OBITUARIES
Frances K. Mares, of Burwell, NE passed away Sun., Feb. 16, 2025 at the Community Memorial Health Center in Burwell at the age of 82 years.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Mon., Feb. 24, 2025 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Burwell. Pastor Adam Archer and Vicar Tim Reicks will officiate. Interment will be in the Cottonwood Cemetery in Burwell. Visitation will be held on Sunday from 3-5 p.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Burwell Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, Burwell Senior Center or Burwell Friends of the Library. Condolences can be mailed to Mark Mares, 597 South 8th Street, Burwell, NE. Still Waters Funeral Parlor is assisting with the arrangements. Online condolences may be left at stillwatersfuneralparlor.com.
Frances Katherine was born Aug. 25, 1942 in St. Paul, NE to Joseph F. and Augusta M. (Ingerle) Spilinek. As a child, she resided in St. Paul, Elba, Scotia, Burwell and Ord, and graduated from Ord High School in 1960. Frances continued her education at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, NE. She had a love for children and wanted to become a teacher.
On Sept. 29, 1962, Frances was united in marriage to Roy A. Mares in Ord. The couple settled on Roy’s family farm northwest of Burwell. Together they farmed, ranched and raised their family of four. Frances was engaged in the farm activities, raising the livestock and assisted with Roy’s business, M/R Sickle Bars.
Frances was an active member of St. John’s Lutheran Church and their women’s group, Dorcas Society. She participated in the open class exhibits during the county fair and was also involved in the Burwell Brush Busters and Rolling Pins Extension Club.
Frances had a special love for kids and visiting with friends; she never knew a stranger. She enjoyed nature, birds and flowers. She especially loved music and polka dancing with Roy.
Survivors include her four children, Karen Homes of Lincoln, Mark and Lori Mares of Burwell, Cheryl Weekley (significant other, Randy Weekley) both of Kearney and John Mares of Lincoln; nine grandchildren and spouses, Amanda and Paul Schmid, Zachary and Shanna Homes, Tyler Mares, Molly and Brayden Baney, Casey Weekley, Heidi Weekley, Cody Weekley, Raegan Mares and Jackson Mares; eight great-grandchildren; siblings, Alice Cunningham of Manley, Dan and Luella Spilinek of Ord and Laura Knight of Pahrump, NV.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Roy who passed away on April 9, 2015; brothers, Franklin and Jim Spilinek; sisters, Shirley Bonsall, Betty Johnson, Patricia Davis and Peggy Mohr; brother-in-law, Curtis Mares and sister-in-law, Elaine Krause.
FEB
19
2025
Frances K. Mares • Burwell, NE Resident, 82
FEB
12
2025
Joseph L. Miska • United States Army Veteran • Ord, NE Resident, 94
Joseph L. “Joe” Miska, 94, of Ord, NE passed away Fri., Feb. 7, 2025 at Arbor Care Center in Ord.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wed., Feb. 12, 2025 at the Ord Christian Church. Pastor Doug Durre will officiate. Burial will be in the Ord City Cemetery. Military Honors will be presented by the Ord VFW Post #7029 and American Legion Post #38. Memorials are suggested to the Ord VFW or the Ord Christian Church. Ord Memorial Chapel is assisting with the arrangements. Online condolences may be left at ordmemorialchapel.com.
Joseph Lee was born April 21, 1930, at Ord, NE to Frank J. and Mary Elizbeth “Pearl” (Schamp) Miska. He was raised on the family farm in the Haskell Creek area of Valley County where he attended country school and graduated from Ord High School in 1948.
Joe was united in marriage to Norma J. Manchester on March 5, 1951, at Ord. Joe and Norma first lived on the family farm with Joe’s parents, Frank and Pearl until Joe was called to serve in the Army. While Joe was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri Norma accompanied him until he was deployed to Korea.
When Joe returned from Korea, he and Norma made their home on the Miska farmstead north of Ord for 64 years where they farmed and raised their family of five.
Joe loved farm life and working with the cattle. He was a family man who enjoyed spending time working alongside his kids and teaching them about the farm. The family would regularly go to church and listen to the Polka show on the radio while in the car. They also had many family trips into town to attend the weekly show at the theater.
Joe was a member of the Ord Christian Church and the VFW.
Survivors include three sons and a daughter-in-law, Franklin of Kearney, Darrel and Patti of Minden and Dean of Ord; two daughters and a son-in-law, W. JoAnne Jensen of North Loup and Susan and Jerry Owen of Chambers; 15 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; seven great great-grandchildren; and one sister, Edna Whitmore of Holdrege.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Norma who passed away on Sept. 12, 2016; two brothers, Garry and Terry; and two sisters, Delma Mars and Vietta Langren.
Phyllis A. Tiedje • Holdrege, NE Resident, 74
A graveside memorial service for Phyllis Ann Tiedje will be held on Fri., Feb. 14, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. at Moses Hill Cemetery in rural Loomis, NE with Pastor Brad Perry officiating.
Phyllis Ann Tiedje, 74 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away Sun., Feb. 9, 2025 at her home in Holdrege. Phyllis was born on April 29, 1950 in Holdrege, the oldest of two daughters born to Robert T. and Inez M. (Englund) McElvain.
