Raymond Fitzgerald Ness, age 79 of Ogallala, passed away on Sunday evening, May 4, 2008 at the University of Colorado, Anschutz Cancer Pavilion Center in Denver, Colo.
     He was born Dec. 21, 1928 in Wolseley, Saskatchewan, Canada, the son of Guy and Ruby (Witby) Ness. The family moved to the United States and settled in the area northeast of Big Springs, Neb. after Guy's visit to the consulate in Regina, Canada, in 1929 regarding naturalization and immigration papers.
     Ray attended Day Town School and graduated from the Big Springs High School in 1946.
     He enlisted in the U.S. Army and was recruited into the Air Force in 1946. He served with the 8th Photo Recon Unit in Japan following World War II. After his discharge from the military he returned to help on the Ness family farm which was now located near Imperial, Neb.
     Ray married Carol Janice West in Ogallala on May 27, 1955.
     Ray was employed by United Airlines in San Francisco and then for his father-in-law, Gordon West, in Ogallala as a brick layer.
     In 1963, Ray started his own company, Ness Construction which he owned and operated until his retirement in 2002. His company built the Ogallala Softball Complex, Ogallala Bike Path, Kildare Lumber Company building, two large hangers at the Ogallala Airport and the Titan Industries building in Paxton, as well as many other smaller personal jobs.
     He served on the District #2 School Board and the Airport Advisory Board. Ray was a member of the United Methodist Church, the Ogallala Moose Lodge, the Ogallala Elks Lodge and the V.F.W. He had a passion for planes and flying and enjoyed both at every opportunity.
     He was preceded in death by his wife, Carol; his son, Scott; his parents, Guy and Ruby Ness; and his sister, Joan Grimes.
     He is survived by his daughter, Beth Ness and John Stulich of Ogallala; three grandchildren, Jennifer Kay (Ness) Shuler, Ryan Dale Ness and Keith Scott Ness.; one great-grandson, Cameron Scott Brown, and a brother-in-law, Eldon Grimes of Greeley, Colo.
     Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, May 9, 2008, at the Ogallala United Methodist Church with Pastor James Miller officiating.
     Interment services will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the Ash Hollow Cemetery near Lewellen with military honors rendered by the Keith County Veteran's Organizations.
     Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. today, Thursday, May 8 at the Gubser Funeral Home.
     Online condolences may be sent at gubserfuneralhome.com.
     A memorial has been established in his memory.
     Gubser Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

    Doug Bussell, 58 of Loveland, Colo. passed away on May 5, 2008 at McKee Medical Center in Loveland.
     He was born on May 22, 1949 in Sutherland, Neb. to Melvin Bussell and C. Earlene (Scronce) Bussell.
     He was raised on the Bussell Homestead outside of Imperial, Neb. where he farmed with his father. He attended a rural grade school and graduated from Chase County High School in Imperial in 1967. He attended the University of Nebraska and Kearney State College and graduated from the Indiana College of Mortuary Science.
     He owned and operated Funeral Homes in Windsor, Colo. and Laramie, Wyo. He was a member of the Lions Club, was the Albany County Coroner, and was active in his church and community. He then sold the funeral home in Laramie in 1991 and moved to Loveland to retire.
     He enjoyed Nebraska football, camping, hiking, fishing, hunting and anything outdoors. He enjoyed spending time with his grandsons. He was very devoted to his family. As much as he wanted to get out in the world as a young man his heart never left the small country community he called home.
     He is survived by a daughter, Laura Owen, and husband, Jacob Owen, and two grandsons, Joshua Wyatt Owen and Louie Leeds Owen of Fort Collins Colo. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
     Funeral services will take place on Friday, May 9 at 2 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Loveland and Saturday, May 10 at 2 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Imperial, Neb. with burial following at the Chase Cemetery.

    Grace Radcliff of Phoenix, Ariz., formerly of Lamar, Neb. and Holyoke, Colo. passed away Wednesday, April 23, 2008, at the age of 95.
     She had resided in the Beatitudes Campus of Care in Phoenix, Ariz. since April, 1999.
     She was born on Aug. 23, 1912 to Thomas and Claudia (Lockhart) Elwood near Salem, Ind. She graduated from Indiana State Teachers College in Terra Haute Indiana at the age of 19 in 1932.
     She married Keith Radcliff on Dec. 25, 1935.
     They owned and operated the Radcliff IGA in Lamar, Neb. for nearly 30 years, retiring in 1974. She was the Postmaster in Lamar for 16 years.
     She is survived by son, Ralph (Shari) of Phoenix, Ariz.; daughter, Marilyn (Frank) Morse of South Sioux City, Neb., and son, Jim (Carolyn) of Colorado Springs, Colo.; eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and three brothers.
     She was preceded in death by her husband, Keith; one brother and one sister.
     A memorial service was held on Monday, April 28, 2008, at Shadow Rock United Church of Christ in Phoenix with burial in the City of Mesa cemetery.
     Memorials may be sent to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower Street, Phoenix, Ariz. 85014, FBO the Beatitudes Campus or Beatitudes Campus Foundation, 1610 W. Glendale Avenue, Phoenix, Ariz. 85021, FBO Memorial for Grace Radcliff.