Plains Obituaries for 10-31-09

Victor Lee Saul

Victor Lee Saul, 68, of North Platte died at home Oct. 13, 2009, after a short illness.

He was born May 28, 1941, in Sutherland to Elvin and Cleora (Linderman) Saul.

He attended school through the 8th grade in Red Lodge, Mont. For several years he has been living in North Platte with his aunt Margaret Meicher after living in Red Lodge, Greybull, Wyo.; Charlottesville, Virg., and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and Special Olympics.

In North Platte he worked at the Opportunity Center and at Sandhills Industries. In Puerto Rico he danced with the Danza Activa group Danza E.

He made many friends. He never saw anyone as a stranger and he never forgot anybody he met. He was very close to his family and friends and will be missed by all who knew him. He loved riding horses, loved to dance, loved collecting things and loved bowling with Special Olympics.

Survivors include two brothers, Myron J. (Cheryl) of Lovell, Wyo., and Kelvin L. (Cindy) of West Yellowstone, Mont.; his aunt and loving caretaker of the past several years, Margaret Melcher; eight nieces, Myra, Rhonda, Wendy, Tana, Dawn, Amanda, Kristy, and Casey; four nephews, LaRoy, Eric, Wesley and Justin; and aunts, Winnie Janecek and Leota Campbell of North Platte, Eula Boesser and Maxine Lovitt of Stapleton, Joyce Fletcher of Taylor and Donna Jean Spaulding of Oklahoma City.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Nelda; his grandparents, Ralph and Margaret Priest Saul and Fred and Ethel Robinson Linderman as well as several aunts and uncles.

Betty L. Melton

Betty L. Melton, 74, died Aug. 18, 2009, at her home in Granada, Colo., with her family by her side.

She was born to Otto E. and Ida Rebecca (Armour) Bezona on Jan. 30, 1935, in rural Granada. She grew up on the family farm along with her nine siblings and graduated from Granada High School.

On March 4, 1955, she married Jesse H. Melton at the Holly United Methodist Church. In their early years of marriage they lived around the Holly area and then moved to the Pueblo and Colorado Springs area. Later moving to north Denver in the Henderson/Commerce City area where they resided for 35 years and then moving back down to Granada in 2003.

She was a loving wife and stay-at-home mom for several years before going to work at Honeywell in 1967 and later working for various banks. After a short semi-retirement, she went to work for Siegrist Companies in the scale office from 1992 to 1996 and from there went to Varra and worked in the scale office until retiring in 2002.

She loved crocheting, reading, Bingo, and her family.

Survivors include her husband of 54 years, Jesse; her children, Dean Melton of Granada, and Diantha (Steve) Dickinson of Fort Lupton, Colo.; five grandchildren, Johnny Melton of Pueblo, Janeene (Sean) Brown of Scottsbluff, Neb., Lacy (Joel) Waight of Thornton, Colo., Stephani Dickinson (Ruth Guerrero) of Irving, Texas, and Samantha Dickinson (Niki Martinez) of Thornton, Colo.; four great grandchildren, A'Leah Archuleta, Gabe Melton, Shea and Ryley Sylvis; five siblings, Lois Wieman of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Al Bezona of Pueblo, Colo., Lola Brooks of Missouri, Pete (Jean) Bezona of Syracuse, Kan., and Roy (Judy) Bezona of Walsh, Colo.; brother-in-law, Gene (Peggy) Melton of Farisita, Colo.; and four sisters-in-law, Patt (Wes) Campbell of Holly, Colo., Jeannie Bezona of Granada, Colo., Mary Bezona of Pueblo, Colo., and Lois Bezona of Fresno, Calif.; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; granddaughter, Becky Melton of Aurora, Colo.; nephew, Wesley Melton; four brothers, Dean Bezona of Granada, Paul Bezona of Pueblo, Colo., Dick Bezona of Johnson, Kan., and Scott Bezona of Fresno, Calif.

Cora Ina Stewart

Cora Ina Stewart, 91, of Sutherland, died Oct. 17, 2009, at her home.

She was born on June 25, 1918, to John and Rosa Belle (Starks) Mathers at the family farm south of Paxton.

She graduated from Paxton High School with the class of 1936, and worked at Swedes Cafe. It was here she met John Dudley Stewart. Stewart, a recently enlisted U.S. Air Force Pilot, proposed to Cora and they were married on June 6, 1942, at the Presbyterian Church in Abilene, Texas. She followed Dudley across the U.S. forging lasting friendships with the other military families they met.

While he was serving in the European Theatre, she worked at the Paxton Post Office. After he returned from the war, the couple resided on a farm south of Sutherland. He farmed while she maintained the house and raised their four children – Ann, Mary Jane, John, and Carol.

She was an active member in the Order of the Eastern Star and was worthy matron at one time. She was involved in the Glen Bernie extension club, a director of Sandy Acres, and was a member and deacon of the Sutherland Presbyterian Church.

After he passed away in 1962, she went to work at the Sutherland Post Office to support her children. She was promoted to Post Master on Aug. 11, 1979, and continued in that position until her retirement in 1983.

She remained active in her golden years cross-stitching, crocheting, enjoying her grandchildren, and spending time with family and friends.

Survivors include daughters, Ann (Dennis) Hilton of Hershey, Mary Jane (Kenneth) Fisk of Hastings, and Carol (Curt) Lampe of North Platte; son, John (Deb) Stewart of North Platte; nine grandchildren, Becky Ann (Darrell) Douglas of Sidney, Bridget DeAnn (Terry) Moore of Kingwood, Texas, Brandi Lynn (Josh) Hagemann of Norman, Okal., Victoria Ann Fisk of Hastings, Renee Katherine Fisk of Hastings, John Dustin (Melanie) Stewart of Sutherland, Jacob Daniel (Erin) Stewart of Woodbridge, Virg., Lianne Celine (Brandon) Reed of Omaha, and Cari Linn Lampe of North Platte; nine great-grandchildren; two step great-grandchildren; two special nieces, Donna Johnson of Phoenix, Ariz., and Beverly Seldomridge of Rawlings, Wyo.; and many other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, five brothers, two sisters and a special niece.

Oscar Thomas Uldrikson

Oscar Thomas Uldrikson, 91, of Wausa, died Aug. 22, 2009, at Osmond General Hospital.

He was born July 19, 1918, to Nels and Roseanne Uldrikson at White Clay. He attended country school in that area and high school in Hay Springs.

He started herding sheep for farmers and ranchers at the age of 17. He enlisted in the Navy during World War II, serving 4 years at Iwo Jima and the Pacific Theatre. After his discharge, he worked for ranchers in the Sandhills of Nebraska.

He returned to live on a farm by White Clay, raising cattle and horses. He loved to ride horses and made a good cowboy.

He married Mildred Swanson of Wausa on May 15, 1966. They lived on the farm by White Clay for 4 years before moving to a farm west of Wausa.

He taught Sunday School in the various churches he attended. He had been faithful in attending Evangelical Covenant Church since moving to Wausa.

Survivors include two nephews, Lee Uldrikson of Tacoma, Wash., and Ron (Nancy) Uldrikson of Colorado Springs, Colo.; sister-in-law, Delores Kracht of Creighton, and brothers-in-law, Ronald, Jerry, Dennis and David Swanson of Wausa.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred; his parents; brothers, Clair and Enoch; and his sister, Norma.