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Obituaries for Plains Edition

Maxine E. Dolezal, 80 of Ogallala died Sept. 21, 2008, at the Ogallala Community Hospital.

She was born Aug. 20, 1928, at Hays, Kan., the daughter of John A. and Rose Anne (House) Bartley. She attended schools in Eastern Kansas until 1945 when she moved to Big Springs with her parents. She graduated from the Big Springs High School in 1946.

She worked for nineteen years as a bookkeeper and prior to her retirement she was the director of the Ogallala Retired Senior Volunteer Program.

On Aug. 30, 1986, she married Jerry Dolezal in Julesburg, Colo. They made their home in Ogallala and enjoyed their retirement years together.

She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. They especially enjoyed entertaining their families and friends. She was active in a number of volunteer activities following her retirement. She loved children and volunteered in the elementary schools for a number of years. Her hobbies included music, reading, sewing and crafts. She had become a member of the Baptist Church in 1960.

Survivors include her son, Randall Knapp of Ogallala and his children, Tara, Cameron, Karrie and Katie; daughter, Karma (Joe) Gallegos of Henderson, Colo., and their daughters, Tricia and Tonia; step son, Jim (Charlene) Dolezal of Julesburg, Colo., and their daughters, Gretchen and Rachel; step daughter, Marjorie (Joe) Rosencrance of Colorado Springs, Colo., and their daughters, Jamie and Jennifer; step daughter, Theresa (Bill) Stephens of Longmont, Colo., and their children, Tonia and Greg; great-grandchildren, Mara, Noah, Destiny, Hailey, Lindsey and Sidney.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry; her parents; and her sister, Jacqueline Butler.

Lois M. Cole, 96, of Kearney died Sept. 22, 2008, at St. Luke’s Good Samaritan Village.

She was born Dec. 10, 1911, in Johnson to William and Myrtle (Fugate) Metcalf.

On June 6, 1938, she married Harvey Cole. He preceded her in death.

She graduated from Beatrice High School in 1927. She received her teaching certificate and A.B. degree from Peru State Teachers College and her master’s degree from Kearney State Teachers College.

She and her husband moved to Kearney in 1941. She was librarian at Kearney Junior High School. She was an active member of First United Methodist Church in Kearney. She was involved in AAUW, Kearney Women’s Club, Kearney Area Retired Teachers, University Faculty Wives Club and Kearney Concert Association and volunteered at the hospital delivering the mail.

She enjoyed sewing and gardening, especially roses and peonies, and was an avid bridge player.

Survivors include her sons, Roger (Frances) of Elmhurst, Ill., and Curtis of Denver; sister, Maxine Pankonin of Naples, Fla.; grandchildren, Cynthia Cole of Elmhurst, Kathryn (Steven) Kass of Downers Grove, Ill., and Glenn (Merrie) Dooley of Parker, Colo.; two great-grandchildren; and friend, Nan Daniels of Loveland, Colo.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Harvey; her parents and sister, Wanna McGuire.

John Henry Bandemer, 90, died Sept. 21, 2008, at the Mitchell Care Center in Mitchell.

He was born Sept. 9, 1918, southwest of Lingle, Wyo., the son of William and Rosa (Glee) Bandemer. He attended school in Lingle.

He married Lillie Gregory on Sept. 3, 1940, at Harrisburg, Neb. They lived and farmed at Lyman, LaGrange, Wyo., Mitchell, and Torrington. He farmed the DeWitt farm for twenty-five years and the Abel farm for ten years at Torrington before retiring and moving to Lyman. He worked the Holly Sugar Rehaul campaign for many years as a driver and the scoop operator.

Survivors include his wife of sixty-eight years Lillie of Mitchell; son, Harold (Bonnie) Bandemer of Machesney Park, Ill.; granddaughters, Julie Blecker of Machesney Park and Shelly Bandemer of Las Vegas, Nev.; great-granddaughter, Ella Grass of Machesney Park; nieces, Carolyn Laycock, Gayla Morrill, and Joyce Deines; and nephews, Donald, Robert, Richard, Noah, and Wayne Gregory, and Russell and Gary Bandemer.

She was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Ed, Harold, and Leo Bandemer; sister, Fern Heckman; and grandson, Christopher Bandemer.

Wilamene Christene (Ericksen) Coupland, 94, of Mullen died at her home on Sept. 24, 2008.

She was born July 22, 1914, on her father’s Kincaid land in southern Cherry County, Neb., the first child of Albert and Florence (Luke) Ericksen.

She grew up on her parents’ ranch and attended Cherry County rural school Dist. 119 for seven years. She graduated from Hooker County High School in 1932. The first three years she boarded with the Loy James family, but the last year her parents rented a small house in Mullen where their four children lived during the school week. She taught the rural school in Dist. 40 of Cherry County for two years. The next two years she again taught rural schools and entered the University of Nebraska the fall of 1937. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree from the Teacher’s College in August 1940. She taught Norma Training at Blue Hill 1940-1941 and 1941-1942. During the school years of 1945-1943 and 1943-1944, she taught English at Mullen High School. In June of 1944, she went to Washington, D.C. to work in the State Department deciphering code.

On Nov. 12, 1944, she married Henry J. Cox at their family home in southern Cherry County. To this union four children were born: Judith Ann, Kay Louise, Alexander Bryant, and Erika Christene.

On June 5, 1969, she married John C. Coupland at Valentine. They shared their home with Christopher Alexander, Peter and Erik Bentley, and Elizabeth Russell Jones. Jack died Oct. 28, 1979.

She worked with the 1980 census and then moved to Crawford to teach high school English.

On Jan. 21, 1986, she married Lester Werner Gerber at Columbus. Lester died July 3, 1989.

She also taught school in McCook for one year, Alliance for three years, Valentine for eight years and Crawford for five year.

She was a past guardian of Job’s Daughters, member of St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church, American Legion Auxiliary, Nebraska Cattlewomen, The Order of the Easter Star, Delta Kappa Gamma, Chi Omega, NEA Retired Teachers, AARP Retired Teachers, Nebraska Commission for Children and Youth, Daughters of the Nile, The Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union, Nebraska Rock Club, the Trumpeter Swan Society, and Mullen Chapter of the Red Hat Society.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Wilbert, Paul, and Erik; her husbands, and one great-grandson, Henry J. Wolcott.

Survivors include son, A.B. Cox; three daughters, Judith Brown, Kay (Wes) Tarr, and Chris Cox; grandchildren, Christopher Alexander, Peter (Staci) Bentley, Erik Bentley, Elizabeth Russell Jones, Matthew (Catharina) Wolcott, Chuck Wolcott, Sarah (Shad) Burnside, and Savanna Scout Cox; and great-grandchildren, Sam, Anna, Devin, Kirsten, Zac, Ezra, Jack, and a new Bentley baby on the way.


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