Richard L Schepler

A funeral service for Richard L. "Dick" Schepler will be held on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church in Wilcox, Nebraska, with Pastor Kenton Birtell officiating. Interment will follow at the St. John's Lutheran Cemetery, south of Wilcox.

The service will be livestreamed via the St. John's Lutheran Church's Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/st.johnslutheranwilcox

Richard Louis "Dick" Schepler, 91 years of age, of Kearney, Nebraska, formerly of rural Wilcox, died on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 at Broadwell Senior Living in Kearney.  Dick was born June 20, 1935, in Holdrege, Nebraska, to Lester Carl and Ethel Alberta (Meyers) Schepler, the third of four children and resided at the home farm south of Wilcox, Nebraska.  He was baptized into the Christian faith on May 8, 1947 at the Christian Church in Minden, NE as a member of the Pleasant View Christian Church in Ash Grove Township, Franklin County, NE.

Richard began his education at the Forest Valley District #51 Country School (a one-room school) one mile north of his home and graduated from Wilcox High School in 1953.  In 1955, he enlisted in the Naval Air-force and served two years on active duty at the Naval Air Base in Quonset Point, Rhode Island.  After four years of inactive reserves, he received an Honorable Discharge from the Navy.

On December 12, 1959 Richard "Dick" married Patricia "Pat" Jean Winkelmann, at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Holdrege, NE.  They made their first home in an apartment in Holdrege.  They rented their first farm in 1960 two miles west of Ragan, NE, where they started their family with the birth of a son, Richard Louis, Jr. "Rick".  After three years, they moved to a farm one mile east of Holdrege where they added to their family with the birth of a son, Bradley Carl and a daughter, Cheryl Kay.  In 1966, Dick and Pat moved to his Uncle Lester Meyers farm just south of his parent's place and farmed with his father.  In 1972, they moved to Dick's parents place and purchased the farmstead from them.  They resided there until they moved to Broadwell Senior Living in Kearney, NE in the fall of 2023.

Dick and Pat were members of Mt. Calvary and St. John's Lutheran Churches. Dick served on the council at both churches and was also an active choir member.  Dick also served on the Franklin County Extension Board, the Franklin County Zoning Board of Adjustments, the Lincoln Township Board and the Ragan Elevator Board as well as serving as a 4-H leader.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Ethel Schepler; sister, Virginia Packett; brother-in-law, Marion Packett; step-mother, Eva (Kramer) Schepler; parents-in-law, Arnold and Alma (Hohner) Winkelmann; brother-in-law, Ralph Winkelmann; and sister-in-law, Nancy Schepler.

He leaves to mourn his passing, his beloved wife, Pat of Kearney, NE; his son, Rick of Percival Iowa; son, Bradley and wife Wanda of Wilcox, NE; daughter, Cheryl Arnold and husband Tim of North Platte, NE; seven grandchildren:  Anna Schepler and husband Matt McKenzie of Papillion, NE; Tucker Schepler of Omaha, NE; Gregory Schepler and wife Mary of Lincoln, NE; Nathaniel Schepler of Wilcox, NE; Jeremy Schepler and fiancée, Anne Harbeck of Lincoln, NE; Alisha Polenske and husband Brent of North Platte, NE; Tyler Arnold and wife Michaella of Lincoln, NE; four great grandchildren:  Theo and Violet Schepler; Cayden and Collins Polenske; one brother, Lloyd Schepler of Kearney, NE; one sister, Cora Kriley and husband, Carl of San Angelo, TX; and Pat's siblings: Louis Winkelmann and wife, Betty of Holdrege, NE; and Dana Groothuis of Hillsboro, MO; as well as, many nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.

A visitation will be held on Monday, August 3, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with family greeting friends from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Bauer-Torrey & Mach Funeral Home in Wilcox.

Memorials honoring Dick can be made to the St. John's Lutheran Church in Wilcox.

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

The Bauer-Torrey & Mach Funeral Home in Wilcox is in charge of the arrangements.