Barbara Jean Miller
Barbara Jean Miller, also known as Barb, peacefully passed away on May 5, 2024, in Lincoln, NE, at the age of 92. She was born on December 12, 1931, in Tecumseh, NE. Barbara was lovingly surrounded by her family at the time of her passing. Barbara, a graduate of Tecumseh High School, cherished her family above all else. She is survived by her children Robert Miller, Paul Miller (Robin), Diane Niemeyer (Bob). Daughter-in-law, Colleen Miller. Barbara was a devoted grandmother to Jake, Ryan, Rebecca, Matt, Eric, Jessica, Marcus, and Alyssa, as well as a beloved great-grandmother to Cameron, Faith, Brody, Wrigley, Abby, Emmy, Aurelia, Nolan, Andrew, Greyson, and Aidric. She was preceded in death by her husband Martin Miller and Son Larry Miller. A private family cemetery service will be held on June 8, 2024 in Cook, NE. Memorials to the Cook Cemetery. To leave a condolence please use the form below.
Funeral Home assisting is Aspen Mortuary, 4822 Cleveland Avenue, Lincoln, NE 68504. To view an on-line obituary or email condolences please visit Aspen Mortuary’s website at www.aspenaftercare.com.
James Michael Kapparos
Born on December 15, 1937. Passed away on May 3, 2024. No service information at this time. To leave a condolence please use the form below.
Funeral Home assisting is Aspen Mortuary, 4822 Cleveland Avenue, Lincoln, NE 68504. To view an on-line obituary or email condolences please visit Aspen Mortuary’s website at www.aspenaftercare.com.
Gene L. Petersen
Gene L. Petersen of Lincoln, NE, passed away in the comfort of his home, surrounded by loved ones on May 5, 2024. He had been diagnosed with ALS in April of 2024, and the disease was devastatingly and mercifully fast moving. Gene had never wanted to spend his last years of life in a nursing home or wasting away with a long illness, and his family is at peace knowing he was able to stay at home until the end of his life. Gene was born on November 13th, 1954 in Fremont Nebraska, to John and Beulah (Larsen) Petersen. He attended Fremont High School and graduated in 1973, attended Midland College, majoring in science, and earned his Master’s Degree from Kansas State in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in 1979. In 1986 he took a job for his brother Chris’s company, Integrated Marketing Solutions, and he acted as a one-man IT department until his retirement in 2021. After retirement, he remained a loving and patient IT aficionado for his friends and family. Gene was an astonishingly brilliant man, with a mind that seemed programmed to retain information like a computer. When he picked up photography as a hobby, that hobby quickly turned into a bit of an obsession as his camera and lens collection grew to mountainous size. The natural world being his favorite subject to shoot, Gene’s pictures often rivaled those seen on the covers of National Geographic magazines, particularly those of birds and water fowl. Taking a hike with the man was a wondrous thing – as he meandered along a path, his fellow hikers could point to nearly any green thing growing and he’d know not only the common name, but the scientific name, whether or not it was native to the area, and whether or not it was edible. He so enjoyed being an administrator of a Facebook group that specialized in native plants of the Midwest. He was often tagged in posts to be the final say in debates over identification. He took great pride in cultivating a sizeable prairie in the back half of an acreage he resided on for many years and would spend many evenings walking the property line, “surveying his kingdom”. Though to a stranger he may have come across as shy or even stoic, to those who knew him best he was a big ole’ goof. As his kids were growing, he would read them books in the best theatrical voices. He had special (and ridiculous) nicknames for each of his children, and often some of their friends. He was a fan of sci-fi media, particularly the Patrick Stewart era of Star Trek. He enjoyed watching NBA Basketball. His family has many fond memories of camping and exploring on various family vacations, far off the beaten path. He is survived by his wife, Patricia (Snell) Petersen; brother, Chris (Marilyn) Petersen; children: John (Amanda) Petersen, Jessica Petersen, Taylor (Shade) Murphy, Nathan (Lisa) Petersen, and Bethany (David) Fast; grandchildren: Kaleah, Cloey, Lily, Isabella, Sayge, Brayden, Rhaevyn, Sullivan, Alden, Oren, and Wylder; nieces: Crystal (Brian) Johnson, Autumn Petersen, and Danielle (Chris) Christman; and beloved great nieces and nephews. He will also be missed by his sisters-in-law, Mary Frerichs and Betty Northup, with whom he shared many lovely memories. He had many friends and was especially fond of the friends he met through a shared enthusiasm for native plants. He is preceded in death by his parents. A private family memorial service will be held at a later date. The thought of flowers or cards that will eventually go to a landfill being purchased in his honor would have given the man a heart attack, so to honor Gene’s wishes, please direct memorials to The Nebraska Statewide Arboretum at plantnebraska.org To leave a condolence please use the form below.
Funeral Home assisting is Aspen Mortuary, 4822 Cleveland Avenue, Lincoln, NE 68504. To view an on-line obituary or email condolences please visit Aspen Mortuary’s website at www.aspenaftercare.com.
