From the North Platte Telegraph of March 2, 2007: Nettie Sarah Barnum, 90, of Curtis passed away Feb. 28, 2007, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte.
She was born Nov. 30, 1916, in Logan County to Ora and Myrtise Bechtel Hodges. She grew up in Logan County and graduated from Logan County High School in 1934. On June 25, 1936, she married Lewis "Jim" Barnum in North Platte. The couple lived 37 years in Maxwell, spending most of those years operating their dairy farm. They then moved to Curtis.
Nettie was a member of the Maxwell Gun Club, serving as secretary and treasurer for many years. She liked to read and enjoyed her gardening, flowers, sewing and doing fancy work. Nettie enjoyed the Hodges family reunions and get-togethers. She was a homemaker and Jim's "right-hand man." Family meant everything to her. She was a wonderful grandma, always there to read, talk, listen, cook, bake, play, cry and especially love.
Nettie taught school for four years and worked at Cozad and North Platte Gun Clubs for many years. Osteoporosis and arthritis took a toll on Nettie the last several years slowing her down, not always letting her accomplish the things she loved to do. However, she always found ways to show her love for her family.
Survivors include her husband, Lewis "Jim" of Curtis; three daughters, Lois Konruff of Oshkosh, Dorine (Ray) Rasmussen of Walnut, Iowa, and Marsha (Jim) Gardner of Curtis; a son, Kenton (Dee) of Brady; two sisters, Juanita Kramer of Stapleton and Arleta (Stanley) Engleman of Kearney; grandchildren, Dan (Vicky) Konruff, Gerald (Paula) Konruff, Jim Konruff, Chris (Kristen) Konruff, Steve (Janice) Kraft, Denny (Jeanie) Kraft, Randy (Jan) Kraft, Terrilyn Kraft, Lonnie (Skisha) Kraft, Ron (Sue) Rasmussen, Sheri (Dave) Williams, Carla Rasmussen, Marty (Jackie) Rasmussen, Matt (Mary) Barnum, Tammy (Tom) Alves, Trever (Brooke) Nelson, Mandy Gardner and Jason Gardner; 41 great-grandchildren; and 13 great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ora and Myrtise Hodges; a daughter, Marilyn Kraft; a son-in-law, Pete Kraft; an infant great-grandson, Christopher Konruff; an infant brother; a brother, Oscar Hodges; two sisters, Alice Chesley and Bonnie Sturtz; a sister-in-law, Lois Hodges; and three brothers-in-law, Honk Kramer, Everette Chesley and Jim Sturtz.