John Collier

Arnold resident, 85

CALLAWAY - John William "Jack" Collier, 85, of Arnold died of cancer Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Callaway.

Memorial services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Arnold United Methodist Church with the Rev. Dale Coates officiating. Inurnment by the family will be later.

Arnold Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

He was born July 9, 1927, in Kearney to John N. and Helen L. (Bartz) Collier.

On May 18, 1952, he married Genevieve Wade of Tryon in North Platte.

Survivors include his wife of 60 years; daughter, Jackie Stenger and her husband, Vernon, of Maxwell and their son, B.J. Stenger of North Platte; daughter, Judy Gracey of North Platte and her children, Marty Gracey of Grand Island and his son, Gavin Gracey of Hastings, Kisha Zieffle and her son, Kale Kuhlhanek, of Ansley, Cody Gracey and his wife, Katy, and their children, Cole, Carly, Cache Gracey, Hunter and Emily Secrest of Sidney, and BoDell Gracey of North Platte; daughter, Brenda Shinn and her husband, Mike, of Kearney and their children, Riley Weir and her husband, Drew, of Kearney and their son, Aidan Weir, Nolan Shinn and his wife, Katherine, of Kearney and their son due in August, Jordan Shinn and his wife, Whitney, of Omaha and Bethany Shinn of Kearney; sister, Eleanor Rennick of Thousand Oaks, Calif.; niece, Kay Janecke and her husband, Rick, of Richland, Wash.; nephew, John Rennick and his wife, Donna, of Oregon; cousins, Bill Collier and his wife, Sharon, of Cheyenne, Wyo., and Tom Collier and his wife, Caryl, of Jefferson City, Mo.; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Jack grew up in Stapleton and graduated from Baker High School in 1945. Jack started his lifelong love of and career in ranching as a young man at the Baskin Ranch north of Stapleton. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1946 and served his country during World War II in the Philippines. He was honorably discharged in 1947.

After a short stint with Union Pacific Railroad, he and his father purchased a ranch 12 miles north of Stapleton in 1949. Jack's introduction into ranching took him through the blizzard of 1949, from which he had many stories to tell. In 1950 a second ranch was purchased in eastern Logan County.

Jack brought his new bride to this ranch where they raised their three daughters, cattle and quarter horses. In the late 1950s, Jack acquired a private pilot's license and enjoyed many years of flying his own airplane. Later in life, he enjoyed antique and classic automobiles.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church of Arnold, American Legion Post 324 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8258 of Stapleton and Flatlanders Car Club of North Platte. Jack was a former member of the Flying Farmers and Ranchers Association and the American Quarter Horse Association.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother-in-law, Meredith Rennick; and nephew, Robert Rennick.

Memorials are suggested to the Arnold Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad.