Joseph Kriha Jr.

Gibbon resident, 73

KEARNEY - Joseph Louis Kriha Jr., 73, of Gibbon died Friday, July 20, 2012, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Faith United Church in Gibbon with the Rev. Cathy Cole officiating. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery in Gibbon.

Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. today at the church.

Godberson Mortuary in Gibbon is in charge of arrangements.

He was born Feb. 3, 1939, in Shelton to Joseph L. and Mae E. (Zimmerman) Kriha.

On July 29, 1956, he married Marlene F. Schnase in Gibbon.

Survivors include his wife; son, Barry and his wife, Shayla, of Omaha; daughters, Deborah VanMatre and her husband, Nick, of Gibbon, Diane Bayley of Denver, Pa., and Jennifer Kriha and her special friend, Spencer Kehl, of Kearney; grandchildren, Craig VanMatre and his wife, Heidi, of Norwalk, Iowa, Alissa Kern and her husband, Andrew, and Trey, Jordyn and Taylor Rivera, all of Gibbon, Jeremy Bayley and his wife, Meressa and Eric Bayley and his wife, Rachel, all of Kearney, David Bayley and his wife, Abby, of Denver, Pa., and Clayton and Bryce Kriha of Omaha; six great-grandchildren; brothers, John Kriha and his wife, Willa, of Columbus, Kan., and Mike Kriha and his wife, Sandra, and Ron Kriha and his wife, Nancy, all of Lincoln; sister, Marlene Wilson and her husband, Tom, of Rapid City, S.D.; sisters-in-law, Janice Kriha of Lincoln and Donna King and her husband, Tom, of Greenwood, S.C.; brother-in-law, John Schnase and his wife, Rosemary, of Denver, Colo.; and many nieces and nephews.

He was raised on a farm near Gibbon and graduated from Gibbon High School in 1956. He and Marlene made their home in Gibbon. They were the owner/operators of Bi-Mart IGA from 1967 to 1985. Before that, he worked for Kenny's Grocery and Central Nebraska Cooperative. Since then, he worked for Cargill and the U.S. Postal Service and farmed in the Gibbon area.

He was involved with the Gibbon Tractor Pull Association for more than 20 years, served on the Board of Adjustments for the city of Gibbon, and was a member of the Gibbon Chamber of Commerce and Faith United Church.

He served 25 years on the Gibbon Housing Authority Board and was instrumental in the construction of the Colony Acres project. He had been active with the Gibbon Jaycees and Gibbon Fire Department and had also served on the Gibbon City Council.

He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Richard Alan Kriha; and brother, Jerry Kriha.

Memorials are suggested to Gibbon Faith United Church, Gibbon Educational Foundation or to the Gibbon Volunteer Fire Department.