Living

Living married Mary Briseno Mary (daughter of Rosalio Briseno and Maria Aguilera) was born on 8 Jan 1942 in Grand Island, Hall County, Nebraska; died on 2 Apr 2023; was buried in Resurrection Catholic Cemetery, Omaha, Douglas, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Mary was born on January 8, 1942 in Grand Island, Nebraska to Rosalio and Maria Briseno, the 12th of 13 children. Mary was raised in a devout Catholic family; attended Catholic grade school and was a member of St. Mary's Cathedral parish in Grand Island. She enjoyed being part of a large family and was close to her siblings. She received her teaching degree from the College of St. Mary in Omaha, Nebraska. Upon graduating she became a grade school teacher and taught in Del Rio, Texas before returning to Omaha to continue teaching.

A few years after returning to Omaha she met the love of her life, Lonnie, at a party for young Catholic Adults. They got engaged 6 months later and were married on August 9, 1969, at St. John's Catholic Church on Creighton's campus. Mary became a full-time homemaker with the birth of their daughters, Shawn, Joy, and Alicia. They moved around for several years before settling in Omaha in 1976 and became members of St. Gerald's Parish.

Motherhood, Catholicism, and the sanctity of marriage remained the central focus of her life. Mary and Lonnie became a Marriage Encounter presenting couple and gave hundreds of weekend retreats over a span of thirty-seven years. Mary taught her daughters to be good Christians through her example of serving the church and community. She also taught them how to cook, sew and give presentations. The family enjoyed camping and traveling throughout the United States, visiting many national parks and monuments, and also took frequent trips to visit Mary's family in Grand Island.

Mary returned to school to earn a Master of Science degree in Counseling from Creighton University (1990), and reentered the workforce full-time to serve as a licensed mental health and drug and alcohol counselor. Mary worked for Catholic Charities, Operation Bridge, and eventually, Lutheran Family Services. She became an advocate for the Spanish speaking who required her bilingual counseling services, with some clients driving 60 miles to see her. Mary served as a lector and Eucharistic minister for many years and helped to begin a bible study. She also supported Lonnie in his endeavor to become a Deacon of the Catholic Church, a sacrament they were called to as a couple in 1989. In 2012, Lonnie and Mary opened a private counseling practice that they owned for 12 years. She retired from counseling in 2020.

Mary and Lonnie enjoyed celebrating their marriage and had several memorable anniversary parties. She cherished spending time with her family and taking trips with Lonnie to visit friends, their daughter in Portland, or to vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Her favorite pastime was shopping, but she loved watching the College World Series, television crime dramas, and the news; visiting with friends at book club, prayer club or Bunco; she enjoyed puzzles and she played a cutthroat game of UNO and Sequence.

Her ultimate goal was to live a life that would earn her admission into Heaven. Mary passed peacefully on Palm Sunday, April 2, 2023. She is survived by her loving husband of 53 years, Lonnie Dinneen, her three daughters and their husbands, and nine grandchildren. Shawn (Mike)
Reynolds (Jenna, Katie, Lainey, and Henry), Joy (Chris) Trimble (Brayden and Kylie), and Alicia (Jason) Julian (Ella, Olivia, and Cora).

Rest in Peace Mary! God Bless You! We love you!

(Bethany Funeral Home, Courtesy of Dennis Belohlavy)

Notes:

Farmed between Milligan and Exeter on land originally purchased by Irma's father, Frank R. Soukup.

James Robert Dinneen was a descendant of Morris William "Bill" Dinneen, one of the early residents of Milligan, an astute businessman who became bilingual, a Czech-speaking Irishman. Morris William Dinneen married Mary Ann Tracy at St. Stephens Catholic Church in Exeter on April 30, 1889. He was twice elected sheriff of Fillmore County. Morris and Mary Ann Dinneen had four children; Cecelia, Leo who married Carmen Hill, Veronica and Mary Ellen. (Milligan, pp. 258-259).

James married Irma Evelyn Soukup on 17 May 1938. Irma (daughter of Frank R. Soukup and Mary Svec) was born on 21 Mar 1917 in Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska; died on 24 Apr 2002 in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(Irma) attended Milligan High School, graduating with the class of 1934 as valedictorian. She taught in rural schools for three years after graduation. In 1937 her parents bought a filling station and beer joint in Crete. Irma helped her father there for a short time, then moved to Lincoln where she was employed at Golds. (Milligan, p 259)

Rosalio married Maria Aguilera on 6 Aug 1921 in Grand Island, Hall County, Nebraska. Maria was born on 7 Oct 1899 in Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico; died on 11 May 1967 in Grand Island, Hall County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Grand Island (Nebraska) Independent Saturday, May 13, 1967

Mrs. Rosalio (Maria) Briseno, 67, of 221 North Vine died Thursday at her home. Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in St. Mary's Cathedral with a requiem mass. Burial will be in the Grand Island Cemetery. (Further funeral arrangements omitted here)

Mrs. Briseno was born Oct 7, 1899, at Silao, Qot (Gto?), Mexico. When she was 19, the family moved to El Paso, Texas, and came to Grand Island a year later. Mr. and Mrs. Briseno married in 1921 in Grand Island and have made their only home here. She belonged to St. Mary's Cathedral Parish and was affiliated with its Altar Society.

She is survived by her husband; four sons, Rudolph of Wayne, Mich., and Tom, John and Robert of Grand Island; five daughters, Juanita and Mary Ellen of Omaha, Basiliza of Washington, D.C., and Frances and Mrs. Tom Jensen of Grand Island; 16 grandchildren and one great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Sgt. Rosalio Briseno, Jr., who was killed in World War II; three infant children and three sisters.

Notes:

In the book HISTORY OF MILLIGAN NEBRASKA 1888-1988 it is noted that

"...moved to Junction City, Oklahoma, where they homesteaded and in 1909 returned to Milligan where they farmed for a number of years. F.R. managed different businesses during his lifetime among them being manager of the Jicha Central Hall and tavern. After Joseph Jica Sr. passed away, R. R. and Edward Janousek managed the place together for sometime. He also worked in the Herman Stastny tavern.

In 1921, he moved from the farm southwest of Milligan and purchased Alois Petracek dry goods and grocery store, which he and his wife managed. Later he sold the store.

After the Farmer's Co-operative Company was organized, F.R. Soukup and his son, Frank, were among some of the employees. At the second annual stockholders meeting, a livestock shippers association was organized and F.R was hired to take charge of this new association. At one time the Farmers Co-op Elevator shipped livestock to market for the owner. F.R. was in charge of the livestock department. F.R. and Edward Cudly also managed the Farmer Co-op at one time."

According to his application for a Social Security Number, Frank was employed by Stastny & Vasina in MIlligan in 1940. His SS-5 also indicated that his Middle Initial, R, was just that. He did not have an actual middle name. SSN 507-18-6921.

Member of the Z.C.J.B. Lodge #76 Svatopluk Czeck

(Medical):Hypertensive cardiovascular disease

Frank married Mary Svec on 28 Nov 1899 in Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Mary (daughter of Vaclav "James" Svec and Marie "Mary" Suda) was born on 10 Mar 1879 in Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska; died on 5 Sep 1967 in Crete, Saline County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Last name may have been SEVZ.

Member of the Royal Neighbors' Lodge.

Notes:

Married:
"Married at St. Wenceslaus Church in Milligan. They observed their 50th Wedding Anniversary on Thursday, November 24, 1949 in Milligan Auditorium and their 60th at their home November 28, 1959. Their attendants, Joe Soukup Sr of Swanton, Albert Kassik Sr and Mr. and Mrs. Jim Suda, were able to be present for their 50th."