Arlene Knopik, 88, of Grand Island, died Dec. 18, 2022, at Brookefield Park in St. Paul. Funeral Mass Dec. 22 at Resurrection Church in Grand Island with Fr. Vijumon Choorackal officiating. Burial at the St. Peter Catholic Cemetery in Fullerton. Survivors: children, Gwen Zaruba of Lincoln, Rex Knopik of Monroe, Mark Knopik of Adams, Roxanne Umstead of Marquette, and Karla Stutzman of Cairo; 11 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; sisters, Maxine Micek of Omaha, and Rita Knopik of Omaha.
Charles Aguilar, 77, of Grand Island, died Dec. 17, 2022. Funeral Mass Dec. 22 at St. Mary's Cathedral with Fr. Jorge Canela. Burial at Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. Survivors: daughter, Lisa Ortiz of Grand Island and grandson; brother, Tom Aguilar of Grand Island and sister, Helen Morrow of Lincoln.
Norma Cunningham, 96, of Grand Island died Dec. 10, 2022. Funeral Mass at a later date. Survivors: children, John Cunningham of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, Mark Cunningham of Jeffersonville, Pa., Ann Brondel of Grand Island and Jane Cunningham of St. Paul, Minn; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren.
Rose Cyboron, 88, of Grand Island, died Dec. 9, 2022. Funeral Mass Dec. 16 at Blessed Sacrament Church in Grand Island with Frs. Martin Egging and Mark Maresh officiating. Burial at Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. Survivors: daughters, Diane McCready of Fayetteville, Ark., Judi Mierau, and Pam Tew, both of Grand Island; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren.
Robert Rosso, 85, of Grand Island, died Dec. 11, 2022. Funeral Mass Dec. 15 at Resurrection Catholic Church with Fr. Thomas Vijumon Choorackal officiating. Burial at Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. Survivors: wife, LaVonne; daughters, Rebecca Pipka, Reta Anderson, Lorri Kaelin; son, Thomas Rosso of Grand Island; seven grandchildren; one great-grandchild.
Clarence Cunningham, 78, of Grand Island, died Dec. 7, 2022. Funeral Mass Dec. 12 at Resurrection Church. Survivors: sisters, Helen Welty and Phyllis Tuzicka; son, Brandon Cunningham; one granddaughter, and one great-grandson.
Cari Cobler, 48, of Grand Island, died Dec. 1, 2022. Funeral Mass Dec. 10 at Blessed Sacrament Church with Fr. Martin Egging officiating. Survivors: husband, Tom; daughters, Sydney, Mariah, and Avery of Grand Island; mother, Diann of Lincoln; brothers, Curt Lyons of Ankeny, Iowa, Chad Lyons of Lincoln, and Cory Lyons of Lincoln.
Timothy Biggs, 59, formerly of Ravenna died Nov. 6, 2022. Memorial services Dec. 3 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Ravenna. Burial at Ravenna Highland Park Cemetery. Survivors: mother, Beverly; son, Kody; sisters, Traci and Tamara; and two granddaughters.
Eleanor Glesinger, 92, of Spalding, died Nov. 3, 2022. Funeral Mass Dec. 1 at St Leo's Church in Grand Island. Burial at Spalding. Survivors: daughters, Jane Heany of Richmond, Texas, Julie Klahn and Jill Foltz, both of Grand Island, and Jeri Zoucha of Albion.
Colleen Brouillette, 77, of St. Paul, died Nov. 22, 2022. Funeral Mass Nov. 28 at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in St. Paul with Fr. Vince Parsons officiating and Deacon Neil Baquet assisting. Survivors: husband, Monte; daughter, Suzy Peters of St. Paul; son, Travis Brouillette of St. Paul; seven grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren.
Maria Espinoza, 59, of Grand Island died Nov. 19, 2022. Funeral Mass Nov. 26 at St. Mary's Cathedral in Grand Island with Fr Joseph Broudou officiating. Survivors: daughters, Elsa Ramirez and Maria Rosa Vazquez; three grandchildren; siblings, Felix Ramirez and Jackilyn Mittelstadt;
Charles Steele, 73, of Grand Island died Nov. 18, 2022. Funeral Mass Nov. 26 at St. Mary's Cathedral with Fr. Jorge Canela officiating. Survivors: wife, Mary; children, Angela Steele, Michael Steele, Matthew Steele, Crystal Steele; 13 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; sister, Mary Ann Powers.
Eileen Lauby, 98, of Lexington, died Dec. 11, 2022. Funeral Mass Dec. 16 at St. Ann's Church with Fr. Jose Chavez officiating. Survivors: children, Gerald Lauby, of Genoa, Ronald Lauby, of Oconto, Thomas Lauby and E. Nick Lauby, both of Lexington, Richard Lauby of Kingston, Utah, John Lauby of Las Vegas, Mary Lou Hueftle of Lincoln, Elizabeth "Liz" Cooney of Overton, Patrick Lauby of Lexington, and William Lauby of Lee's Summit, Mo.; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren,
Barbara Nansel, 88, of Kearney died Nov. 29, 2022. Memorial services Dec. 3 at St. James Church in Kearney with Fr. Joe Hannappel officiating. Burial at Alliance. Survivors: husband, Lane; son, Daniel Dietrich of Alliance; daughter, Tami McNamee of Kingman, Ariz.; stepchildren, Vickie Macafee of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Debbie Dobesh of Kearney and Michael Nansel of Littleton, Colo.; nine grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren.
