Services for Joseph James Gutschow, age 68, who died March 4, 1993, at his home north of Blair, were Saturday, March 6, at the St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church. Rosary services were held at 6:30 p.m. Friday evening by the Knights of Columbus and 7:30 p.m. by Rev. Hugh Schwartz. Burial was in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Blair.

Joseph James Gutschow was born April 15, 1924, to Walter F. and Verna Jensen Gutschow. He grew up in the Blair area, graduating from Blair High in 1941. He attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln for 1 ½ years before entering the Navy during World War II.

He served on the USS Thatcher during the war and at the time of his death was president of the USS Thatcher Reunion Association. After being discharged in 1946, he returned to the University graduating in 1948.

He was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity at the University.

While in school he married Shirley Young on August 25, 1947, at Blair, Nebraska. In 1950, they moved to a farm north of Blair, where they still resided at the time of his death.

Joseph was a 46 year continuous member of the Blair American Legion, member of the 40 et 8, Blair V.F.W., Knights of Columbus and St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church.

Surviving him are his wife, Shirley; two daughters and sons-in-law, Mary and C. Charles Moller of Spokane, Washington, and Amy and Chad Luza of Omaha; four sons and three daughters-in-law, Joseph, Jr. of Blair; John and Jane of Green Bay, Wisconsin; James and Pamela of Kansas City, Missouri, and Mark and Bonnie of Blair; 12 grandchildren; brother, Walter of Lawrenceville, New Jersey; sister Marylis Teves of Houston, Texas, and his mother-in-law, Florence Young, of Blair.

Memorials may be directed to St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church.

Campbell-Aman Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

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

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