Alumni Obituaries - Hastings Public Schools (2024)

HomeHastings Public Schools Foundation Alumni Alumni Obituaries

The HPS Foundation has generated the following obituaries from the Hastings Tribune. Click on the year for a list of alumni who passed away in 2023, 2022, 2021,2020,2019, 2018, 2017,2016,2015,2014,2013,2012, and 2011. If you have an obituary that you would like shared, please email us.

• John J. Griffith, a 1962 Hastings High graduate, passed away on July 15, 2024. He served in the United States Marine Corps and in the Vietnam War and earned a Purple Heart. John went on to work for LT&T until retiring in 1997.

• James (Jim) Hewitt, a 1950 Hastings High graduate, passed away on July 8, 2024. While in law school Jim was associate editor of the Law Review and a member of the National Moot Court Team. He graduated in 1956 and received a ROTC commission in the Air Force. While awaiting the call to active duty, Jim practiced law in Hastings with Stiner and Boslaugh. Jim served as a judge advocate at Forbes Air Force Base, Topeka, Kansas, from 1957 to 1960. He was discharged from active duty as a captain and returned to Lincoln to practice with Stewart, Stewart, and Calkins until he joined Nebco, Inc. in October 1961. He served as vice president and general counsel of Nebco for 41 years, retiring at the end of 2002. While still at Nebco, Jim returned to UNL on a part-time basis as his workload permitted earning an M.A. in 1994 and a Ph.D. in 2003, both in history. After his retirement from Nebco, Jim taught history at Nebraska Wesleyan University, UNL, and Southeast Community College.

• Lloyd Valentine, a 1951 Hastings High graduate, passed away Friday, July 12, 2024. He worked for the J.M. McDonald Co. at the warehouse for the winter. Twenty-six years later and several buyouts of the company he went to full-time farming. He also drove the fertilizer truck for the Fairfield Co-op.

• Kenneth “Ken” Stuart DeJonge, a 1966 Hastings High graduate, passed away on July 17, 2024. He was a United States Marine. He began his career at Northwestern Public Service in Grand Island, NE. His career moved him to North Platte, NE, in 1986, to become the superintendent of NWPS.

• Donald E Streck, a 1972 Hastings High graduate, passed away on June 28, 2024. He worked various jobs, from his time on the turkey farm to Village Inn.

• William Melvin Reed, a 1965 Hastings High graduate, passed away Wednesday, June 26, 2024. He served in the Nebraska National Guard and worked for several body shops until he retired in 2018.

• Connie A (Kallos) Theoharis, a 1963 Hastings High graduate, passed away on June 24, 2024. Connie managed the Ponderosa Bowl in Hastings until she retired in 1996. She was a member of the Elks Club.

• Jenna R Cox, a 2018 Hastings High graduate, passed away on June 22, 2024. Jeanna was currently the manager of Bling in Norfolk, NE.

• Daniel J Peirce, a 1987 Hastings High graduate, passed away on June 12, 2024. He served in the United States Army and worked for Farris Construction in Hastings and then with MRL Crane Service in Grand Island.

• Kristin Ann (Ewing) Sorensen, a 1984 Hastings High graduate, passed away Thursday, June 6, 2024. She taught at the Nebraska Youth Academy in Hastings until 2023.

• Joan (Adams) Erxleben, a 1961 Hastings High graduate, passed away. She owned and operated The Finishing Touch beauty salon in Bartlett for 30 years.

  See Also

  All Obituaries | DeWitt Funeral Home & Cremation Services | Hastings NE funeral home and cremation

• Lloyd William Sandoe, a 1956 Hastings High graduate, passed away on May 31, 2024. He worked for Metz Baking Company and Big G Auto Service Center.

• Richard L. Hill, a 1971 Hastings High graduate, passed away on June 6, 2024. Rick was a salesman for various businesses in Hastings.

