The Superior Express -- Jewell County Record

Obituaries

 

This Week:

Vernon Terrill, Erick Baird, Freda Moffet, Doris Blauvelt, Madeleine Pinkston, George Hansen, Ted Henderson

Vernon Terrill
Vernon Terrill, 89, was born May 25, 1920, at the Winslow farm near Otego, to Everett and Estel (Winslow) Terrill. He died last Wednesday at Mary Lanning Hospital, Hastings.
He graduated from Burr Oak High School in 1938. After graduating from high school, Vernon farmed for a few years and then served for four years in the United States Air Force. After leaving the USAF he worked for Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. He retired from Lockheed in 1977.
Vernon married Wilma Vieda Ross on April 9, 1942. They enjoyed many years of camping in their motor home. Vernon and Wilma lived most of their lives in southern California.
He was preceded in death by his wife; a sister, Betty Lukenbill, and two brothers, Keith and Max Terrill.
Survivors include a brother, Curtis Terrill, Superior; and a sister, Wanda Myers, Topeka.
Services were held Wednesday from the United Methodist Church, Burr Oak, with Pastor Tessa Zehring officiating. Interment was in the Burr Oak Cemetery. Military honors were provided by the United States Air Force Honor Guard, McConnell Air Force Base, Wichita. Melby Mortuary, Mankato, was in charge of arrangements.

Erick Baird
Erick T. Baird, 51, Ozawkie, died last Thursday at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City.
Erick was born Dec. 12, 1957, in Beloit, the son of Lyle and Stella Schwerman Baird. He married Tammy Slate on Jan. 15, 1977. They lived in Superior for several years while he worked for Mid America Dairymen. They later moved to northern Arizona where he was the foreman for Tom Chauncy Ranches. 
For the last 14 years he worked for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. He was the Topeka roadmaster for the Kansas East Division. He was also an avid horseman and avid outdoorsman.
He was a member of St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Meriden.
Erick was preceded in death by his father, Lyle Baird; a sister, Elizabeth Parr; and father-in-law, Babe Slate.
Survivors include: his wife, Tammy, and son, Austin, of the home; his mother, Stella Baird, Beloit; a brother David Baird, Mankato; sisters, Diane Gronewaller, Mrs. Jim Robinson (Joyce), both of Beloit, Mrs. Wendel Conrad (Norma), Alma, Kan., and Mrs. Paul Pumphrey (June), Mankato.
A funeral mass was held Monday at St. John The Baptist Catholic Church, Beloit. Celebrant was Father Joseph Kieffer. Casketbearers were Jayson Baird, Tony Conrad, Mark Foster, Conner Slate, David Slate, Andrew Pumphrey. Erick Baird/Suffolk Punch Horse Team and Wagon with Norman Greene and Thomas Schwerman as drivers. Norman Greene surrey and mule with Scott Greene as driver. Riderless horse leader was Joe Eilert. Interment was in St. John's Cemetery. Arrangements by McDonald-Roberts Funeral Service.

Freda Moffet
Freda Maxine Risewick Moffet, 84, died Monday in the presence of her family.
Freda was born October 10, 1924, in a farmhouse near Lovewell to William and Flossie (Kershner) Risewick. On Dec. 23, 1945, she married Wilmer Moffet in the Oakland Church of the Brethren, Topeka.
Freda graduated from Lovewell high school in 1942. She was the Jewell County spelling champion and went twice to Topeka representing Jewell County in the state spelling bee. She graduated from Christ's Hospital School of Nursing in 1945.
She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was an elementary school room mother, a member of the Indian Hills EHU unit, a 4-H sewing leader, a Sunday school teacher who also served in the church nursery of the Topeka Church of the Brethren. She was a long-time member of that church. She was an accomplished seamstress, cook, gardener and hostess. Her nursing knowledge and skills were freely volunteered in the service to family and friends.
She maintained her sharp wit and loveable sense of humor until the end. She loved life and accepted death as a fact of life.
She is survived by her husband, Wilmer; one son, Charles Moffet, Ozawkie, and a daughter, Mrs. Harold Rhea (Susan), North Platte. She is survived by eight grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday), at the Rochester Community Church of the Brethren, Topeka. Burial will be at Shawnee Center Cemetery at Wakarusa,
Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home, Topeka, is in charge of arrangements.

