armstead; son-in-law, Leonard Harper of North Platte; 13 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, cousins and family members.

She was preceded in death by husband, Louis Raymond Page; daughter, Artis Luaine Harper; son, Larry D. Page; father, Jesse McClellen, and mother, Hilma (Nelson) McClellen.

Eldon “Red” Wickham

Eldon “Red” Wickham, 82, of Arapahoe, Neb., died July 20, 2009, at Phelps Memorial Hospital in Holdrege.

He was born July 2, 1927, on the family farm Southeast of Arapahoe to his parents, Earl and Berdina (Cowles) Wickham. He was a lifelong resident of Furnas County and attended a country school through 8th grade then attended Arapahoe High School where he graduated in 1944.

He worked on the family farm and drove a truck hauling livestock, machinery and equipment. In August 1946 he was drafted into the Army where he completed Basic Training at Fort Bliss, Texas, and served in the Military Police and also the William Beaumont General Hospital in El Paso, Texas. He received his discharge from the Army in September 1947 and returned to Arapahoe where he drove a truck hauling gravel.

He loved horses and was involved in various horse-related events and activities in the area, even serving as the President of the Republican Valley Saddle Club in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s.

On Feb. 16, 1968, he married Irene Sousley in Tipton, Mo., and they made their home in Arapahoe.

He continued to drive trucks and he and Fred Hoffman started the F-Red Truck Line hauling livestock for local farmers and cattle feeders. When this partnership was dissolved, he continued to drive trucks hauling heavy equipment for Adams Construction of Arapahoe.

On Dec. 1, 1979, his wife Irene, passed away. When his father became ill, he took over his parents' farm where he and his brother, Sanford worked together farming and raising cattle and hogs. In the fall of 1982 he had a surgery in Holdrege and while there met his best friend's sister, Norma Paxton Jones.

On Aug. 24, 1983, they were married and continued to live in Arapahoe. In 1997 he was forced to have a major surgery due to Melanoma Cancer, which was the beginning of an on going battle that resulted in many hospital stays.

After his brother Sanford passed away unexpectedly, he sold his farm equipment and the farm and retired. This allowed him the time to do “day work” on an “as needed” basis for various local farmers and businesses, which he enjoyed immensely.

Survivors include his wife, Norma of Arapahoe; sister, Patsy Kimble of Westminster, Colo.; nephew, Kerry Lee (Lynn) Kimble and their two children; a step-daughter, DeAnn (Tom) Nickel and a step-son, Richard (Lynette) Verbeck and their families plus a host of other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents; his wife, Irene; brother, Sanford; sister-in-law, Mildred and brother-in-law, Jack Kimble.

Donald Arlen Bullington

Donald Arlen Bullington, 77, of Mullen died Aug. 18, 2009, at the Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte.

He was born Feb. 21, 1932, at the Starr place, north of Mullen, to Edward and Olive (Stott) Bullington. They moved to the Johnson place, where he attended school with the Sullivan kids. In 1940, his father bought the Wright place 32 miles southwest of Mullen where he finished his childhood.

He graduated from eighth grade. Later in life, he received his GED through the Veterans Administration when he was in his 70's.

In 1952, he enlisted in the Army during the Korean War. He took basic training in Fort Riley, Kan., and was later signed up in Camp Carson, Colo., to the 35th Quarter Master Pack Company, which was a mule pack. During his third year of service, he worked in the saddle shop.

Also, during this time he became a sharpshooter and his name came up twice for Korea, but being the only vet tech in the company, he didn't go. He left active duty in 1955 and remained in the Reserves until 1960, when he was honorably discharged.

He came home and found work at Lowe''s, north of Ashby, where he met Carl Bestol. They remained good friends the rest of his life.

On Nov. 3, 1956, he married Bonnie Lee Connell at the Eclipse Church southwest of Mullen. Two children were born to their union, Teana Carmen in 1960 and Monte Wayne in 1962.

He worked for Bill and Bob Curtis north of Whitman for a couple years, then moved to Glen Coble's, where he was foreman for two years. He worked on various ranches until he moved on the river place south of Mullen in 1968. He was there until 1970, when he moved to the home place. He and Bonnie lived on and operated the ranch until 1984, when he sold the place. He had open heart surgery in 1989, which forced him to retire. Bonnie passed away in March 2004. He moved to the rest home in March 2009.

Survivors include his son Monte; daughter-in-law, Robbin and grandson, Cody of Mullen, and younger brother, Sid of Kearney.

He was preceded in death by his older brother, Veldon Duane.