John Fries, Jr.

John Fries, Jr. 86, of Scottsbluff, died Tuesday Aug 8, 2006 at the Western Nebraska Veteran’s Home in Scottsbluff. Services will be held at 10:00am Friday, August 11th at Dugan-Kramer Funeral Chapel with Pastor Ed Hunzeker officiating. Interment will be at the Bayard Cemetery. John was born in Lincoln, NE to John Fries, Sr. and Katie (Knaub) Fries on August 25, 1919. He received his early education in Bayard. He was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1941 and was a POW in Germany for 18 months. He married Clara Dienes Koncaba in 1969 and they made their home in the Minatare area where he worked as a farm laborer. During the past three years, he has resided at the WNVH and enjoyed watching his grandsons play baseball. He was a member of the VFW, DAV and the American Legion Post 36. He is survived by his son John Calvin Fries; daughter Penne Claussen; step sons Julius (Jeanette) Koncaba of Gering, Ernie (Joyce) Koncaba and Tony (Beth) Koncaba all of Bayard, Charles Koncaba and Brenda Boettcher both of Hay Springs; brothers Clarence (Elsie) Fries, Harvey (Linda) Fries, Marvin (Delores) Fries, Jack Fries, Larry (Trudi) Fries, Ed (Kate) Fries; sisters Pauline Gillies, Florence Treinen, Dorothy (Jim) Fries, Susan (Jerry) Ross; and numerous grandchildren. His parents, wife Clara, brothers Herman and Victor Fries, and sister Helen Hensel precede him in death