(Veterans Flag) (photo)

Denis J. "Denny" Stieren, 88, of Fremont, died Sunday, June 1, 2014, at A.J. Merrick Manor in Fremont under hospice care.

A funeral Mass will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 4, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Fremont. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery in Fremont with military graveside services conducted by the Fremont Honor Guard of V.F.W. Post 854 and American Legion Post 20. A Knights of Columbus rosary will be 7 p.m. Tuesday at Moser Memorial Chapel in Fremont. Visitation on Tuesday will be 4-8 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Visitation will continue Wednesday at the church one hour prior to the service.

Denis J. "Denny" Stieren was born March 7, 1926, on a farm in Cuming County, south of West Point, to Conrad and Justina (Grovijohn) Stieren. Later, he moved with his parents to a farm south of Snyder.

The Stieren family attended St. Leo' s Catholic Church at Snyder and he attended St. Leo's Catholic School through the 8th grade. He was a 1943 graduate of Snyder High School.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II from April 6, 1945, to Dec. 31, 1946, and held the rank of Tech Sergeant. He received ground training and village fighting in anticipation of the invasion of Japan. He was on a ship waiting to go into Japan when the atomic bomb was dropped, ending the war. He then spent time in Korea and at a rest camp in China.

He worked at the International Harvester dealership in Dodge from 1948 to 1964. He then moved to Fremont and was a foreman then service manager at Flynn and Larsen International Trucks from 1964 until retiring in 1988.

He married Rita (Woita) Lockhart on Feb. 22, 1979. She died March 7, 2002.

Mr. Stieren was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Fremont and was a life member 4th Degree Knights of Columbus. He was a life member of V.F.W. Post 8332 of Arlington and American Legion Post 20 of Fremont and a 10-year member of the Fremont Honor Guard. He was a 25-year volunteer member of the Fremont Fire Department.

He had a great love for his family, and he loved to socialize with his many friends. He enjoyed playing pool, fishing, camping and bowling.

He is survived by sons and daughters-in-law: Randy and Jan Stieren and Al and Ronda Stieren, all of Fremont; daughters and sons-in-law, Denise and Joe Ruppert and Jodi and Darrel Miller, all of Miami, Okla., Dee and Marlon Nelson of Fremont and Barb Stieren of Columbus; stepdaughters: Linda and Bill Menking, Connie and Dale Lauritsen of Arlington and Sheila and Dave Monke of Fontanelle, and Michelle and Mike Baker of Arlington; 11 grandchildren and nine stepgrandchilden; seven great-grandchildren and sevenstepgreat-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; son Gary Stieren; two brothers: Gerald and Paul Stieren; sister Pauline Wietfeld; and stepgrandson Jacob Monke.

Memorials may be given to the Fremont Honor Guard, Arlington V.F.W. Memorial, Fremont Area Medical Center Hospice or to Catholic Education in Fremont.

www.mosermemorialchapels.com

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

FindaGrave Memorial # 130707069