Don L Thorell

Celebration of Life Service for Don L. Thorell will be held on Friday, February 19, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. at the Evangelical Free Church in Loomis, Nebraska with Pastor Tom Thompson officiating. Interment will be held in the Highland Cemetery at Bertrand, Nebraska following the services.

Don Leon Thorell, 79 years of age, passed away on Monday, February 15, 2016 at his home in rural Loomis. Don was born on August 12, 1936 at Brewster Hospital in Holdrege, Nebraska, the third of seven children born to Raymond and Ruth (Burklund) Thorell.

Don was confirmed at Loomis Evangelical Free Church and graduated from Loomis Public School with the class of 1955. Don enjoyed playing sports at Loomis High School. He was an All-State basketball player and held the discus school record from 1955 to 1978. Don designed and painted to dimension, the Loomis school mascot (a wolf's head) on the gymnasium floor in 1954, while he was still in high school. He also enjoyed playing fast pitch softball after high school and sharing his talent of pitching with others.

Following his education, Don worked for a building contractor, who was an inspiration to Don which led him to build his own home at age 19. He used the lumber from his Grandfather's house to build his home at the cost of $8600.00 which is currently the parsonage of the Evangelical Free Church in Loomis.

On April 27, 1957, Don was united in marriage to Patricia Marie Margaret Ludeke and to this union three children were born: Cindy, Mike and Janet. The family made their home in Loomis, where they attended the Evangelical Free Church.

In 1957, Don established Thorell Sales & Construction, mainly building large grain storage bins throughout Nebraska and Colorado. Working side-by-side with his wife, Pat who served as the company bookkeeper and office manager. Construction knowledge, measurement conversions and calculations came naturally to Don, he continued his construction career until his retirement. He also served on the Loomis Public School Board and Commercial Club for several years.

On November 28, 1973, he was preceded in death by his wife, Pat. He was united in marriage to Kristi Jackman on December 7, 1974, and with this union her two sons joined the family: Brian and Brice.

In 1982, Don built his second home just east of Loomis. On June 10, 1995 he married Ginger Smith, they enjoyed traveling, working on puzzles, watching and feeding the birds and caring for their pets. He loved fishing at the Republican River and delighted in sharing his catch with his family and friends. Don's other passion was watching his grandkids play sports all through their high school and college years, he took great pride in their accomplishments.

Besides his parents and wife, Patricia, he was preceded in death by one brother, Wendell Thorell; his in-laws: Fritz and Caroline Ludeke, John and Odell Smith and Charlie and Marge Jackman; two brothers­in­law: Robert Swanson and Arlan Westergren; nephews: Scott and Randy Swanson, Todd Thorell and Ryan Westergren.

He leaves to celebrate his life; his wife, Ginger Thorell of rural Loomis; two daughters: Cindy Hill and her husband, Steve of Lincoln, Nebraska and Janet Boehler and her husband, John of Holdrege; three sons: Mike Thorell and his wife, Kristi of Loomis, Brian Thorell and his wife, Patsy of Hays, Kansas and Brice Thorell and his wife, Jani of Loomis; twelve grandchildren: Megan Hill-Pederson and her husband, Zach, Matthew Hill, Sean Hill, Derek Billeter and his wife, Ashley, Drew Billeter and his wife, Whitney, Luke Thorell and his wife, Ashton, Lance Thorell and his wife, Samantha, Lexie Thorell, Jacob Thorell, Peyton Thorell, Paige Thorell and Brooke Thorell; ten great­grandchildren: Alexis, Dayton and Aubrey Billeter; Houston, Aspen and Baylor Billeter; Hoyt, Holden and Hendrix Thorell; and Ledger Thorell; two brothers: Dewayne Thorell and his wife, Alice of Lincoln, and Rodney "Rook" Thorell and his wife, Wanda of Loomis; three sisters: Norma Mills and her husband, Jack of Lincoln, Elaine Westergren of Omaha and Marlene McClean and her husband, Alex of Fremont; two sisters-in-law: Deborah Householder of Knoxville, Tennessee and Kaye Smith and her husband, Gerald of Maryville, Tennessee; and a host of other family and friends.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 18, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Don'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.