Roy O. Alber January 5, 1917 to July 11, 2917

Hastings resident, Roy O. Alber, 100, passed away Tuesday, July 11, 2017, at The Homestead, Hastings, Nebraska.

Services will be Saturday, July 15, 2017; 10:00 A.M. at Faith Lutheran Church, Hastings with Pastor Paul Dunbar and Pastor Josh Davis officiating.  Burial with military rites by A.L. Shirley Post 176 of Blue Hill will be Saturday, July 15, 2017; 1:30 P.M. in Blue Hill Cemetery, Blue Hill.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Faith Lutheran Church, Hastings, Trinity Lutheran Church, Blue Hill, Calvary Lutheran Church, Rosemont, Blue Hill American Legion or Henry & Mary Alber Scholarship at Blue Hill High School.  Visitation will be Friday, July 14, 2017; 1:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. with the family present 5:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. at Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home in Hastings, and one hour prior to service at the church.  

Roy was born on January 5, 1917, to Adam and Celia (Zeigler) Alber on a farm north of Guide Rock, Nebraska.  He was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church, north of Guide Rock on May 15, 1921, and confirmed May 24, 1930.  Roy served his country proudly during World War II with the U.S. Army from September 11, 1941, until August 3, 1945.  Eighteen months of his service (June 1943 – December 1944) was in the Aleutian Islands on the Island of Attu.

On May 25, 1947, Roy married Dorothy E. Himmelberg at Zion Lutheran Church in Hastings, Nebraska.  They lived and farmed south of Rosemont for 37 years, raising four children.  They moved to Hastings in 1984 but he continued to help on the farm for many years.  Roy and Dorothy enjoyed many years of square dancing. Their love of dancing and travel took them many wonderful places. Roy also participated in an Honor Flight to Washington DC, where he was able to visit the World War II Memorial.  Roy enjoyed spending time with family, farming and his card club.  He served on various church boards at Calvary Lutheran Church in Rosemont and Trinity Lutheran Church in Blue Hill.  He also served on the South Central Public Power Board of Directors for 11 years. He was also a School Board member and served on the Blue Hill Rural Fire and Co-Op boards.  He was a 70-year member of the Blue Hill American Legion.

Roy was preceded in death by his parents, Adam and Celia and 14 brothers and sisters; Cora Benker (Ludwig), Paul Alber (Emma), Mary Alber in infancy, William Alber (Marie), Elizabeth Bangert (Fred), Jennie Alber in infancy, Henry Alber (Mary), Rose Bangert (Theodore), Adolph Alber (Hilda), Pearl Mahnke (Frank)-Dalton (Fred)-Thompson (Claud), Earl Alber in infancy and three other siblings in infancy, also numerous nieces and nephews. 

Survivors include his spouse of 70 years, Dorothy; two daughters, LaDonna Baker (Bill) of Grand Island and Sheryl (Sheri) Gilbert (Steve) of Norfolk; two sons, Roger Alber (Marilyn) and Duane Alber (Arlene) both of Blue Hill.  Eleven grandchildren, Renae Baker (Dr. Scott Alexander) of Flower Mound, TX.  Dr. Tammy Dann (Dr. Adam) of Huntington, WV, Stephanie Rittershaus (Michael) of Gretna, Sabrina Beck (Jon) of Omaha, Sommer Moore (Rob) of Norfolk, Leslie Frazier (Spencer) of Milford, Bret Alber and Jenna Sutterfield (Erik) of Lincoln, Kevin Alber of Derby, KS, Tara Waddell (Graham) of Springfield and Tessa Alber of Lincoln.  Sixteen Great-Grandchildren, Madeline, Elsa, Hazel and Ada Dann, Benjamin and Beau Dostal, (father, Russ Dostal) Joelle and Calista Rittershaus, Zach, Luke, Charlie and Will Beck, Gabriella and Elizabeth Moore, Sadie and Gavin Roy Frazier. 

Blue Hill man accused of Rustling has plead not guilty.

Court records say 26-year-old Austin Petr entered the plea last week in Webster County where’s he is charged with cattle theft. His next court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 7. Authorities say Petr tried to sell calves Jan. 13 at a Clay County sale barn that had been stolen earlier that day from the property of Alan Johnson in Webster County. 

Petr’s charged in Clay County with seven counts of prohibited sale of livestock.

Petr's preliminary hearing in that case is scheduled for Aug. 1.

Cattle rustlers steal cattle in Webster County

 A rural Blue Hill man faces felony charges in Webster and Clay counties in connection with an alleged cattle rustling incident in January.

An arrest warrant for Austin A. Petr, 26, was issued April 21.  He faces felony charges in both Webster and Clay counties in connection with cattle rustling charges  Petr posted a $100,000 surety bond and was released from custody.  He was bound over to Webster County District Court on one count of felony theft by taking, value exceeding $5,000.

June 15 he is scheduled to be arraigned on that charge at 11:15 a.m. June 15 at the courthouse in Red Cloud.

Petr also stands charged with seven counts of prohibited sale of livestock in Clay County. He is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on those charges in Clay County Court at 11 a.m. June 13.

The theft by taking charge from Webster County is a Class 2A felony punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment. The prohibited sale of livestock charges all are Class 3 felonies punishable by up to four years’ imprisonment, up to two years’ supervised release and a fine of up to $25,000.

The charges against Petr relate to the disappearance of feeder calves belonging to Alan Johnson of Blue Hill from a location along Road 1600 one-half mile south of Road U in Webster County. The calves were reported missing the morning of Jan. 13, and Johnson told authorities they had been taken overnight.

A commercial trucker loaded all 70 head of cattle at Petr's yard the morning of the 12th. he delivered them to the Sutton livestock barn where Petr had consigned 70 head of feeder cattle for sale

Authorities allowed Petr to sell the animals carrying his brand but not the others. Authorities  then worked with a local veterinarian to collect hair samples from the held animals.

When DNA from the calves’ hair later was matched against blood samples from cows in Johnson’s herd which authorities determined provided evidence that those 27 of the30 calves had come from Johnson’s herd.

 March 17 with a search warrant for Petr’s farm officers  seized items including cellular and electronic devices, email and social media accounts, and a livestock trailer parked there.