W. Lynn Thomas

W. Lynn Thomas, 90, of Kearney, died Saturday, May 23, 2015 at CHI Health Good Samaritan Hospital. Funeral Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, June 1, 2015 at Kearney E-Free Church with the Rev. Brian Klein officiating. Interment will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Gibbon. Visitation will be 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Sunday with a time of sharing from 4:00 to 5:00 at O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home. Memorials are suggested to Kearney Rotary for Polio eradication, Salvation Army, Crossroads Mission or the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com or at www.facebook.com/pages/W-Lynn-Thomas. O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Walter Lynn Thomas was born on a farm outside of Gibbon, Nebraska to O. Verner and Anna (Piper) Thomas on February 11, 1925. He was the 9th of 11 children. He is affectionately known to some as “Bub.” At five years old, he contracted polio, and he spent much of his youth in and out of the Orthopedic Hospital in Lincoln. The polio caused a lot of physical problems, so he had to spend his life on crutches and in a wheel chair. But he never let his physical limitations stand in the way of his dreams. Lynn graduated in 1944 from Kearney Public Schools, and later attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. He was united in marriage to Beverly Jean Nelson, and they had four children: Lynda, Michael, LeAnn and Richard. Lynn worked a number of jobs in Kearney until he worked at and then bought a little storefront business named Ace Irrigation Equipment. His primary interests and activities throughout his adult life involved Ace Irrigation, a company he grew into the thriving irrigation and culvert business Ace Eaton Metals located at the Kearney Airbase. For the past ten years, Lynn has been married to Mary Ann deNeveu Shanahan. In these later years, Lynn had an apartment connected to the business office, so he was able to remain active at the company by wheeling his wheel chair over to the office every day. Less than a week before his passing, Lynn wheeled out into the plant for a look at the present activities and chat with employees. Lynn thought of his employees like family. Lynn had a beautiful voice and loved singing the popular songs of his youth. Lynn learned to play chess during his college days, and over the years he collected many unusual chess sets. Lynn enjoyed watching sports on TV, and he enjoyed documentaries and history. He grew cat tails in the ditches around the office, and he loved watching the red wing black birds nest there. Lynn possessed an incredible memory for everything, including that he could still remember all of his classmates names from third grade. Through Ace Irrigation and personally, Lynn supported with his membership, time and funds hundreds of organizations, groups, charities, teams, schools, universities and individuals. These include Rotary, 4-H, Kearney and Gibbon Fire Departments, Law Enforcement of Buffalo County, Special Olympics, Lions, Eagles, Republican Party, Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries, Crossroads Mission and many many others. In 1967 Lynn was presented the Small Businessman of the Year Award by the United States of America Small Business Administration. He was also awarded the key to the city of Kearney. In 1975 the Kearney Volunteer Fire Department selected Lynn as an Honorary Fireman. In the 1970s Lynn was elected and served as a Buffalo County Board of Supervisor. Lynn and his daughter LeAnn captured much of his inspiring life story and published it in a book titled “Pipe Dreams”. During his life he overcame many obstacles to achieve his dreams, and he would encourage you to pursue your dreams as well. Survivors include his wife, Mary Ann of Kearney; daughters, Lynda Frye (Mike) Brookes of Kearney, LeAnn Thomas of Kearney; sons, Michael (Sue Ann) Thomas of Gibbon, Richard (Monica) Thomas of Kearney; step-daughter, Ryan deNeveu of Omaha; grandchildren, Kasey (Karen) Frye, Jenae Frye Curtis, Bryan Frye, Jesse (Chelsea) McNew, Heather (Lucas) Wright, Dustin McNew, Chancey Thomas and significant other, Ryan West, Laura Ritterbush, Kimber (Todd) Kinstler, Nicole Ritterbush, Justice deNevue and Rowan Norman; great grandchildren, Serenity, Quincy, Damien, Huxley, Saber, Savannah, Dylan, Rylan and Hailey; as well as, many nieces and nephews and a host of friends. Preceded in death by his parents; brothers and sisters, Lloyd, Loren, Merle, Lucile (Musil), Dorothy (Musil), David, Roy, Edith (Cure), Arthur, and Beverly; son-in-law, Patrick Frye; first wife and mother of his children, Beverly (Nelson) Thomas.

W. Lynn Thomas

February 11, 1925 - May 23, 2015