Roger C. Van Pelt

Roger C. Van Pelt, 84, of Dannebrog died Wednesday, April 4, 2018 at the Howard County Medical Center in St. Paul.

            Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday at the United Methodist Church in St. Paul.  Rev. Dr. Russ Anderson will officiate.  Graveside services will be held at a later date in the Central City Cemetery.

            Visitation will be on Sunday, from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at Jacobsen-Greenway Funeral Home in St. Paul.

            Memorials are suggested to the St. Paul United Methodist Church or the Howard County Historical Society.

            Roger was born December 29, 1933 on a farm near Archer to Leonard and Vera (Woodward) Van Pelt.

            He attended school in Archer until transferring to Palmer his junior year to play football.  He graduated from Palmer Public School in 1952.  He then attended Milford Community College, majoring in mechanics, before serving in the United States Army.

            Following his military service, he was united in marriage to Edith Burch on October 13, 1956 at the Palmer Parsonage.

            The couple lived and farmed near Archer until 1966 when they moved to the Dannebrog area in order to take advantage of the Sherman Irrigation Project.  In 1970, they purchased a farm northwest of Dannebrog where they made their home and continued to farm for many years. 

            “Pops,” as he was called by his children, loved watching his grandchildren play ball and followed all of their activities.  His brothers and sisters lovingly referred to him as “Bill”, in reference to Will Rogers, a well-known comedian at the time.  This was very fitting, as Roger was always known for a hearty laugh and a gentle smile.

            Roger also enjoyed fellowship at “Thursday Coffee” with his church family; and rarely missed exchanging good-humored ribbing with his coffee shop crew at the Skyline Café each morning.

            He was a member of the United Methodist Church in St. Paul, Carl Mogensen American Legion Post #119 of St. Paul, and the Howard County Historical Society.

            Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Mark and Patti Van Pelt of Dannebrog and Rod and Pam Van Pelt of Lexington; six grandchildren and spouses, Jared and Jenni Van Pelt and their children, Crew and Norah, Melissa and Bryant England and their children Owen, Alice and Emily, Grant and Adriana Van Pelt and their daughter Eleanor, Matthew Van Pelt, Zeb Van Pelt, and Katie and Michael Douglas; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Dwaine and Carmen Van Pelt and Steve and Vicki Van Pelt, all of Archer; four sisters and two brothers-in-law, Rhoda Seiler of Axtell, Nora and Virgil Lindner of Central City, Judy and Stuart Anderson of Axtell and Sharlene Riese of Grand Island.

            He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Edith; a son, Toby; a daughter, Jennifer; a brother, DeWitt Van Pelt; a sister and brothers-in-law, Betty and Myron Duncan, Andy Seiler and Gerald Riese.

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