• Sharon L (Miller) Chapel, a 1961 Hasting High graduate passed away on Wednesday, April 7, 2024. She will be remembered for her love of children and learning. She found great purpose and joy serving the children and families of Holstien, NE and the surrounding communities from 1995-2009. Sharon also served at Pooh Corner/Adams County Emergency Protective Shelter 1982-1995.

• Glenda Dee (Haggard) Carsten, a 1959 Hastings High graduate passed away on May 24, 2024. She worked in hospital business offices, company executive offices and in banking before retiring from gloProfessional, a Denver cosmetic company.

• Timmothy Dean Hagemeier, a 1986 Hasting High graduate passed away on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. He worked at L-H Manufacturing and had a real estate license.

• Burton R Nelson, a 1948 Hasting High graduate passed away on April 2, 2024. He served in the United States Army and worked as a curator for the Hastings Museum for 48 years.

• Connie (Slater) Bowling, a 1966 Hastings High graduate passed away on May 5, 2024. She worked as a nurse at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital in Hastings, and later worked at the Hastings Regional Center. The last 26 years of her career she worked for Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, retiring in May 2008 as program manager for Psychiatry and Addictive Diseases.

• Lisa I Schmidt, a Hastings High graduate passed away on May 10, 2024. She was a member of Christ Lutheran Church, ARC of Nebraska, and Special Olympics. She participated in the Special Olympics and received many medals. Lisa loved watching Nebraska football.

• Nicholas A Herringer, a 2018 Hastings High graduate passed away on May 3, 2024. He became a huge advocate for the Team Jack Foundation after his diagnosis of pediatric brain cancer. He faced his battle with such grace and he inspired countless individuals with his steadfast faith.

• Scott E Armes, a 1975 Hastings High graduate passed away on May 5, 2024. He worked at Pizza Hut and Cypress Industrial.

• Eileen K (Classen) Valentin, a 1957 Hastings High graduate passed away on May 1, 2024. She worked on the family farm with her husband and was a proud mother of three children.

• Amy S Farmer, a 1995 Hastings High graduate passed away on April 27, 2024. She worked for Mid Nebraska Individual Services.

• Eileen M. (Horton) Kieffe, a 1940 Hastings High graduate passed away on April 27, 2024. She retired from Hastings Public Schools.
  Marlene F. (Esterling) Haseloh, a 1948 Hastings High graduate passed away on April 29, 2024. She opened Don’s Café in Harvard. In 1972, she went to work at the Harvard Rest Haven as a nurse’s aide for the next 20 years before retiring.

• Sara K (Keogh) Stutzman, a 2004 Hastings High graduate passed away on April 1, 2024. She was a radiological technologist. She worked at several Urgent Cares and Nebraska Orthopedics.

• Susan J (Theisen) Sattler, a 1954 Hastings High graduate passed away on March 27, 2024. She was a registered nurse.

• Joan A (Cowell) Graham, a 1961 Hastings High graduate passed away on April 6, 2024. She worked at Hewlett Packard, several secretarial positions, sales lady, and even a weigh master for a concrete company. She was the partner in Graham Homes and served as the secretary for 55 years.

• Larry G Hoggart, a 1958 Hastings High graduate passed away on April 14, 2024. He was a service technician for Beman’s Appliances in Hastings and owned and operated Larry’s Appliance Service in Hastings and Holdrege.

• Donald C. 'Don' Kramer, a 1957 Hastings High graduate passed away on March 10, 2024. His ability as a catcher on the American Legion baseball team meant a lot to him.

• John D. 'Dave' Bogan, a 1939 Hastings High graduate passed away on April 25, 2024. He served in the United States Army and worked at Industrial Irrigation as the office manager and accountant until he retired in 1987.

• Deanna (Weidenkeller) Leonhardt, a 1961 Hastings High graduate passed away February 29, 2024. She lived in Hastings several years with her daughter Kellie before moving to San Diego.

