Brock D. Chase

Brock Daniel Chase, 40, of Central City, NE, took his final bow on Friday, October 3, 2025. And if there's a party in heaven, you can bet he's already taken over the playlist, told a few wildly inappropriate jokes, danced like a white boy and challenged someone to an arm-wrestling match. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 11th at 2:00 p.m. at Third City Christian Church in Grand Island, with Pastor Dan Walter officiating. Visitation will take place the day of from 1 p.m. until service time. Interment will be held at a later date.
Memorials are suggested to the family to be designated later. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.soltwagnerfuneral.com.
Brock was born on August 16, 1985, in Auburn, NE to Katherine Oakley and was later adopted by Steve Chase - the man who raised him with love, wisdom, and probably a lot of patience. He grew up in Cozad, NE and eventually settled in Central City, where he found a version of calm (Brock-style, of course).
He was many things: a cowboy, a gymnast, a welder, a firefighter, a wrestler, a military veteran who served four tours in Iraq, a thrill-seeker, a father, a brother, a poet, a protector, a pain in the butt (lovingly), and the guy everyone wanted at their bonfire. His laugh could shake walls. His heart was even bigger than his biceps (which were Hulk-sized, for the record).
There was nothing Brock couldn't do: underwater welding, farming, horse riding, flipping, lifting, diving, surviving, tractor-driving - he mastered it all. If you told him he couldn't do something, he'd laugh in your face and then do it twice.
He attended District 13 Country School (yes, it was literally a little red schoolhouse), graduated from Cozad High School in 2004, earned a welding degree from Southeast Community College in Milford, and later got his underwater welding certification in Seattle - eventually working with Miami Divers in Florida. He traveled the world with the military but always came back to his roots.
Wherever Brock went, he made memories - and usually a bit of a scene. He met Beth Sandau at welding school they became best friends and soon parents to Makhaia and Elara. In 2018 he married Chelsea Scheer, he became a father to Audryna and later, they had two sons Lennon and Oliver. If there was one thing that could keep him grounded, it was being a dad. He was proud of all his children. Each of his children knew they were deeply loved - even when separated by miles.
Brock had the rare gift of making strangers feel like old friends. You could meet him once and walk away with a story you'd tell for years. His sisters knew they could always count on him - protective, proud, and sometimes loud, but always present.
He is survived by his father, Steven Chase of Central City; Chelsea Chase and their three children of Central City; Beth Sandau and their two children of Maryville, MO; his sisters, Katie (Rosemary Hallett) Oakley of Bangor, ME and Shawnee (Logan) Williams of Central City; his grandmothers, Marilyn Chase and Janet Knipe of Auburn; nieces, nephews, and his loyal dog, Achilles. He was greeted on the other side by his mother, Katherine Oakley, and his "Papa" Wayne Chase - who we're sure had a pitch game and cold drink waiting.
In his final year, Brock found peace. He reconnected with God, mentored fellow veterans, and turned his pain into poetry - earning recognition for his writing and becoming a light for others navigating PTSD and addiction. His journey was messy, wild, brave, and beautiful.
And yes - Marilyn, we all know he was your favorite. We're okay with it.
So here's to Brock: the cowboy, the soldier, the poet, the brother, the father, the friend. The legacy you leave behind is stronger than a Mighty Oak. May the road rise to meet you, may your next adventure be just as loud, and may there always be a seat for you at the biggest bonfire in the sky.