Jim was raised in Richardson County Nebraska and graduated from Falls City High School in 1967. Following graduation, Jim enlisted and served in the Nebraska National Guards from 1969 to 1975.  Jim then attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. He was a lifelong member of the Falls City Christian Church Disciples of Christ. Jim farmed and raised cattle in Richardson County until the mid-1980’s. He then followed a different career path in which he owned and operated an over the road trucking company. Jim was an avid Husker football fan and held season tickets for over 40 years. He logged thousands of miles traveling to Husker football games, always driving, and awake most of the time.   

Jim was proceeded in death by his parents, brother David, sister Holly Granger and his aunt Mary Hunter.  

Jim is survived by his wife Shirley of 33 years, sons Dr. David (Alicia) Jones of Council Bluffs Iowa, Dan (Stephane) Jones of rural Salem Nebraska, daughters Sara (Brian) Ross of St. Joesph Missouri, Hope (Greg) Mischlich of Shawnee Kansas and son Mike Swartz of White Coud Kansas, brothers Gary (Judy) Jones of North Platte Nebraska, Tom Jones of Collinsville Oklahoma, sister Peggy (Frank) Sandelin of Long Prairie Minnesota, 12 grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. 

His funeral will be held on Monday, August 31, 2026 at 10:00 AM at First Christian Church with Pastor Grant Speece officiating. Interment will be in White Cloud Cemetery. Military graveside honors by Falls City Ceremonial Honor Guard.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, August 30, 2026 from 4-6:00 PM at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home.

The post James ‘Jim’ Arthur Jones appeared first on THE FALLS CITY JOURNAL.

She was born August 31, 1942, in Wahoo, Nebraska, the daughter of John D. Lock and Betty Ruth (Johansen) Pape.  She was in the 8th grade when Willis Pape adopted her and her brother.  She graduated from Hamlin in 1960 where she enjoyed playing basketball and softball and was a cheerleader.  

After high school, Karen worked at the Mid Central Egg Plant in Hiawatha doing various jobs.  Throughout the years, Karen worked at several places including the Brown County Clerk’s Office until retirement and enjoyed helping out at the Cozy Café in Fairview following.  She cherishes all the friends she worked with.

She married her high school sweetheart, Lawrence Henry James Lehmkuhl, on December 21, 1960.  He passed away in July 2021.  They raised three boys: Kevin, Richard and Chris.  Family was everything to Karen.  She loved going to football, baseball and wrestling matches to watch the boys.  She and Larry helped start the Hiawatha Kids Federation Wrestling Club in Hiawatha.  She soon earned the name, “Big Mama” from all the boys and she was honored.  The name continued and she loved the ones that called her that.

Karen loved the Lord with all her heart.  She can never remember a time not being in church.  She served with a grateful heart by being on the church boards, treasurer, nursery, teaching Jr and Sr High Teens through the years.  Church memories include worshipping in Rulo as a child to raising her family at the Falls City Church of the Nazarene.  Karen was a member of Eternal Hope Worship Center at the time of passing.  When she had the opportunity she testified, witnessed and told people about Jesus, saying “Jesus is my best friend.”

Above all, Karen loved and cherished her family.  She never missed watching her grandchildren’s games or programs.  She was their biggest and loudest supporter during those years as they say “Granny” was there for them in all ways.  Her encouragement and love soon was embraced as her role of Great Grandma Karen and even Great-Great. 

Karen loved to crochet Afghan blankets, kitchen towels and embroidered tea towels.  She enjoyed sharing her famous chocolate cake, cream pies, taco salad, decorated cakes and her frosting.  After retirement, Karen loved to make homemade bread and share it.  She loved to decorate for Christmas!  It was a special time to reflect and be together as a family.

Karen is survived by her boys; Kevin (Ann), Richard (Susan) and Chris (Tami) all of Hiawatha.  Beloved grandchildren: Dustin, Jeremy, Tyler, Kayla, Amanda, Levi, Madison and Dalton; many great-grandchildren and great-great; sibling, Marv (Cindy) Pape and sister -in- law, Jan Pape; Amy Kopp, cherished niece that shared the name as daughter; and all her special friends at Maple Grove.  

