Roland "Shorty" H.I. Gruber, 82, of Gothenburg died Feb. 10, 2000, at his home.

He was born Dec. 31, 1917, at Seward to William and Marie Ficken Gruber.

On Sept. 14, 1939, he married Leila Ilene Devine at Julesburg, Colo.

He farmed near Farnam for a number of years before moving to Gothenburg. He worked for Concrete Products for several years. He later was the Redi-Mix Plant manger for Paulsen's in Gothenburg for many years before retiring in 1980.

Mr. Gruber was a member of the Eagle Lodge in North Platte.

Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Janet (William) Mackley of North Platte and Jean (Roy) Westbrook of Cozad; five grandchildren, William (Julie) Mackley, Jr., Dawn (Tom) Horn, Patrick (Terri) Mackley and Shana (Charles) Smith, all of North Platte and Jim (Kathy) Mackley of Overton, Nevada; 13 great-grandchildren; and two stepgreat-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Gerald William in 1985 and Milton Theodore in infancy.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Blase Memorial Chapel in Gothenburg with Pastor Larry Viter officiating. The body will be cremated after the service and the cremains will be buried at a later date in the Farnam Cemetery.

The North Platte Telegraph, February 11, 2000