Sandra Kay O’Neal was born on February 16, 1946 to Walter and Anna Mae (Jensen) Scheef.  She grew up on a farm southwest of Gretna with her two sisters.  She graduated from Gretna High School in 1964 and married her high school sweetheart Melvin (Duane) O’Neal on July 11th the same year.  Sandy and Duane made their home in Gretna and raised their family. Sandy always felt she had the perfect family because she had a boy and a girl.  Sandy worked several places including ESU 3, World Homes, Gretna Public Schools as a bus driver, while finally retiring from the Aksarben Aquarium.

As a couple, Sandy and Duane were always together.  They loved country dancing and made many good friends this way.  Sandy spent many hours in her sewing room creating everything from Halloween and Kiddie Parade costumes to wedding dresses.  She was famous for her pillowcases, quilts, and blankets.  The couple never missed their grandchildren’s events, often being the first ones to arrive and saving seats for the rest of the family. Sandy had a green thumb.  She loved being outside in the yard tending to thousands of perennials and flowers. She was best known for her colorful tulips each spring.

Sandy loved horses.  She was an avid collector of Breyer Horses and enjoyed the hunt at antique malls, garage sales, and flea markets. The life-sized fiberglass horses that adorned their yard were a favorite stop for neighbors and caught the eye of many passing by. Sandy played volleyball in high school and beyond.  She became one of the Lady Huskers Volleyball’s biggest fans.  If she couldn’t find the game on tv, she listened to it on the radio. One of her favorite life events was attending the NCAA Championships in 2015 when NU won it all.

Sandy loved to travel, Colorado being a favorite destination.  One of her most memorable experiences was traveling through Alaska with Duane.

Sandy was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis.  She battled this disease with tremendous strength and grace.

Sandy is preceded in death by her parents Walt and Ann Scheef, husband Duane, and brother-in-law Robert Pike.  She is survived by her children, daughter Lori (Scott) Wagner, and son Lee (Lisa) O’Neal, grandchildren Amber (Greyson) Dworshak, Jake, Jordan, and Kolton O’Neal, Reid (Jamie) Wagner, Jack and Sydney Wagner, great-grandchildren Paxton and Leland Dworshak, sisters Janet Pike and Sally (Les) Hileman, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Visitation: Thursday Aug. 20, 2020 12:30 pm with Funeral Service at 2:00 pm at Roeder Mortuary.

Roeder Mortuary 11710 Standing Stone, Gretna, NE 68028 402-332-0090

Memorials to The Gretna Public Schools Foundation or The Gretna Fire Department.

