Benjamin C Boell

Celebration of Life Services for Benjamin C. Boell will be on Monday, May 2, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska with Reverend Jeff Adams officiating. Interment will follow at the Prairie Home Cemetery in Holdrege, with Military Honors provided by Martin-Horn American Legion Post #66 in conjunction with the Offutt Air Force Base Military Funeral Honors Team.

Benjamin "Ben" Clarence Boell, 90 years of age, of Kearney, Nebraska, formerly of Holdrege, passed away on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at St. John's - Good Samaritan Society Home in Kearney. He was born October 19, 1925 in rural Jefferson County, Nebraska near Fairbury, Nebraska, the elder of two children born to Benjamin W. and Adaline Catherine (Messing) Boell.  He received his education from Fairbury Public Schools, graduating with the class of 1942. He pursued higher education from the National Radio Institute in the greater Kansas City area, graduating in 1947.

Following his education, Ben enlisted into the United States Air Corp on January 29, 1944. He served as an Aerial Gunner during WWII, flying a B-17 Bomber in England.  The medals he received include:  the Good Conduct Medal, the Air Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters, the WWII Victory Medal, the American Theater Campaign Medal, and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Two Bronze Stars. He was honorably discharged as a Sergeant on November 15, 1945.

On August 14, 1948, he was united in marriage to Dixie L. Cameron in Fairbury, Nebraska, and the couple was blessed with a son, Douglas. The family made their home in Holdrege, where Ben was employed for 15 years at the Channel 13 TV Station as an Engineer. He was later employed at Becton Dickinson for over 20 years as an Electronic Technician until his retirement in 1987. Ben made his home in Holdrege until his health began to fail in 2014 and he then began to reside at St. John's – Good Samaritan Society.

Ben was a member of the United Methodist Church in Holdrege and served 20 years on the Board of Directors for the Phelps County Historical Society at the Nebraska Prairie Museum. He had a passion for Genealogy and used his research skills in the Genealogy Library, publishing two books. He was an avid Ham Radio operator, loved gardening and fishing and enjoyed traveling with Dixie. But his greatest joy was spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Besides his parents; he was preceded in death by his sister, Edith Hall; grandson-in-law; niece and grand-niece.

Ben leaves to celebrate his life; his loving wife of 68 years, Dixie of Kearney; son, Doug Boell and his wife, Robin of Kearney; two granddaughters: Stacey Wendell and her husband, Mike of Bertrand, Nebraska and Michelle Garth and her husband, Tim of Denton, Texas; five great-grandchildren: Kaylee, Landon and Addison Andersen, and Peyton and Olivia Wendell; sister-in-law, Betty Loyd and her husband, Ivan of Bella Vista, Arkansas; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the services on Monday, May 2, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Ben's honor and kindly suggested to the Nebraska Prairie Museum or to the Donor's Choice in memory of Ben.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com .

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.