Elmer G. Murman

Former Hastings resident Dr. Elmer G. Murman, 95, passed away Sunday, February 23, 2025, at Oxbow Living Center, Ashland, NE. 

Memorial Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 26, at First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hastings with Pastor Joel Remmers officiating. Private burial will be at St. Paul’s Lutheran Churchyard Cemetery, west of Glenvil. There will be no viewing or visitation. The family requests memorials go to First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church or the Murman Teacher Improvement Endowed Fund at Hastings Community Foundation (800 W. 3rd St., Suite 232, Hastings, NE, 68901). The service will be live-streamed on Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home’s website. To view the service, go to Elmer’s obituary and click the play button shown towards the bottom of the page. 

Dr. Murman was born on a farm in Glenvil, NE on February 19, 1930. Upon graduating from Glenvil High School he received a Regent Scholarship for four years to Kearney State Teachers College and received his BA Degree in Education. He went on to receive a Master’s Degree from the University of Northern Colorado and finally a Doctor of Education from the University of Nebraska. He taught and coached in the beginning years of his career in Hershey, O’Neill, and Wood River before settling into the Hastings Public Schools as a high school math teacher and basketball coach in 1959. Over the next 33 years in Hastings Public Schools, he started Hastings High’s Guidance Counseling program and proceeded into administration as a Vice Principal, Principal, and finished out his career in 1992 as the Director of Education. In addition to his educational career, he served in the US Army from 1952 to 1954. 

After retiring, he took a part time job with the Nebraska School District Liquid Asset Fund traveling the western two thirds of the state and was also elected to three terms to the Adams County Board of Supervisors. During this time, he was also active with the Hastings Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club. He ran competitively in college and decided in 1992 to start competing again in the Nebraska State Games. He competed every year thereafter and was named the 2020 Senior Male Athlete of the Year at age 90. In addition to running, he enjoyed hunting, skiing, tennis, and spending time with his family. He met his wife Barbara J. Herndon in college, and they were married in 1952 and celebrated this union for 72 years. He was an active member of the First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church throughout his life in Hastings. 

He is survived by his wife and three children, Suzanne Krebs (Terry), Michael Murman (Lynn) and Daniel Murman (Julie). In addition, he was blessed with eight grandchildren, Sarah Krebs Adams, David Krebs, Rebecca Krebs-Butler, Johnathan Murman, Timothy Murman, Craig Murman, Jordan Murman, and Dillon Murman; ten great-grandchildren; Ben, Tim and Eric Adams; Henry, Lily, and Ava Krebs; Claire, Austin, Maeve, and Lou Murman. He is also survived by Rena Murman, Eldon Harms, Beverly Herndon, and numerous nieces and nephews.