Memorial Day - honoring those who served

Soldiers's Circle
Wyuka Cemetery
Lincoln, Nebraska

Jess Carl Petersen
Wyuka Cemetery
Lincoln, Nebraska

Tombstone Tuesday - Wyuka Cemetery - improved search features

If you have not searched the online database of Wyuka Cemetery in Lincoln, Nebraska in a while, now is the time to do so. The database includes names, dates of birth and death (when available), location of the grave and maps to assist in finding the location of the grave. This is a graveyard rabbit's dream come true.

Alva Retta McPherrin Laymon
Wyuka Cemetery, Lincoln, Nebraska
wife of my great grand uncle

I've also discovered that some females will show up in results based on their maiden name search.

Wyuka's records that are available to the public are exemplary. Can we hope that more and more cemeteries follow Wyuka's lead and make such records available online?

Wyuka Funeral Home and Cemetery

Take a walk through Wyuka

Wyuka Cemetery in Lincoln, Nebraska is probably the most peaceful, majestic and beautiful cemetery in my hometown. And, best of all for genealogists, all interments are available through an online search. Take a walk through history with this video.

June Genealogy events in Nebraska

The following genealogy events in Nebraska are slated:

June 8, 2010 - Lincoln-Lancaster County Genealogical Society meeting. 7:15 p.m., Union College, 3800 S. 48th St., Lincoln. Presenter: Robert Ripley. Topic: The Tower of the Plains - the Nebraska State Capitol.

June 12, 2010 - Lincoln-Lancaster County Genealogical Society - Walking tour of Wyuka Cemetery led  by Ed Zimmer. 9:30 a.m., 3600 O St, Lincoln.

June 16, 2010 - Greater Omaha Genealogical Society meeting. 7:00 p.m., Crown Point Retirement Center, 2820 S. 80th St., Omaha.

June 17, 2010 - Lincoln - Brown Bag Lecture - Archaeology at the Beaver Crossing Trail. Presenter: Nolan Johnson. 12:00 noonBlackman Auditorium, Nebraska History Museum, 131 Centennial Mall North, Lincoln.

June 19, 2010 - Greater Omaha Genealogical Society class - Newspaper research and Cemetery Research. 9:15 a.m. Mormon Trail Center, 3215 State Street, Omaha.

June 21, 2010 - West Point - Elkhorn Valley Genealogical Society meeting. 7:00 p.m., Stahl Library, West Point.

For further information and calendar listing of genealogy events in Nebraska, click here.

Memorial Day 2010 - Honoring Those Who Served

On this Memorial Day, 2010, I pay tribute to Jess Carl Petersen, my father's uncle, who served in the U.S. Navy in World War II.

Uncle Jess is buried at Soldier's Circle at Wyuka Cemetery in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Jess was born in Hardy, Nebraska on November 14, 1915 and died much too soon at age 45 on September 12, 1961.

 Jess Carl Petersen
1915 - 1961

Tombstone Tuesday - Ode Rector and Nellie Kelly Rector

This is the tombstone of Ode E Rector (Odin Ellis Rector), a long time pharmacist in Lincoln, Nebraska and his wife, Nellie Kelly Rector. They are buried at Wyuka Cemetery in Lincoln, Nebraska.

On the other side of this marker are the inscriptions for Ode Rector's parents, Henry Clay Rector and Martha Hurst Rector. Each of their graves are marked by stones inscribed "Father" and "Mother."

I've never found any evidence that Ode and Nellie had any children, which is why I was really taken with the additional stones marking their individual graves.

O.E.R. - Ode E Rector

N. K. R. - Nellie Kelly Rector

Nellie Kelly was a sister of my great grandfather, Daniel Kelly. Daniel, his wife Mary, his parents and other members of the Kelly family are buried at the Catholic cemetery across the street from Wyuka, Calvary Cemetery.

Nebraska genealogy events in the coming week

Omaha - The Greater Omaha Genealogical Society will feature a class on courthouse research and clues to help finding names you are looking for. This will be held at 9:15 a.m., Saturday, May 15, 2010 at the Mormon Trail Center, 3215 State Street, Omaha.

Lincoln - On Sunday, May 16, 2010, Ed Zimmer, historic preservation planner for the city of Lincoln, will lead a stroll through beautiful Wyuka cemetery. The tour begins at 2:00 p.m. at the Rudge Chapel near the main gate. The cemetery is located at 3600 O St in Lincoln.

Omaha - The Greater Omaha Genealogical Society will have its monthly meeting on Wednesday, May 19, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. at the Crown Point Retirement Center, 2820 S. 80th St., Omaha.

Lincoln - Thursday's (May 20, 2010) Brown Bag Lecture at the Nebraska History Museum, 131 Centennial Mall North, in Lincoln, will be on Taking Care of Your Family's Heirloom Photographs.

For more upcoming Nebraska genealogy events, check out the calendar of events.

If you have an event to add to the calendar, email the details to me: sooznebr@gmail.com

Tombstone Tuesday - honoring those who served

Honoring those who served - Soldiers' Circle at Wyuka Cemetery, Lincoln, Nebraska
2010