Doris Blauvelt
Doris Blauvelt, 89, died Thursday afternoon in her room at the Superior Good Samaritan Center. The daughter of William D. and Grace (Coleman) Wrench, she was born at the Superior Hospital on Feb. 2, 1920.
She attended Superior Schools where she played in the band, served as editor of the school newspaper, The Flashlight, and was president and valedictorian of the Class of 1938. Following high school, she attended Chillicothe Business College until being called home to serve as a personal secretary for James Norgaard, general manager of the Farmers Union Cooperative Creameries.
After a courtship that began in high school, she married a classmate, Roy C. Blauvelt, on March 21, 1941. Together they built a new house and made their home near Blauvelt's Station located on the hill south of Superior until his declining health caused Roy to sell the business. They moved into Superior on April 1, 1972. Until her death, when she spoke of home, she referred to the house on the hill.
She was employed in the Superior office of Mid America Dairymen when she took early retirement and began traveling with Roy. They visited most of the states and maintained a winter home in Texas for 30 years.
With the arrival of World War II, she left her job at the creamery and went to Florida to be with Roy who was serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps. She followed him to Las Vegas and then to the new air base at Yuma, Ariz. There she was a civil service employee working on the base. As the war concluded, she returned to Superior to await the birth of their only child, William A. Blauvelt.
As youngsters, both Roy and Doris attended Superior's United Methodist Church. After WWII, they began attending the Olive Hill Church. She was a member of the Olive Hill Ladies Aid, served with Roy as a youth fellowship sponsor, taught Bible and Sunday school classes and served as church auditor.
She scheduled her vacation time at the creamery so she was available to help with the family fireworks stand.
Survivors include her husband, Roy; one son, Bill, Superior; a sister, Mrs. Maurice Palmer (Marjorie), Albion; and a brother, William Duane Wrench, Superior. Her parents preceded her in death.
Her funeral was held Sunday at the Megrue-Price Funeral Home Chapel, Superior, with Pastor Dave Watters officiating. Burial was in Evergreen Cemetery, Superior.

Madeleine Pinkston
Barbara Madeleine Pinkston, 85, Colorado, died June 21. She was born on a farm near Northbranch on Aug. 11, 1923. She was one of 10 children, two boys and eight girls, of James and Iva Silsby.
Her younger years were spent helping on the family farm and graduating from high school in Burr Oak. Upon graduating, the west coast beckoned her to Vancouver, Wash., where she was a welder building ships in the Vancouver Shipyards for WWII. She married Charles Pinkston on April 22, 1944 and they had one child, Marsha, born in Superior. After WWII, the family moved to Evansville, Ind., and in 1952 they moved to Colorado where she held various office and bookkeeping jobs until her retirement.
Madeleine is survived by her husband; daughter Marsha (Don); two grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; five sisters, Thelma Pierson, Ferne Harris, Mary Ohmstede, Edythe Francis and Berniece Harris.
Per her wishes, a service will not be held.

George Hansen
George Lundy Hansen, 92, the son of Nels and Anna (Christensen) Hansen was born on April 1, 1917, on a farm five miles southwest of Oak. He died on Monday at Brodstone Memorial Hospital in Superior.
George was the eighth of 11 children. While growing up on the farm, he attended Miller school through the eighth grade and graduated from Hardy High School. He was baptized in 1921 and confirmed in 1932 at the Lutheran Church at Hardy. He was united in marriage to Ardeth Davidson on Dec. 24, 1943, at Oberlin. This union was blessed with three sons.
George was a member of the Agricultural board, Hardy co-op board for eight years, Superior co-op board for eight years, serving as president for four years, Nuckolls County board, Hardy school board serving two terms and as president for four years, Hardy Union Church council and the Baptist Church council in Superior. He was a 25 year member of the First Baptist Church, Superior.
George enjoyed hunting, especially big game hunting in Wyoming. He liked to read in his pastime and farming was his life.
Preceding him in death were his parents; a son, Dennis, six brothers, Hans, Oscar, Einer, Einer-Victor, Rasmus and Lee; and four sisters, Marie Sorensen, Christina Lake, Buella Hansen and Lillian Klingsmith.
Survivors include his wife, Ardeth, of Hardy, and two sons, Milan, Lincoln, Neb., and Lee, Superior; seven grandchildren, Jenny Mason, Gibbon, Marsha Christensen, Otis, Colo., Ben Hansen, Washington, D.C., Jake Hansen, Sioux Falls, S.D., Chad Hansen, Superior, Holly Hansen, Lincoln, Neb., and Richard Hansen; and eight great-grandchildren.
His funeral will be at 10:30 today, (Thursday), from the Megrue-Price Funeral Home Chapel in Superior, with the Rev. Floyd Richardson officiating.
Pallbearers will be Jenny Mason, Marsha Christensen, Ben Hansen, Jake Hansen, Chad Hansen and Holly Hansen. Honorary pallbearers will be Wes Cassens, Doug Cassens, Dana Jones and Alan Jones.
Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Superior.

Ted Henderson
Theodore (Ted) Vance Henderson, 53, the son of Leland R. and Bina Darlene (Hunsker) Henderson was born June 30, 1955 at Hastings. He died at his home in Superior.
Ted grew up in Guide Rock, graduating from Guide Rock High School. After high school, Ted served his country with the United States Air Force. Upon being honorably discharged Ted worked as a welder and boiler maker in various locations including Omaha, Florida and New Jersey. Ted was united in marriage to Judy Ward. They had two sons. This marriage ended in divorce. Ted returned to Guide Rock to help care for his parents and run the family service station. While in Guide Rock Ted also worked at Reinke Manufacturing, Deshler.
In his spare time Ted enjoyed camping and riding his motorcycle. Ted moved to Superior in 2005 to be nearer to his family and because of failing health.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and a brother, Don "Swede" Henderson.
Survivors include his sons, Eric and Daniel Engelkes, Omaha, and a sister, Donna Troudt, Guide Rock.
Private family services will be held at a later date.
Williams Funeral Home of Superior, is in charge of arrangements.


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