Leonard McCarville

Leonard McCarville, 94, of Kearney, Nebraska died on Sunday, January 29, 2023, at Good Samaritan St. John’s in Kearney. A funeral mass will be 10:00 a.m. Friday, February 3, 2023 at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Kearney with Father Paul Colling officiating. Burial will be held 2:00 p.m. Friday at Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell, Nebraska with military honors. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Leonard was born on October 10, 1928, in Loup City, Nebraska, the son of Charles and Victoria (Zaruba) McCarville. He was the sixth of fourteen children born to his parents. He grew up and attended school in rural Loup City. He graduated from high school in 1946 and then taught school until 1951. He enlisted in the United States Air Force on May 23, 1951. He received an Honorable Discharge on December 20, 1952, from Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. He was granted a Hardship Discharge after the death of his father to assume the duties of the farm and to be the care provider of his four minor sisters. He returned to Loup City and enrolled in Kearney State Teacher’s College. He and his younger siblings later moved to Kearney where he completed his education achieving a Bachelor of Arts in Education and a Master of Arts in Education. He taught at elementary schools in Kearney, including Whittier, Kenwood, and Park before becoming a school administrator. He served as principal at Kenwood Elementary and then at Central Elementary School for 24 years retiring in 1989. Serving a total of 38 years in education with Kearney Public Schools. In 1981, he received the first Pratt-Heins Foundation Administrator award. In 1994, he became the first recipient of the Retired Educator Award from the Kearney Public Schools Foundation. In his retirement he took pride in maintaining his home, yard, and vehicles. Before losing his eyesight to macular degeneration he enjoyed driving and taking friends to lunch at small town diners. He took pleasure in family reunions where there was often a game of pitch. He also appreciated his friends and their daily chats over coffee at McDonald’s. He was an active member of the Lions Club, Knights of Columbus, and the catholic churches of Kearney, St. James and Prince of Peace. He is survived by his sisters, JoAnn Kalkowski of Rockville; Louise Hartman of Kearney; Donette Danburg of Springfield, Missouri; Betty (Al) Labs of Bennett, Colorado and sister-in-law Phyllis (Donald) McCarville as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Memorials are suggested to The American Macular Degeneration Foundation or the Sherman County Historical Society. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entitled to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services.

Leonard McCarville

October 10, 1928 - January 29, 2023