NOTE:I will be using different sources, rather than just The Columbus Telegram, as done in the past. I will no longer be subscribing to The Columbus Telegram after mid-April, so will rely primarily on information from the two Columbus funeral homes. Sources can be found in brackets after the abstracted information.

KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS: b = born; m = married; sc = surviving children; dc = deceased children; ssc = surviving step-children; dsc = deceased step-children

BACKES, Lois Jean, 91: b Jan 5, 1935, Lindsay, to Sam and Emma (Haffley) Delp; m Duane Backes, Aug 11, 1954, Holy Family Parish, Lindsay; sc Steve Backes, Sue Pfeifer, Julie Hendrickson, Jim Backes, Jennifer Martensen; died Jan 13, 2026; burial Holy Family Cemetery, Lindsay [McKown Funeral Home]

BACKMAN, Dennis, 89: b May 9, 1936; died Jan 21, 2026, at Columbus Community Hospital [Gass Haney Funeral Home]

BLASER, Elizabeth “Betty”, 82: b June 27, 1943, Genoa, to William and Frieda (Rubin) Nansel; m Robert “Bob” Blaser, Nov 23, 1963, at St Luke’s United Church of Christ [Columbus]; sc Lisa Paben, Tyler Blaser, Shane Blaser, Cody Blaser; dc inf Adam Blaser; died Jan 17, 2026, at University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha; interment Roselawn Memorial Cemetery, Columbus [Gass Haney Funeral Home]

BRYANT, Steven Michael, 73: b Sept 9, 1952, Pittsburg, California, to Leonard Alonzo Bryant and JoAnn (Martin) Bryant; m Lumyai “Awl” Hoile; m Janet Nyffler; sc Christine Bryant; ssc Mayura Latensen, Mayuret Bryant; died Jan 8, 2026, Genoa; interment in Rushville [McKown Funeral Home]

CATTAU, Linda Gay, 79: b Apr 23, 1946, Columbus, to Werner and Elsa (Otte) Cattau; sc Melissa Foltz; died Jan 2, 2026, Columbus Community Hospital; [Gass Haney Funeral Home]

CHAMBERLAIN, Felicity Amanda, 32: b Sept 22, 1993, Fall River Massachusetts, to Staci Dias; sc Romio VanNess; dc inf Hannah-Charlene Chamberlain; died Jan 8, 2026, UNMC, Omaha [Gass Haney Funeral Home]

HEIDEN, Betty L, 87: b Sept 16, 1938, Stromsburg, to Ralph and Marie (Campain) Rhoades; m Merle A Heiden, Dec 14, 1958, St Paul Lutheran Church, rural York County; sc Mervin Heiden, Randy Heiden, Rick Heiden, Catherine Norquest, Rhonda Wlaschin; died Jan 11, 2026, York; inurnment St Paul’s Cemetery, northeast of York [Columbus Telegram]

JILG, Ralph Robert: b Feb 13, 1942, Clarks, to Leo Otto and Lary E (Loebe) Jilg; m Brenda Alexander, Apr 20, 1968, St Lawrence Church [Silver Creek?]; sc Lauri Novacek, Daniel Jilg, Lisa Jilg, Rhonda Riha, Darin Jilg; died Jan 22, 2026, Lincoln; interment Silver Creek Cemetery [McKown Funeral Home]

KEEFER, Merlyn “Mert”, 88: b Oct 3, 1;937, Columbus, to Herman and Anna (Kaipust) Keefer; m Janet Adams, May 6, 1961; died Jan 1, 2026, Brookestone Acres, Columbus; interment St Bonaventure Catholic Cemetery [Columbus] [McKown Funeral Home]

KUMPF, Theresa: b Feb 6, 1;938, north of Leigh, to Frank and Ella (Herink) Reichmuth; m Tom Kumpf, Aug 19, 1958, St Mary’s Catholic Church, Leigh; sc Rex Kumpf, Vanessa Kumpf, Bret Kumpf, Elizabeth Walter; died Jan 5, 2026 [McKown Funeral Home]

MANAK, Rawlin Joseph “Joe”, 84: b July 10, 1941, Clarkson, to John and Jennie (Kucera) Manak; m Sharron Smith, June 1, 1963; sc Brett Manak, Becki Baker, Ben Manak; died Jan 4, 2026, Prairie Village Retirement Center, Columbus [Gass Haney Funeral Home]

MISEK, Joseph “Joe”, 89: b Oct 12, 1936, Schuyler, to Joseph and Bernice (Malzahn) Misek; m Bette Wright, Dec 30, 1961, Tecumseh; sc Pamela Misek; died Jan 1, 2026, Columbus Community Hospital [Gass Haney Funeral Home]

MORTON, Ryan Coe, 30: b Jan 18, 1995, Columbus, to Bradley and Janet (Wulf) Morton; died Jan 10, 2026; interment Columbus Cemetery [McKown Funeral Home]