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, brothers; Terry Pape and Johnny Pape.

A celebration of Karen’s life is planned for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Eternal Hope Worship Center in Hiawatha.  Jim Asberry, Dennis Liberty will officiate.  Interment will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Hiawatha.

Friends may call at Chapel Oaks Funeral Home after 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Friday. The family will meet with friends from 6-8 Friday evening at Church.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Eternal Hope Worship Center, left in care of the funeral home, 124 S 7th St., Hiawatha, 66434.

Special messages to the family and livestreaming available at www.chapeloaksfuneralhome.com

The post Karen Ruth (Pape) Lehmkuhl appeared first on THE FALLS CITY JOURNAL.

Following her military retirement, Vicki continued her professional career in the private sector. Her work eventually brought her to Parker, Colorado, where she made her home and continued to enjoy the friendships and community she built there.  Outside of her work, Vicki enjoyed life’s simple pleasures. She loved watching sports of all kinds, whether cheering on high school athletes, following college rivalries, or watching professional teams on television. Vicki returned home a couple times a year to catch up with her family and enjoy the holiday seasons, Christmas being her favorite. She also enjoyed attending concerts with friends in Colorado, creating memories through music and companionship.

Despite her travels and demanding career, family remained at the center of Vicki’s life. As the oldest sibling, she was always keeping tabs on her younger brothers and stayed involved in their lives. She took great pride in watching her three nephews grow into wonderful, caring men and enjoyed following their accomplishments through the years. The relationship she cherished most was with her mother, Ruth. Their frequent phone conversations became a treasured routine and a source of comfort, laughter, and unwavering love, regardless of the miles between them.

Vicki was a private person who never sought recognition for her many accomplishments.  She valued her independence, treasured family and friendships, and lived according to principles of integrity, loyalty, and service.  While much of her life’s work will remain untold, her dedication to protecting and serving her nation stands as a lasting testament to her character.

Vicki passed away on Friday, August 7, 2026, in Parker, Colorado, having reached the earthly age of seventy-one years, seven months, and thirteen days.  She was preceded in death by her father, Wayne Drake; and her grandparents, Elmer and Viola Schacht, and Lale and Blanche Drake.

Vicki is survived by her mother, Ruth Drake of Humboldt; brothers: Leslie Drake and wife Shari of Humboldt Royce Drake and special friend, Shelly Meyer, of Lincoln, NE; nephews: William Drake and fiancée Jade Hill of Humboldt, NE; Carter Drake and Trey Drake of Falls City, NE; along with many aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives, and friends.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Humboldt United Methodist Church with Pastor Harun Gatobu officiating.  A livestream broadcast of Vicki’s service will be available on the Humboldt United Methodist Church Facebook page for those unable to attend.  Interment will immediately follow services at the Humboldt Cemetery with full military honors conducted by the Nebraska Army Honor Guard and the Harvey-Mann Legion Post #269.

Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026, at Wherry Mortuary, 207 N. Nemaha Street in Humboldt, Nebraska.  Family will greet friends from 6:00- 8:00 p.m. at the mortuary.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the family for designation at a later date.

Condolences can be shared online at www.wherrymortuary.com

Services entrusted to Wherry Mortuary-207 Nemaha St.-Humboldt, NE 68376 (402) 862-2915

The post Vicki Elaine (Drake) Pelletier appeared first on THE FALLS CITY JOURNAL.

You answered.

A total of 186 people completed our reader survey, including current subscribers and people who do not presently subscribe. We also held focus groups where everyone was encouraged to speak candidly about the newspaper, what they appreciate, what they skip and what they hope to see in the future.

We listened carefully. Now we are preparing to act.

The Journal will be making several changes in the coming months, including expanded youth coverage, a more active digital presence, more local features and changes designed to make better use of the limited space in each printed edition.

However, before we explain where we are going, we need to be honest about what it takes to produce this newspaper every week so you understand some of our changes.

