James Rikli

James Rikli, 66, of Kearney died Monday, May 3, 2010 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. Funeral services will be 2 PM, Friday, May 7th at Grace Fellowship in Kearney. The Revs. Greg Mast and Mitch Ivey will lead the celebration of Jim's life. Military honors will be conducted by the Navy Honor Guard in conjunction with VFW Post 759 and American Legion Post 52 of Kearney at the Kearney Cemetery. Visitation will be 5-7, Thursday at O'Brien Straatmann Funeral Home in Kearney. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Gideons International. On-line condolences may be submitted to osafh.com. O'Brien Straatmann Funeral Home in Kearney is in charge of arrangements. Jim was born on January 30th, 1944 in Beatrice, Nebraska, to Vernon and Arlyne (Zabel) Rikli. He grew up in Beatrice and received his high school education at Beatrice High School where he was part of the relay team that still holds the State record in the 2-Mile Relay. Jim subsequently attended Hastings, Peru, and Kearney State colleges before enlisting in the Navy in 1964, where he served during the Vietnam conflict aboard P-3 Orion anti-submarine aircraft until his honorable discharge in 1968. Jim was united in marriage to Sue Wiebe on June 12th, 1970 in Beatrice, Nebraska, where his uncle and friend Dutch Rikli stood as his best man. Jim and Sue lived in Kearney, El Charman Lake south of Gibbon, and Shelton. He owned Rikli Financial Services where he specialized in providing financial and estate planning to clients distributed throughout the Midwest. Jim had many interests ?" cooking, fishing, traveling, and his Christian faith ?" to name a few, but his strongest single interest was people. The greatest expression of his faith was in the way he saw the unrealized potential in those around him and invested into them with vigor. Jim's influence is seen in the lives of those with whom he came in contact. Survivors include his wife, Sue; son Chris and his wife Megan (Hunnicutt) of Dallas, Texas; daughter Sarah Green and her husband Walt of Gretna, Nebraska and their children Maci and Moriah; daughter Nancy Stahla and her husband Rock of Grand Island, Nebraska and their children Lydia and Grant. Jim is also survived by his brother Rick of Phoenix, Arizona, and his brother Tom and his wife Monica of Colorado Springs. He was preceded in death by his parents.

James Rikli

January 30, 1944 - May 3, 2010