Marion Elwin Puffer died Feb. 3, 2005, at Tekamah Health & Rehab following a lingering illness. He was 74. A memorial service will be held Feb. 7 at Hamel-Peck-Pelan Funeral Home in Tekamah with Rev. Gail Twining officiating.  Burial will follow in the Craig Cemetery.

He was born Dec. 22, 1930, on a Burt County farm to Linton O. and Blanche E. (Peck) Puffer. He attended country schools near Tekamah and Tekamah High School.

He served in the U.S. Air Force and was honorably discharged in September 1947.

June 8, 1949, he was united in marriage to Phyllis Ray in Tekamah. In 1964, he was baptized at First Baptist Church in Blair.

Puffer worked at Bohs Oil Company in Blair for 17 years. He was then employed as a carman for the Union Pacific Railroad for 23 years, until he became ill with Parkinson's disease.  He worked for 10 years following the diagnosis and retired in 1990. The family then moved from North Platte to Craig to be closer to his family and doctors in Omaha. He underwent two brain surgeries in Omaha.

He loved collecting toy tractors and restoring them. He was an avid reader, especially enjoying books on history and World Wars I and II. He also collected license plates and trac­tors with his son-in-law, Dennis. While in North Platte, Puffer learned to ballroom dance. He and his wife joined the Eagles Club where they spent time dancing with friends.

His parents preceded him in death.  Survivors include his wife of Craig; daughter and son-in- law, JoAnn and Dennis Hintz of Norfolk; brothers and sisters in-law, Linton and Ruth Puffer and Russell and Phyllis Puffer, all of Herman; sister and brother-in-law, Rosemond and Jim Sell of Mondamin, Iowa; stepbrother, Chester Watkins of Tekamah; three stepgrandchildren, Amy, Michaelle and Chris; 13 step-great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. 

His wife Phyllis passed away on September 17, 2012