A single copy of the Falls City Journal currently sells for $1.50.  It costs us approximately $3 per copy to produce, print and distribute the newspaper.

That cost includes far more than paper and ink. It includes printing, postage and mailing expenses. It includes software, service subscriptions, graphic resources and other essential tools required to design, produce and distribute a modern newspaper. Those expenses come before all your other basic office expenses, leases, staff pay and “tech.” 

A print subscription presently costs $55 a year, which works out to approximately $1.05 per week, or about 15 cents per day. 

That price no longer reflects the actual cost of producing the newspaper.

Unfortunately, subscription prices will be increasing. We have not made that decision lightly and we know every household and business is watching its expenses. However, the current pricing structure is not sustainable if Falls City is to continue having a locally owned, locally staffed newspaper.

Our survey showed that readers understand the seriousness of the situation. Seventy-four percent of respondents said they would pay more if they knew the newspaper was struggling. Among current subscribers, 79% said they would pay more, and two-thirds of non-subscribers who responded indicated they would be willing to help. The survey also found that 80% of respondents were willing to pay at least $2 per issue. 

We do not share those figures to pressure anyone. We share them because transparency matters. Readers deserve to know what it costs to produce the newspaper and why changes are necessary.

As of July 2026: A 20-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola was listed at $2.49 at Hy-Vee.  A specialty coffee can typically cost $6.00 or more. 

A bottle of pop may be gone in 20 minutes. A cup of coffee while completely necessary may last through the morning. For $1.50, the Journal provides a week’s record of local government, schools, businesses, achievements, deaths, celebrations and community life.

At $2 per issue, the Falls City Journal would still cost less than many bottled drinks, specialty coffees and snacks. Two dollars buys one week of locally reported and verified news.

A $75 annual subscription would be $1.44 per weekly issue; $6.25 per month and 20.5 cents per day.

It costs the Journal nearly $3 to produce, print and distribute each copy, yet we currently charge only $1.50. Three dollars may purchase a drink or a snack. At the Journal, $3 nearly pays for the production and distribution of an entire newspaper containing the permanent record of one week in our community.

The clearest message from the survey and focus groups was that readers want more local people, local stories and local connections.

The five subjects receiving the greatest interest were obituaries and announcements (baby/wedding), feature stories, local government, local activities and school stories. Readers also expressed strong interest in historical photographs, human-interest stories, youth writing and more coverage of local businesses and community members. 

Feature stories received particularly strong support. Readers want to learn more about the people, businesses, traditions, organizations and histories that make Richardson County distinctive.

We agree.

You will see more locally focused features in the newspaper. Some may be historical. Others may introduce readers to an interesting neighbor, a longtime employee, a volunteer, a business owner, a student, an artist, an athlete or someone making a difference.

Readers can help us find those stories.

We cannot know every person, project or idea worth covering. Readers are encouraged to email us, stop by the office or leave a note when we are away. A good feature idea does not have to involve a major award or a dramatic event. Often, the best stories begin with an ordinary person doing something extraordinary or simply something interesting.

But, this is a partnership. We would ask that events that we cover with stories be advertised.

This is your newspaper and we want the people of this community reflected throughout its pages.

One of the changes we are most excited about is a proposed page focused on local youth.

We hope to work with area schools, teachers, parents, organizations and students to feature photographs, classroom projects, achievements, artwork, writing and other activities involving young people. We hope the schools will be as excited to participate and work with us as we are to feature our local students.

Children deserve to see themselves and their accomplishments recognized in their hometown newspaper. Parents and grandparents also deserve a newspaper that preserves those moments in a permanent, printed record.

Adding new material means making difficult decisions about how we use space.

Based on reader feedback, the weekly church-information section has been removed from the printed newspaper and placed online.  The printed church information occupies a significant amount of space that can be used for youth coverage, feature stories, photographs and other material readers requested. 

This does not mean church news is unimportant. Churches remain a vital part of the community. The information will remain available, but it will be delivered in a format that allows us to use the printed newspaper more effectively.

