Vernon H Bienhoff

Funeral Services for Vernon H. Bienhoff will be conducted from the Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Holdrege, Nebraska on Thursday, June 21, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend Kenton Birtell officiating. Interment will be in the Oxford Cemetery at Oxford, Nebraska at 1:30 p.m. with military honors.

Vernon H. Bienhoff, 80 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Sunday, June 17, 2007 at the Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege. Vernon was born October 15, 1926 in Franklin County near Macon, Nebraska, the son of John and Anna "Lizzie" (Stuhmer) Bienhoff. Vernon was baptized on November 7, 1926 and confirmed on May 11, 1941 at Zion Lutheran Church at Macon. He received his primary education at District #59 in Franklin County and graduated from Franklin High School with the class of 1944.

Following his education, Vernon served his country in the Pacific Theatre during WW II in the United States Army from February 17, 1945 until his honorable discharge on December 8, 1946. On November 18, 1948 he was united in marriage to Betty Lee Pettite at Athol, Kansas and to this union seven children were born: Verna Lee, David, Dallas, Marlin, Loretta, Neil and Bruce. Vernon engaged in farming with his brother, Orville until moving to a farm near Atlanta, Nebraska, where he continued to farm until 1964. He then was employed by Slater Bros. Grain Company in Atlanta until his retirement in 1992. In June of 1997, Vernon and Betty moved to Holdrege.

Vernon was a past member of the St. John's Lutheran Church in Oxford and recently transferred his membership to Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Holdrege. He was a member of the Martin Horn American Legion Post #219 in Oxford, member of the George R. Mitchell V.F.W. Post #1365 in Oxford and enjoyed reading novels, magazines and newspapers in his spare time.

He leaves to mourn his passing his wife, Betty of Holdrege; four sons: David Bienhoff and his wife, Carla of Ottawa, Kansas, Dallas Bienhoff and his wife, Yolanda of Annandale, Virginia, Marlin Bienhoff and his wife, Anna of Fairmont City, Illinois and Bruce Bienhoff and his wife, Stacey of Shawnee, Kansas; one daughter, Loretta Schultz and her husband, Gerry of Garden City, Kansas; daughter-in-law, Pam Perez and her husband, Rob of Lincoln, Nebraska; sixteen grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; three sisters: Esther Tordsen of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Dora Dorn of Franklin and Anna Rust of Riverton, Nebraska; one brother, Donald Bienhoff and his wife, Mary Jane of Omaha, Nebraska; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Verna Lee Bienhoff in 1949 in infancy; son, Neil Bienhoff in 1993; two brothers: Orville Bienhoff and John Bienhoff, Jr.; two brothers-in-law: Henry Dorn and Emil Tordsen and sister-in-law, Velma Bienhoff.

Vernon will lie in state at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege on Wednesday, June 20, 2007 from 1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church.

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.