• Harold W. Thaut MD, “Hal,” a 1963 Hastings High graduate passed away on March 19, 2024. In 1974 Hal began his work as a family practice physician at the Beatrice Medical Center. As part of his 50-year career, Hal worked as the medical director for the Beatrice State Developmental Center and the Good Samaritan Society. Hal worked for 10 years as a physician in the Emergency Department of Beatrice Community Hospital and retired in 2018. Hal served on the boards of the Beatrice Humane Society and the Beatrice Public Library. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church where he served as an elder.

• Kevin Albert Sadd, a 1978 Hastings High graduate passed away on March 29, 2024. He worked as a maintenance supervisor at the Imperial Mall.

• Michael W. Carl, a 1988 Hastings High graduate passed away on March 26, 2024. He worked for the Omaha School System.

• Doris E (Enninga) Stromer, a 1957 Hastings High graduate passed away on March 11, 2024. Doris enjoyed teaching, clerical work for many years, reading, studying, knitting, crocheting, and sports with Larry.

• Jean (Wahl) Haseloh, a 1960 Hastings High graduate passed away on March 8, 2024. Jean enjoyed many things: baking, bowling, bingo, knitting, listening to country and polka music, putting puzzles together and most of all making cards on the computer.

• Steven R Schmidt, a 1970 Hastings High graduate passed away on March 17, 2024. Steven served in the U.S. Marines Corps and Nebraska National Guard. He was a teacher for the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility.

• Andrew M Sidlo, a 1996 Hastings High graduate passed away on March 17, 2024. Andy worked as a mold maker in tool shops in Alda, Grand Island, Kearney, and Hastings and ended his career in a position where he found a true passion for helping others as a 3D project engineer for Innovative Prosthetics and Shabri, a company located in Hastings.

• Wayne I Hueske, a 1950 Hastings High graduate passed away on March 4, 2024. He served in the Korean War from 1952 to 1954 as a Sergeant 1st Class in the 5th Armored Division and was part of Nebraska’s honor flights of the Korean War veterans to Washington D.C. to tour their memorials. After serving in the Korean War, he worked for Dutton-Lainson and Layne & Bowler Pump Co. before his career of 39 years as an electrician.

• Mark A Reiner, a 1970 Hastings High graduate passed away on February 10, 2024. Mark owned and operated Reiner Tax & Accounting from 1978 until his retirement in 2020.

• Paul R Kothe, a 1957 Hastings High graduate passed away on February 12, 2024. He served in the Army National Guard Reserve from 1957 to 1964. He worked for Union Pacific Railroad. Paul also owned and operated Kothe Construction and Kothe Trucking LLC until he retired in 2004.

• LeeAnne (Blunt) Maul, a 1967 Hastings High graduate passed away on February 9, 2024. LeeAnne was a stay-at-home mom prior to becoming a seamstress for Mode O’Day. LeeAnne also taught preschool at Pooh Corner, later becoming a pharmacy tech for WalMart.

• Robert G Tharp, a 1961 Hastings High graduate passed away on February 21, 2024. Bob was an auto parts salesman for Sidles & Auto Value for 42 years.

• Marlyn (Wallace) Coleman, a 1953 Hastings High graduate passed away on January 17, 2024. Marlyn worked as a travel agent and became a world traveler herself. She particularly favored the Orient. Mar was a master seamstress and especially enjoyed designing and sewing her daughter’s wedding gown.

• Patricia L Mace, a 1972 Hastings High graduate passed away on January 11, 2024. She worked at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital for 41 years and also did home care for elderly for many years in their homes.

• David J Stewart, a 1957 Hastings High graduate passed away on January 30, 2024. He served in the United States Air Force and owned and operated Stewart Plumbing.

• Sandra (Kerr) Carlson, a 1962 Hastings High graduate passed away on January 20, 2024. She was a special education teacher for ESU9 and Morton Elementary.

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