DOROTHY GEORGIA (POTTER) SPANJER
Holyoke
Enterprise, Holyoke, CO, February, 1986
SERVICES HELD FOR MOTHER
OF FRED RILEY
Dorothy Georgia Spanjer, the daughter of Edwin and
Leah Bonne Potter, was born November 1, 1905 in Shelby, IA. Her father
died in a farm accident in 1909. She moved to Harrison, NE with her
mother, her stepfather James Rice and sister Bonne Potter. She attended
Harrison schools and graduated from the Sioux County High School in
1924. She married John Strait in 1924. They had one child, Dorothy Jean
Strait who died at the age of eight.
Dorothy attended Colorado
State Teachers College and received her B.A. degree in 1939. She was
supervisor of the National Youth Corps at Akron in 1940 to 1941 where
she taught job skills to young women. Dorothy worked for Montgomery Ward
in Denver from 1941 to 1942. In 1943, she taught school at the Hondo
High School in New Mexico.
She married Fred Riley in 1944. They
adopted one son, Fred Allen Riley in 1948. They operated a cafe in
Ruidoso, N.M. until 1954. Dorothy and her son Fred came to Haxtun in
1954, where she taught Vocational Home Economics. While a teacher at
Haxtun, she was a sponsor of the Future Homemakers of America. She
retired in 1972 after 17 years of teaching. She was married to John
Spanjer in 1966.
She is survived by her husband of 19 years John
Spanjer of Haxtun; her son, Fred Allen Riley and wife Marilee and two
children Scott and Beth of Holyoke; her daughter Ramona Spanjer Jernberg
and husband Elmer of Yuma and their children Shirley Wiebers and husband
Gale and their son Justin of Yuma, Betty Jo Searcy and husband Derek and
their son Matt of Brush and Keith Jernberg of Yuma; nephew Dean H. Brown
and family of Denver; brother-in-law Howard Brown of Denver.
Dorothy died Thursday, February 13, 1986 at the Haxtun Hospital at the
age of 80. Funeral services were held Monday, February 17, 1986 at 2
p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Haxtun with Rev. Donald E.
Sanders officiating, with burial following in the Haxtun cemetery.
JOHN SPANJER
Haxtun Herald, Haxtun,
Colorado, May 12, 1988
JOHN SPANJER LAID TO REST
Funeral
services were held for John Spanjer Wednesday, May 11, 1988 at the
Haxtun United Methodist Church with Rev. Jim Davis officiating and
burial following in the Haxtun Cemetery. John passed away Friday, May 6
at Logan County Hospital, Sterling at the age of 92.
John
Spanjer was born in Adams County, Nebraska on September 9, 1895, the son
of Minnie and Elsaba Miller Spanjer. He attended school at Burr,
Nebraska. He started farming as a young man in Nebraska. Later he came
to Yuma County, Colorado in 1919 and worked for a while before returning
to Nebraska. On December 25, 1919 he married Edus E. Paine at Cook,
Nebraska. They moved to a farm north of Yuma, in 1923. In 1936 they
returned to Cook, where they made their home until 1938 when they moved
to Haxtun. They operated a grocery store for a period of time.
Edus died in 1965. On June 7, 1966, John married Dorothy G. (Potter)
Riley, Haxtun at Hugo, Colorado. They made their home in Haxtun where
Dorothy continued to teach Vocational Home Economics until her
retirement in 1972. Dorothy passed away February 13, 1986. John
continued to make his home in Haxtun until March of 1987 when he moved
to the High Plains Manor in Yuma.
John had been an active member
of the Haxtun Senior Citizens and also helped with the Meals-on-Wheels
program. He was an avid gardener and enjoyed raising flowers. He was a
member of the United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his
stepdaughter Mrs. Elmer (Ramona) Jernberg, Yuma; stepson Fred Riley and
wife Marilee, Holyoke; four sisters: Emma Weibke and Anna George, both
of Cook, Nebraska; Lena Bliefernich, Sterling, Nebraska; Grace
Wittstock, Seward, Nebraska; sister-in-law Mary Spanjer, Cook, Nebraska;
brother-in-law Ray Roesener, Cook, Nebraska; grandchildren: Shirley
Wiebers and husband Gale, Yuma; Betty Jo Searcy and husband Derek,
Brush; Keith Jernberg, Yuma; step grandchildren Scot Riley and Beth
Riley, Holyoke; five great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and
nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Edus;
wife, Dorothy; brothers Ben and Allen; and sisters Frieda Roesener and
Mary Spanjer.
If you have questions, contributions, or problems with this site, email:
Coordinator - Rebecca Maloney
State Coordinator: Rebecca Maloney
Asst. State Coordinators: Betty Baker
If you have questions or problems with this site, email the County Coordinator. Please do not ask for specfic research on your family. I am unable to do your personal research. I do not have access to additional records.
