Dale Grams

Doniphan resident, Dale LaVerne Grams, 98, passed away Sunday, January 17, 2016 at Grand Island Veterans Medical Center, Grand Island, Nebraska.

Services will be Friday, January 22, 2016; 10:30 A.M. at First Presbyterian Church, Hastings with Pastor Don Canady officiating. Burial with military rites by North Platte Honor Guard will be Monday, January 25, 2016; 2:00 P.M. in Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell, Nebraska. Memorials may be given to the family. Visitation will be Thursday, January 21, 2016; 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. at the funeral home, and one hour prior to service at the church.

Dale LaVerne Grams, son of Albert J. and Ruth (Feis) Grams, was born August 18, 1917 in Campbell, Nebraska. He received his formal education in the public schools of Franklin and Webster Counties of Nebraska and the University of Denver, Denver, Colorado. He was employed during the late 1930's by the Leyden Lignite Company of Denver, Colorado and the Boswell-Mead Dairy Company of Lincoln, Nebraska. He voluntarily enlisted for one year in the U.S. Army in 1940. He married Luella G. (Messman) Grams on July 8, 1941 in the First Presbyterian Church of Little Rock, Arkansas; she preceded him in death on June 13, 2013. Two sons, Kenton L. and Kevin D. were born of this marriage. He was inducted into active duty with the U.S. Army on December 23, 1940 and served before and through World War II. His foreign service was in North Africa, the Mediterranean area and Italy. He was awarded a Battle Field Commission while serving in combat duty during the Italian Campaign of 1944. He returned to Lincoln, Nebraska in November 1945. He was honorably discharged on January 6, 1946. He and his wife moved to Denver, Colorado in 1946, where he became employed as an accountant with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He and his family returned to Nebraska in 1951 and engaged in farming operations in Franklin County, Nebraska until 1959. He was also employed part-time in the grain business, insurance business, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture until 1960, at which time he was appointed as a rural mail carrier of the U.S. Postal Department. He was assigned to Rural Route #1 in Campbell, Nebraska. He subsequently served rural mail patrons in the Nebraska counties of Franklin, Hall, Hamilton, Phelps and Webster. He retired in 1983, after serving Rural Route #1 in Doniphan, Nebraska since March 1977. He was employed part-time, following retirement, by Keltgen Seed Co., and Pioneer Seed Company. He served as secretary of the Campbell Public School Board for many years, and as Village Clerk for a time with the Village Council of Axtell, Nebraska. He served local churches of different communities for many years, while holding the offices of Elder, Secretary, Treasurer and Trustee. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Hastings, Nebraska, National Order of Battlefield Commissions, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and numerous other Christian, fraternal, political and social organizations.

Dale was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Luella Grams; one infant sister; sisters, Verna Bryant and Wilma VanEngen; and brother, Ivan Grams.

SURVIVORS:
Sons:
Kenton L. Grams - Hastings, NE
Kevin D. Grams - Lincoln, NE
Grandchildren & Spouses:
Braden Grams & Aaltje Baumgart
Kendra & Ted Carroll
Brothers:
Elger Grams - Upland, NE
Orlan Grams - Minden, NE
Sisters:
Melzie Rademaker - Lincoln, NE
Norma Kroese - Firth, NE
Great-Grandchildren:
Tobias Carroll
Luella Baumgart-Grams