She received her primary education from R-7 District School in Phelps County, and then attended Holdrege High School, graduating with the class of 1968. She pursued higher education at the Lincoln School of Commerce, graduating in 1969, and took classes from Southeast Community College in Lincoln in Nursing Home Administration. Phyllis then began taking secretarial classes at Bryan Hospital and became a ward secretary there. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in Dietary and went on to work for Ord Public Schools until her retirement.
On May 24, 1975, she was united in marriage to John Tiedje in Holdrege and this union was blessed with three sons: Andrew, Cody and Brian.
Phyllis was an avid collector of depression glass and had an extensive collection of Santas that she proudly displayed at Christmas. She enjoyed driving around Harlan County Lake in the summer with her family. Phyllis was a member of the Moses Hill Evangelical Covenant Church in rural Loomis.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her in-laws, Walter and Evelyn (Hambidge) Tiedje; and brother-in-law, Richard Tiedje.
Phyllis leaves to celebrate her life her husband, John Tiedje of Holdrege; her three sons: Andrew Tiedje and his wife, Kathleen of Plymouth, NE; Cody Tiedje and his wife, Amy of Holdrege; and Brian Tiedje; three grandchildren: Evolet Tiedje; Kaylee Tiedje; and Peyton; one great-granddaughter, Lailah; her sister, Nancy Loeffel and her husband, James of Lincoln, NE; brother-in-law: Larry Tiedje and his wife, Linda of Owings Mills, MD; sister-in-law, Anita Borman of Indiana; and a host of other relatives and friends.
A visitation will be held on Wed., Feb. 12, 2025, from 5-8 p.m. with a family greeting from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege. Following the traditional visitation, cremation will take place.
A memorial has been established in Phyllis’ honor and kindly suggested to Moses Hill Evangelical Covenant Church.
Expressions of care and kindness can be sent to the family at nelsonbauerfh.com.
The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.
MarySue Poland • Former Sargent, NE Resident, 76
MarySue Poland, 76, formerly of Spearfish, SD, was called home to Heaven on Feb. 3, 2025 at St. Martin’s Village in Rapid City, SD.
MarySue was born on Feb. 19, 1948 to James and Dorothy (Claussen) Schreier in Burwell, NE. She grew up on the family farm until they moved to Sargent, NE. She graduated from Sargent High School in 1966.
MarySue is preceded in death by her parents, James and Dorothy Schreier, father-in-law, Gean Poland and mother-in-law, Mary Poland and grandson, Carson James Poland.
On Oct. 15, 1966, she married her high school sweetheart, Marvin Poland, her husband of 58 years. To this marriage, four children were born: Monica Bruha of Broken Bow, NE, Monty (Darci) of Plattsmouth, NE, Michael of Spearfish, SD and Mark (Emmy) of Omaha, NE.
MarySue is survived by her husband, Marvin of Belle Fourche, SD; her four children, Monica, Monty, Michael and Mark; four grandchildren, Sarah (Eric) Leibert of Sargent, NE, Brittney Bruha of Ord, NE, Jesse Bruha of Ord, NE and Alex Poland of Omaha, NE; and six great-grandchildren, Trinity Bruha, Izaiah Frye, Estelle Leibert, Xander Leibert, Victor Leibert and Weston Foltz. MarySue was excited about her seventh great-grandchild due this summer.
There will be no service at this time. MarySue’s wish was to have a celebration of life when she is joined in heaven again with her husband. Memorials and cards can be sent to Marvin Poland, 1605 5th Ave. #17, Belle Fourche, SD 57717.
Susan K. Merrill • Ord, NE Resident, 75
FEB
05
2025
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Susan K. Merrill, known to those who loved her as Sue, lived a life full of adventure, strength and heart.
Born on Jan. 8, 1950, she grew up in Edgar, NE, surrounded by the love of both sets of grandparents, her mother, Bettie, and her father, Justin "Dud" Merrill. Alongside her siblings, brother, Mike (wife, Tanya) and sister, Nan, Sue built a lifetime of cherished family bonds that extended to her numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and their families, each of whom she deeply adored and delighted in hearing stories about. Her friends, she treasured dearly and loved keeping in touch with them.
Sue was part of one of the first graduating classes of Sandy Creek High School before pursuing her calling as a nurse. She attended the Lincoln General School of Nursing, becoming an RN and dedicating her life to caring for others. Her career took her across the country, from Nebraska to Los Angeles, Kansas City, and Oregon where she spent years as a skilled and compassionate trauma nurse, providing unwavering care to her patients and their families.
Beyond her career, Sue had a passion for adventure and a love of cars that matched her independent spirit. From her beloved VW Bug to her El Camino, Saab, BMW, MG and 4Runner, she traveled far and wide, embracing the journey just as much as the destination. She and her mother were also proud members of PEO, reflecting their shared dedication to education and sisterhood.
In her retirement, Sue found solace and joy at her farmhouse on Haskell Creek near Ord, NE, where she could truly be herself; feisty, strong, smart, courageous and funny. She was known for her stubborn streak, but beneath it all was a heart of pure gold. She lived life on her own terms, much like the words of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” which perfectly capture her spirit.
Sue will be laid to rest in the Edgar Cemetery, where she will be reunited with her parents and her brother, David. Friends and family are welcome to visit her graveside, a place that will now hold the memory of a woman who lived boldly, loved deeply and left an unforgettable mark on all who knew her.
Peace be with her. She will be missed but never forgotten.
Private interment will take place at the Edgar Cemetery. Online condolences may be left at ordmemorialchapel.com.