The public-record page has also be tightened and better organized. Our editorial and opinion pages have been condensed so more space can be devoted to locally produced material.

We have also found  a new crossword puzzle host who offers us movie reviews, entertainment stories, games and comics. 

Not every change will happen immediately. Some require new partnerships, new technology or additional revenue. However, the work has begun as we are sure you have noticed in the new format of the paper. 

One of the most promising ideas under consideration is an additional e-edition for digital subscribers.

This edition would give us space to publish material we cannot always fit into the printed paper, including additional photographs from community events, recipes and other items that may not have enough advertising support or available space for print.

A printed newspaper has physical limits. Every additional page increases printing and mailing costs. A second digital edition would allow us to provide more content without removing material from the weekly newspaper.

We have also met with a service that is going to change how the e-edition is delivered. Our goal is to make it possible for subscribers to receive the newspaper directly in their email inbox rather than requiring them to remember to visit a website and log in. We believe easier delivery is an important step toward making the Journal more accessible. If you are a current e-edition subscriber please keep an eye out for more information as this moves forward this month.

Readers also made it clear they want to hear from us more often between printed editions.

Seventy-four percent of survey respondents said they would like to see more newspaper content posted on social media. The Journal presently has approximately 5,600 Facebook followers and 336 Instagram followers, giving us an opportunity to reach readers throughout the week. 

We are working to become more active on Facebook and Instagram with additional photographs, short videos, HS sports interviews and previews of stories appearing in the newspaper. Most stories may be available exclusively to subscribers. Our goal is not to replace the printed newspaper with social media. It is to use each platform for what it does best.

The newspaper will remain the complete, permanent record of the week. Social media can help us deliver timely information, introduce readers to upcoming stories and keep the community connected between editions.

Subscriptions are essential, but subscriptions alone cannot support a community newspaper. Local advertising makes local reporting possible. When a business purchases an advertisement, it is not simply buying space on a page. It is helping pay for coverage of city government, schools, sports, public records, local organizations, community events, elections and the people who call this area home.

The company who is going to change the way we deliver our E-edition will also be taking over our website to streamline the sign-up process, get articles online  and on social media quicker. We are so excited about this change and hope you will be too. This month you will see changes and updates to our website. We will keep you updated on the process.

Our focus groups also told us that businesses are interested in more modern advertising choices. We are exploring options and attending classes that help us understand social-media advertising, sponsored videos, digital advertising, sponsorships and Facebook photo sponsorships.  We want to give local businesses more ways to reach customers while continuing to offer professionally designed print advertising. When local businesses support the Journal, they support a newspaper that reports on their customers, employees, schools.

We are still learning, listening and looking for better ways to serve this community. We know we need to make a greater effort to hear from teenagers, young adults, parents and younger families as we plan the Journal’s future.  We want the Falls City Journal to be a newspaper for people of every age not only those who have read it for decades, but also those who may be discovering community journalism for the first time.

If younger readers have ideas for stories, videos, social-media content, school coverage, community projects, youth columns or other ways to make local news more engaging, we are ready to listen. We also welcome suggestions from teachers, parents, students, young professionals and community organizations about how we can encourage more people to read, participate and become invested in what is happening locally.

Community journalism works best when the community takes part in it. That might mean suggesting a feature story, submitting a photograph, writing a guest column or “Say Your Piece,” helping us connect with students or simply telling us what would make the newspaper more useful to you.

We strongly encourage you to use the pages of our paper to “Say Your Piece.” Facebook can be great for a lot of things, but we found from our focus groups and surveys that the community does read the paper. It’s an excellent way to get information and ideas to the public. Take advantage of an excellent resource you have right here. 

We will not get every change exactly right on the first try. We will continue to evaluate what works, make adjustments and evolve as our readers and community change.

The Journal has served generations of local families, but preserving that legacy requires us to reach the generations who will carry it forward. We are open to new ideas, ready to experiment and committed to building a newspaper that remains relevant, welcoming and valuable to everyone.

We can’t begin to express to you, our readers how important this newspaper is to us and how much we want to get this right for you. 

