Phillips - Family History & Genealogy Message Board

• ROBERT LEROY BAHLER
  Holyoke Enterprise, Holyoke, Colorado, December 25, 2008
  
  Robert (Bob) Leroy Bahler died Sunday, December 14, 2008 at Melissa Memorial Hospital in Holyoke at the age of 69 after a four-year battle with leukemia (CMM).
  
  Robert was born January 12, 1939 to Albert and Annie (Jinkens) Bahler at the home of his grandparents southeast of Holyoke, and lived his whole life in Phillips County.
  
  He graduated from Holyoke High School in 1958, and married his high school sweetheart, Vivian Dudden. This union was blessed with three daughters, Patricia (Pat) and twins Charlene (Char) and Marlene (Mar).
  
  Bob’s true passion was farming and he felt very blessed to have been able to be involved in farming and ranching all his life. As a small boy he began helping on the family dairy and working with the Registered Hereford cattle. He helped show cattle for many years at the National Western Stock Show in Denver with his father.
  
  In 1968 the irrigation boom began and Bob became very involved in farming and developing land for sprinkler irrigation. In 1976 Bob took a leap of faith and decided to start farming on his own. At the time Bob, Vivian and family moved to what would be their home for the next 31 years southeast of Holyoke.
  
  In 2006 Bob retired from farming because of his health. In June of 2006, Bob’s health took a turn for the worse while attending a grandson’s baseball tournament in Omaha, Nebraska. Bob went into surgery in very critical condition and was very grateful to his Lord and Savior and to the medical staff that brought him through surgery and gave him another two and a half years to get done what he needed to do.
  
  Part of his plan was to build Vivian a new home in town. They moved into their new home in Holyoke in October 2007. Later that year they sold their farm and remaining acreage to a wonderful family that Bob would grow very fond of. In June of 2008, Bob and Vivian celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with friends and family.
  
  Bob enjoyed fishing, gardening, playing cards and attending his grandchildren’s activities. After moving to town, he also enjoyed meeting for coffee every day with friends - both new and old.
  
  Bob served several terms as a board member at the Pleasant Valley Ball Park and was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Amherst.
  
  Bob is survived by his wife Vivian; parents Albert and Annie Bahler of Holyoke; daughters Patricia and husband Doug Kamery of Haxtun, Charlene and husband Ian Cortez of Colorado Springs and Marlene Deslauriers and fiancé Clarence Walker of Brush; grandchildren Jennifer and Miranda Kamery, Michael, Jeremy and Jordan Deslauriers and Hayden and Vanessa Cortez; and several aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
  
  Bob was preceded in death by his two brothers Jack and Bill Bahler, his grandparents; and his mother-in-law and father-in-law.
  
  A funeral service was held December 19, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Amherst, with Pastor David Loeschke officiating. Interment was at Holyoke Memorial Park. Arrangements were handled by Baucke Funeral Home.
• IDA KRUEGER NIERMAN
  Holyoke Enterprise, Holyoke, Colorado, December 11, 2008
  
  Ida Nierman, 87, a longtime resident of Grand Junction, died Tuesday morning November 25, 2008 at Brighton Gardens in Lakewood surrounded by loved ones.
  
  Ida Emma Krueger was the fourth daughter born to Simon and Ida in their farmhouse outside of Blue Hill, Nebraska on January 1, 1921. She was baptized on January 30 and confirmed in her faith on March 25, 1934 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Amherst.
  
  She was one of eleven siblings in a loving Christian family. She attended St. Paul Lutheran School and graduated from Holyoke High School in 1938.
  
  She met the love of her life in grade school and married Ray Nierman on June 16, 1940 and they had three children Claudia, Carolyn and Ray.
  
  Over the last 53 years Ida, Ray and family have been members of the following Lutheran churches: St. Paul’s, Amherst; First English, Sterling; Zion, Holyoke; St. Paul’s, Sidney, Nebraska; Messiah, Longmont; Trinity, La Junta; and Messiah in Grand Junction.
  
  Ida was very active in her church and loved singing in the choir. She was involved in Ladies Aid, Good Shepherd, Lutheran Laymen’s League and Bible Studies.
  
  She sewed and quilted beautifully and enjoyed being with friends and family. She enjoyed fishing on Grand Mesa, playing cards, having friends for dinner and family time.
  
