Lyle Exstrom

Former area resident, 65

ALTUS, Okla. - Lyle M. Exstrom, 65, of Altus died Tuesday, May 24, 2011, at Jackson County Memorial Hospital in Altus.

Graveside services will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Bethany Cemetery near Axtell, Neb., with the Rev. David Evenson officiating.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday at Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Neb.

He was born June 28, 1945, in Axtell to Eugene and Merinda (Danielson) Exstrom.

On Feb. 6, 1965, he married Linda Engelke in Holdrege.

Survivors include his wife; daughter, Jennifer Nipper and her husband, Bill, of Tupelo, Miss.; son, Christopher Exstrom and his wife, Suzanne, of Kearney, Neb.; grandchildren, Geoffrey and Robert Exstrom of Kearney; sister, Sheila Exstrom of Lincoln; brothers, LeMoyne Exstrom and his wife, Phyllis, of Holdrege and Bryce Exstrom and his wife, Kay, of Fremont, Neb.; nephew, Kenton Exstrom; niece, Katelyn Exstrom; grandnephew, Kyle; grandniece, Andrea; lifelong friend, Lucy Hansen; and several other family and many friends.

He graduated from high school in Holdrege in 1963.

He had an accomplished career in the newspaper industry highlighted by: Fremont Tribune advertising department; Savanna (Ill.) Times-Journal advertising director and sportswriter; Wrestling Sportswriter of the Year (1980-81); inducted into the Northwest Illinois Sports Hall of Fame (1981); general manager of Savanna Times-Journal; and publisher of Arkadelphia (Ark.) Daily Siftings Herald, Clinton (Iowa) Herald and the Altus Times. He retired from the newspaper industry and became the revenue manager for Quartz Mountain Resort and Conference Center.

Lyle was very active in Rotary; Altus Chamber of Commerce and was president in 1996; Illinois, Arkansas and Oklahoma Newspaper Associations; president of the Savanna Chamber of Commerce in 1990; and a member of First United Methodist Church in Altus.

He was devoted to his family and enjoyed home projects and golf. Lyle was an avid sports fan, especially of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Lyle had a way of looking at things in a kind way. He was a gentle soul, always offering his hand to someone in need whether at work or home or where he happened to be.

He believed that people had a difficult time putting their best foot forward if they were hungry, and he supported soup kitchens and free meal programs and often opened his wallet and heart when someone asked for help.

He followed his family traits of enjoying life with a unique sense of humor. Seldom did family and friends gather where laughter was not heard.

He loved to work. His business acumen and ethics were unmatched when at the job. Doing his best was never a question, while fairness and "doing it right" was the foundation.

With 40 years in the newspaper business, his product was held to a high, and prize-winning, standard, and he always left that business and community a better place when transferred away. He participated in civic organizations in each town, often sitting at the board or committee tables.

A family man from the first, his children and grandchildren were always in his thoughts and heart. He was content for hours as he watched recitals and musical performances. There was not an event that went by that his children did not feel his presence and support in the stands or behind a camera.

For many years, his hobby was sports writing. To him there was never a "bad" night or a "poor" athlete, and comments were made that people didn't know that the game was lost until the final score was read.

The athlete's arena was important to him, and he was never prouder than when his children participated in football, basketball, volleyball, track, cheerleading, golf and tennis. There was no greater pride than when his children participated in golf and tennis at the college level.

Plain and simple: He was a good and kind man and has left the world a better place.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a nephew, Lance Exstrom.

Memorials are suggested to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, 825 NE 13th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73104 or to the Bethany Lutheran Church Cemetery Fund, 903 25th Road, Axtell, NE 68924.

Visit www.nelsonbauerfh.com to send expressions of caring and kindness to the family.