RAMAEKERS, Helen H, 88: b Sept 4, 1937, Columbus, to Martin and Josephine “Josie” Borowiak; m Bill Ramaekers, Oct 29, 1955; sc Jack Ramaekers, Roxane, Karla, Brad Ramaekers; [Columbus Telegram]

RITZDORF, Richard “Dick” Joseph, 90: b July 7, 1935, Cedar Rapids, to Adolph and Gertrude (Liekhus) Ritzdorf; m Karma Smith, Mar 24, 1956, St Anthony Church; sc debra Shemek, Gina Tichota, Carla Ritzdorf, Kent Ritzdorf; dc Tim and Rick Ritzdorf; died Jan 9, 2026, Brookestone Acres, Columbus; interment Roselawn Memorial Cemetery [Columbus] [Gass Haney Funeral Home]

ROGERS, Larry, 79: died Jan 22, 2026, Columbus Community Hospital [McKown Funeral Home]

SAALFELD, Richard “Rick” D, 81: b July 23, 1944, Columbus, to Duane and Doris (Foust) Saalfeld; m Rhonda (Reher) Ganow, Oct 30, 1984; sc Scott Ganow, Rich Saalfeld, Sue (Saalfeld) Burkhardt; dc Laura Ganow; died Jan 16, 2026; burial Grand Island Cemetery [Columbus Telegram]

SCHMIDT, Donald E: died Jan 8, 2026 [McKown Funeral Home]

SZATKO, Timothy L, 62: b Feb 16, 1963, Fullerton, to Leo and Elizabeth (Konwinski) Szatko; significant other Teresa Boelts; sc Regan Korcek, Riley Szatko; ssc Brandee Boelts, Bill Boelts; died Jan 2, 2026, CHI St Francis Hospital, Grand Island; interment Ss Peter and Paual Cemetery [Krakow] [McKown Funeral Home]

TRUBE, Debra “Deb” Jean, 70: b Jan 28, 1955, West Point, to LeRoy and Betty (Christiansen) Priestly; m Loren Trube, Sept 22, 1977, United Methodist Church; sc Chris Trube, Laura Trube, Tanner Trube, April Trube; dc Andrea Trube; died Jan 14, 2026, Faith Regional Services, Norfolk; [Columbus Telegram]

TWOREK, Theresa M, 92: b Sept 8, 1933, Loup City, to Frank and Berniece (Placzek) Kuta; m Lawrence Tworek, Jan 15, 1955, Fullerton; sc Marie Loveless, Susan Pokorny, Kenneth Tworek, Joseph Tworek; died Jan 17, 2026; interment St Stanislaus Catholic Cemetery [Duncan] [McKown Funeral Home]

WACHAL, Betty Jane, 89: sc Robert Wachal, Jeff Wachal, Mike Wachal, Mark Wachal; died Jan 12, 2026, Brockestone, David City; burial Schuyler Cemetery [Columbus Telegram]

WAGNER, Ralph E, 98: died Jan 4, 2026, Nye Legacy, Fremont; burial Scribner Cemetery [Columbus Telegram]

WEMHOFF, Sheryl Jean, 63: b June 21, 1962, Columbus, to Merrill Dean and Betty (Vaught) Sylvester; m Tim Wehmhoff, Sept 5, 1985, St Isidore’s Catholic Church, Columbus; sc Michael Wemhoff, Chelsie Croghan, Travis Wemhoff, Natascha Hames; died Jan 8, 2026 [Gass Haney Funeral Home]

WENT, Noel, 62: b Dec 25, 1963, Leigh, to Arlyn and Bernice (Hansen) Went; died Jan 9, 2026, Stanton Health Center, Stanton; interment Leigh City Cemetery, Leigh [Gass Haney Funeral Home]

WENT, Ronald Clarey, 85: b Dec 11, 1940, Columbus, to Elmer and Hilda (Groteluschen) Went; m Rae Ann (Malena), Juy 24, 1960, st Peter’s Lutheran Church, Creston; sc Ryan Went, Rory Went; dc Rhonda Went, Reva (Went) Muhle, Rikki (Went) Klink; died Jan 16, 2026, St Elizabeth Regional Medical Center, Lincoln; interment Roselawn Memorial Cemetery [Columbus] [Gass Haney Funeral Home]

YOKLEY, Idamae, 96: b May 6, 1929, Hornick, Iowa, to James Dorward “Scotty” and Eilene (Cook) Raitt; m Walter Dean “Walt” Yokley, July 1949; sc Mike, Tim, Lou Gilmore, Suzi Busby; dc Patrick; died Jan 22, 2026, Josie Harper Hospice House [Omaha?]; interment Valley View Cemetery, Genoa [McKown Funeral Home]

YOST, Richard Vernon, 79: b Jan 3, 1947, Hastings, to Vernon and Nelda (Statz) Yost; m Jeanine; m Diane; sc Camelle Kinney, Chad Yost; died Jan 18, 2026, Columbus; interment Sutton Cemetery [Sutton] [Columbus Telegram]