Richard Wayne Blecha was born Nov 5, 1933, on the farm near Pickrell to Victor and Eva (Moore) Blecha and passed away Oct. 13, 2023, in Lincoln, at the age of 89 years, 11 months and 8 days.
Richard grew up on the family farm and attended country school through the eighth grade. He attended Beatrice High School, graduating in 1950. The family farmed with horse and mule teams. Richard was the one who trained the teams expertly, but as soon as they were trained, his father sold them. He served in the Navy Seabees and was a truck driver and diver stationed in Korea and the Philippines. After his discharge, he was a plasterer alongside his brother-in-law, Pete. Richard was united in marriage to Gayle Jean Collman on April 26, 1959, at the Methodist Church in Johnson, and to this union, two children were born, Larry and Lori. He began working for O’Keefe Elevator Co. in 1960, where he did construction. In 1963, he began elevator repair. Richard then retired in 1997.
After retirement, Richard and Gayle enjoyed traveling to Arizona annually as snowbirds with their fifth-wheel camper. Richard loved fishing, camping with the family and especially spending time with his kids. He enjoyed being Larry’s Boy Scout leader. Richard found great joy in watching western movies. He liked teaching his grandkids to fish, ride his scooter and repair things. Richard’s great-grandkids made him smile and he enjoyed napping with them.
Richard was a member of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church. He was very active in the Elevator Construction Union. Richard was a friend to everyone in the Lincoln downtown area, since he worked on their elevators.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Gayle Blecha; daughter and son-in-law, Lori and Lonnie Noble; parents-in-law, Arthur and Ina Collman; brother, Harold Blecha; sister and brother-in-law, Helen and Arnold Meints; sister and brother-in-law, Katie and Pete Werger; and brother-in-law, James Collman.
Survivors cherishing his memory include his son, Larry Blecha (Diane Conyers), Seward; grandchildren, Matthew (Sarah) Noble, Martell, Megan Noble (Eric Pavlik), Roca, Shelby (Thomas) Rickley, Odell, Dustin (Jaycee) Blecha, Seward, Haley Blecha (Nate Rech), Lincoln, and Toby Richardson, Elkhorn; great-grandchildren, Rynn and Reed Noble, Bo Blecha, Kinsley Rickley and Madden Richardson; sister-in-law, LaVerne Blecha; and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18, at St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Lincoln with interment at the Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery with military honors by the U.S. Navy and Seward FVW Post 4755. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Blecha family for future designations. Arrangements by Zabka-Perdue Funeral Home.
