Melvin Eugene Starlin
Melvin Eugene Starlin, 89, of Lincoln, Nebraska died January 10, 2018. Melvin was born March 19, 1928 to Charles and Wilma (Wright) Starlin in Vesta, Nebraska. Most of his childhood was spent on a farm near Vesta until the family moved to Tecumseh where he graduated High School in 1946. In 1949, he married mom Marilyn Gene Nelson spending the next 49 life loving years until mom’s death in 1999. Saved by an angel in 1999, dad became companions with Shirley Wilkinson, a lifelong family friend. The two spent the remaining 19 years of dad’s life enjoying each other’s company and creating fun loving memories. Dad had many favorite things but he really enjoyed traveling, camping, and spending time on his computer. He would print off everything that was important to him and he has a thick stack of treasures. Family get togethers that were so special to dad will never be the same. For several years his specialty at gatherings was lemon bars. Then he began making the most amazing and we mean amazing chocolate chip cookies. They would melt in your mouth. You could never stop at just one and so far no one has been able to duplicate the recipe even though he always claimed it was just the tollhouse recipe on the bag. Nascar was dad’s favorite pastime beginning in February and ending November. He knew all the drivers, their numbers and rankings and loved discussing the happenings of the last race. Dad wasn’t a church going man but he was a spiritual man who believed that nature was God’s church and he loved the nature God provided for him to enjoy. Simple things like the changing of the leaves or greening of the grass touched his spirit. What lit up his life the most was Yellowstone or for those who knew dad, “Mel”owstone. A tour of Yellowstone through dad’s eyes and passion was like no other. To the day he died if able he would bring up the webcam at Old Faithful and watch for the next eruption or bison roaming the geyser basin. His last place to travel as his traveling days ended was in Weslaco, Texas. Here is where he discovered the valley and beach of South Padre Island. This too was known as Mel’s beach. He could hardly wait to take you for a drive on the sandy shore where he loved to wait for the tide to come in so he could drive in the water which made Shirley crazy. Dad was a simple man who loved his family more than anything, spending every special moment he could enjoying life with them. He will be so dearly missed. Mel is survived by his companion Shirley Wilkinson of Lincoln; his children Greg Starlin and wife Leann of Fort Collins, Colorado, Susie Rottinghaus and husband Don of Raymond, Nebraska; 9 grandchildren;15 great grandchildren; Shirley’s children Jim and Kathy Wilkinson and Donald of Waverly, Nebraska, Linda and Jane Wilkinson of Lincoln; sisters-in-law Donna Girmus of Lincoln; & Karen (Dean) Beck of Lincoln, Cherie Starlin of Omaha, Nebraska and brother-in-law David Wolken of Tecumseh, Nebraska; and so many more nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Mel was preceded in death by his wife Marilyn, son Mark, parents, brothers Glenn and Lester, sisters Ruth and Anna May. There will be a graveside Celebration of Life at the Vesta Cemetery in Vesta, Nebraska on April 7, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. followed by a luncheon at the First Baptist Church in Tecumseh, Nebraska. Memorials may be sent to the family which will be equally distributed to Yellowstone Forever and Surfrider Foundation of Southern Texas. Online messages of condolence can be shared at aspenaftercare.com
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.
Aloys Louis Schmidt
Age 85 From Lincoln, Nebraska Born on April 14, 1932 Passed away on December 28, 2017. No service. Cremation. No visitation.
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.
Joyce Marie Smith
Joyce Marie Smith, 82, passed away on October 31, 2017 at The Independence House in Lincoln, Nebraska. She was the widow of Vaughn Nelson Smith. They shared 43 years of marriage together. Born January 1, 1935 in Colome, South Dakota, she was the daughter of Frank and Bertha Bertram. She grew up on a farm south of Colome and graduated from Colome High School in 1952. She was united in married to Vaughn Smith on June 27, 1954. In 1961 they moved to Omaha, Nebraska (Millard) Joyce was a member of the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Millard, Nebraska over 50 years and will be remembered for her loving care of others. She was survived by children Cathy Koziol of Cotton Wood, Arizona; Dennis Smith of Lincoln, Nebraska; grandchildren Chelsey Bartholomay of St Petersburg, Florida; and David Koziol of Omaha, Nebraska; sister Maxine Larsen of Colome; and brother Larry Bertram of Colome. She was preceded in death by her parents Frank and Bertha Bertram; husband Vaughn (1997); son Douglas (2017); and brothers Richard, Allan, Bud, Harold, Willis, Vern, Guy and sisters Lois, Erlene, Millie and Dorothy; and many relatives and friends. Cremation. No visitation. The memorial service is on November 10, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church at 13271 Millard Avenue, Omaha, NE 68137. Visiting with the family will be prior to the memorial at 9:30 a.m. services will be followed by a lunch at the church. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the St. Paul Lutheran Church.
