Pierce Edward Rohde, age 84 of Hartington, Nebraska died on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk, NE.  Funeral Services will be on Friday, January, 31, 2014 at 11:00 am at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Hartington with Rev. Gary Kimm officiating. Burial will be in the Hartington City Cemetery with military honors provided by the Hartington VFW Post 5283 and the American Legion Riders.  Visitation will be on Thursday from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm with a Prayer Service at 7:00 pm at the Wintz Funeral Home in Hartington.
Pallbearers will be his nephews, Ronnie Mc Caw, Mick Christensen, Ed Rohde, Dave Rohde, Bill Kollbaum and Mike Hintz.  Honorary Pallbearers will be his grandsons and the remainder of his nephews.
Pierce was born August 11, 1929 on the family farm northeast of Hartington. He was the 7th of 9 children born to Fred William and Bertha (Marthwig) Rohde. He grew up on the family farm and joined the U.S. Army in 1951 and served in Korea.  He was wounded in action and upon his return from the service he married Opal M. Dooley on November 27, 1952 in Hartington.  Pierce and Opal worked briefly at Bob's Cafe in Hartington and then owned and operated the Coleridge Café from 1953 to 1955.  In 1956 they rented their first farm which was located east of Hartington. Their favorite farm was the Morningside farm.  There was a series of moves between town and various farms including Gerry Millers farm southwest of Hartington which they rented from 1964-1969.  They built their first home in the east part of Hartington in 1976 and in December of 1992, after all the children left home, they moved down the street to a cozy trailer. Pierce worked for John Deere Implement, Wagner Fertilizer, Lindsay Water and from 1970 to 2012 he worked for the City of Hartington. He took great pride in the care of the Hartington Park and thoroughly enjoyed his mowing. 
Pierce was a member of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Hartington, the Hartington VFW Post 5283, Hartington American Legion Post 4 and the Am Vets. He was Sergeant of the Guard for over 50 years and assisted with military services for many veterans, provided the honor guard for the school's ballgames and was active in many Memorial Day Services and local parades.  Pierce enjoyed playing cards, traveling with Opal and his many hunting trips to Colorado. He loved being with his children and grandchildren.
Pierce is survived by 5 children and their spouses, Adele and John Kieffer of Olathe, KS; Alberta and Don Kohls of Omaha; Rick Rohde of Sioux City, IA; Roxanne Lewis of Coleridge, NE; Terry and Tonya Rohde of Brighton, CO; 19 grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Opal, on September 29, 2003 at the age of 77, a granddaughter, Beverly Kohls and many siblings.


These are notes Pierce shared with his family:

"Entered service July 1951 got out of the service May 1953
Korean war January 1952  38th regiment
5th army
2nd Division  Headquarters Company
3rd Platoon
Dad's information:
I was a corporal when I went over seas.  I took basic training at Fort Riley, in Kansas.  After basic training I went to leadership school at Fort Riley.  I made P.F.C. when I started leadership school.  I was put in for Sgt 6 times overseas but each time rank was frozen.  I then made Sgt at Camp Carson in Colorado.  I was a staff Sgt. but I was acting First Sgt training troops.  They had 4 weeks in when I got discharged.  The men hid my clothes so I could not get out because they wanted me to stay.  I was wounded while in Korea on Pork Chop Hill causing the loss of my right eye, also with a blast causing my ear drum to burst causing me to go deaf in my left ear and damage to my right hand with shrapnel.  Opal (his wife) was able to remove shrapnel from my hand for several years after I was released.  Because the shrapnel was too close to my brain it was never removed from my head."          

— Clyde D. “Dean” Cook, 89, Belden, died April 4, 2011 at Nebraska Veterans Home, Norfolk. Visitation was April 6 at Johnson Funeral Home, Randolph. Funeral services were April 7, at Union Presbyterian Church, Belden, with Rev. Rachelle McCalla officiating. Interment was in the Belden Cemetery, Belden, with Military Rites provided by Alderson Unit American Legion Post #149, Belden.
Clyde was born April 17, 1921, in Omaha, the son of Frank and Alda (Alderman) Cook. He graduated from Rushville High School in 1939, and attended Chadron State College, Chadron. Clyde entered the United States Navy serving during World War II, from Feb. 2, 1941- Dec. 1, 1946, and later graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Vocational Agriculture from University of Nebraska, Lincoln, in 1953. He taught vocational agriculture at Valpraiso, for a short time. He then taught vocational ag classes to returning veterans from the Korean War in 1953 at Belden. Clyde married Loretta Case May 22, 1960, at Union Presbyterian Church, Belden. The couple lived in Belden and for nearly 40 years. Clyde operated a hay moving service. Clyde was a member of Union Presbyterian Church, Belden, where he also served as an Elder; a member of American Legion Alderson Unit #149 of Belden; a member of Belden Oddfellows Lodge; and a past member Belden Volunteer Fire Department.

Eugene "Gene" J. Kaiser, age 89 of Randolph, passed away peacefully with his family at his side Friday August 20, 2010 at his home in Randolph.  He was born December 25, 1920 at Randolph the son of Tony and Alvina (Brunsman)Kaiser.  He attended St. Frances Catholic grade school and graduated St. Frances High School in 1938 at Randolph and attended 1 year at Wayne State College at Wayne which was interrupted by beginning of World War II. 
Gene served in the United States Navy from 1942 – 1946.  During his service he participated in 13 major Naval engagements, losing 2 ships and twice being picked up from life rafts after swimming throughout the night.  The 2 warships lost in combat in the South Pacific were the Destroyer U.S.S. Benham and the Cruiser U.S.S. Helena.  Upon returning from World War II Gene and his brother, Pat Kaiser, formed a partnership known as Kaiser Brothers Produce, which operated in Randolph for 45 years, when he retired.
On May 29, 1951, he married Teresa Estelle Coughlin at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Laurel, Nebraska.  Gene was active in his community serving on the Randolph City Council for 8 years and as St. Frances Parish Council for 4 years. 
Gene was a very avid sports fan, having played a great deal of baseball throughout northeast Nebraska.  He was in St. Louis Cardinals tryout camp but the war cut short his baseball aspirations.  He was an avid bowler and had the highest score ever bowled at the original Randolph Lanes Bowling Alley.  Gene was instrumental in starting the St. Frances High School athletic program and Coached basketball there for 6 years.  He was a member of the St. Frances Church Choir for over 50 years.  He was a church cantor and also soloed for 105 funeral masses.   Gene was a lifetime member of Randolph American Legion Post #113.