Claire "Dick" Dyas

Funeral Services for Claire R. "Dick" Dyas will be conducted from the United Methodist Church at Oxford, Nebraska on Friday, October 21, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. with Reverend Eldon E. Fablinger, officiating. Interment will be in the Oxford Cemetery with military honors provided by the Oxford American Legion Post #219 in conjunction with the United States Army National Guard Military Honors Team.

Claire Richard "Dick" Dyas, 90 years of age, of Oxford, passed away on Monday, October 17, 2011 at Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege following a brief illness. He was born on May 7, 1921 on the family farm east of Mascot in Harlan County, Nebraska, the eldest of three children born to Elwin W. and Mary Emma (Tanner) Dyas. He was raised in the Mascot area, where he received his education and graduated from Mascot High School with the class of 1939. He then pursued higher education at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, where he received his Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering.

In 1944, Dick was united in marriage to Eola Haschenburger of Dunbar, Nebraska. He was preceded in death by his wife, Eola. Dick served his country in the United States Army in Korea until 1962. He was stationed in Georgia, Missouri, and North Dakota until 1966, when he was assigned to duty in Thailand. In 1968 he was assigned to Vietnam as an advisor to a Vietnamese Engineering Unit engaged in road construction. Dick was then reassigned to Fort Riley Kansas in 1969 and retired from the Army in 1970.

He then returned to Lincoln, Nebraska, where he was active in the Masonic Lodge, the Shriners and the Eastern Star. Following a few years in Lincoln, he then made his home in Holdrege before settling to Oxford.
After his return, he was united in marriage to a high school classmate, Lavona (David) Booe. In 1985 he was preceded in death by Lavona.

On November 28, 1986 he was united in marriage to Marjorie G. (Broeker) Brown. The couple made their home in Oxford. They enjoyed camping and going to Ham Radio and genealogy events. They spent the next 18 winters in Arizona, where they made many friends. He was preceded in death by Marjorie on July 20, 2009.

Besides his wives and his parents, Dick was preceded in death by one brother and one sister.

Dick leaves to mourn his passing two nephews: Jim Dyas of Winchester, California, Tom Dyas of Tucumcari, New Mexico; one niece, Mary Madry of Phoenix, Arizona; four step-children: Mary Ellen Best of Oxford, Gary Brown of Oxford, Leroy Brown and his wife, Lynette of Oxford, and Kent Brown and his wife, Linda of Axtell, Nebraska; one step daughter-in-law, Dorene Brown of Beaver City, Nebraska; 17 step-grandchildren; and a host of step-great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 20, 2011 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Mitchell-Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Oxford.

A memorial has been established in his memory and will be designated at a later date.

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

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