Richard Stacy

Richard Stacy, 80, of Kearney died Thursday, March 17, 2016 at his home. Memorial services will be held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at New Life Assembly Church with the Rev. Roger Wendt and Rev. Bob Wine officiating. Interment will follow at Kearney Cemetery with Military Honors provided by the American Legion Post #52 and VFW Post #759 in conjunction with the Nebraska National Guard Honors Team. Richard J. Stacy was born in rural Buffalo County, October 24, 1935 to Harry and Mildred (Majer) Stacy north and west of Ravenna on the farm of his grandparents, Joe and Millie Majer. He attended East Ward Elementary in Ravenna until the fifth grade when he moved to North Platte and graduated from North Platte Senior High with the class of 1953. He was employed by the Union Pacific railroad as a machinist apprentice in 1954 when he enlisted in the U. S. Army Transportation Corps and served 27 months in Germany and France as a Diesel Locomotive Repairman. In 1957 he entered the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and graduated in 1962 with a Bachelor of Architecture degree. At the University he was initiated into the Sigma Tau Engineering Honorary and was awarded the student medal for academic excellence. In 1960 he married Marlys Nelson and to this union, two children, Kimberley and Mark, were born. After graduation, he and Marlys moved to Kearney where he worked with the Helleberg & Helleberg architectural firm. In 1966 he passed the architectural license exam and, in 1970, became a partner and principal in the firm of Great Plains Engineering and Architecture. Marlys died of cancer in 1972. In 1977, Richard married Peggy (Janitscheck) Criffield. Peggy was a widow with two children, Timothy and Brent. Together they raised their blended family to be loving and caring siblings and adults. In 2000, he joined the firm of Miller & Associates. During his fifty years of architectural practice he was responsible for the design of numerous projects in Nebraska, as well as the states of Kansas, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois. He was also active in many civic and professional organizations, including serving as President of the Nebraska Society of Architects, Kearney Chamber of Commerce and West Central Nebraska Home Builders Association. He enjoyed sports and remained active throughout his life and especially enjoyed the fellowship and camaraderie of the NBA (Noon Basketball Association.) At the age of 12 he asked Jesus to be the Lord of his life and several years later received adult baptism at First Lutheran Church in North Platte. At the time of his death he was an active member of New Life Assembly of Kearney where he had taught Sunday School classes, led small groups, participated in various drama productions and missions’ projects and had served on the Church Board. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather who tried to instill in his children a love for God and the conservative values of hard work and thrift learned while growing up in the years following the great depression. Memories will be cherished by his loving wife, daughter, Kimberley Stacy and wife Jeanne Pasteris of Centerville, MA, sons, Mark Stacy, his wife Nicola, and their sons, Jacob and Benjamin Stacy, of Marstons Mills, MA, Timothy Criffield, his wife Aliisa, and their children Noah, Zac, and Elliana Criffield, of Kearney, NE, and Brent Criffield, his wife Courtney, and their sons Jake Arenz, Colton and Anson Criffield, of Ravenna, NE, and brother, Larry Stacy and wife Rhonda of North Platte, NE. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Marlys Nelson Stacy, parents Harry Stacy and Mildred Ickes, stepfather, Miller “Bud” Ickes and his maternal and paternal grandparents. Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home.

Richard Stacy

October 24, 1935 - March 17, 2016