James R Ganz Sr.

James R. Ganz, Sr, 90, of Kearney, died Saturday, January 3, 2015 at the Mother Hull Home in Kearney. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 10th at the Kearney First United Methodist Church with the Reverend Gary Main officiating. Interment will be held at a later date. Visitation will be 6-8:00 pm at the O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home and one hour prior to service time at the church. Online condolences may be shared at www.osrfh.com. O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. James Robert Ganz was born to Carl Donald and Flora Rose (Boyles) Ganz, in Alvo, Cass County, Nebraska, on February 10, 1924. He attended Alvo Consolidated Schools throughout his youth, and graduated in 1940. He attended Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska for two years, and met his future wife, Doris, while there. He attended UNL for one year, for a semester at Doane College in Crete, Nebraska in the Navy V-12 program, and Midshipmen’s School at Columbia University in New York City, and was commissioned as an Ensign in the USNR on February 24, 1944. He was a Stores Officer aboard the USS LST 568 from its commissioning in New Orleans, and participated in three invasions in the South Pacific: Leyte Gulf, Lingayen Gulf in the Philippines, and Okinawa, survived two typhoons that necessitated the sinking of his ship off the Philippine Deep, and was placed on inactive duty on July 1, 1946. On June 15, 1946, he was united in marriage with Doris Ruth Jacobson at the Jacobson Ranch at Stromsburg, Nebraska, and to this union six children were born. He went to Law School at UNL under the GI bill, receiving his Bachelor’s degree in 1947 and his Law in 1949. He practiced law in Cozad, Nebraska, and in 1956 moved to Gibbon, Nebraska to work at Exchange Bank in addition to his law practice. In 1961, he purchased the A.C. Wittera Abstract Co. and continued in the practice of law, abstracts of title, and title insurance, until his retirement on June 15, 2004 and their move to Kearney from Gibbon. In 1972, he served as President of the Nebraska Land Title Association, and in 1991, was elected Title Person of the Year by his peers in the Land Title Profession. While living in Gibbon, he served on the Gibbon School Board for several terms, and was the Gibbon City Attorney for many years. He also served in many leadership roles at the Gibbon Presbyterian Church and at the Faith United Methodist Church in Gibbon. He shared his love of music with his wife and children, and aside from part of his military career, he sang in various church, village and city choirs from 1938 throughout his lifetime. One of his favorite sayings was “music is a lifetime sport”. Jim was a diehard Husker football fan. He also was warm and tender to friends and family, and was a world-class gentleman. He celebrated National Hug Day on a regular basis community-wide. From 1980 on, Jim sent out a weekly letter to his children , siblings and a host of good friends. The letters chronicled Jim and Doris' lives but also served as a platform for him to announce, compliment and expound. The letters were anticipated and treasured and were always signed "Your Favorite Dad." He was a member of Kearney First United Methodist Church, Hastings College and University of Nebraska at Lincoln Alumni Associations, the Gibbon American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Nebraska Land Title Association, Kearney Elks Lodge, Buffalo County Bar Association, Buffalo County Historical Society, Rob Morris Lodge A.F. and A.M., Tehama Shrine and Fort Kearney Shrine Club. He is survived by his children: James R. Ganz, Jr. (Kathleen) of Kearney, NE, William D. Ganz (Rebecca) of Tucson, AZ, Sara J. Kurlander of San Francisco, Kathryn J. (Norvell) Brasch of Denver, CO, Dale T. (Nancy) Ganz of Cleveland, OH, and Georgia K. (David) Lambert of St. Paul, MN; eleven grandchildren: Jeffrey Ganz (Hallie), Marcy Neeman (Mark), David Kurlander, Samuel Brasch, Jacob Brasch, Benjamin Brasch, Joseph Brasch, Daniel Lambert, Laura Jane Lambert, Julia Lambert and Elizabeth Lambert and two great-grandchildren, Augusta Ganz and Vivienne Neeman. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Doris, brothers Dale Ganz and Charles Ganz, sister Ruth Edwards, and son-in-law, Daniel Kurlander. Memorials are suggested to the Kearney First United Methodist Church Choir, Kearney Concert Association and the Buffalo County Historical Society.

James R Ganz Sr.

February 10, 1924 - January 3, 2015