Ralph "Squeak" Hellmer

Ralph "Squeak" Hellmer, 83 of rural Marysville died October 29, 2016. Visitation was Thursday, November 3, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., at Kinsley Mortuary in Marysville. The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, November 4, at Immanuel Lutheran (State Line) Church, north of Marysville. Rev. Ken Kramer will officiate. The musicians will be Marilyn Luppen and David Sargent. Music will include “In the Garden”, “Far Side Banks of Jordan”, “What A Friend We Have in Jesus”, and “How Great Thou Art”. The pallbearers will be Ryan Tjaden, Bob Theye, Mark Meyer, LeRoy Wegner, Byron Thoreson, Mike Slupianek, and Clayton Saathoff. The honorary pallbearers will be Hunter Hellmer, Erin Griffiths, Marshal Oden, Skyler Hellmer, Jayme Bieker, Adam Bieker, and Connor Niehaus. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Ralph was born October 19, 1933 to Harvey and M Ellen (Wayman) Hellmer in Gage County, Nebraska. He was baptized and confirmed at St John’s Lutheran Church near Barneston. He graduated from Barneston High School in 1952. He served in the US Navy from 1953 to 1957 in Guam, Hawaii and San Diego. He married Bernice Poppen June 7, 1959. He farmed north of Marysville, KS in Marshall County for 50 years. He also worked at the Marysville Sale Barn for many years. Ralph (Squeak) was a 4-H Leader for many years and supported the youth baseball and softball programs at Deer Creek ball park as a coach and umpire for many years. He was a member of the Immanuel StateLine Lutheran Church, Lutheran Men in Mission, and served on the church council and cemetery board. He belonged to the Barneston Legion post # 356 and served on the Oketo Rural Fire Department. He enjoyed gardening and fishing and spending time with his grandchildren and attending their school activities. Ralph also liked reading and playing baseball, he was recruited by the Pittsburg Pirates farm team. He is survived by his wife Bernice of 57 years; son, Terry and wife Cammie of Beatrice; daughter, Diane Griffiths and husband Jay of Fremont, NE; grandchildren, Jayme and husband Adam Bieker, Fremont, Erin Griffiths and Fiance Connor Niehaus, Omaha, NE, and Marshal Oden, Hunter Hellmer, and Skyler Hellmer, all of Beatrice, NE; sisters, Mabel Hellmer Bradsby, Wymore, and Kathryn Hamilton, Wheatland, WY; brother, Gerold (Bill) and wife Bert Hellmer, Oketo, KS; and brother-in-law, Alwin Poppen, Normal, IL. Preceding him in death were his parents; brothers, Eugene and Wayne Hellmer; brother-in-law, Ray Hamilton; sister-in-law, Ruby Poppen; and infant daughter, Colleen Hellmer. Memorials to the Immanuel (State Line) Lutheran Church. Kinsley Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Ralph "Squeak" Hellmer, please visit our flower store.