Thirty-six percent of the people who completed our survey were not current subscribers. Their participation tells us that even people who do not presently receive the Journal consistently care about whether this community has a newspaper. 

The Journal cannot survive on concern and good wishes alone. 

It needs subscribers. 

It needs people who purchase single copies.

It needs businesses and organizations that advertise.

It needs schools, clubs, churches and community members who send us information and photographs.

It needs readers who tell us when we are doing something well and when we need to improve.

We know asking people to pay more is difficult. We also know that disappearing quietly, reducing coverage or allowing the newspaper to become less useful would be worse.

We are choosing to invest in the future. We are choosing more local stories, more young people, more photographs, more digital access and more communication with readers.

We are choosing to change with the times while protecting what makes a community newspaper irreplaceable: locally verified information, public accountability and a permanent record of life in Richardson County.

You spoke, and we listened. Now we are asking you to move forward with us.

Subscribe. Purchase a newspaper. Advertise your business. Send us your story ideas. Share our work. Encourage your school, organization or employer to participate.

The Falls City Journal is your newspaper. With your support, it can remain that way for generations to come.

The post You spoke. We listened. – How the Falls City Journal will be moving forward. appeared first on THE FALLS CITY JOURNAL.

The Postal Service is conducting a discontinuance feasibility study of the Rulo Main Office. The study is part of the formal process used to determine whether an office should be permanently closed. No final determination has been announced.

Postal services have not been offered at the Rulo office since it was placed under emergency suspension Dec. 31, 2018. According to a July 31 notice sent to customers, the suspension followed the termination of the Postal Service’s lease by the property owner. The Postal Service said no suitable alternative location was available in Rulo.

Since the suspension, Rulo customers have received postal products and services through the Falls City Main Office at 1520 Harlan St., 9.27 miles from Rulo.

Other nearby offices include the White Cloud, Kansas, office at 214 Main St., 8.56 miles away and the Craig, Missouri, office at 103 S. Main St., 10.12 miles away.

The Postal Service said permanently closing the Rulo office would not change the services currently offered through the Falls City office. Rulo post office box customers would continue receiving their mail in Falls City.

If the Rulo office is permanently closed, the Postal Service said the status of affected customers would change from temporary to permanent in its system. Customers’ post office box numbers and the Rulo ZIP code, 68431, would remain the same.

The Postal Service had scheduled a virtual community meeting July 31 to provide information, answer questions and receive comments. 

“We value your opinions during this review process,” Shane McLaughlin, manager of Post Office Operations, wrote in the notice.

Responses must be received by Aug. 14 to be included in the feasibility study and considered before a final decision is made.

Written comments may be hand delivered to the Falls City Main Office or mailed to:

Manager Customer Relations

Dawn Cook

7900 Hickman Road

Des Moines, IA 50324

The Postal Service said comments will become part of a publicly available record. Names and contact information will be removed, but the comments may be available for public review.

Federal regulations require the Postal Service to consider several factors before closing or consolidating a post office. Those factors include the effect on the community, the effect on postal employees, the Postal Service’s obligation to provide effective and regular service to rural communities and small towns, potential economic savings and other factors the Postal Service considers necessary.

Community members who want the Rulo office preserved may use their comments to provide specific information about local postal needs, the effect of traveling to another community for service and any suitable locations that could be considered for a Rulo facility.

After the questionnaire responses and community input are collected, the Postal Service said a proposal will be posted in the retail lobby of the Falls City Main Office.

If the Postal Service decides to proceed, federal regulations require public notice of the proposal and a public comment period lasting 60 days. Any final determination must be issued in writing after those comments are considered.

People regularly served by the Rulo post office would have 30 days after a final determination is posted to appeal the decision to the Postal Regulatory Commission. A permanent discontinuance could not take effect sooner than 60 days after the final determination is posted.

The post Rulo residents have until Aug. 14 to oppose permanent post office closure appeared first on THE FALLS CITY JOURNAL.

She married Gene Ebel on September 13, 1969 at Falls City. He passed away July 23, 2004.

