FARNAM - Hester Gewecke, 102, of Curtis, formerly of Farnam, died Feb. 15, 2005, at Sunset Haven Nursing Home in Curtis.

She was born Jan. 6, 1903, at Stockville, to Arnold and Bessie Bodenhamer Carman. She moved to Farnam with her parents when she was two years of age. She attended Farnam grade and high schools until her senior year, when she went to Somerville, Mass., to be with her grandmother in 1919. She graduated from the Somerville High School in 1920 and returned to Farnam following the death of her grandmother.

On March 12, 1924, she married Henry Gewecke, and while living northwest of Farnam for 16 years, gave birth to two daughters. They moved to a farm northeast of Farnam in 1948 and lived there until spring of 1968, following the death of her husband, Nov. 6, 1967. In her later years, she resided with her daughter and son-in-law, Leon and Muriel Kotschwar, until eventually settling at the Senior Living Choices in Curtis. After a brief bout with an upper respiratory infection several weeks ago, she left Gothenburg Memorial Hospital and went into Sunset Haven Nursing Home.

Mrs. Gewecke was a long-time member of the United Methodist Church in Farnam, a past member of the North Union Aid, Community Worker's Club and Mother's Club. She enjoyed sewing clothing for her daughters and grandchildren, cooking, embroidery, crewel work and flower gardening. She thoroughly enjoyed spelling and when she was 100 years of age, she tied for the winner of a spelling bee at the Senior Living Choices in Curtis.

Survivors include two daughters, Willa McCaa of Arapahoe and Muriel (Leon) Kotschwar of Farnam; five grandchildren, Brent (Peggy) Kotschwar of Omaha, Lana (Nick) Cate of Peachtree City, Ga., Perry Kotschwar of Elwood, Bryan (Nancy) Kotschwar of Big Springs, and Tim (April) McCaa of La Quinta, Calif.; and eight great-grandchildren, Kurt, Allison, Trenton, Brennan, Ryan, Bennett, Lindsey and Grace.

She was also preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Willard and Richard; and a sister, Ruth Gish.

A memorial has been established.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Farnam United Methodist Church in Farnam with the Revs. Bonnie Linton-Hendrick and Virginia Fleharty officiating. Burial will be in the Farnam Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today at Blase Memorial Chapel in Gothenburg.

North Platte Telegraph, 17 Feb 2005