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Wilbur R. Gewecke
May 23, 1922 — Dec 2, 2009
Holdrege
Wilbur R. Gewecke
Funeral Services for Wilbur R. Gewecke will be conducted from the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege, Nebraska on Monday, December 7, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. with Reverend Dale Lambert, officiating. Interment will be in the Bainbridge Cemetery in Harlan County, Nebraska with military rites provided by the Martin Horn American Legion Post #66 in conjunction with the Nebraska Army National Guard Honors Team.
Wilbur Rolland Gewecke, 87 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at the Holdrege Memorial Homes-Assisted Living, where he had been a resident for the past two months. He was born March 23, 1922 in Buffalo County, Nebraska, the second of eight children of Emil and Margaret (Wiseman) Gewecke. He received his education at Elm Creek, graduating from Elm Creek High School with the class of 1939. He then joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. From 1942 to 1945 he solved electrical problems on flights to England in WW II. After his honorable discharge in 1946, Wilbur pursued higher education at Colorado A & M in Ft. Collins, where he received a degree in Electrical Engineering. On May 13, 1942 he was united in marriage to Linola Faye Judy and to this union one daughter, Rashelle Yvonne was born at rest. Following the loss of their baby, Wilbur and Linola were in the process of adopting a son, David, and due to the untimely death of Linola on June 14, 1953 the adoption process was unable to become a reality.
Mr. Gewecke was a border patrol agent in California for one year, in 1948. In 1949, he joined the Nebraska Safety Patrol and moved to Holdrege, covering an area from south of Highway 30 to the Kansas line and from Heartwell to the Colorado line. Wilbur was then elected Sheriff of Phelps County, serving in this capacity until 1970. He married Eva Eileen Schroder of Huntley, Nebraska on June 25, 1955 and to this union three children were born: Brian, Wanda and Alan. On January 7, 1961 he was preceded in death by his wife, Eileen.
On April 20, 1962 she was united in marriage to Marcia W. Wittfoth at the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege by the Reverend Orlando Lee. They continued to reside in Holdrege, where Wilbur served as a Probation Officer for 22 years until his retirement in 1994. He was inducted into the 2007 Nebraska Law Enforcement Hall of Fame, paying tribute to his 46 years in law enforcement. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marcia on March 22, 2009.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Holdrege, and also a member of the Jachin Lodge #146 A.F. & A.M., enjoyed his involvement as a Tehama Shrine clown, member of the Martin Horn American Legion Post #66 and member of the Holdrege Lions Club, where he served as Treasurer.
Wilbur enjoyed crocheting and created over 100 baby afghans which were given away during their Mission work in Old Mexico, he also enjoyed fishing, hunting and most of all spending time with his family.
He leaves to mourn his passing his six children: MaLinda L'Heureux of Tecumseh, Kansas; DeAnn Borden and her husband, Donald of Mesa, Arizona, Joseph L'Heureux of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Brian Gewecke of Cave Creek, Arizona, Wanda Johnson and her husband, Curt of Holdrege, Dr. Alan Gewecke and his wife, Karen of Los Angeles, California; nine grandchildren: Barbraella, Brian, Celeste, Michael, Brandee, Nicolette, Mitchell, Collin, and Kendall; five great-grandchildren; four brothers; one sister; and a host of brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Besides his wives and daughter, he was preceded in death by his parents; one grandson, Paul; one brother, Kenneth; and one sister, Irene.
Visitation will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege on Sunday, December 6, 2009 from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
A memorial has been established in Wilbur's 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 Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.
Wilbur Rolland Gewecke, 87 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at the Holdrege Memorial Homes-Assisted Living, where he had been a resident for the past two months. He was born March 23, 1922 in Buffalo County, Nebraska, the second of eight children of Emil and Margaret (Wiseman) Gewecke. He received his education at Elm Creek, graduating from Elm Creek High School with the class of 1939. He then joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. From 1942 to 1945 he solved electrical problems on flights to England in WW II. After his honorable discharge in 1946, Wilbur pursued higher education at Colorado A & M in Ft. Collins, where he received a degree in Electrical Engineering. On May 13, 1942 he was united in marriage to Linola Faye Judy and to this union one daughter, Rashelle Yvonne was born at rest. Following the loss of their baby, Wilbur and Linola were in the process of adopting a son, David, and due to the untimely death of Linola on June 14, 1953 the adoption process was unable to become a reality.
Mr. Gewecke was a border patrol agent in California for one year, in 1948. In 1949, he joined the Nebraska Safety Patrol and moved to Holdrege, covering an area from south of Highway 30 to the Kansas line and from Heartwell to the Colorado line. Wilbur was then elected Sheriff of Phelps County, serving in this capacity until 1970. He married Eva Eileen Schroder of Huntley, Nebraska on June 25, 1955 and to this union three children were born: Brian, Wanda and Alan. On January 7, 1961 he was preceded in death by his wife, Eileen.
On April 20, 1962 she was united in marriage to Marcia W. Wittfoth at the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege by the Reverend Orlando Lee. They continued to reside in Holdrege, where Wilbur served as a Probation Officer for 22 years until his retirement in 1994. He was inducted into the 2007 Nebraska Law Enforcement Hall of Fame, paying tribute to his 46 years in law enforcement. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marcia on March 22, 2009.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Holdrege, and also a member of the Jachin Lodge #146 A.F. & A.M., enjoyed his involvement as a Tehama Shrine clown, member of the Martin Horn American Legion Post #66 and member of the Holdrege Lions Club, where he served as Treasurer.
Wilbur enjoyed crocheting and created over 100 baby afghans which were given away during their Mission work in Old Mexico, he also enjoyed fishing, hunting and most of all spending time with his family.
He leaves to mourn his passing his six children: MaLinda L'Heureux of Tecumseh, Kansas; DeAnn Borden and her husband, Donald of Mesa, Arizona, Joseph L'Heureux of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Brian Gewecke of Cave Creek, Arizona, Wanda Johnson and her husband, Curt of Holdrege, Dr. Alan Gewecke and his wife, Karen of Los Angeles, California; nine grandchildren: Barbraella, Brian, Celeste, Michael, Brandee, Nicolette, Mitchell, Collin, and Kendall; five great-grandchildren; four brothers; one sister; and a host of brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Besides his wives and daughter, he was preceded in death by his parents; one grandson, Paul; one brother, Kenneth; and one sister, Irene.
Visitation will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege on Sunday, December 6, 2009 from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
A memorial has been established in Wilbur's 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 Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.
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