Fernando Vecchio, 37, of Bertrand, died Dec. 8, 2022. Memorial services Dec. 14 at Reynolds-Love Funeral Home with Fr. Jose Chavez officiating. Survivors: son, Brenden Davis of Brownsville, Texas; brothers, Luis Vecchio and Mario Vecchio, both of Lexington; sisters, Ashley Luna of Lexington, Stephanie Luna of Edinburg, Texas, and Rebecca Rodriguez of El Paso, Texas.
Wilma Kirchner, 96, of Scottsbluff, died Dec. 14, 2022. Funeral Mass Jan. 7 at St. Agnes Church in Scottsbluff. Burial at Calvary Cemetery in Alliance. Survivors: children: sons, Joseph Kirchner of Twin Falls, Idaho, David Kirchner of Chandler, Ariz., and Robert Kirchner of Omaha; daughters, Constance Kirchner and Sandra Butcher, both of Scottsbluff, Sally Brittan of Omaha, Jill Manchester of Chicago; and sister, Darlyne Pape of Boise, Idaho; 18 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren.
Gloria Heeg, 86, of Kimball died Dec. 12, 2022. Funeral Mass Dec. 18 at St. Joseph's Church in Kimball. Burial at Greenwood Cemetery in Sidney. Survivors: children, Nora Robinson of Kimball, Julie Schnell of Johnson Lake, Vince Heeg of Hermosa Beach Calif., Ginny Stafford of Parker, Colo., Henry Lani Heeg of Kimball; 12 grandchildren: six great-grandchildren; sister, Virginia "Ginny" Cass,
Rodney Brooks, 91, of Gering, died Dec. 9, 2022. Funeral Mass Dec. 16 at St Agnes Church in Scottsbluff, with Fr. Rayappa Konka officiating. Burial at Wheat Ridge, Colo. Survivors: wife, Delores; children, Norm Johnson of Highlands Ranch, Chris Brooks of Denver, Lori Henderson of Grand Junction, Dawne Wolfe of Gering, and Rhonda McPherson of Byers; 22 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren.
Teddy Crittenden, 73, of Scottsbluff, died Dec. 3, 2022. Memorial services Dec. 10, 2022, at Reverence Funeral Parlor in Scottsbluff with Fr. Rayappa Konka officiating. Survivors: son, Ted Crittenden; daughters, Stephanie Lewis and Britny Crittenden; eight grandchildren; sisters, Barb Hoffman and Vicky Podobensky.
Concepcion "Conchita" Perez, 88, of Lakewood, Colo., died Nov. 18, 2022. Funeral Mass Nov. 29 at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Scottsbluff with Fr. Joseph Thambi officiating. Burial at Sunset Memorial Park in Scottsbluff. Survivors: daughters, Cynthia Perez, Sherri Running Shield, Judy Hernandez and Jackie Whatley; seven grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; siblings, Vicki Pino, Bobby Morales and Eddie Morales.
Ramon Lucius, 74, of Scottsbluff, died Nov. 19, 2022. Funeral Mass Nov. 26 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Scottsbluff with Fr. Joseph Thambi officiating. Survivors: daughters, Ramona Lucius-Gonzalis and Martina Lucius; stepmother, Eloisa Lucius; siblings, Stella Ysac, Sophie Martinez, Hank Lucius, Joann Rowland, Danny Delgado, Yolanda Carter, David Lucius, Fred Lucius, Anthony Quijas, Sarah Henderson, Jamie Lucius, Frank Lucius, Arthur Lucius, and Joey Lucius; six grandchildren.
Percy Herrera, 91, of Sidney, died Nov. 16, 2022. Funeral Mass Nov. 22 at St. Patrick's Church in Sidney with Fr. C.P. Varghese officiating. Burial at Greenwood Cemetery in Sidney. Survivors: daughter, Abby Kennedy; five grandchildren; one stepgrandchild; eight great-grandchildren.
Laurence “Butch” Esch Jr., 80, of Hastings, died Dec. 17, 2022. Funeral Mass Dec. 27 at St. Michael's Church in Spalding, with Fr. Joseph Hannappel officiating. Burial at St. Michael’s Cemetery. Survivors: children: James Esch of Hastings, David Esch of Carmichael, Calif. Kristy Frauendorfer of Lindsay Vincent Esch of Aurora, Colo., Lisa Wyman, of Silver Creek, Charles Esch of Wellington, Colo., Megan Kassing of Columbus, Cassandra Wiseman of Mukilteo, Wash.; 23 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; siblings: David Esch of Broomfield, Colo., Dennis Esch of Omaha, Pat Esch of Springfield, Regina Worthington of Omaha, Paul Esch of Fair Oaks, Calif., Ray Esch of Platteville, Colo., Tim Esch of Spalding, Judy Brown of Heber Springs, Ark., Don Esch of Syracuse
