Isaac Luoma of Ord

Published: Friday, November 11, 2005 2:00 AM CST

ORD -- Isaac Luoma, 93, of Ord died Sunday, Oct. 30, 2005, at Rose Lane Home in Loup City.

Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Mira Valley Evangelical United Methodist Church in Ord. The Rev. Janet Burgel will officiate. Mr. Luoma was cremated.

Ord Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Isaac Mitchell Luoma was born Feb. 12, 1912, in a sod home on the family homestead at Leo, Wyo., to John Kristian and Emma Mary (Sakrison) Luoma.

He was preceded in death by two sons, Michael Alexander Luoma and an infant, Douglas Kent Luoma.

Survivors of the immediate family include his wife, Rosina Luoma of Ord; a son and daughter-in-law, John "Kris" Kristian and Sheila Luoma of Arcadia; two daughters and sons-in-law, Kathleen and Richard Krahulik of Bridgeport and Romona and Dennis Lewis of Lincoln; and a sister, Elsie Osborne of Casper, Wyo.

Survivors also include two grandchildren and their spouses, Boni and Dylan Golden and Justin and Stephanie Krahulik, and four great-grandchildren, Randy and Riley Golden and Own and Ava Krahulik.

He was raised on the family homestead near Leo and Hanna, Wyo., where he also received his education.

As a teenager, Isaac worked for various ranchers around the Leo and Hanna, Wyo., area. In the early '30s he worked in the Midwest on a dude ranch. From 1936 to 1939 he worked on the construction of the Seminoe Dam in Wyoming. During 1940-41 he managed a gas station in Rock Springs, Wyo. In 1942 he returned to Rawlins, Wyo., and worked in construction and then in the oil fields around Bare Oil, Wyo.

On June 14, 1943, he married Rosina Layher at Rawlins, Wyo. In 1946 the couple moved to Nebraska. Isaac then went to work for Ernest Lange. From 1948 to 1965 Isaac farmed for himself. He then worked for Will Foth until retiring and moving to Ord in 1980. For several years after that, he worked part-time for Barney Peterson.

Isaac resided at Rose Lane Home for the last two years of his life. The staff of Rose Lane often commented on how much they enjoyed his company.

He was a member of the Mira Valley United Methodist Church. He enjoyed playing cards and fishing.

He is also preceded in death by his parents, 12 brothers and sisters, and a grandson, Jason Krahulik.

Memorials are suggested to the Mira Valley Evangelical United Methodist Church or the Ord Rescue Unit.

Courtesy of The Grand Island Independent

Charles A. Mertala of Casper

CASPER - Casper resident Charles A. Mertala, 81, died March 4, 2005, after a short illness.

Cremation has taken place and private memorial services and scattering of ashes will be held in the spring.

Born Sept. 27, 1923, in Hanna, he was the son of Johanna (Luoma) and Sander Mertala; and completed his education in Rawlins.

He then went to Pasadena, Calif., and entered the Pasadena Playhouse School of Drama.

In 1942, he joined the U.S. Army and was assigned to the Signal Corps, where he coded and decoded messages. He was honorably discharged in 1946.

After returning to Pasadena and the playhouse, he also worked for Con-Edison Electrical Co. for 37 years. He moved back to Wyoming in 1980 and lived in Ten Sleep until 2002.

He spent the last 2.5 years living with his brother, Edwin Johnson, in Casper.

In addition to his brother, survivors include his sister, Norma Crowe of Worland; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Edna (Mertala) Johanson; two nephews; and a niece.

Memorials may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.


Courtesy of Casper Star Tribune - Trib.com

Irene (Luoma) Swanson of Junction City, Kansas

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. - Former Wyoming resident Irene (Luoma) Swanson died Jan. 13, 2005, in Junction City, following a short illness.

Her body was donated to the Kansas State University Medical College. Cremation will take place at a later date and her ashes will be scattered with her husband's in Wyoming.

Born in Leo, she was the youngest of 13 children of Kriston and Emma Mary (Sakrison) Luoma; and was educated in Rawlins. She then went to the Beauty School of Cosmetology in Laramie; and moved with her family to Casper in 1943.

After moving to Worland in 1946, she met Harold Swanson. The couple was married April 5, 1954, in Lander.

She returned to Casper in 1955 and was an instructor at Hall's Beauty School for 1.5 years. They then moved to Junction City, where her husband completed his career in the U.S. Army.

Survivors include her sister, Elsie Osborne of Casper; brother, Issac Luoma of Loup City, Neb.; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband on Nov. 14, 1998, after 44 years of marriage.

Memorials may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.


Courtesy of Casper Star Tribune - Trib.com