4 obituaries

1st obituary (article by Tricia Barber) Portrait in paper

‘He was a pioneer’

Longtime Calhoun civic leader Richard Sievers dead at age 97

By Tricia Barber, Reporter

As a funeral director in Fort Calhoun since 1929, Richard Sievers served many families in the community when they said goodbye to their loved ones. He also took his responsibilities to his communities seriously. He served on the schoolboard, acted as fire chief and city clerk, and helped plan the community’s future.

Well into his 90’s, Mr. Sievers drove his pickup around town and still reported to the office at the funeral home, until his health began to fail in recent months. Mr. Sievers died on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at the age of 97.

“He was a lifelong resident of Fort Calhoun,” Duane said. “He had traveled but he never wanted to live anywhere else.” Note: Duane Sprick was his son-in-law.

“He was very involved in Fort Calhoun’s future. He was a pioneer.” The Rev. Gregg Miller shared that message later at Mr. Sievers’ service at Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church.

“Everyone always said he had a desire to see Fort Calhoun prosper and grow and he worked his heart out to make sure whatever he did was good for the community,” the pastor said.

“He was a real fixture in the community, “said City Clerk Rosalie Freburg. “I will miss seeing him.”

2nd obituary

Richard T. Sievers, 97

Richard T. Sievers, 97, a lifelong resident and community leader in Fort Calhoun, died Wednesday, Nov. 4, 1998, following a brief illness.

Services were Saturday, Nov. 7, at Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church with Rev. Gregg Miller officiating. His daughter, Carol Sprick, played the organ. Joanne Slader played the piano.

Pallbearers were Dwight DuBois, Carl Grotelueschen, Al Kansa, Michael Kansa, Richard Orthwein and Richard Winkler.

Burial was in the Fort Calhoun Cemetery.

Solomon Lodge 10 had conducted a Masonic service on Friday evening. Richard T. Sievers was born May 9, 1901, in Fort Calhoun to William and Anna (Sierk) Sievers.

He had served as a funeral director since 1929 and served as state officer of the Nebraska Funeral Director’s Association.

His community activities included 25 years on the school board; 40 years on the Volunteer Fire Department, serving 20 years as its chief and 22 years on the Omaha Public Power District Board. He had been the city clerk and chaired the Planning Board.

He was a founding director of the Fort Calhoun State Bank.

He had received an award recently for his 75-year membership in the Masonic Lodge. He was a member of the Shrine and Royal arch Commandery and Naomi Chapter 121 of the Order of the Eastern Star.

He had married Clara Klindt in 1926. She died in 1950.

In 1954, he married Clara Remmers, who preceded him in death in 1995.

He is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Lois and Bill Winkler of Oklahoma City and Carol and Duane Sprick of Fort Calhoun; a sister, Dorothy, of Fort Calhoun; seven grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wives’ one daughter, Emilie, and one brother, Walter.

Sievers-Sprick, the funeral home where Mr. Sievers had carried on the family business, was in charge of arrangements.

3rd obituary, Omaha World-Herald Jim Smiley staff writer

Fort Calhoun Rites Saturday For Richard T. Sievers, 97

By Jim Smiley World-Herald Staff Writer

Fort Calhoun, Neb. – Funeral services will be Saturday for Richard T. Sievers, 97, a co-owner of Sievers-Sprick Funeral Home in Fort Calhoun and a longtime community leader.

Sievers died Wednesday after a brief illness.

“He just worked and worked, and finally he said he was worn out”, said his daughter, Carol Sprick of Fort Calhoun. That’s just the way he was”.

Sievers joined the business, established by his father, in 1929 and remained active in the business until recently, his daughter said. “He never really retired”.

His love in life was the Fort Calhoun community and the outdoors. “I grew up following in his footsteps hunting pheasant and rabbits” in the Washington County hills, she said.

Some people believe that farmland Sievers owned was the site of the Council Bluff where the explorers Lewis and Clark met with Indian tribes.

Sievers held numerous community positions, including a 25-year stint on the Fort Calhoun school board and 40 years in the volunteer fire department, 20 years as chief. He also filled out an unexpired term as city clerk and served as chairman of the Planning Board.

After being appointed to the Omaha Public Power District Board in 1956 to fill an unexpired term, he served 22 years, until OPPD completed its Fort Calhoun nuclear power station.

Sievers was active in Masonic and Shrine organizations and served several years as trustee for the Masonic-Eastern Star Children’s Home in Fremont, Neb.

Other survivors include daughter Lois Winkler of Oklahoma City, seven grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Visitation is until 8:30 tonight at the Sievers-Sprick Funeral Home.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church, with burial in the Fort Calhoun Cemetery.

SIEVERS – Richard T., age 97 yrs.

Ft. Calhoun, NE. Funeral Director since 1929.

Preceded in death by wives, Clara Klindt Sievers and Clara Remmers Sievers; daughter, Emilie; brother Walter.

Survived by daughters and sons-in-law, Lois and William Winkler, Oklahoma City, OK, Carol and Duane Sprick; sister, Dorothy Sievers, all of Ft. Calhoun; 7 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren.

VISITATION Fri. 2-8:30 pm, with Prayer Service 7 pm followed by Masonic Service, all at the Funeral Home. FUNERAL SERVICE Sat. 10:30 am, Ft. Calhoun Presbyterian Church. Interment Ft. Calhoun Cemetery.

Memorials to Ft. Calhoun Presbyterian Church, Ft. Calhoun Volunteer Fire Dept., Solomon Lodge #10

SIEVERS-SPRICK, Ft. Calhoun, NE 402-468-5678

#4 Funeral Leaflet

In Memory of Richard Theodore Sievers

May 9, 1901 Fort Calhoun, Nebraska ~ November 4, 1998 Blair, Nebraska

Funeral Service 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, 1998 Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church. Officiant: Rev. Gregg Miller. Music: Carol Sprick, Organist. Joanne Slader, Pianist. “Have Thine Own Way”, “Softly and Tenderly”, “Morning Has Broken”

Pallbearers: Dwight DuBois, Carl Grotelueschen, Nate Grotelueschen, Al Kansa, Michael Kansa, Richard Orthwein, Richard Winkler

Visitation 2:00-8:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, 1998 Sievers-Sprick Funeral Home

Prayer Service & Masonic Service: 7:00 p.m. Friday, November 6, 1998. Masonic Service by Solomon Lodge #10

Interment: Fort Calhoun Cemetery

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

FindaGrave #18176608