Darrell Dean Yentes

Funeral Services for Darrell D. Yentes will be held on Wednesday, May 6, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska with Pastors Melva Tranmer and Dan Jensen officiating. Burial will follow at the Greenwood Cemetery, northeast of Lexington, Nebraska.

Retired educator, Darrell Yentes died Friday, May 1, 2015 at age 90, following surgery at Bryan Memorial Hospital East in Lincoln, NE.

Darrell is survived by his beloved wife, Joan, and loving sons: Kirk (and wife, Samona) of Des Moines, IA., and Steve (and wife, Dyanne) of Sheridan, WY.

Darrell was Holdrege High School Principal when he retired in 1989. Education, administration, and coaching were his life's work; breeding, raising, and training pointing dogs and hunting upland game with them was his passion.

Darrell was born to Melissa and Ernest Yentes Jan. 21, 1925 near Eddyville, NE. He graduated from Eddyville High School in 1942 and attended Kearney State Teachers College for one year. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1944 and received an honorable discharge in 1946.

After discharge from the Army, Darrell returned to Teachers College in Kearney, NE, where he met and married Margaret Joan Phelps in 1948. While attending college in Kearney, Darrell was an all-conference tackle on the Antelopes' football team. He received his bachelor's degree in 1950. He later earned his Master's Degree in Administration and completed work toward a doctorate.

After receiving his undergraduate degree at Kearney, Darrell spent time with the Detroit Lions, then the Chicago Bears of the National Football League before returning to Nebraska, to Joan and their infant son, Steve.

Darrell taught at Boys' Training School in Kearney after graduating college. His next teaching and coaching job was at Holstein, NE; then on to Morrill, NE, where he taught, coached, and was high school principal for 8 years. Darrell was then superintendent of schools at Cambridge, NE, for 4 years before moving to Holdrege in 1964.

Although Darrell gave up other coaching duties after becoming Holdrege's High School Principal, he continued to coach Kirk and Steve to All-Class Gold Medals and Holdrege School records in the shot and discus, respectively.

Darrell was a member of the American Legion.

Darrell is survived by his sisters: Lois of Phoenix, AZ., and Lyla of Forsythe, MO., and sister-in-law, Ruth of Eddyville, NE. He was preceded in death by his two older brothers: Cletus and Clifford and Clifford's wife, Ruth.

Darrell is also survived by granddaughters: Melissa Post of Woodstock, MN (husband Jesse, daughters: Taylor, Shiloh, and Aliyah, and son, Jack) and Molly Kasen of Denver, CO (husband Brian). Step-grandchildren are Brian Smit (U.S. Navy) and Austin Nelson. Darrell is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held prior to the funeral on Wednesday, May 6, 2015 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Darrell's honor and will be designated at a later date.

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.