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BORN
1948
DIED
2025
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Leonard Gipe Obituary
Leonard "Sonnie" Wayman Gipe, Jr.
March 13, 1948 - April 18, 2025
Leonard "Sonnie" Wayman Gipe, Jr. was born on March 13, 1948 in Cambridge, Nebraska to Leonard Wayman Gipe, Sr. and Elsie (Conley) Gipe.
Sonnie worked for the parks department in Sterling, Colorado and at a chicken factory in Arkansas. For most of his life, he worked for the State of Nebraska and for Furnas County out of Arapahoe, Nebraska. On October 22, 1967, Sonnie married Charlotte Janice Brown. They made a life together and raised a family in Holbrook, Nebraska. Charlotte passed away in 2009. On May 26, 2024, Sonnie married Lauretta Ann Sweely Stonerook.
Sonnie was a member of the Christian Church. He loved spending time with his kids and grandkids, working on vehicles and making chimes and necklaces. Sonnie enjoyed tinkering with things that he could fix and playing his guitar. He also enjoyed time spent outdoors, especially days camping and fishing.
Leonard "Sonnie" Gipe, Jr. passed away at his home in Holbrook on April 18, 2025. He was 78 years of age.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Charlotte, his parents, Leonard, Sr. and Elsie Gipe; sister, June Braukhan; brother-in-law, Clarence Braukhan; sister, Lynette (Gipe) Kyle; father-in-law, Marvin Brown; mother-in-law, Betty Brown; son-in-law, Ron Bray; grandson, Ronnie Jr. Bray; father-in-law, Sherman Sweely; mother-in-law, Laura (Wetter) Sweely and a nephew, Steve Braukhan.
Survivors include his wife, Lauretta (Stonerook) Gipe of Holbrook; children: Christy Bibby and husband, Larry of Minden, Nebraska, Heather Bray of Cozad, Nebraska, Terry Gipe and wife, SuAnn of Holdrege, Nebraska, Robin Sieja and husband, Mike Jr. of Edison, Nebraska; stepdaughter, Sandy Meade of Kearney, Nebraska; stepson, Preston Stonerook of Minden; and stepson, Sherman Stonerook of Holbrook; bonus children: Betty Sweely and husband, Sherwin Sweely of Oxford, Nebraska, Keith Beneda and partner, Hillary Higgins of Bazine, Kansas and Mary Garza and husband, Rick of Huntley, Nebraska; grandchildren: Jennifer Bibby of Denver, Colorado, Gary Bibby of Minden, Jeff Bray of Cozad, Shawn Bray of Oberlin, Kansas, Nathan Gipe of Oklee, Minnesota, Jessica Gipe of Atlanta, Nebraska, Jeremy Gipe of Holdrege, Shane Sieja of Cambridge, Nebraska, Kimberly Sieja of Edison; step-grandkids, Kikiana Meade and Kian Meade of Kearney; bonus grandchildren: Tiffany Beneda of Hastings, Nebraska, Casey Higgins and husband, Matt of Oxford, Jesse Sweely and wife, Breanna of McCook, Nebraska, Jason Garza and wife, Arya of Huntly, Rebecca Leoffelholz and husband, Phillip of Kearney, Joseph Garza of Huntly and Christopher Garza of Grand Island; great-grandchildren: Austin Baxter, Izaihah Bray, Grayson Bray, Railynn Bray and Oakley Bray; bonus great-grandchildren: Aiden Durman, Granger Loeffelholz, Azalea Garza, Wyatt, Sara, and Elizabeth Higgins and Mackinley and Wessley Sweely; brothers and sisters: Karen and husband, Ken Kurzenberger of Fremont, Nebraska, Susan Barns of Arapahoe and brother-in-law, Albert Kyle of Kearney.
Visitation will be held Wednesday evening, April 23, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Lockenour-Jones Mortuary in Cambridge.
Funeral services are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Thursday morning, April 24, 2024 at Lockenour-Jones Mortuary in Cambridge. Burial in the Adullam Cemetery in Rural Bertrand, Nebraska will follow services.
Memorials are suggested to the family of Sonny Gipe for future designation. Online condolences may be left at lockenour.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Lockenour-Jones Mortuary of Cambridge.