Zita was raised at Falls City and graduated from Falls City High School in 1969. When married the couple established their home in Falls City and later moved to a farm west of Reserve, KS. She was a homemaker and farm wife. She worked as a secretary and bookkeeper for various places in and around Falls City, including the farm and G and Z Trucking. She retired in 2012. She moved to Lincoln in 2023 and has lived there since. She was an active member of St Paul’s Lutheran Church at 20th and Towle St. in Falls City and DOES Drove of Falls City.

Zita is survived by her children, Gena Vang and her husband Chris of Elkhorn, NE, Karen Soward and her husband Levi and Marissa Ebel both of Lincoln, Chip and his wife Sara of Falls City, brothers, Joe Schawang and his wife Cheryl of Olathe, KS, Mike Schawang and his wife Janet of Omaha, sister, Lisa Moormeier and her husband Kiven of Roca, NE, grandchildren, Connor and Camden Soward, Isaiah and Noah Vang. 

She was preceded in death by her parents and husband.

Her funeral will be held Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at 10:30 AM at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church at 20th and Towle St. with Elysia McGill officiating. Interment will be in Steele Cemetery.

The family will receive friends on Monday from 7-8:00 PM at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home.

The post Zita Ebel appeared first on THE FALLS CITY JOURNAL.

He married Patricia Kaster in 1988 and they divorced in 1991, in 1993 he married Lori Bradley and they divorced in 1996. He married Darla Adams in 2006. She passed away in 2018.

Gene worked as a welder for many years until his health forced him to retire. He had a great love for Tinkering with anything he could do in the garage. One of his joys was taking his children fishing and spending time with his grandchildren doing various fun activies. He encouraged others to stop by and chat as that was what he loved to do. His love for fireworks and the 4th of July and love for homemade fireworks took him to the ER to come home with a finger missing for a great conversation piece. The Nebraska Cornhuskers was one of his favorite things to watch on TV.

Gene is survived by his children, children Corey and his wife Molly Ballue of Beatrice, Cameron and his wife Beth of Nehawka, Ashley Gibson and her wife Megan of Beatrice, Adam Gibson and fiancé Brittney of Beatrice, 13 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents Cecil and Helen Miller, Uncle Norman Miller, Aunt Evelyn Hoak, and wife Darla.

Gene’s memorial service will be held Monday August 3, 2026 at 10:00 AM at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Maple Cemetery in Salem Nebraska.

There will be no viewing or visitation. You may sign the registry or leave condolences at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home during regular business hours.

The post William “Gene” Ballue appeared first on THE FALLS CITY JOURNAL.

Marlene was raised on the family farm south of Rulo. At the age of four she started first grade at District 91 better known as the “Y” school. She was proud of the fact that she recited the poem word for word “The Night Before Christmas” at the school Christmas program even before she started school. Marlene graduated Falls City High School in 1950.

One of thirteen children she helped her two older sisters hand milk the cows before and after school each day.  She was strong willed even as a child and found herself at the top of a tree where she could get away from her mother when she was in trouble and her mom would remind her she had to come down sometime. Mom had many stories she shared of her younger years.

Marlene worked at various businesses over the years including Fleskoski’s Food Basket, The Falls City Creamery, as a bookkeeper at Sur Gro Fertilizer, Falls City Pet Foods, Fortescue Elevator, and Novak Realty.

She was a member of Riverside Fellowship church in Rulo and through the years had taught Sunday school and church youth groups.  She was a Blue Bird – Campfire girl’s leader, served on the school PTA committees, was a softball coach for teenage girls, and was active in the American Legion and VFW auxiliaries, American Heart Association, Red Cross Blood Mobile and the Census. For several years she was the crew foreman for the girls detasseling corn crews bussed over into Missouri. Marlene was a lifetime member of the Falls City BPO DOES organization serving for seventy years in various offices locally as well as the Nebraska District and the Iowa Minnesota Nebraska East District. But of all her “jobs” her most important and dear to her heart was being mom and grandmother.

