Obituaries

Ramona Catherine Mecham, 90, passed away on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at her home with her family by her side. Ramona was born on August 17, 1935, to Michael J.

Janice Scripter, age 89, of Gering, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 23, 2025 with family by her side. She is now with her LORD and Savior in a much better place in Glory. A memorial service was held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, January 3 at the Gering Zion Church, located at 1100 0 Street in Gering.

Robert Melvin Ellis May 7, 1937 - December 30, 2025 Robert Melvin Ellis was born in Roberts, ID, to Melvin Purser Ellis and Irene Louise Davies. He was the oldest of three children and grew up on the family farm in Hamer, ID, where hard work and family influence shaped the man he would become.

Gregory “Greg” Weldon Hobbs, 72 of Maxwell, NE formerly of Kilgore, NE passed away in his sleep on December 15, 2025, in Maxwell, NE. Greg was born November 22, 1953, at Princeton, MO to Russell and Nelda (Stanturf) Hobbs.

Christina Lynne Arent was born on September 30, 1975, to Keevin and Dottie (Pojar) Arent at the Brown County Hospital in Ainsworth, NE. Christy attended District #65 her kindergarten through sixth grade and Ainsworth Public Schools for seventh through 12th grade. She graduated from high school in May of 1993. She graduated from South Dakota State University at Brookings, SD in 1998 with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Lakota studies. Christy then graduated from UNK with a BSN in Nursing. She worked in the nursery at Sioux Falls, SD and in the Rosebud (SD) Hospital. She spent numerous years as a neonatal intensive care travel nurse and in 2011 settled into neonatal intensive care in Anchorage, AK, eventually becoming certified in dependency care.

Francis L. “Corky” Kemp passed away on December 14, 2025, at Great Plains Health at the age of 82.

Word has been received of the death of James L. Strong, age 87, of Ainsworth, NE.

Thomas Joseph Kennedy, Sr. 86, of Callaway, NE, passed away on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at his home, surrounded by his loving family.

Barbara Emma (Vrbka) Schmit passed away December 1, in North Platte, NE. She was born October 5, 1922, in Ulysses, NE to Lou and Emma Vrbka.

Robert (Bob) J. Lower was born August 11, 1935, at home north of Valentine, NE to Roy and Luella (Grooms) Lower. He passed away November 22, 2025 at Rock County Long Term Care. He attended Harmony grade school and graduated from Valentine Rural High School in 1955. During his senior year he met the love of his life, Evelyn Starr. Bob joined the United States Army and left right after graduation for boot camp in Fort Chaffee, AR. While on leave in November of 1955 he asked Evelyn to marry him the next time he was home. To everyone’s surprise, Bob came home for Christmas and they married on December 26, 1955. They had a short time together as husband and wife before Bob was stationed in Korea for the next 18 months, working as a mail clerk. They would have been married 70 years this year.