Alvin McGuire, 79

Mr. Alvin McGuire, age 79 of Blair, died April 10, 2016, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Community in Blair, Nebraska. Funeral services are currently pending.

Campbell Aman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Published in The Enterprise, Friday, 15 April 2016

(Veteran Flag)

Alvin Verdell McGuire, age 79, of Blair, Nebraska passed away peacefully at Good Shepherd Nursing Home on Sunday, April 10, 2016 at 8:45 PM. Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 AM Monday, April 18 at Living Hope Assembly of God Church 10194 US Hwy 75, Blair. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service. Grave side services will be held at 2:00 PM Monday at Rosehill Cemetery in Pender, Nebraska.

Alvin is proceeded in death by his parents, Van Buren and Amelia Novak McGuire. Alvin was born in Bancroft, Nebraska on December 25, 1936. He grew up on a farm south of Pender, Nebraska. Alvin excelled in Football and Track in High School. Upon graduation from high school he attended North Central Bible College in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He enlisted in the United States Navy in February of 1956. Taking his training in Great Lakes, Illinois he went on to the Medical Corps School; graduating in the top 3% of his class. He then served in Jacksonville, Florida and in Argentia, Newfoundland. He was honorably discharged from the United States Navy in January of 1960. He served in the Reserves for another 2 years. He attended Wayne State College, completing his training in Medical Technology through Creighton University, interning at Saint Joseph Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska.

He married Barbara Rihanek McGuire on July 26, 1963 in Pender, Nebraska. To this union, three children blessed their home. Mark Alan McGuire (Kim), Ruth Ann McGuire Varner (Gregory), John Kirk McGuire (Jennifer). His seven grandchildren were the light of his life: Noah McGuire (Mark), Sarah, Hannah, Esther, Daniel, and Timothy Varner (Ruth), and Sofia McGuire (John).

Alvin worked at Emmanuel Hospital after college. Later he served as Chief Medical Technologist for West Point Hospital in West Point, Nebraska. In 1968, he returned to Omaha, Nebraska where he worked as a Medical Technologist at Children’s Memorial Hospital for 33 years. Alvin and his family have been members of Spirit Life Assembly of God (South Side Assembly of God) in Omaha Nebraska, for over 50 years. The McGuire family and extended family are actively involved in service, summer camps, ministries, and missions to this day.

In 1971, his family moved to an acreage south of Blair, Nebraska. Where they bred and raised many types of animals including registered Charolais and Chianina cattle, sheep, pigs, ducks, geese, turkey and guinea, but he is best known for his milk goats, ostrich and rhea. Most of the poultry were hatched on the farm in incubators. Alvin was active in the Nebraska Charolais Association and Local 4H Club, “Just Kidding Around”.

In his later years, Alvin volunteered at the Blair Recycling center and made many wooden toys for family and friends. Alvin is best known in his later years for his daily emails updating everyone on the local weather and encouraging everyone to “attend the church of their choice” on Sunday.

Note: portrait in funeral leaflet

Funeral leaflet:

In Loving Memory of Alvin V. McGuire

Born December 25, 1936~ Bancroft, Nebraska; Entered Into Rest April 10, 2016, Blair, Nebraska

Memorial Service 10 am Monday, April 18, 2016 Living Hope Church, Blair, Nebraska. Pastor Charles Davis officiating; Organist: Clare Cowing; Musical Selections: “Amazing Grace”~”How Great Thou Art”~”Soon and Very Soon”

Pallbearers: Mark McGuire~John McGuire~Gregory Varner~Tom Blann~Gene Novak~Leon Hammack

Honorary Pallbearers: Noah McGuire~Daniel Varner~Timothy Varner~Sarah Varner~Hannah Varner~Esther Varner~Sofia McGuire

Campbell~Aman Funeral Home

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

FindaGrave Memorial # 161032436