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Soil Conservation Pioneer, Hjalmer Quist Killed in Farm Accident

Eighty-five year old Hjalmer Quist was killed Monday evening in an accident on his farm northwest of Blair. He was killed while driving his tractor and pulling a tree limb. The limb flipped over striking him in the head and crushing the steering wheel on the tractor.

Services for Mr. Quist will be Thursday, August 2 at the First Baptist Church. Rev. James Metzgar will officiate with burial in the Blair Cemetery under the direction of the Campbell Funeral Home.

Mr. Quist was born on October 24, 1893, at Blair, to Jens F. and Bendta (Monsson) Quist. Hjalmer had lived 84 of his 85 years on Washington County Farms. He has lived on the present farm since 1920.

He attended DeSoto School and married the former Ruth Hooks on June 14, 1916 at Blair. The couple observed their 50th wedding anniversary in 1966. His wife Ruth survived him. Also surviving is one brother, Ed Quist of Blair.

Pallbearers will be: Raymond Jensen, Stanley Soske, Leo Hooks, Quentin Quist, Darvid Quist, and Arvin Quist.

Mr. Quist was a pioneer in the Soil Conservation programs in the State of Nebraska and Washington County. Hjalmer was one of the original members of the Papio Natural Resources District from July 1972 to December of 1974. Beginning in 1938 he served for 30 years as the Papio District’s Board of Directors. He received numerous awards and recognition for efforts in the soil and water conservation areas of land managements. Hjalmer was chairman of the Papio Board from April 1936 until December of 1966.

Reportedly the accident took place at about 8:50 p.m. Monday, July 30, 1979 on Hjalmer’s farm. A witness, at the scene, Ralph Noble, reportedly saw the accident happen. The tree limb had been cut earlier and Mr. Quist was pulling it out of the drive area when the accident took place.

Somehow the limb apparently caught and flipped over. A limb hit Mr. Quist on the left shoulder and pinned him to the steering wheel. The limb supposedly had to be cut away to free Mr. Quist. The Blair Rescue Squad was called to the scene and took Mr. Quist to the Blair Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

#2 Quist, Hjalmer, 85

Published in Omaha World Herald on unknown date

QUIST SERVICE IS THURSDAY

Services will be held Thursday in Blair, Neb., for Hjalmer Quist, 85, who died Monday in a farm accident.

Quist was killed shortly before 9 p.m. Monday at his farm about five miles northwest of Blair, authorities said. He apparently was moving timber with a tractor when he was hit by a branch and fatally injured, they said. The Blair native was pronounced dead on arrival at the Blair Hospital. Quist, regarded as one of the state's earliest soil and water conservationists, was recognized by the Nebraska Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts in 1970 for 30 years of service.

He was one of the original supervisors of the Papio Soil and Water Conservation District when it was formed in 1938. World Herald files indicate the Papio district was the first in the state, with much of its initial conservation work done using horse-drawn walking plows.

Services for Quist, who is survived by his wife, Ruth, and brother, Ed, both of Blair, will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at the First Baptist Church of Blair.

Burial will be in Blair Cemetery. Campbell Funeral Home, Blair, is in charge.

#3 Funeral Leaflet

Hjalmer M. Quist

Born October 24, 1893 Blair, Nebraska ~ Died July 30, 1979 Blair, Nebraska

Services 10 a.m. Aug. 2, 1979 First Baptist Church. Minister: Rev. James Metzgar. Music: Mrs. Clare Cowing; Mrs. Sharon Potadle. Song Selection: “How Great Thou Art”, “What A Friend We Have In Jesus”

Interment: Blair Cemetery

Pallbearers: Leo Hooks, Raymon Jensen, Arvin Quist, Darvid Quist, Quentin Quist, Stanley Soske

~~~Obituaries and funeral leaflet courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings and leaflets on file in the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska~~~

FindaGrave #72457223