Calvin Burge
Calvin Lester Burge, 93, was born July 5, 1926 on a farm near Bladen to Lester and Margaret (Andersen) Burge.
School years were spent in Bladen, Cowles and Ayr, Nebraska.
He graduated from Ayr High School in 1944. He served in the U.S. Navy from May 1944 to May 1946.
He married Ardyce M. Reis on Sept. 25, 1948 at Immanual Lutheran Church in Hastings and has spent his life in Webster, Adams, and Kearney counties. He spent most of his life as a mechanic in Hastings, Minden and Blue Hill.
In 1960, he and his father bought the Ford dealership in Blue Hill, which he was involved with through 1990.
In 1969, they also bought the Blue Hill School buses that they managed through 2007.
When his father passed away in 1974, Cal continued to manage both the dealership and school buses.
Cal was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, American Legion Shirley Post #176 and Blue Hill/Red Cloud VFW Post #5641.
He was a church council member and Sunday school and confirmation teacher.
Cal was also a Boy Scout leader, American Legion adjutant and was a legion baseball and town softball team coach.
Cal was on the initial board to construct Westgate Manor, and served on the Blue Hill City Council, and is a past Mayor of Blue Hill. He was a previous member of the Blue Hill Chamber of Commerce and Community Club, as well as a member of Harness Hustlers Driving Club and the Blue Hill Area Improvement Corp.
He enjoyed his horses and giving rides and watching his children, grandchildren and school bus kids play sports.
In addition to his wife of 70 years, he is survived by sons Clint (Terry) Burge of Blue Hill and Rex (Anita) Burge of Grant; daughters Diana (Bruce) Domeier of Sutton, Janelle (Rob) Lambie of Hastings and Robin (Dick) Gilbert of Clay Center; grandchildren Carmen (Mark) King, Krystal (Pat) Vaughn, Nick (Sarah) Burge, Christopher Burge, Timothy Burge, Trisha (Randy) Dietz, Renae (Chad) Hart, Brock (Brandee) Domeier, Kiley Domeier, Amy (Dave) Stevens, Mitch Lambie, Jeremy (Erin) VanBoening, Simon (Susan) VanBoening, Josh (Stacey) VanBoening; step children Jason (Vicki) Gilbert, Melissa (Brian) Stolley, Danielle (matt) Anderson; 33 great-grandchildren, eight step greatgrandchildren, three great great grandchildren; sisters Wanda (Lee) Wright of Waco, Tex., Shirley Allen (Bob Tharp) of Hastings; brothers-in-law Wilbur Reis of Cincinatti, Ohio and Franklin Reis of Waverly; many nieces, nephews, cousins, family and friends.
Proceeded in death by parents; brother Ron (Sharon) Burge; sisters Marcie (Gene) Coutts, Donna (Paul) Goedert; brother and sisters-in-law Ryal (Virginia Reis, Ruby Reis, Janet Reis, Vern Allen; great grandson Cody Fernau; niece Rhonda Cox and nephew; Eddie Doyle.
Services were held February 7, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Blue Hill and Burial was in the Blue Hill Cemetary.
Merten-Butler was in charge of arrangements.