James Francis Vech

1948 - 2025

James Francis Vech

August 23, 1948 - February 9, 2025

James Francis Vech, a lifelong resident of the Cedar Bluffs area, died on February 9, 2025, at home. Jim, as he was known to family and friends, was born to Francis James and Lorraine Clare (Rasmussen) Vech on August 23, 1948, in Fremont, NE. The oldest of five, he grew up with his siblings on the farm west of Cedar Bluffs. His knowledge of farming began at an early age as he helped his father with cattle and field work. Jim was a member of the Mid-Bluffs Livestock 4-H club of Saunders County. As a youngster, he showed cattle at the Saunders County Fair, the Nebraska State Fair, and Aksarben. He often spent part of the summer with his grandparents, Lillian and Jim Vech, in Erickson, NE. Grandpa Jim kept him busy working cattle, cutting and baling hay, and mending fences. At the end of one of those summers, Grandpa Jim paid his grandson with a new car. Jim attended District 91, a one-room schoolhouse, from kindergarten through seventh grade. He attended Cedar Bluffs Public School for eighth and ninth grade. He then went to Bishop Neumann High School in Wahoo, Nebraska, graduating in 1966. He enjoyed playing football and was a pole vaulter on the track team at Neumann. Following graduation, Jim attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln majoring in agricultural economics. He graduated with his BS degree in 1970. His first job after graduation was as a manager with Grain States Soya in West Point, NE. He eventually decided to move back home to join the family farming business. Jim was passionate about every aspect of farming and strove to keep up with all the new innovations, procedures, and technology of farming through educational conferences and study. While at UNL, he joined ROTC and was active in that organization through his college years. He was proud of his dedication to the ROTC program. Upon graduating from UNL, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. After college, he joined the Army Reserves. He was the ranking officer of a unit in Fremont, NE and served for twelve years before being honorably discharged with the rank of Major. Jim married Elizabeth (Beth) Loflin on October 5, 1974, at St. Luke Methodist Church in Columbus, Georgia. Jim and Beth lived on the farm west of Cedar Bluffs for the 50+ years of their marriage. He was a member of the North Bend Jaycees, a community service organization, and served on the Elkhorn Valley Co-op board. He was on the District 14 school board in Morse Bluff, NE for many years. He enjoyed working to help make Morse Bluff Elementary School the very best it could be, always prioritizing the best educational experience for the children. A long-time member of United Presbyterian Church in North Bend, NE, he taught fourth grade Sunday school for many years. He also served on many committees, as a trustee, and as a ruling elder on the Session. He most recently was a member of Grace Presbyterian Church in Fremont,and was in training to be a Deacon. Jim enjoyed being outdoors and loved to go fishing and hunting. He made several trips to Canada to fish for "the big ones" and was quite successful. He liked to go bird hunting, waterfowl hunting, and many times he would go with his son, Frank, and friends to a pheasant farm to hunt birds. In later years, he hunted deer occasionally. One of his passions was playing bridge and he was quite good at it. He played in a bridge club for years and played marathon bridge in a tournament sponsored by the North Bend PEO chapter. He and his marathon partner, Bob Soukup, were daring and ruthless! They often ended up winners of the tournament. Jim tried to no avail to teach his children, daughter-in-law, and son-in-law the game. He even tried to teach bridge to a few grandchildren. They all preferred Pitch. Traveling was enjoyable for Jim; he loved the new sites, experiences, and adventures that it brought. He visited his daughter, Claire, and son-in-law, Lee, in New York City many times. One of his goals

was to walk all the bridges that crossed both the Hudson and East Rivers. He didn't quite complete that goal, but he did walk the Brooklyn Bridge several times. He spent part of every summer at Lake Summit in Tuxedo, NC. The family would gather at the home that Beth's grandfather built. During those days together, there was much laughter, good food, swimming, tubing, skiing, and boating on the lake. Playing a variety of games was also part of the fun and many happy memories were made at the lake home. His last trip was to Washington, DC to attend the 2025 Presidential Inauguration. Jim was very excited to go to Washington with some of his grandchildren and the trip fulfilled all of his expectations. A terrific Papa, Jim took great delight in his grandchildren. He loved being around them, being involved with them, and thoroughly enjoyed attending all of their activities which ranged from basketball, baseball, cross country, and swimming to dance and theater. Papa was there for them, encouraging them, cheering them on, and applauding the loudest at their events. Each one was special to him and had a special place in his heart. Jim was preceded in death by his parents and his brother William Arthur Vech. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Loflin Vech, two children, Claire Vech Reeves (Lee) of Franklin, Tennessee, and Franklin Hardaway Vech (Sara) of Cedar Bluffs, NE; six grandchildren, Charlotte Emerson Vech, Elliot Jacob Vech, Madeline Jane Vech, Rebecca Elizabeth Reeves, Dorothy Frances Reeves, and Archer James Reeves. Three siblings also survive, Steve (Jane) Vech, Ord, NE; Annette Hraban (Don), Morse Bluff, NE; Susan Baker, Omaha, NE. Many nieces and nephews will miss Uncle Jim, too, as will first cousins and other relatives. Many, many dear friends, too numerous to mention, will count Jim's departure from this earth as a great loss.

Many more things could be said about Jim. He was a kind, generous, strong, steadfast, honest, practical, loving, and fun-filled man. He made us laugh often. We will miss him.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Grace Presbyterian Church, the USO, North Bend Community Foundation (donations may be sent to Deanna Wolf, Treasurer, at PO Box 500, North Bend, NE 68649), or an organization of your choice.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM Sunday, February 16, 2025, at Grace Presbyterian Church 109 E. 6th Street in Fremont. The funeral will be 10:00 AM, Monday, February 17, 2025, at First Lutheran Church in Fremont. Private family burial will be at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery near Cedar Bluffs, NE.

Moser Memorial Chapel in Cedar Bluffs, 200 W Main, Cedar Bluffs, NE 68015, is in charge of arrangements.