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David Marshall Wardell, age 76, formerly of the Kennard area, passed away Monday, Jan. 1 in Redmond, Wash. Dave was born Oct. 17, 1941 in Blair, to Merle Blaco Wardell and Enid (Jensen) Wardell. The family resided on their farm near Kennard, where Dave joined an older brother Richard. Later a younger brother Robert and younger sister Anne were born. They enjoyed many happy times with numerous cousins and close friends in Washington, Douglas and Burt counties.

Dave attended the Kennard Public Schools from Kindergarten through High School graduation in 1959. He attended Doane College in Crete for two years then transferred to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, attending Officer's Training School and was eventually commissioned as a Captain when deployed to serve in the 309th Fighting Squad at the Air Base in Tuy Hoa, Vietnam.

Dave met his future wife, Susan Sobotka, after he was honorably discharged in Dec. 1969. They married Jan. 16, 1971 at Zion Lutheran Church near Bennington. Dave was employed as an Engineer with the Behlen Manufacturing Company in Columbus and later at Puritan Manufacturing in Omaha, where they lived for six years. After their first child Mark was born, Dave and Sue purchased an acreage on the Wardell farm and moved into the house where the Wardell children had grown up. They had two more children, Jill and Timothy, and the family was active in local community pursuits, attending church at the Methodist Church in Kennard where Dave served on the Board. In the mid-1980s the family relocated to Champaign, Ill. for a time and then in 1987 moved to the suburban area of Seattle, Wash.

Dave is survived by his wife Susan, his three children, Mark (Lisa) of Lynnwood, Wash., Jill (Scott Olson) of Houston, Texas, and Tim (Nahkole) of Snoqualmie, Wash; three granddaughters and three grandsons; brothers Richard (Linda) of Blair, Robert of Plattsmouth, sister Anne (David Lingenfelter) of Richmond, Wash. and step-sister Marj (Don Hubbs) of Richland Center, Wis. and several nephews, nieces and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Paralyzed Veterans of America or to the University of Nebraska Foundation. A memorial service with military honors will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday March 3 at Washelli of Bothell, Wash. Online condolences and memories may be shared at http://www.washelli.com/obituary/242994/David-Wardell.

#2-Published in the Omaha World Herald February 11, 2018

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Wardell, David Marshall Oct 17, 1941 - Jan 1, 2018 Age 76. Passed away in Redmond, WA. Born in Blair NE, to Merle Blaco Wardell and Enid (Jensen) Wardell, Dave graduated from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln with a Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He enlisted in the USAF and was deployed to Vietnam in the 309th Fighting Squad as a commissioned officer. Dave married Susan Sobotka of Omaha in 1971, and they had 3 children. Dave was an engineer for Puritan Manufacturing in Omaha for several years, later relocating the family to the suburban area of Seattle WA, where he was employed as an engineer until retirement. Dave is survived by wife Susan of Kirkland, WA; sons, Mark (Lisa) of Lynnwood WA, and Timothy (Nahkole) of Snoqualmie, WA; daughter, Jill (Scott Olson) of Houston, TX; 6 grandchildren; 2 brothers; 2 sisters, and several nephews, nieces, and cousins. A MEMORIAL SERVICE will be Saturday, March 3, at Washelli in Bothell WA, and remains Interred in the Tahoma National Veteran's Cemetery of Kent, WA. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Paralyzed Veterans of America, or to the University of Nebraska Foundation. Online condolences may also be shared at: washelli.com/obituary/242994/David-Wardell

Obituaries courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file at the Blair Public Library.