Lonny Polacek

1957 - 2025

Lonny Polacek

September 27, 1957 - August 31, 2025

Lonny F. Polacek, age 67 of Kearney, died on Sunday, August 31, 2025 at his home in Kearney. Celebration of Life services will be on Sunday, September 14, 2025 at 3:30 p.m. at the Gail and Michael Yanney Pavilion in Kearney. Casual dress please, no need for black or formal wear. Following the ceremony, a light meal will be provided and friends/family are invited to walk through the beautiful Yanney Gardens and/or bring a fishing rod and catch a fish in memory of Lonny. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the University of Nebraska Foundation, Loper Athletic Club - Track. Please visit www.hlmkfuneral.com to leave a message or condolence. Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of arrangements.

Lonny Polacek grew up in Prague, NE to parents Frank and Margie Polacek and siblings Linda, Laura, and Larry. There, he learned to love the outdoors and sports, especially track and field. He met his wife Shawn in high school. They attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and were married in 1979.

He graduated from UNL with a BS in Education and took his first teaching / coaching position in Newcastle, NE. There he earned a Masters of Science in Education. In addition to teaching, he coached girls basketball and track and field. His teams won 3 NSAA Runner-Up trophies in track and field and 1 NSAA Runner-Up trophy in basketball. He had numerous state qualifiers and state champions in track and field. They excelled and won many conference and district meets.

He left Newcastle and moved to Holdrege, NE to become Assistant Principal and Activities Director at Holdrege High School. While at Holdrege, he obtained his national accreditation as a National Certified Athletic Administrator. His final move was to get back into the classroom taking a teaching position at Horizon Middle School where he retired in 2012.

When he retired from teaching, he was contacted by the University of Nebraska-Kearney to coach the pole vault and high jump. In his 15 years at UNK, he became a highly respected and nationally known coach with school records in women's pole vault and men's high jump, 10 conference champions, 36 national qualifiers, 18 All-Americans, 1 NCAA D-II Runner-Up, and a 7th place finisher at the USA Track and Field Championships.

He retired in May 2025 to spend more time with his wife Shawn and their grandchildren: Kennedy, Drake, and Eliza. He planned to coach with his son Nate in the spring of 2026 at Kearney High School.

Lonny loved three things: his family, fishing, and coaching. He loved talking to people, took time to get to know them, and really listened to them. Wherever he went, he seemed to know someone, or he easily made a friend. Then he'd be off to a pond, lake, river, or ocean to fish. He loved the quiet and beauty of the outdoors. His favorite vacations were with his family and his fishing rod; throw in a hike or two to spot wildlife and he was in heaven.

Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl

Kearney, Nebraska