Obituaries

Carole Marie (Gilliland) Witt, was born on December 10, 1944 in Ainsworth, NE to Ralph and Delia (Morton) Gilliland. Carole passed away Friday, March 29, 2024, at the age of 79, surrounded by loving family at her daughter’s home in Valentine, NE. She succumbed to an ongoing battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Carole attended school in Ainsworth where she met her high school sweetheart and love of her life, Michael Dean Witt. In August of 1962 while Mike was home on leave from the US Navy, they were married and began their life together, living in Long Pine, NE. On December 26, 1975, they happily welcomed daughter, Michelle Marie. In 1983, Mike was transferred to Valentine, where they made their home until his death.

Lorris “Larry” Clark Rice was born at his family home on January 5, 1938 in Pickering, MO to Champ and Sylvia (Baldwin) Rice. He passed away peacefully at home in Ainsworth, NE surrounded by family on April 21, 2024.

A Memorial Service for Carole M. Witt, age 79, of Valentine, NE, will be held on Monday, April 29, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at the Hoch Funeral Home in Ainsworth, NE. Inurnment will follow in the Ainsworth Cemetery. Carol Witt passed away March 29, 2024 at Valentine.

Funeral Service for Lorris C. “Larry” Rice, age 86, of Ainsworth will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. in the Lila McAndrew Gymnasium in Ainsworth. Burial will follow in the Ainsworth Cemetery. Larry Rice passed away Sunday, April 21, 2024 at his home in Ainsworth.

A Private Family Graveside Service for Richard Crooker, age 71, of Newport will be held on Saturday morning, April 27, 2024 in the Giles Cemetery at Elsmere. Following, a Family & Friend Gathering will be held from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. at the Newport, NE Fire Hall. Richard Crooker passed away March 21, 2024 at the Rock County Hospital in Bassett.

Graveside services for Ann Hale, 85 of Merriman, NE will be held April 27, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. MST at the Merriman Memorial Cemetery, Merriman, NE.

Maynard E. Harr, age 93 of Ainsworth, NE, passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday, April 6, 2024. He was born on December 16, 1930 in Ainsworth, NE to Maynard O. Harr and Edythe I. (Cassel) Harr.

Benjamin “Benj” Chester Fink, 72, of Elsmere, NE was born to Chester “Eugene” Fink and Dana Ruth Milleson Fink on March 5, 1952 in Broken Bow, NE. Benj passed away April 5, 2024 at Kearney Regional Hospital, Kearney, NE.

Thomas Oli Strand was born on February 1, 1961, to Shep and Elizabeth (Slattery) Strand in Ainsworth, NE and passed away on March 24, 2024, at the Winner Regional Hospital in Winner, SD. Tom grew up in Ainsworth and in 1983, he married Patsy Denny of Newport, NE.

Funeral Service for Maynard E. Harr, age 93, of Ainsworth, NE will he held on Friday, April 12, 2024 at 10:30 a.m.