Hastings resident, Edward Wilbur Kuehn, 83, died Friday, January 27, 2012 at Mary Lanning Memorial HealthCare.

Celebration of Life Service will be Tuesday, January 31, 2012; 2:00 P.M. at Zion Lutheran Church 465 S. Marion Road, Hastings, Nebraska with Pastor Aaron Kuehn and Pastor Paul Warneke officiating. A Christian Burial will follow the service at Parkview Cemetery, Hastings, Nebraska. Visitation will be Monday, January 30, 2012; 1:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M. with family present from 4:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. at the funeral home and one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday. Memorials may be given to Lutheran Hour Ministries, Zion Lutheran Church Endowment Fund or Donor’s Choice.

Edward Wilbur Kuehn was welcomed to his heavenly home by his Savior, Jesus Christ on January 27, 2012 in Hastings, Nebraska at the age of 83.

Edward, a life-long resident of Adams County, Nebraska was born to Ferdinand & Eda (Kleier) Kuehn at home near Roseland, Nebraska on November 30, 1928. He was baptized February 3, 1929 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Holstein, Nebraska. The cross was lifted high and Edward was confirmed on May 9, 1943 at Christ Lutheran Church, Hayland, Nebraska.

His confirmation verse was John 14:23, “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” He attended Rural Schools in the County and in April of 1945 at age 17, he began his 48 year career at Hastings Tribune. His first job at the Tribune was as a “Printer’s Devil”. He vividly remembers hawking, “Extra Extra”, a Special Edition celebrating the end of WWII. Second Street downtown Hastings was filled with townspeople and Navy Service people from the NAD all celebrating the end of the War. Dad had learned the value of hard work at home and soon he progressed to working in the flat casting department and stereotyping hot metal department and then on to working as pressman and crawling the monkey bars of the press with a folded paper hat on his head to keep the ink out of his hair. Fred Seaton recognized Ed’s leadership, industrious spirit, and constant thoughts about how to “do it better”. Ed was promoted to Production Manager in 1970. The Seaton’s had determined it was time to move from the hot metal newspaper production to the “offset” technology. New technology required a new building that would accommodate the new offset press and Ed was pleased to be a part of progress. He held the position of Production Manager until his retirement in December of 1993. After Ed’s retirement from the Tribune, he worked for Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home & Cremation Center as a Funeral Assistant and for John Ronan as Property Manager of College View Townhomes in Hastings.

The US Army interrupted Dad’s time at the Tribune as he was called to service during the Korean Conflict in November 1950 through November 1952. He proudly served with the 47th Engineers Camouflage Battalion. After basic training, most of his military service time was spent at Fort Riley, Kansas where he was chosen to revise an existing massive topographical table map of Fort Riley to assist in designing maneuvers for troop training at the Fort.

Edward and Gertrude L. Zeckser were married at Zion Lutheran in Hastings, on September 2, 1951. They had met several years prior at a Walther League Watermelon Feed. Dad always told us that Mom made sure she would see Dad again as she “forgot” her Mother’s butcher knife in Dad’s car when he drove her home! So, Mom and Dad spent their first year of married life, “In the Army”, counting every quarter and the days until payday. They have been blessed to celebrate 60 years of marriage and have been a wonderful example of Christian marriage and teamwork.

Dad joyfully volunteered countless hours to Zion Lutheran Church serving numerous terms on the Board of Elders, Board of Stewardship, Singing in the Choir with Mother for 50 years, serving as the secretary of the Building Committee for Zion Lutheran Church and School at its present location, and serving with Mother as Youth Group Counselors from 1966 – 1972.

God blessed Dad with an eye for art and Dad graciously shared this talents to glorify God through religious visual arts such as designing book covers for the dedication and anniversary celebrations at Zion as well as designing many Ladies Aid yearbook covers, building cabinetry, the processional cross and the eternal light stand, only to name a few. In recent years he enjoyed designing table decorations for the FIRE Events. Not only did Dad serve willingly in the church but he also enjoyed his 25 year membership in Kiwanis International and serving the Hastings Kiwanis Club at their club President in 1979-1980.

Dad’s hobbies included traveling. No matter what, Mom and Dad planned a family vacation every year. We camped, had picnic lunches, and even ate sardines out of the trunk of the car in the Great Thompson Canyon! What wonderful family memories we have. One of our adventures even took us to The Grand Canyon in Arizona! We thought we had seen the world! Dad also enjoyed fishing, especially hooking those big catfish out of the river, bowling, camping (especially with family and friends), vegetable gardening and flower growing. He thoroughly enjoyed sharing the bounties of the garden with friends and neighbors. In retirement Dad enjoyed summer visits from Derek and Christina. The miles they traveled together and the fun they had together day after day will never be forgotten. Doug and Dan also have camping memories with Grandpa and Grandma and being roused out of bed by Grandpa.

The children and grandchildren all have treasures that Dad carved for them or a woodworking projects he constructed especially for them. If you knew our Dad then you can appreciate that our treasures exemplify his fine craftsmanship and attention to the smallest detail and his tendency to strive for perfection in everything he did.
Now, Dad is perfectly satisfied in the arms of Jesus. No more sorrows, no more pain, only eternal joy! “Welcome home good and faithful servant.”

I love Thy Zion, Lord, The house of Thine abode,
The Church our blest Redeemer bought with His own precious blood.
For her my tears shall fall, For her my prayers ascend;
To her my cares and toils be given, till toils and cares shall end.
Beyond my highest joy I prize her heavenly ways,
Her sweet communion, solemn vows, Her hymns of love and praise.

Ed was preceded in death by his parents, Ferdinand and Eda Kuehn and brother, LaVerne.

SURVIVORS:
Wife: Gertrude Zeckser Kuehn – Hastings, NE
Daughters & Sons-in-law: Debra Ann & Dean Tietz – Saint Joseph, MI
    Rebecca Sue & Dean Buescher – Goodyear, AZ
Grandchildren & Spouse: Douglas & Amy Tietz – Troy, MI
    Daniel Tietz – Bloomington, IN
    Derek Buescher – Goodyear, AZ
And Dad’s Princess: Christina Buescher – Goodyear, AZ
Sister: Cohleen Nienhueser – Kearney, NE
Nieces, Nephews and a host of friends