Note: portrait in paper

Lyle Hunkins, 93

7/4/03 – 4/23/97

Lyle Beecher Hunkins, 93, died Wednesday, April 23, 1997 at Crowell Memorial Home in Blair.

A Masonic Memorial Service will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Campbell-Aman Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Beaver Crossing, Nebr. Cemetery on Saturday at 2 p.m.

There will be visitation one hour before the service.

Hunkins was born July 4, 1903 to Orin S. and Edith (Beecher) Hunkins near Beaver Crossing. He graduated from Beaver Crossing High School in 1922 and earned Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts degrees in Education from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. On Aug. 1, 1927, he married Mildred Rachel Godding in Beaver Crossing. He was a junior high school principal in the Nebraska communities of Elk City, Havelock, Falls City and Columbus. He finished his career as county superintendent of schools for Gage County at Beatrice. He was honored as the top district manager in the state by World Book Encyclopedia.

He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, a Jordon Medal holder and a member of the Order of Eastern Star. He was a 63-year member of the Lions Club, serving as president in Columbus and Beatrice and as secretary to the District Governor. He received the Melvin Jones Award for Service in 1994 from the Blair Lions club. He was a life member of the National Education Association and the Nebraska Education Association, a member of Phi Delta Kappa, the Nation School Masters Association and was a life member of the PTA.

Survivors are his wife, Mildred; a daughter, Marilyn Gentry of Blair; sons and a daughter-in-law, Eugene E. Hunkins of Livingston, Tex. and Wayne E. and Margaret Hunkins, Santa Ana, Calif.; six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be given to the Lyle Hunkins Scholarship Fund, University of Nebraska Foundation.

~~~Obituary courtesy of Washington County Genealogical Association; newspaper clippings on file at the Blair Public Library, Blair, Nebraska ~~~

Find A Grave Memorial# 96742847