Rex German

1934 - 2025

Rex German

October 28, 1934 - September 28, 2025

Rex Le Roy German of Cozad, passed away on September 28, 2025 at Elwood Care Center in Elwood, Neb. at age 90. Rex was born October 28, 1934 in a farm house south of Cozad, Neb. to parents Milo and Ruth German.

Rex spent his childhood playing with many cousins and grew to love the large German family that meant so much to him. One fond memory as a child was "saving" lambs from Culver sheep feedlot with Rod Carlson. However, he always wondered why he was the only one that got in trouble. Milo and Ruth farmed near Cozad and owned several businesses, including a partnership in a John Deere dealership that then lead to the formation of Nebraska Plastics. Rex spent time helping on the farm and as a teenager, worked nights for Nebraska Plastics. His first passion was teaching. After graduating from Cozad High School in 1952, he started teaching in rural schools at Ringgold District 66 south of Cozad. It was a very busy job as he not only taught grades kindergarten through 8th grade all in the same room, he also was the PE teacher, music teacher and janitor. He later taught at Lucerne Valley rural school and the upper grades at District 100R north of Gothenburg. While teaching he met the love of his life, Lois Hibbler who was also teaching in Cozad. After five years of dating and four marriage proposals, they were married at the Church of Christ in Cozad on January 1, 1958 after a one week engagement. From this union, came four children.

On July 18, 1957, Milo German was killed in a plane crash and Ruth asked Rex to end his teaching career and take over managing Nebraska Plastics. Even though teaching was his passion, he agreed. Rex was President of the company for 60 years. With the help of many wonderful employees, he transformed the company several times revolutionizing both the ag irrigation and fence industries. In the early 70s, Nebraska Plastics, with the help of Dow Chemical, developed the world's first weatherable PVC compound so they could produce above ground PVC irrigation pipe. In 1977, Rex and Lois moved the family to the family farm east of Cozad. Since they needed fencing for their horses, Rex and fellow employees installed a PVC fence out of various profiles they were already producing for the irrigation and hog industry. That installation was the world's first vinyl fence. Rex thought it was such a great product, he started marketing it to the fence industry and the vinyl fence industry was created. Over the next decades, Nebraska Plastics developed sales in all 50 states and many foreign countries. His passion for education also helped him in the business world. He believed, to be successful, he needed to continue learning and growing his own knowledge. He attended Harvard Business School Executive Education Program. While there, he even substitute taught the class he was taking when the instructor was not able to be there.

Rex was a member of the Cozad School Board when the current high school was built, Cozad Power Board, Nebraska Diplomat, the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska, the boards of the Dawson County Historical Society, the Henri Museum, and was on the Nebraska Humanities Council. He served on a University of Nebraska committee to develop non-food uses for Nebraska Agriculture. This included research in producing PVC compound from Corn and dissolvable packing peanuts from potatoes. He co-authored with Don Edwards, from UNL, a paper on irrigation systems for use in a foreign country. He authored Agri-Talk in the International Flying Farmers magazine, and he authored the book entitled 'Battle Of The Bridges', which is the history of the settlement of Dawson County. He was a member of the American Fence Association and ASTM International where he worked to develop the first industry standards for vinyl fence. He was a charter member of the Board of Directors for the Plastic Pipe and Fittings Association and is a past member of the American Society for Agricultural Engineers where he worked to establish industry standards for PVC above ground irrigation tubing. Later in life, he still had that same passion for education and spent his Sundays teaching adult bible class at their local church where they were married and he was an elder. He had a deep affection for Cozad and connecting people from the past with friends and relatives he knew.

Rex was preceded in death by his wife, his parents and siblings, Roger German and Margery (German) Mathews.

He is survived by his brother, Doug German of Eustis, Neb.; and children: Milo (Sarah) German of Exton, Pa., Sid German (fiancé, Susan Baudin) of Hammond, La., Amy (Tom) Hirn of Fort Collins, Colo., Paul (Jane) German of Elwood, Neb.; grandchildren: Hannah (Kevin) Dutcher, Rachel (James) Snyder, Megan (Jackie) Hanks, Katelynn German, Anna (Justin) Ortego, Elizabeth Hirn, Laura Hirn, Amanda (Bailey) Stapleman, Katrina (Dennis) Maar, and Kyle German (fiancé, Kaitlyn Dozler); eight great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Berryman Funeral Home

Cozad, Nebraska

308-784-3000