Ferris Roy Furtney, 89

Ferris Roy Furtney, 89, of Austin, died Monday, Aug. 5, 2002, at St. Mary's Hospital, Rochester.

He was born Sept. 8, 1912, to Roy Luke and Dana (Waterman) Furtney in Austin.

He graduated from Austin High School in 1932 and began working at Geo. A. Hormel & Company. He started the photographic department, now audio-visual department and worked there for 44 years, retiring in 1975.

On Aug. 31, 1935, he married Marguerite Peterson at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin.

Ferris was a member of the Masonic Lodge, Shriners, Shriners Oriental Band, 50-year member of Kiwanis and the oldest member of First United Methodist Church.

He loved traveling in his motor home, fishing, camping, cooking, gardening and boating. He was a member of the Austin Boating Club.

Survivors include wife, Marguerite, Austin; sons, Roy (Susie) Furtney, Austin; David (Sandy) Furtney, Kenosha, Wis.; daughter, Shauna (Michael) Brignac, Worthington; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; 17 great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Dana Pyburn; two brothers, Roy and Dan Furtney.

Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m., today, Aug. 7, 2002, at the funeral home.

Service: 1:30 p.m. memorial service, Thursday, at First United Methodist Church in Austin with the Rev. Patricia Toschak officiating.

Funeral Home: Worlein Funeral Home, Austin.

Thomas "Tom" C. Ekle, 51

Thomas "Tom" C. Ekle, born May 30, 1951, in Lyle, Minn., passed away Aug. 4, 2002. He is survived by his wife, K. Jeanne (Stanley); his daughters, Kristine and Lara; and sons, Ryan and Dillon, all of Colorado Springs; his parents, Charles and Carol (Oleson) Ekle of Lyle, Minn.; brother, Ted Ekle of Springfield, Ill.; and sister Paula Johnson of Brillion, Wis.; and several nieces and nephews.

Tom graduated valedictorian from Lyle High School and attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He was married in January 1970 to Cheryl DeBoer of Lyle, Minn. After graduating summa cum laude with degrees in Economics and Accounting, Tom obtained his CPA and worked for Arthur Andersen in Chicago, Ill., then Dayton Hudson in Minneapolis, Minn.

In 1980, Tom and his family moved to Colorado Springs where he worked as assistant controller for AMI Industries. He worked his way up to CFO and, along with Jim McDougald (president) and Ed Osborne (vice president of engineering), became an owner of AMI in 1987. While at AMI Tom served on the Board of Junior Achievement and served on the vestry at St. Michael's. One of the many blessings of Tom's time at AMI was meeting and marrying Jeanne in October 1985. Jeanne and Tom would have celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary this year.

Tom resigned from AMI in 1998 and enjoyed four wonderful years of retirement. In addition to skiing, hiking, rafting, motorcycling and spending time with his family, he was treasurer at St. Michael's and secretary of his Bible Study Fellowship Men's Class. Bible study strongly renewed his faith in Christ and family.

Funeral services will be held at the Church of St. Michael the Archangel at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 9, with a luncheon following the memorial service. In lieu of flowers, memory contributions may be made to St. Michael's Episcopal Church, 7400 Tudor Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80919.

Oliver J. Nasby, Jr., 78

Major Oliver J. "Snapper" Nasby retired, U.S.A.F., age 78, of Liberty, Ill., died on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2002, at 10:11 p.m. near Adams, Ill.

He was born June 21, 1924, in Estherville, Iowa, the son of Oliver J. and Myrtle (Sether) Nasby, Sr. He lived with his parents in Austin, Minn., where he spent his early years.

He married Darlene Reich on Feb. 21, 1954, in Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church, and she survives.

During World War II, Snapper flew in 30 missions over Germany. He was a Tail Gunner and flew B-17. His group of bombers was the first to fly over Berlin in the daylight. Following the war, he graduated from Austin Junior College and attended St. Olaf's College, both in Minnesota. He then went to Officers Training School for his pilots training. He re-enlisted and was a bomber pilot during the Korean War during which he participated in 30 missions and in the first non-stop jet crossing over the Pacific in August of 1952. In 1951, his aircraft was required to make an emergency landing at Baldwin Field, and it was here that he met Darlene Reich whom he married three years later. Snapper's awards and decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with an Oak Leaf, Air Medal with a Silver Leaf, European Theater Operation Ribbon with two stars for Air Offensive and D-Day, and a Korean Service Medal with a U.N. Ribbon. He retired as a Major from the U.S. Air Force Nov. 30, 1966.

As a civilian, he worked for many years in the Service Department at Quincy Compressor and, until the time of his death, worked part-time at Wood Mart.

He was a member of Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church, where he was church treasurer for years.

Snapper was a great conversationalist and a master storyteller. His joys were his family and visiting with people. He and his wife enjoyed traveling.

In addition to his wife, Darlene, survivors also include two sons, Joel Oliver Nasby of Minocqua, Wis. and Eric Charles Nasby and his wife, Eve, of San Diego, Calif.; a daughter, Carla Cathryn O'Neil and her husband, Sean, of Silt, Colo.; a sister, Blanche "Toots" Furtney of Escondido, Calif.; three grandsons, Erik Joel Nasby and Trevor James Nasby, both of Minocqua, Wis., and Connor Patrick O'Neil of Silt, Colo.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, Aug. 9, 2002, at 1 p.m. in the Duker & Haugh Funeral Home, 823 Broadway, Quincy, Ill.

Visitation will be Thursday evening from 4 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the American Air Museum in Duxford, England.