Donald Theodore Emery “Teddy”
Donald Theodore Emery (Teddy), some of you knew him as Don, some of you knew him as Teddy, some of you knew him as an asshole, but to me he was dad. He graduated high school, and went on to attend art school. He was in a band. He loved music. He had a few decent jobs and then ran his own remodeling business. He had a group of friends that he grew up with, that he still talked to. He was raised by a single mom and grew up alongside a younger sister. His friends and family meant the world to him (although he would never admit it). He met a beautiful young lady named Donna, and they had a whirlwind courtship, which resulted in his greatest achievement, his daughter Kristin. His hobbies included coin collecting, keno, and drinking beer. His passion was photography and music. His life motto was to give ‘em hell. In 2020 he was diagnosed with Lymphoma cancer. He went through chemo and radiation then went into remission. In 2022 he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. He underwent a lifesaving surgery that resulted in the loss of his kidney but removed all tumors. In 2023 the bladder cancer was back and a little more advanced. He underwent some treatments. He had a hard time accepting his cancer diagnosis. In 2024 when going in for a consultation to discuss his prognosis of the cancer it was discovered the cancer has spread to his lungs. He went in for surgery to try to remove tumors. It was unsuccessful, and he went into hospice for comfort care. On May 1st he was struggling to breathe, in a moment of silence he took his last breath. Donald Emery was survived by his only daughter Kristin (Emery) DeGarmo. He had 4 grandchildren: Nick DeGarmo Jr.; Jayme Grant; Noah DeGarmo; and Maddison Emery DeGarmo. He had one great grandchild Sadie DeGarmo. (All from Lincoln, NE). He had one sister Sheila Carvajal (Jesus) of Denver Colorado. He had many nieces and nephews. He had cousins and aunts and uncles as well as some lifelong friends: Larry Taco of Tucson, AZ; Jerry and Deborah Farquhar of Lincoln, NE; and Marty Tilts of Galveston TX. He was preceded in death by his grandparents; his mom Ruth Emery; step dad Stan Grant; the love of his love Donna Jenkins; and his best friend Terry Tippery. He will be greatly missed. If there’s one thing I will remember him for it… he gave me permission to just be myself and as long as I was happy, it’s all that matters. Thanks for the memories. Fly High dad. To leave a condolence please use the form below.
-Kristin
Funeral Home assisting is Aspen Mortuary, 4822 Cleveland Avenue, Lincoln, NE 68504. To view an on-line obituary or email condolences please visit Aspen Mortuary’s website at www.aspenaftercare.com.
Robert “Bob” Eugene Oetken
Robert “Bob” Eugene Oetken (age 71) passed away suddenly at home on April 23, 2024. Bob was born on April 21, 1953 to Arthur and Mildred (Pallas) Oetken. He grew up on a farm in Emerson, NE with his six siblings: Dale (Darlene), Roger (Sharon), Connie Vraspir (Glen), Bev Gradert (Lennie), Larry (Barb), and Richard (Michelle). In 1974, there was one girl in particular that caught Bob’s eye every time she came home from college. His pursuit was successful, and he married Karen Vraspir on September 19, 1975. They were looking forward to celebrating 50 years together next year. Bob and Karen had two daughters, Jill Brianne and Amber Dawn. He worked tirelessly to support his three girls, but it was a blessing when son-in-law, Matthew James LeFeber, joined the family in 2005. Among his greatest joys were his grandchildren: Natalie Anne (10), Elizabeth Breesa (8), and Isaiah Matthew Thomas (6). He loved watching them grow and attending their activities. He would tell you stories about them and how proud he was of them every chance he got. Bob was strong-willed and outspoken, but he also had a great sense of humor and would do anything for those he cared about. He was generous, dependable, and determined. He was charismatic, creative, curious, and he loved to tinker. He was full to the brim with knowledge, which he gained through research and his life experiences: farm boy, road construction and maintenance, and pipe fitter. He liked to fix things (or at least try) even if it led to needing to fix more things! He was delighted by children and always seemed to make a small friend wherever he went. He loved being outdoors and enjoyed mowing, gardening, planting trees, and watching birds. Bob had the most beautiful green eyes. Bob will be remembered for his frequent button-pushing and all the (often unsolicited) advice and life lessons he shared with his family and friends. He truly loved each of them – and if you knew him, you knew it. He was grateful for the life he had lived and will be dearly missed, but he is most likely having a heck of a time catching up with his parents, family, and friends that passed on before him. In typical Bob fashion, there are no services planned, certainly no pomp and circumstance. His family invites you to a “Celebration of Life” open house on Thursday May 16th from 2:00 – 7:00 PM at The Urban Farmhouse Room in Lincoln, NE. We have been comforted by the stories and memories of Bob that some of you have shared. In lieu of a memorial gift, we will have note cards available at his open house for you to leave a story, memory, or sentiment. We would also welcome the gift of a cherished photo if you would like to bring one. If you are unable to be present and would like to contribute, we would welcome these at the following e-mail address: oetken.memorial@gmail.com. To leave a condolence please use the form below.
Funeral Home assisting is Aspen Mortuary, 4822 Cleveland Avenue, Lincoln, NE 68504. To view an on-line obituary or email condolences please visit Aspen Mortuary’s website at www.aspenaftercare.com.
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