  Survivors include two daughters, Claudia Johnson and husband Steve of Littleton and Carolyn Bergner and husband Scott of Evergreen; one son Ray and wife Susan of Cornelia, Georgia; three brothers; Bill Krueger of Valentine, Nebraska, Jay Dean Krueger of Holyoke and Dan Krueger of Larkspur; two sisters, Laurine Ackerman of Hillsboro, Oregon and Eunice Oltjenbruns of Holyoke; ten grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren and 13 God-children; and a host of relatives and friends.
  
  A grave side service was held at Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Grand Junction on Friday, November 28. A celebration of her life was held in Lakewood.
• MICHAEL WALTER BODNER, SR.
  Holyoke Enterprise, Holyoke, Colorado, December 11, 2008
  
  Michael Walter Bodner, Sr. (Mike), age 52, died in his home in South Carolina early Friday morning, December 5, 2008.
  
  His daughters Ashley Bodner and Nicole Streeb, his wife Anne Bodner, his sister-in-law Mari Hammel and nephew Austin Hammel were with him as he took his last breath.
  
  Mike was born in New Britain, Connecticut January 22, 1958. He joined the Air Force when he was 17 and served proudly for 20 years as an Air Force Law man.
  
  While in the military, he was involved in the evacuation of Saigon, Vietnam. He was stationed in Guam, Norton and March AFB. He was also in California, Alaska, Korea, West Berlin, Germany and Biloxi, Mississippi.
  
  Some of his jobs included Presidential and distinguished visitor protection, counter-sniper duties, criminal investigation, resources protection, air base ground defense squad leader, flight leader, anti-terrorism planning and was the pass and registration program director.
  
  He was medically retired in February 1994 due to a back injury he received while on duty. He was attending college at Colorado State University and came within one semester of getting his B.S. in social work with a minor in criminal justice when in October 1999 it was discovered he had a brain tumor.
  
  Mike joined American Legion Post 90 and became a lifetime member of VFW Post 6482 of Holyoke in 1998. He served a year as Commander; was chairman of the Vets board for three years and was the quartermaster of the VFW post for five years. Mike felt a strong loyalty to veterans and their rights.
  
  Mike was very passionate about learning, consistently reading and studying just about every subject. He regularly encouraged all his children to follow his lead in reaching higher levels of education.
  
  Mike is survived by his wife Anna Marie Bodner; 10 children, John Bodner, Sandra Bodner and her husband Rodney Lambrecht, Christopher Bodner and his wife Brenda, Rebecca Bodner, Jessica Bodner, Michael Bodner Jr., Jonathan Streeb, Zachary Streeb, Nicole Streeb and Ashley Bodner; eight grandchildren, Gianna and Christian Bodner, Jozsef and Kyleigh Lambrecht, Samantha and Amy Crumine, Troy Dietrich and Daniel Phillips; and sister Helen (Bodner) Krupa and her husband Walter.
  
  Mike was a beloved son, brother, father and an eternally-loved husband. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and all whose lives he touched along the way. However, there is a consolation in knowing that life for him has not ended but only begun in a better land.
  
  A memorial will be held sometime in the summer of 2009 in Holyoke at the Vets Club.
• WILLIAM H. DRUMMOND
  Haxtun-Fleming Herald, Haxtun, Colorado, December 10, 2008
  
  William H. Drummond, Gainesville, Florida, died November 15, 2008 at Haven Hospice. He was 87.
  
  Dr. Drummond was born in Gibsonburg, Ohio, and lived his early years in Wyoming, Utah and Colorado. He graduated from Haxtun High School in 1939. His father, Reverend R.W. Drummond, was the minister at the local Methodist Church. Dr. Drummond was well known for his athletic and musical abilities.
  
  He became part of the staff at the University of Florida’s College of Education in 1972. He retired in 1986.
  
  He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Colorado State College of Education, Greeley, and his masters and Doctorate from Stanford University, Stanford, California. He served in the Army Signal Corps in World War II at Okinawa, Japan and in the Korean War. He retired from the Army Reserves in 1965 as a Lieutenant Colonel.
  
  Dr. Drummond was Chair of the Division of Education at Eastern Washington University, Cheney, Washington, and Chair of the Department of Education at