Richard Menke

Richard J. Menke, age 92 of Fairbury, NE (formerly of Beatrice, NE)  passed away on July 24, 2018 at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Lincoln, NE.  He was born January 6, 1926 at Morrowville, KS to the son of Dick and Louise (Hauschel) Menke.

Richard graduated from Morrowville High School in 1944 and immediately enlisted into the Navy where he spent almost four years of his life serving in WWII. The ship he was on was called the USS Buckley DE 51.  When he returned from the Navy, he helped his dad farm.  On May 28, 1950 he was united in marriage to Leota E. Earhart.  They started their life farming just south of the Nebraska-Kansas State Line. They were blessed with two children, Sheila Sue and Marlys Janeen.  In 1957 they moved to Beatrice, NE so Sheila could attend the Martin Luther Home School.  Richard worked at Dempsters for two years, Household Supply for 17 years and Store Kraft Manufacturing for over 34 years which he then retired in 1990.  Richard continued to work in Beatrice and still continued to farm in Kansas.  He farmed and raised Polled Hereford cattle for many years.  He was a life long member of the Nebraska Hereford Association and the American Hereford Association.  His love was his family, farming and cattle.

He loved to watch Nebraska football, volleyball and basketball (especially when his great-nephew, Trevor Menke, was on the team).  He also was a Royals Fan and enjoyed following them on TV.

He had many “coffee drinking” buddies over the years.  When living in Beatrice, the coffee crew always hung out at Country Cookin.  After moving to Fairbury he had different “coffee buddies” that hung out at Fairbury Sale Barn.  He enjoyed that very much.

His greatest love was his children and his grandchildren – Megan and Marc.  In 2000 Richard moved to Fairbury only a few houses North of Marlys to be closer to his family.   The grandkids spent endless time with Grandpa either at his house, the farm, the sale barn or wherever.  He enjoyed seeing them graduate from high school & college, saw them get married and greatly enjoyed the great-grandkids – Marley, McKinley, Rory and Mara.  He never missed any “outing” of any kind with his family.  The great-grandkids would always want to go to Grandpa Menke’s house so they could eat Pringles and/or ice cream.

Richard was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church in Beatrice, VFW Legion and American Legion in Beatrice, NE.

Survivors include his daughter Marlys Hanson and husband Mike; granddaughter Megan Rosener and husband Joey; grandson Marc Hanson and wife Michelle; great-grandchildren, Marley & Rory Rosener and McKinley and Mara Hanson all of Fairbury.  Sister in law, Phyllis Menke of Fairbury,  brother Donald Menke and wife Marilyn of Washington, KS and sister Lavon Nigh and husband Jim of Omaha, sister in law Agnes Marsteller of Washington, KS, many nieces and nephews, friends and his part-time porch sitting dog, Roxie.

Preceded in death by his wife, Leota, daughter Sheila, sister and brother-in-law Marguerite and Virgle Hanshaw,  brother Perl Menke, brother-in-law Stewart Earhart and sister-in-law and brother-in-law Elwyn and Maxine Dees.

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