☆～ VETERAN, WORLD WAR II (1939-1945) ～☆
He enlisted in US Army on 11 Apr, 1945, at Ft. Logan, Colorado.
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Wayne C. Kjeldgaard, 88, of Big Springs, NE passed away Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at the Sedgwick County Nursing Home in Julesburg. Visitation was held Friday, October 30th at Austin-Tennant Funeral Home in Julesburg. Funeral services were held Saturday, October 31st at the Big Springs United Methodist Church with Pastor Bun Koo Lee officiating. Burial followed at the Big Springs Cemetery.
Wayne Carl Kjeldgaard was born on December 13, 1926 in North Platte, to Vieva Dorn Kjeldgaard and Carl Kjeldgaard of Big Springs. He graduated in 1944 from Big Springs High School.
Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1944, Wayne trained for the invasion of Japan and shipped to Japan as part of occupation forces in late 1945, after the Japanese surrender. During his service in Japan his typing skills landed him a job as adjutant to a major. Wayne recalled allocating substantial shipments of military supplies around the Pacific as a nineteen-year-old staff sergeant.
Returning to civilian life in Big Springs, Wayne increasingly assumed responsibility for the family's farm and cattle operations. He married Idell Mae Olson, his high school sweetheart, in 1949, and their marriage endured until Idell's passing in 2001.
Wheat farming was Wayne's primary occupation for over 60 years. He also partnered with his father Carl, uncle Andy and brother Franklin in operation of the Farmers State Bank, which the family sold in 2004.
Wayne and Idell traveled to Europe, the Holy Land, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, China and other regions. From 1982 to 1999 they spent the winter months in Arizona.
Wayne and Idell were both active in the Big Springs United Methodist Church, where they were members from childhood. Wayne served numerous terms on church committees. He also served on the town board, and as part of the school board during the 1960s he helped direct construction of the grade school, middle school and gymnasium wing in use today.
Wayne was licensed as a private pilot. Wayne loved reading about a wide range of subjects. The phrase attached to his high school graduation photo was "so many books, so little time to read them." Favorites included civil war history, nautical fiction and the novels of John Le Carre.
Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, brother Franklin Kjeldgaard and daughter Karen Kjeldgaard. He is survived by sister Dee Dougherty and husband Gary of Tyler, TX, Joanne Eoff of Goleta, CA, daughter Julie Walsh and husband Tim of Windsor, CO, son Mark and wife Betty of Englewood, CO, four grandchildren, five nieces and three nephews.
Memorials can be made to the Wayne Kjeldgaard Memorial Fund for benefit of the United Methodist Church and Big Springs Community c/o Austin-Tennant Funeral Home PO Box 24, Julesburg, CO 80737. Austin-Tennant Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.--Tennant Funeral Home & Crematory
☆～ VETERAN, WORLD WAR II (1939-1945) ～☆
He enlisted in US Army on 11 Apr, 1945, at Ft. Logan, Colorado.
-----
Wayne C. Kjeldgaard, 88, of Big Springs, NE passed away Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at the Sedgwick County Nursing Home in Julesburg. Visitation was held Friday, October 30th at Austin-Tennant Funeral Home in Julesburg. Funeral services were held Saturday, October 31st at the Big Springs United Methodist Church with Pastor Bun Koo Lee officiating. Burial followed at the Big Springs Cemetery.
Wayne Carl Kjeldgaard was born on December 13, 1926 in North Platte, to Vieva Dorn Kjeldgaard and Carl Kjeldgaard of Big Springs. He graduated in 1944 from Big Springs High School.
Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1944, Wayne trained for the invasion of Japan and shipped to Japan as part of occupation forces in late 1945, after the Japanese surrender. During his service in Japan his typing skills landed him a job as adjutant to a major. Wayne recalled allocating substantial shipments of military supplies around the Pacific as a nineteen-year-old staff sergeant.
Returning to civilian life in Big Springs, Wayne increasingly assumed responsibility for the family's farm and cattle operations. He married Idell Mae Olson, his high school sweetheart, in 1949, and their marriage endured until Idell's passing in 2001.
Wheat farming was Wayne's primary occupation for over 60 years. He also partnered with his father Carl, uncle Andy and brother Franklin in operation of the Farmers State Bank, which the family sold in 2004.
Wayne and Idell traveled to Europe, the Holy Land, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, China and other regions. From 1982 to 1999 they spent the winter months in Arizona.
Wayne and Idell were both active in the Big Springs United Methodist Church, where they were members from childhood. Wayne served numerous terms on church committees. He also served on the town board, and as part of the school board during the 1960s he helped direct construction of the grade school, middle school and gymnasium wing in use today.
Wayne was licensed as a private pilot. Wayne loved reading about a wide range of subjects. The phrase attached to his high school graduation photo was "so many books, so little time to read them." Favorites included civil war history, nautical fiction and the novels of John Le Carre.
Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, brother Franklin Kjeldgaard and daughter Karen Kjeldgaard. He is survived by sister Dee Dougherty and husband Gary of Tyler, TX, Joanne Eoff of Goleta, CA, daughter Julie Walsh and husband Tim of Windsor, CO, son Mark and wife Betty of Englewood, CO, four grandchildren, five nieces and three nephews.
Memorials can be made to the Wayne Kjeldgaard Memorial Fund for benefit of the United Methodist Church and Big Springs Community c/o Austin-Tennant Funeral Home PO Box 24, Julesburg, CO 80737. Austin-Tennant Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.--Tennant Funeral Home & Crematory
Inscription
KJELDGAARD
WAYNE
DEC 13, 1926
OCT 27, 2015
US ARMY WW II
MARRIED OCT 16, 1949
OUR CHILDREN MARK, JULIE, ANN, KAREN
Family Members
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