Leonard Pelican

         Leonard J. Pelican, 101, of Palmer died Sunday, January 31, 2016 at Brookefield Park in St. Paul.

          Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at the United Methodist Church in Palmer.  Reverend Martin Leeper will officiate.  Interment will be in Rose Hill Cemetery in Palmer.

          Visitation will be on Tuesday, February 9 from 10:00 a.m. until service time at the church.

          Memorials are suggested to the Palmer United Methodist Church, Palmer Fire Department and EMT’s, or the Rose Hill Cemetery.

          Greenway Funeral Home in Palmer is in charge of arrangements.

          Mr. Pelican was born November 22, 1914 on the family farm northeast of Palmer in Nance County to John and Anna (John) Pelican.

          Leonard attended rural school District 61 near his home and then Palmer High School where he graduated in 1932.

          After his schooling he worked on a farm for Bill O’Hare.

          Leonard was united in marriage to Ada Brown on September 12, 1940 in Grand Island.

          The couple lived and farmed northeast of Palmer in Nance County.  In 1947, they moved to a farm near Palmer where they farmed and lived for the remainder of their lives.

          His wife Ada died on May 9, 2010. Leonard continued to live on the farm until moving to Brookefield Park in St. Paul on January 8, 2016 because of failing health.

          Leonard and Ada enjoyed traveling and playing cards.  Leonard enjoyed hunting elk and deer in Colorado and fishing trips to Canada.  He loved to tell stories about all different times of his life.

          He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Palmer, served on the Palmer School Board, Elevator Board, the Palmer School Endowment Fund, and the Central Nebraska Community Service Board.  He also served as a Merrick County Supervisor for many years.  Leonard was a Dekalb seed corn dealer for many years.

          Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Carol Jean and Norm Hietbrink of Blair; three grandchildren and spouses and twelve great-grandchildren, Karen and Dan Hassman of Spencer, IA and their children, Melissa, Holly, Brianne and her husband, Jacob Christiansen, Lindsey, Kaitlyn and Janae; Linda and Rob Wilson of Urbandale, IA and their children, Tim, Britta and her husband Collin Ten Haken and Scott; and Bruce and Corrie Hietbrink of Marlton, NJ and their children, Maddison, Daniel and Claire; and a sister-in-law, Irene Pelican of Grand Island.

          He is preceded in death by parents; his wife, Ada; a sister, Helen Grosch; and three brothers, Lumer, Louis and Stanley Pelican.

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