Willard Stein

Hastings resident, Willard C. Stein, 79, of 5505 S. Wabash, died Sunday, February 9, 2003 at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital.

Services will be Thursday, February 13, 2003; 2:30 P.M. at First Presbyterian Church with Dr. James Cooke officiating. Burial with military rites will be in Parkview Cemetery, Hastings, Nebraska.

Willard C. Stein was born April 25, 1923 in Hastings, Nebraska to John C. & Louise (Brown) Stein. He was baptized and confirmed at First United Methodist Church in Hastings. He graduated from Hastings High School and at the age of 20, he was inducted into the United States Army. He served during WWII in the European Theatre with Battery "D" of the 555th Anti-aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion. Before being sent to Europe, he married his high school sweetheart, Della Harrenstein of Hastings, on June 18, 1944 in Palacios, Texas. He was honorably discharged, February 2, 1946. After returning from the service, he was an auto mechanic for A.H. Jones & Company of Hastings and later started Stein Auto Repair. In 1952, he and Della returned to the family farm where they raised their two children, Barbara and Kenneth. Willard farmed for 37 years before retiring in 1989. He was an Adams county 4-H leader for eight years, a member of the Hanover District #75 school board and secretary of the Adams County Wheat Growers Association. He and Della were members of the Antique Plymouth Car Club and traveled over the country showing their cars. He was the last member left of the original board that formed the Hastings Rural Fire Protection District in 1955. He retired from the Rural Fire Department in September of 2000 after 45 years of service. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church where he served as Christian Education Coordinator for 20 years. He also served on the Session and the Board of Trustees.

Willard C. Stein was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include,
Wife: Della Stein - Hastings, NE
Daughter & Son-in-law: Barbara & Lyle Davis - Doniphan, NE
Son & Daughter-in-law: Kenneth & Beverly Stein - Hastings, NE
Grandchildren: Jennifer Davis - Doniphan, NE
Justin Stein - Hastings, NE
Kimberly Stein - Hastings, NE
Foster Grandchild: Godfrey Brokenrope - Aurora, NE
Sister & Brother-in-law: Lois & Bill Leonhardt - Waverly, NE

Memorial may be given to First Presbyterian Church - Adams County Red Cross or the American Cancer Society

VISITATION:
Wed. 2-12-03; 5pm-9pm with family present from 7pm-9pm