Fred Dixon was born to the union of Tom and Susie Dixon (Moore) on May 21, 1935 in Starkville, Mississippi. He was the ninth of eleven children, affectionately called “Man” which was pronounced MANE. His large family was enveloped by love, cultured by their parents’ ambition to raise them in the fear of God. Born to a sharecropper, he and his siblings learned the importance of hard work, and the value of it was not a waisted commodity, serving to instill a work ethic that would later benefit his own family. Fred’s parents encountered difficulty, dictating the need for them to leave Starkville, Mississippi in search of better opportunities. They would eventually move their family to East St Louis, Illinois. This is where Fred began to assert himself as a young man, working and striving to start a life for himself. It is at this time; he would notice a beautiful young lady while cruising with a friend. He stated, “She’s so beautiful, I would marry her tonight.” His persistent nature, a bi-product from the mundane work of farming, worked in his favor. The very next time he saw this young lady, he did not waist time at revealing his intentions in regard to her. Fred and Elleanor Belle Fenderson became one through the bonds of marriage on April 17, 1960, and to their union was added four children. They enjoyed a wonderful love affair with each other until separated by death March 8, 2017. Fred loved learning and was a good student but was unable to complete his schooling while living in the south because of an overwhelming need to support the family. Later on, in life when time permitted, Fred would pick-up where he left off, accomplishing his high school equivalency and going on to attend Grace Bible College of Omaha, NE also studying under the mentorship of Reverend Dr. J. Andrew Thomas. He worked very hard at attaining a better life; while supporting his wife who was also in school and taking care of his family by working multiple jobs. All of the Dixon children can recall riding with Mom to pick Dad up from one full-time job and drop him at a second full-time job. He was adamant about providing for his family and could be quoted saying, “If my children don’t eat, it is because they didn’t want to.” In most things he did, he was calm and gentle in his demeanor but there was something that could get him excited very quickly, which was his love for God and God’s Word. His fervor for God and the Word was strongly supported, encouraged and echoed by his loving wife Elleanor as well as founded in the personal experiences coming up in a home where God’s Spirt was present. He would eventually accept the call of God into service as a Minister of the Gospel in 1968 and in April of 1973, he was ordained an elder in the Church of God in Christ under the leadership of Pastor Vernon Richardson, where he worked tirelessly at teaching, preaching and helping God’s people wherever, even across denominational walls. In May of 1980, he would be called and ordained to pastor the Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church of Omaha, NE; there he would work and love on the people through his love for God and the ministry. He would often be heard saying, “It’s good to do good.” He would later be led by God to organize and in 1993, True Vine Missionary Baptist Church would exist to do the work of discipleship within the framework of the Apostolic work of Jesus Christ, carrying out the mission of loving and leading the halt and hurting to the only place where healing can be accomplished. We can say, he has poured it all out, finishing the work as God would have it, touching many lives without any desire for fame and recognition. Pastor Fred Dixon Sr was proceeded in death by his loving wife Elleanor B, his parents Tom and Susie, his brothers; Willie, Tom, Albert, Aurthur L and Jimmy Lee, his sisters; Gertrude Gatson, Emma Lou King, Lucy Jordan, and Elizabeth Philip. He leaves to cherish his loving memory, his sister Susie Taylor of East St. Louis, IL, his daughters Sybil R, Jacqueline Washington (David), Amanda Houston (Wayne), his son Rev. Fred Dixon Jr (Anissa). His grandsons; Archie R. Oliver Jr (Kimberlynn), Christopher J. Oliver (Kelsey), Malcolm A. McGruder, Matthew McGruder, Solomon I. Washington, Riley E. Dixon, Thomas I. Dixon and Fred J. Dixon, granddaughters; Makaila R. McGruder, Chelsea R. Oliver and Jasmine Ashley (Keenan), great grand-children; Malachi, Micah and Matthias Oliver, Keenan Jr and Jayleece Ashley; special niece/daughter Leslie Dixon-Foley (George) of Florrisant MO, God-son Minister Gerald Saunders of Delaware, a host of nephews, nieces, extended family along with many adopted sons and daughters.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. – John 14:3 Kjv

“And I heard a voice from heaven saying write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. ” Yes, says the spirit they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!”

Revelation 14:13 Kjv

Public viewing Wednesday, August 19th from 12-6 pm Roeder Mortuary 4932 Ames Avenue, Thursday August 20th 9 am viewing 10 am Home Going Celebration, Morning Star Baptist Church 2019 Burdette Street.  Interment: Mt Hope Cemetery.

Age 81 – Preceded in death by her loving husband of 38 years, James V. Melichar and parents, James B. & Dorothy M. Clifford. Laura was loved by all. She was a registered nurse for over 40 years, an avid reader and loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She is survived by her children, Michael (Rosemary), Kathleen (Kevin) Brunt, Mary, Jeanne (Steve) Buta, Mark (Loretta); grandchildren, Jose, Jenny, Sean, Rebecca, Eric, Cory, Brittany, Marcus, Ashley, David, Paul, Joseph, Sarah, Jacqueline, Megan, Clare, Sullivan, Madison, Jordan, Erin, Mariah; 24 great grandchildren; brothers, Tom (Marilyn) and Gerald (Kathy); sisters, Sister Margaret Marie, Mary Ellen, Pat (Rich), Sheila and a host of other loving family and friends. Visitation with family 9:00-10:00 AM with Funeral Mass at 10:00 AM Tuesday ( 8/18/2020 ) at Roeder Mortuary 2727 N. 108th Street, Omaha, Nebraska. Memorials to the American Heart Association or Nebraska Humane Society.

Roeder Mortuary, Inc. – 108th Street Chapel 2727 N 108th St – Omaha, NE – 402-496-9000 www.RoederMortuary.com