MELVIN JOSEPH BOOK, 94, of Earling, died Thursday, July 6th, at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan. A Mass of Christian Burial for MELVIN BOOK will be held 10:30-a.m. Monday, July 10th, at St. Mary/Our Lady of Fatima Church, in Portsmouth. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan has the arrangements.

Visitation at St. Mary’s will be from 5-until 8-p.m. Sunday, July 9th, with a Rosary at 7-p.m.

Burial will be in the St. Mary’s Cemetery at Portsmouth.

MELVIN BOOK is survived by:

His wife – Bernice [Stessman] Book, of Earling.

His 10 sons – Gary (Jane) Book, of Manson; Terry (Joyce) Book, of Plattsmouth, NE; Denny (Dianne) Book, of Walnut; Joe (Cheryl) Book, of Woodbine; Bob (Sharon Stessman) Book, of Portsmouth; Randy Book, of Omaha; Jim (Colleen) Book, of Battle Mountain, NV; Tom (Carol) Gaul, of McCausland, IA; Rick (Marietta) Gaul, of Earling, and Jeff (Mary) Gaul, of Council Bluffs.

His 6 daughters – Mary Jo (Mark) Schraeder, of Olathe, KS; Becky Remington, of Lincoln, NE; Gloria (Jack) Kenkel, of Earling; Alice (David) Snell, of Blandinsville, IL; Janet (Phil) Blum, of Earling; and Diane (Dave) Weis, of Omaha.

His sister – Eileen Bohon, of Roswell, NM.

His brothers – Donald (Nel) Book, of Spokane, WA.; Duane (Lois) Book, of Ft. Lupton, CO., and Walter Book, of Phoenix, AZ.

44 grandchildren and 45 great-grandchildren.

GORDON B. RITTER, 77, of Harlan, died Thursday, July 6th, at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan. A Mass of Christian Burial for GORDON RITTER will be held 10:30-a.m. Tue., July 11th, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Harlan. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan has the arrangements.

The family will greet friends at the funeral home on Monday, July 10th, from 5-until 7-p.m., with a Wake service at 7-p.m.

Burial will be in the Harlan Cemetery.

GORDON RITTER is survived by:

His wife – Joan “Jo” Ellen Hinkley, of Harlan.

His sons – Mark (Peter LaSalle) Ritter, of Santa Rosa, CA; Dan Ritter, of Mitchell, SD; Chuck (Michelle) Ritter, of Seattle, WA., and Michael (Shelly) Ritter, of San Diego, CA.

His daughters – Anne (Todd) Mack, of LaVista, NE.; Laura (Joe) Petsche, and Michelle Ritter, all of Harlan.

His sister – Delores (Don) Mullenbach, of Chanhassen, MN.

11 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.