A transcription of pages 195-469,
Family Histories from the Verdigre Centennial Book
Thanks to the Verdigre Library and its volunteers for making this available.
 
The index below only includes the husband and wife for each family.
The maiden name for the wife is used if listed.
For other names, use the search on the Home Page.

Index's A-I, J-P, & Q-Z

EDWIN UHLIR FAMILY

Edwin Uhlir, eldest son of Richard and Josephine (Houzvicka) Uhlir, was born September 15, 1916, in Verdigre. He had four sisters and two brothers, namely: Mrs. Fred (Evelyn) Koch of Omaha (deceased), Mrs. Otto (Ethel) Jedlicka of Verdigre, Mrs. Wayne (Betty) Christensen of Lynch, Ervin Uhlir (deceased), Mrs. Frank (Hazel) Devine of Hastings, and Robert Uhlir of Vacaville, California.

Edwin grew up on a farm southeast of Niobrara and attended District No. 6 school. His teachers were Frank Somer and Irene Holan. He attended ninth grade in Verdigre while staying with his uncle, Charlie Houzvicka. The last three years were in Niobrara where he graduated with the class of 1935.

Edwin belonged to the Niobrara Sokols for three years during his high school days. After graduation he helped his father on the farm and during the summer worked in the grain fields in South Dakota. In the fall he picked corn around Ponca, Nebraska, to make extra money.

In June of 1941 he enlisted in the army for one year but as the war broke out in December he spent almost four years in the service. He took basic training in Camp Roberts, California, for three months, then went into the 40th Division of Co. A. 185th Infantry. In August of 1942 he was sent overseas to the Hawaiian Islands as a first gunner on the Browning Automatic team. He spent almost two years there and was then sent to Guadal Canal to relieve the Marines. From there he went to new Britain Island to relieve the third Marines and this is where he contracted malaria. The latter part of ‘44 he was sent to the Admiralty Island and then to the invasion of the Philippines. He spent 33 days on the LST. By now he was suffering from battle fatigue and it was between he and another G. I. to be sent home, so they flipped a coin. He told the other guy to call it and Edwin won. He arrived in the states on April 28 and found out later that the G. I. who he flipped the coin with didn’t make it home alive. He was discharged the 12th of June, 1945.

[pg 433 photo The Edwin Uhlir family - back from left: Vicki, Rick, Pam, Troy, Tony; front: Tom, Todd, Dorothy and Edwin Uhlir, and Tyrone]

Edwin continued to farm, having bought the former Rosie Divis farm, but retired to move closer to his family.

On September 26, 1948, he was united in marriage to the former Dorothy Gast of Plainview. To this union were born three children: Richard (Dick), David who was stillborn, and Pamela. Rick is married to the former Vicki Green, daughter of Margaret Green of Niobrara and the late Earl Green. They are the parents of five boys. Rick works for the Madison Pork Plant and Vicki is manager of Burger King in Norfolk. Pam is a R. N. and is assistant director of nursing at the hospital in Kearney, Nebraska.

Edwin and his wife were members of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Verdigre where his wife was organist for 37 years. She was also president of the Lutheran Ladies Aid and the Co-op organization in Verdigre. She was president of the V. F. W. Auxiliary in Niobrara. Edwin was a member of the American legion in Verdigre and a life member of the Niobrara V. F. W.

Edwin and Dorothy moved to Battle Creek in 1986.

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