She is survived by her children Linda (Mark) Jilek of rural Rulo, Cathy O’Grady, Jerry (Nancy) McKim, and Karey Weaver all of Falls City and Nancy (John) Fischer of Hiawatha,  twenty-four grandchildren, fifty-one great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild, siblings Louise Pfankuche, Kansas City, Mo, Marjorie Surman, Rulo, Ruth Lieneman, Robinson, Ben (Sandy) Bachman, Falls City, Wauneta (Jim) Catlett, Kansas City, MO, Bob Bachman, Rulo, Gary (Cindy) Bachman, Falls City and Rita (Steve) Johansen, Rulo, numerous nieces and nephews survive her. 

She was preceded in death by sisters Bernice Adams and Alice Crouch, brother Ronald Bachman, grandson, Aaron O’Grady, sons-in-law, Neal Frost and John O’Grady, grandson Kevin Driggers.

Her funeral services will be held on Monday, August 3, 2026 at 2:00 PM at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home with Pastor David Showalter and Wauneta Catlett officiating. Interment will be in Rulo Cemetery.

The family will receive friends, Sunday, August 2, 2026 from 6-7:00 PM at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home. Viewing will begin in the afternoon of August 1, 2026 at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home.

The family requests memorials be made to Family Choice in lieu of flowers.

The post Leona Marlene McKim appeared first on THE FALLS CITY JOURNAL.

Rusty entered the Nebraska National Guard in 1978 and served in Falls City with Company B until 1983.

He married Tanya Windle February 28, 1986 at Salem.

Rusty was raised in Falls City and graduated from Falls City High School with the class of 1978. Following graduation, in addition to his service in the National Guard, he worked in various slaughter houses, Mickelberry’s, did logging and had a saw mill and drove a semi. He retired in 2020. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and woodworking. He was a member of the Falls City Elks.

Rusty is survived by his wife, Tanya of Salem, children, Felicia Martin and her husband John of Salem, Orrin of Salem, father, Robert of Falls City, sister, Vickie Zeigler of Falls City, brother, Ryan of Lincoln and five grandchildren. 

He was preceded in death by his mother and a granddaughter, Brynn Martin.

Rusty has been cremated and a graveside service will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 11:00 AM at Steele Cemetery.

The family will receive friends on Friday, from 6-7:00 PM at Dorr and Clark Funeral Home.

The family requests memorials be made to family choice in lieu of flowers.

The post Russell J. “Rusty” Zeigler appeared first on THE FALLS CITY JOURNAL.

Gary was born on May 2, 1943 in Falls City, NE to Paul and Venice Mick. He was a 1961 graduate of Falls City Senior High. After high school, Gary met the love of his life, Dorothy Pierce. The couple were married in Lincoln, NE on July 2, 1966. In 1971, Gary earned a civil engineering degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Gary worked as a civil engineer for the US Forest Service for 17 years. While in Alamogordo, New Mexico, he designed and built a family home for himself, Dottie and their two children, John born in 1970 and Sallie, born in 1975.

In 1988 Gary left the Forest Service for Lockheed Martin to work on the Space Shuttle program. He helped design an alternate landing site for the Space Shuttle program, located at the White Sands Missile Range. In 1995, after Lockheed lost the NASA contract, Gary and Dottie moved to Wisconsin where he worked as Director of Environmental Services for Milwaukee County.

Gary retired from Milwaukee County in 2007. They moved to Loveland, CO to be closer to their son John and his family. Gary and Dottie enjoyed travel in their retirement taking trips to Ireland, Spain, Russia and more. Motorcycles were a huge part of Gary’s life. Over the course of his life he rode, bought, sold and repaired too many motorcycles to count. He loved them!

Gary is survived by his wife, Dottie and their children, John (Jeanne) Mick of Fort Collins, CO; and Sallie (Matthew) Wild of Milwaukee, WI. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Paul and Ben Mick and Madeline Wild. And his sister Judith Nye of Florida.

He was proceeded in death by his parents, Paul in 1987 and Venice in 2011; and his sister Linda Mick-O’Hara in 2006.

The post Gary Allen Mick appeared first on THE FALLS CITY JOURNAL.