Obituaries

Charles (Charlie) Lee Messenger, ( husband of Karen Kreycik), age 90, passed away on Wednesday, April 12, 2023 after a short illness. He was born on July 3, 1932 to the late Leon R. Messenger and Clare C. (Bayerlein) Messenger in Lincoln. He attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and obtained several different degrees in the science and agriculture fields. He did have a goal of getting his Master’s Degree as well. Charlie was a proud Marine and worked on engine repair of planes in Cherry Point, NC at the end of the Korea War. He wanted to learn to fly planes for fun. He and wife Alice (Wagner) Messenger had six children, daughters, Judy L. Wilson, Catherine A. Newsham (Thomas B. Martinez) and sons, Mark A. Messenger, Bruce Messenger (Jodie Naderhoff), and twins Leon R and Louis R. Messenger. Charlie enjoyed working in the science fields and was very adventurous in everything he did. He worked at Duffield’s doing radio and TV repair, the Department of Roads as a Chemist, the University of Nebraska in Paleontology, Geology, Entomology, and collecting specimens in Egypt for preservation in the University of Nebraska collections. He dug up dinosaur bones, turtles and all kinds of petrified sea life in Nebraska. He married his soulmate Karen Kreycik on April 1, 1972. Frequent camping trips with his family in very remote areas in order to get the best rocks occurred all the time! He also loved to meet up with family in Yellowstone from the Pacific Northwest. Charlie collected old cars and restored them. He had an extensive Massey Ferguson tractor collection which he threatened to paint one John Deere Green much to the anger of his daughter Cathi and take it to the local Fourth of

Elizabeth ‘Betty’ (Jones) Kalblinger was born in her grandparents’ home in Rosebud, SD on September 1, 1931 to Lawrence Edison and Florence (Knittel) Jones and she was baptized October 4, 1931. She attended Zion Lutheran grade school and was confirmed March 18, 1945.

Robert [Bob] R. Schleve of Mobile, Alabama passed away Monday, March 13, 2023 after an extended illness that he had fought bravely for many years. Cremation has taken place as per his request. A memorial service for Bob Schleve and Glenn Schleve will be held at Simeon Cemetery south of Valentine, on July 9, 2023 at 11:00 a.m.

On April 5, 2023, Elizabeth (Jonnye) Kreycik passed away peacefully with her family by her side at Polson Long-term Care in Vernon, British Columbia. She will be missed and lovingly remembered by her children Christine (Clifford) and Max, her grandchildren Rebekka (Wayne), Spencer (Katie), Monty (Lynn) and Jordon (Tiffany), and her great grandchildren Tyson, Emily, Kennedy Elizabeth, Cole, Sara, Nora and Jaden.

Orin Lynn Van Winkle, 79 of Kilgore, passed from this life on April 8, 2023, after his prolonged battle with heart problems. Orin, was born on February 23, 1944 to Ira and Gladys in Valentine.

Stanley E. Boyer, 81, a native of Mullen, for most of his life, passed away Tuesday morning, March 28, 2023 at Linden Court in North Platte.

Dorothy Mae Jackson Gross, 91, was born on February 21, 1932 in Ainsworth, and was the third of five children to Andrew and Ruby ( Taylor) Jackson. She graduated from Ainsworth High School in 1949. On October 10, 1950, she was united in marriage to Charles Jons Gross of Johnstown. To this union five children were born. Charles and Dorothy lived on his family ranch five miles west of Johnstown where they raised their family. In the summers she fed their contract hay crew three times a day, also working part time as a clerk in the Johnstown Post Office. In May of 1977, they moved from the ranch to a home in Wood Lake, with their youngest son.

Berneta L. Casteel, 86, of Ord formerly of Valentine passed away on Sunday, March 19, 2023, at the Arbor Care Center in Ord. Berneta will be laid to rest next to her husband in the Cottonwood Cemetery at Burwell, following a private family service. Ord Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Leo Fred Chubb was born on January 4, 1929, in rural Sioux County, Nebraska on the family farm. His parents were Henry Fred and Mary Ellen (Saxton) Chubb. Leo passed away on March 20, 2023, at Highland Park Care Center in Alliance.

Irma J. Smith-Copeland, 85, of Salina, KS, passed away Thursday, March 9, 2023 at Salina Regional Health Center.