Joseph Bednar Jr.

Joseph Bednar Jr. entered this world on Dec. 6, 1930, born to Joseph and Helen (Baxa) Bednar on the family farm west of Wymore. He rode off into the sunset on Oct. 18, 2015.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Helen (Baxa) Bednar; his grandmother Anna Baxa; his grandfather, Fred Bednar; and his niece, Shelly Hays Bellamy; and granddaughter, Angela Owen.

Joe graduated from Wymore High School in 1948. He participated in track and was an excellent musician and vocalist, playing piano and a mean tenor sax. After high school, Joe attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln majoring in music and agri-business.

Joe married Bonnie Marie Rhoads on Dec. 8, 1950. To this union, six children were born, Diane (Larry) Tegtmeier, Clark (Carol) Bednar, Mike Bednar, Dr. Nancy (Tim) Bond, Judy (Larry) Hagemeier, and Scott (Dee) Bednar. He is also survived by 16 loving grandchildren, Traci Nielsen, Shaun Saathoff, Stephanie McKinney, Lindi Barnett, Shanna Leming, Cathi Cotton, Travis Bednar, Kelsi Bednar, Jacob Bednar, Lucas Bond, Olivia Bond, Spencer Hagemeier, Brielle Hagemeier, Colton Bednar, Caleb Bednar, Chaysen Bednar, 14 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Joe is also survived by his sister, MaryAnn Hays, brother-in-law Stan Hays, and nieces, Debbie Ferguson and Susan Wagner.

Joe felt it was his duty to serve our country and entered the Air Force on April 18, 1951, serving until April 17, 1955. Joe and Bonnie started their family while stationed at Eglin Air Force Base at Fort Walton Beach, Fla. He was later stationed in Goose Bay Labrador and ended his service at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin, Texas. Joe returned from the service to help on the family farm before beginning his career of self-employed contracting. One of his first projects, of which he was very proud, was building his parents a new home in 1957 with the help of his mother.

Joe and Bonnie's marriage ended in October 1967. He married Sharon Garcia in 1977. He later wintered and then lived for a short time in Biloxi, Miss., and enjoyed the South and the friends he made there.

Joe was always smiling, loved to laugh and loved talking politics and sports. If he left his children a consistent message, it was this: "Smile, laugh, enjoy life. Life's too short to spend all of your time working."

The body will lie in state at Harman-Wright Mortuary Chapel in Beatrice on Thursday, Oct. 22, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visitation with the family will be from 6-8 p.m. with no viewing on Friday. Services will be Friday, Oct. 23, at 1 p.m. Burial at the Wymore Cemetery. Luncheon will follow the burial at The Grand Avenue in Barneston. Memorials established to the family's choice with the Mortuary being in charge. Harman-Wright Mortuary, Beatrice in charge, www.harmanwrightmortuary.