Veteran emblem with notation Army, WWI stamped on library card

Death date taken from tombstone in Blair cemetery

Printed in a Blair, Nebraska newspaper dated Feb. 4, 1960

Ernest Spraker, 72, Dies At G.I.

Ernest Spraker, former resident of the Kennard area and well-known throughout the county for his interest in affairs of Veterans of W.W. 1, died at the Soldier’s Home at Grand Island Tuesday. He was 72 years of age.

Mr. Spraker was born June 10, 1887 at Hardy, Nebraska, but moved to Kennard many years ago with his family. His father was employed by the railroad and his work was out of Kennard. Both parents are deceased.

He is survived by one sister, Mrs. Edna Binton, of Kimball, Nebraska. He was never married.

Funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the Campbell Mortuary in Blair with burial in the Blair Cemetery.

#2 Printed in the April 19, 1921 Enterprise, Blair, Nebraska

Ernest Spraker is the proud possessor of a Victory medal which he received Monday from the government for his services during the recent World War. The medal is of bronze on a vari-colored ribbon attached to a bar pin. The figure of "Victory" is on the face of the medal, while the reverse bears the U.S. shield, six stars, the names of the allied nations and the words "The Great War for Civilization". There are six bars on the ribbon, one for each battle in which he participated, and he is entitled to wear a silver citation star with his badge as soon as Uncle Sam can send these stars out. Only one other Kennard boy, Frank Denton, is entitled to wear more bars than Mr. Spraker, he having been in France a year before Mr. Spraker went overseas. The medals are something to be proud of and those deserving them should apply for them in years to come, for they will tell of the work so bravely done for civilization--Kennard, Nebraska News. Ernest Spraker passed away in 1960

FindaGrave memorial # 119274466

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~