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 Arno Schlegel
Don Schlegel passed away November 6, 2017 at his home in Lincoln, surrounded by his family. Don was born on the family farm outside of Green Bay, Wisconsin on August 30, 1934 to Harold and Fern (Johnston) Schlegel. He was the third of six children. He was a red-haired child with a face full of freckles and had the mischievous, live life at a fun run, type of personality that is generally associated with those physical characteristics. He despised bullies and would take on anyone who was tormenting someone else, even if the tormentor was twice his size, teaching him at an early age to protect those who needed protecting and that in this world there were times you had to take a stand. Don married DeVerne (Dee) Christianson on December 25, 1956. He always said he knew from the moment he saw her that that was his wife. They were married for 60 years until her passing last Thanksgiving. They traveled to many countries and lived in several different states. He felt his life was blessed and every day spent with her was an adventure. If asked what his hobbies were, he would say ‘work’. He didn’t hunt, fish, golf or collect trains. He re-roofed buildings, re-built engines, trimmed trees, put up fence, replaced light fixtures and once even jacked up a small barn and repoured the foundation. His family always teased him given enough duct tape he could fix the world. He greatly valued education and acquiring knowledge. He attended the University of North Dakota, the University of South Dakota and UNL. For the majority of his work life he was a teacher. He was certified to teach physics, chemistry, algebra, trig, calculus and biology. He chose to teach high school because he loved that age group. He was a gifted teacher who ran a disciplined classroom, had the ability to explain difficult subjects and encouraged questions. During some class times he would skip the subject matter and talk about life instead: how to make a tough decision, how to decide if a person would make a good mate, how to tell if someone was a reliable friend .He always said he didn’t like when a parent, teacher or any adult would say they just wanted to be a teenagers’, friend. He would say: “These kids have enough friends. What they need is an adult who is strong and steady and lives up to their word, whether that word is a promise of something fun or a consequence for something wrong. They need examples of how to be good adults.” Don is survived by his three daughters Peggy Schlegel, Vicki Schlegel (Brad Plantz) and Terri Lair (Dennis); two granddaughters Lesli Lair and Ashton Lair; a brother David (Jeannette) Schlegel; a sister Joyce (Floyd) Cottrell; & numerous nieces and nephews. Don is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Dee; a brother, Robert Schlegel; two sisters, Marvel Melvin and Vonnie Paulsen; & two nephews and four nieces. Dad, the world feels like a less safe place now that you are gone, but you and Mom gave us the tools to survive and once our grief has ebbed to hopefully thrive again. We miss you both but our love for you will always remain strong and the values you taught us will always guide our way.
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” Noel Sass
Robert “Bob” Noel Sass, of Eagle, NE, passed away on Thursday, October 12, 2017 at the age of 86.
Robert was born to Harry and Genevieve “Jack” Sass on July 6, 1931 in West Point, NE. Bob enjoyed nature, spending time at the Elkhorn River, and working at the Pharmacy and Soda Shop and the Cumming County Fair. He graduated from West Point Central Catholic in 1949. Bob earned a B.S. Degree in English and then an M.S Degree in Biochemistry in 1955 from Creighton University. After graduation, Bob worked with faculty members at Creighton as a research scientist on government funded projects.
In 1959, Robert began his career with Dorsey Laboratories in Lincoln, NE as a Quality Control Chemist finally becoming a Manager of Production to end his 29 year career.
Robert married Hope Johnson on September 22, 1962. They had one son, Steven. As a family they shared interests in fishing, duck and pheasant hunting, and gardening. They have enjoyed trips to the Rockies among other destinations.
Robert is survived by his wife, Hope J. Sass M.D; his son, Steven T. Sass; his granddaughters, Hannah M. Sass and Camille K. Sass and their mother Kathleen S. Sass; as well as many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Harry and Genevieve Sass; brother, Gary David Sass; sisters, Margaret “Peggy” Kaup and Mary Susan “Suzie” Henrickson.
Cremation. No visitation. A Celebration of Life was held at South Lake Village (9401 Andermatt Dr. Lincoln, NE, 68526) on Sunday October 15th from 11-1:00pm. Donations in his memory can be made to the Foundation Fighting Blindness and The Nature Conservancy.
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