Robert McCammon

Dale McCammon, 91 Kearney resident Robert “Dale” McCammon, 91, of Kearney died Thursday, January 10, 2013 at St. John's Good Samaritan Center. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM, Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Gary Main officiating. Interment will be in the Kearney Cemetery. Military rites at graveside will be conducted by the Navy Honor Guard in conjunction with VFW Post 759 and American Legion Post 52. The Patriot Guard Riders will also be in attendance. Visitation will be from 5-7 PM, Monday at the O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney and one hour prior to service time at the church. Memorials are suggested to the Flag Fund at the Kearney Cemetery, First United Methodist Church or the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department. Online condolences or personal reflections may be submitted at osrfh.com. O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home of Kearney is in charge of arrangements. He was born March 16, 1921 in Holdrege, Nebraska to Warren Lee & Ruby Olive (McGeorge) McCammon. Dale grew up in Holdrege and Bertrand. He was active in Boy Scouts and was known for his musical ability in playing the sousaphone. He graduated from Bertrand High School in 1939. He entered the United States Navy on October 8, 1940 and was discharged in November of 1946. He was serving on the U.S.S. Lexington when it was sunk in the Coral Sea on May 8, 1942. He also served on the U.S.S. Bogue, which served escort duty off the shores of Argentina, Newfoundland and Murmansk, Russia; and the U.S.S. Cowpens, an aircraft carrier that performed combat missions in the Pacific Ocean until the end of the war. He also served on the U.S.S. Ard 29, a floating dry dock in Buckner Bay, Okinawa and then was stationed in the Bikini Atolls for the first of two atom bomb tests. On June 17, 1951, he married Dorothy Bowden in Kearney at the First United Methodist Church. After returning home from the war he began his life long career in the automotive repair business, working as the Body Shop Foreman at Nelson Motors, Kearney Body Shop, Olson-Hill Ford, Turner’s Body Shop, Killion Motors and Crossroads Ford. He also did upholstery work while at Turner’s Body Shop. After retirement he worked for Eppley Express as a driver and for General Adjustment Bureau as an adjuster for automobile accidents until he finally retired at the age of 81. He enjoyed bowling and carpentry work. He was active in the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department and served as president of the department. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Kearney, life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 759, the American Legion Post 52 and the Elks Lodge #984. As a VFW member, he served as National Aide De Camp for four tours, National Voice of Democracy Committee, National Presidents Installation Committee, District Commander of the Department of Nebraska, District Quarter Master, Department Color Guard, Deputy for the Convention Corporation, All State Commander, All State Quartermaster for two tours, Post Commander for two years, Post Adjutant and Post Quartermaster for six terms. He was also an admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska. He and his wife Dorothy started the Avenue of Flags at the Kearney Cemetery in 1984 that continues to this day. They received the Freedom Award from the Kearney Hub in 2002 for their dedication to this project. Survivors include his wife Dorothy, daughters, Nancy Hansen and her husband, Thomas, of Fort Wayne Indiana, Gail Mullins, and her husband, Michael, and Lori O’Brien and her husband, Stephen, all of Kearney, grandchildren, Jennifer Behnk and her husband, Shane of Columbus, Nebraska, Christopher Hansen of Brooklyn, New York, and Katie McCaslin and her husband, Jordan, of Kearney, great grandchildren, Olivia and John Behnk of Columbus, Nebraska and Jaxon McCaslin of Kearney, one niece and two nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Anna Remus, his brother, Benjamin and his great-grandson, Michael Behnk.

Robert McCammon

March 6, 1921 - January 10, 2013