March 13, 1948 - April 18, 2025
Leonard "Sonnie" Wayman Gipe, Jr. was born on March 13, 1948 in Cambridge, Nebraska to Leonard Wayman Gipe, Sr. and Elsie (Conley) Gipe.
Sonnie worked for the parks department in Sterling, Colorado and at a chicken factory in Arkansas. For most of his life, he worked for the State of Nebraska and for Furnas County out of Arapahoe, Nebraska. On October 22, 1967, Sonnie married Charlotte Janice Brown. They made a life together and raised a family in Holbrook, Nebraska. Charlotte passed away in 2009. On May 26, 2024, Sonnie married Lauretta Ann Sweely Stonerook.
Sonnie was a member of the Christian Church. He loved spending time with his kids and grandkids, working on vehicles and making chimes and necklaces. Sonnie enjoyed tinkering with things that he could fix and playing his guitar. He also enjoyed time spent outdoors, especially days camping and fishing.
Leonard "Sonnie" Gipe, Jr. passed away at his home in Holbrook on April 18, 2025. He was 78 years of age.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Charlotte, his parents, Leonard, Sr. and Elsie Gipe; sister, June Braukhan; brother-in-law, Clarence Braukhan; sister, Lynette (Gipe) Kyle; father-in-law, Marvin Brown; mother-in-law, Betty Brown; son-in-law, Ron Bray; grandson, Ronnie Jr. Bray; father-in-law, Sherman Sweely; mother-in-law, Laura (Wetter) Sweely and a nephew, Steve Braukhan.
Survivors include his wife, Lauretta (Stonerook) Gipe of Holbrook; children: Christy Bibby and husband, Larry of Minden, Nebraska, Heather Bray of Cozad, Nebraska, Terry Gipe and wife, SuAnn of Holdrege, Nebraska, Robin Sieja and husband, Mike Jr. of Edison, Nebraska; stepdaughter, Sandy Meade of Kearney, Nebraska; stepson, Preston Stonerook of Minden; and stepson, Sherman Stonerook of Holbrook; bonus children: Betty Sweely and husband, Sherwin Sweely of Oxford, Nebraska, Keith Beneda and partner, Hillary Higgins of Bazine, Kansas and Mary Garza and husband, Rick of Huntley, Nebraska; grandchildren: Jennifer Bibby of Denver, Colorado, Gary Bibby of Minden, Jeff Bray of Cozad, Shawn Bray of Oberlin, Kansas, Nathan Gipe of Oklee, Minnesota, Jessica Gipe of Atlanta, Nebraska, Jeremy Gipe of Holdrege, Shane Sieja of Cambridge, Nebraska, Kimberly Sieja of Edison; step-grandkids, Kikiana Meade and Kian Meade of Kearney; bonus grandchildren: Tiffany Beneda of Hastings, Nebraska, Casey Higgins and husband, Matt of Oxford, Jesse Sweely and wife, Breanna of McCook, Nebraska, Jason Garza and wife, Arya of Huntly, Rebecca Leoffelholz and husband, Phillip of Kearney, Joseph Garza of Huntly and Christopher Garza of Grand Island; great-grandchildren: Austin Baxter, Izaihah Bray, Grayson Bray, Railynn Bray and Oakley Bray; bonus great-grandchildren: Aiden Durman, Granger Loeffelholz, Azalea Garza, Wyatt, Sara, and Elizabeth Higgins and Mackinley and Wessley Sweely; brothers and sisters: Karen and husband, Ken Kurzenberger of Fremont, Nebraska, Susan Barns of Arapahoe and brother-in-law, Albert Kyle of Kearney.
Visitation will be held Wednesday evening, April 23, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Lockenour-Jones Mortuary in Cambridge.
Funeral services are scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on Thursday morning, April 24, 2024 at Lockenour-Jones Mortuary in Cambridge. Burial in the Adullam Cemetery in Rural Bertrand, Nebraska will follow services.
Memorials are suggested to the family of Sonny Gipe for future designation. Online condolences may be left at lockenour.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Lockenour-Jones Mortuary of Cambridge.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Published by Kearney Hub on Apr. 29, 2025.
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