John William Ulrich – beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend – died in Lincoln on Feb. 18, 2023. John was a musician, teacher, and dyed-in-the-wool British car enthusiast. He was a lover and advocate of the arts, education and social justice.
Born in Omaha on April 27, 1949, John was raised by his parents, Wayne and Ruby Ulrich, of Seward. John was a band and orchestra teacher in Shelby and Wahoo and at Lincoln High School. He taught instrumental music at numerous Lincoln public elementary schools, directed the Seward summer band, and was the conductor for several Pinewood Bowl musicals in Lincoln.
A lifelong fan, owner, and restorer of British racing cars, John was a founding member of the Flatwater British Car club and served as president among other officer roles.
Family members include his wife, Beverly Bohlke; children, Eric Ulrich and wife Amy Roth of Berlin, Germany, and Alyssa and husband Ben Brouwer of Lincoln; step-daughters, Saraugh Fitah of Boston, Massachusetts, and Susannah Bohlke and partner Sammy Leonard of New York, New York; grandchildren, Olivia and Sophia Brouwer, Margot Ulrich Roth, and Bayan, Samir, and Sophia Fitah; sister, Barb and husband Jim Meister of Sioux Rapids, Iowa; brother, Dave Thomas and wife Louie Brower of Cherokee, Iowa; nephews, Andrew and Aaron Meister and Caden Thomas; and cousin, Deb Gerow. John was preceded in death by his biological parents, Charles and Lou Ann Thomas, and his adoptive parents, Wayne and Ruby Ulrich.
John is also survived by innumerable friends, classmates, students, fraternity brothers, car club members, neighbors, Lincoln Public Schools colleagues and members of the music community. To meet John was to make a friend; to ask for his help was to have your problem solved before you knew it.
John’s Celebration of Life will be at 1 p.m., Friday, April 28, at First Plymouth Congregational Church in Lincoln. Arrangements by Roper and Sons Funeral Home in Lincoln.
