Michael "Mike" Korth

Hastings resident Michael Richard “Mike” Korth, 68, passed away Sunday, August 9, 2020, at Mary Lanning Healthcare, Hastings, NE.

Rosary is 7 p.m. Thursday, August 13, and Mass of Christian Burial is 10 a.m. Friday, August 14, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Hastings with Father Jeremy Hazuka officiating. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Hastings. Visitation is 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home, and family will greet friends and relatives from 5-7 p.m. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, and one hour prior to service at the church. Memorials may be given to Hastings Catholic Schools Foundation, Hastings College, or the University of Nebraska-Kearney. For the health and safety of others face masks are recommended for those attending the visitation and funeral, your cooperation is appreciated. Since there are material sharing restrictions, we ask that you bring your own pen for signing the registration book or memorial envelopes. If you do not bring one, we can do that for you.

Michael Richard Korth was born November 2, 1951, in Hastings, NE, to Richard and Erlene (Stark) Korth. Mike was a 1970 graduate of Hastings St. Cecilia High School and a 1974 graduate of Hastings College.

Mike married Jean Meisenbach of Minden, NE, in 1975. August 23 ^rd would have marked their forty-fifth wedding anniversary. From this union, Mike and Jean were blessed with three sons and nine grandchildren, with a tenth grandchild on the way.

The Dutton-Lainson Company of Hastings, NE, employed Mike shortly after he graduated college and there he remained a faithful employee for forty-three years until his retirement in 2017.

Mike was a standout athlete in high school and college. He was a member of the 1969 State Championship basketball team at Hastings St. Cecilia, later a member of the 1971 conference championship track-and-field team at Hastings College, and to this day holds a fifty-year-old school record at Hastings St. Cecilia in the 800-meter run. In later years, Mike served numerous community organizations. He was a past President of the Hastings Catholic Schools, a past Board member of Hastings Midget Football, a member of the Knights of Columbus, and a past member of the Jaycees and Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Mike was particularly active as a coach. He gladly volunteered to coach the many youth teams on which his sons played and over the years, in one capacity or another, coached cross-country, basketball, and track-and-field at Hastings St. Cecilia.

Mike enjoyed hunting and fishing, gardening, golf, and amateur Meteorology. Mike avidly supported the Nebraska Cornhuskers, St. Cecilia Bluehawks, Ponca Indians, Hastings College Broncos, UNK Lopers, and New York Yankees. But for all who knew Mike, it was evident that what he most loved was the time he spent with his sons and their families. He meticulously followed all of their activities and took great pride in each of their accomplishments.

Mike was preceded in death by his father and mother.

Mike is survived by his wife, Jean; his sons: Jim (Kami) of Ogallala, NE, Pat (Korah) of Ponca, NE, and Eric (April) of Lincoln, NE; his precious grandchildren: Taylor, Lily, Liam, Isaiah, Charlotte, Joslyn, Fletcher, James, and Jude; his sisters: LeLonnie (John) Knudsen of Lincoln, NE, and Pam (Lamont) Shirk of Norton, KS; and countless other friends and family.