Ervin Dohmen

HUMPHREY -- Ervin John Dohmen, 77, of Humphrey, died at his home April 5, 2013.

Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Francis Catholic Church, with burial in Holy Family Cemetery in Lindsay.

All visitations will be at St. Francis Church from 4-8 p.m. Monday, with a 7 p.m. scripture service, and continuing at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

He was born Aug. 28, 1935, on the family farm in rural Platte County; the eighth of nine children born to Joseph and Regina (Dusel) Dohmen.

He attended St. Bernard Catholic Church School through eighth grade. He served in the U.S. Navy from Nov. 22, 1955, to Aug. 21, 1957, with the Fighter Squadron Thirty Two and received his GED in the service.

On May 22, 1956, he married LaVonne Patricia Kula at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church in Columbus. In 1957, they moved to a farm near the Platte and Madison county line where for 56 years he farmed and raised cattle. They were the parents of 12 children.

Ervin was a member of the Holy Name Society of St. Bernard Church, the Saddle Club, long-time president of the Newman Grove VFW and a member of the American Legion. He enjoyed hunting, playing cards, riding horses as well as raising them.

In his 30s, while attending some college classes, he learned his gift of finding wells and estimated he located nearly 150 stock and irrigation wells in Nebraska and South Dakota. Ervin and Pat were recognized in the 1988 with the AK-SAR-BEN 100 year Family Farm Award. He was proud to have been a member of Holy Family Parish, having their 12 children for 33 years attending and graduating from Holy Family High School.

He is survived by wife, Pat of Humphrey; children, Christine (Mike) Koile of Smithville, Mo., De Anna (Glenn) Heinen of Humphrey, Joseph (Leanne) Dohmen of Humphrey, Shirley (Bill) Wegener of Platte Center, David Dohmen of St. Edward, Tamara (Roger) Prauner of Battle Creek, Mark Dohmen of Lindsay, Mitch (Barb) Dohmen of Humphrey, Arthur Dohmen of Humphrey, Ryan (Sherri) Dohmen of Humphrey, Colynn (Brent) Paprocki of Humphrey; 30 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; brothers and sisters, Ann Chandler, Elizabeth Bender, Ferd (Jane) Dohmen, Vince (Sharon) Dohmen and Patty (Ken) Brandl; brother-in-law, Dennis Zach; numerous nieces and nephews; as well as a multitude of friends.

He was preceded into eternal life by his daughter, Lisa Dohmen; daughter-in-law, Sarah Fitzsimons-Dohmen; sisters, Rosalia Werner and Delores Zach; and brother, Mike Dohmen.