Obituaries

Marilyn Gail was born March 30, 1943 to Vern and Norma (Peggy) Parson Stephens in Humboldt, Neb. Marilyn and her mom spent the first three years of her life living in Shubert, Neb. with Vern’s parents and sisters while Vern was in the service during WW II.

They moved to Tecumseh, Neb. in the spring of 1951. Marilyn attended Tecumseh Public Schools. She was a cheerleader and participated in chorus, Girl Scouts, and Y-Teens. She attended and was confirmed at the Methodist Church.

Marilyn graduated from high school in 1961 and from there she moved to Lincoln to attend and graduate from Lincoln School of Commerce. Her first job was in the State Capitol Building as a private secretary to Governor Frank Morrison.

Eleanor Hanau, 88 of Syracuse, formerly of Cook, passed away on May 29, 2019. She was born on the family farm near Avoca, to Walter and Mable (Diller) Ruhga on May 28th, 1931. She was the 3rd of 4 children: her sister, Leora was the oldest, then an older brother, Ivan, herself, and younger brother, Charles. Charles currently lives in Omaha, NE.

Eleanor went to rural schools in both Avoca and Cook, NE and then went to Cook Community Schools. On September 13, 1947 she married Raymond Hanau.

Raymond and Eleanor farmed together on the 5 generation farm and raised their 2 daughters on the family farm; Carolyn (Bill) Cropp and Nancy Engel. Eleanor also opened her own Ceramic Shop, “Eleanor’s Ceramic’s” while living on the farm and continued this business when she and Raymond moved into their house in Cook upon retiring from farming.

She was an active member of Grace Lutheran Church in Cook.

JoAnne Ruth (Lintz) Wilhelm, 74, of Lincoln, Nebraska, passed away at her home on Saturday, May 18, 2019. She was born to Wilbur and Ruth (Bundfuss) Lintz on June 13, 1944 in Tecumseh, Nebraska. She grew up in Tecumseh and graduated from Tecumseh High School in 1962. She was united in marriage to Jerry Mueller in 1962 and was the proud mother of three sons, Steven, David and Bradley.

JoAnne moved to Lincoln in 1982 and started working in the Canteen for the Nebraska State Penitentiary and retired nearly 20 years later as their warehouse manager. She married Ronald Wilhelm in Hildreth in 1988. Ron and JoAnne started a seamless gutter business and split their time between Hildreth and the cabin at Harlan County Reservoir where they made many friends in the Kearney, Hildreth and Alma areas.

Louise Elizabeth (Parker) Behrends, one of eight children of Reuben and Flora (Pattee) Parker, was born December 15, 1927 in Beaver, Oklahoma. She spent her early years and attended school in Beaver. Louise joined her sister in southeast Nebraska as a young woman and worked at the Humboldt Hospital in Humboldt, Nebraska.

During a chance meeting, Louise met her future husband, Melvin D. Behrends. They said their wedding vows on August 19, 1953 at St. John Lutheran (Stone) Church near Auburn, Nebraska. They made their home on a farm south of Auburn and Louise cared for their six children and the home. Later in life the couple moved to Johnson, Nebraska.

Louise was baptized and confirmed on March 7, 1954 at Stone Church. She loved to sew and quilt and spent many hours doing both at the church. She enjoyed reading and going for walks at her home in Johnson. Louise was also a big Husker football and volleyball fan.