Norman Louis Skrdlant

Hastings resident, Norman Louis Skrdlant, 89, passed away Tuesday, April 05, 2011 at the Grand Island Veterans Home in, Grand Island, NE. Services will be Saturday, April 9, 2011, at 10:30 AM at the First Baptist Church, Hastings, NE with Pastor Larry Harvey officiating. Burial will be in Parkview Cemetery, Hastings, Ne with military rites. Book signing will be Friday, April 8, 2011 from 9 AM to 9 PM with the family present from 7 PM to 9 PM at the Brand-Wilson Funeral Home, Hastings, NE. Condolences may be sent to the family from www.brandwilson.com. Memorials may be given to the First Baptist Church or the VFW, both in Hastings, NE. Norman was born January 1, 1922 on a farm west of Bladen, NE to Joseph and Stella (Koertner) Skrdlant. He was the third child out of nine. He graduated from the Bladen High School in May of 1940. He joined the United States Army in 1940. He was stationed at several bases in the United States, India, Burma and China, during WWII. He received his honorable discharge September 1945, and served 4 more years in the Air-Force Reserves upon return he farmed south-west of Bladen. On May 20, 1947 he married Vera Smith of Bladen, NE, to this union two sons Vernon and Richard. In 1950 he sold his farm and moved to Hastings, NE. Norman and Vera dissolved their marriage in 1960. Norman raised his sons as a single father. Norman worked as a mechanic at the Sherman Service Center, a truck driver for the Burlington Truck Lines and a mechanic for the Western Brick & Supply. On December 1, 1967, Norman married Margaret Menhusen in Hastings, NE. He worked for 15 years for the Central Community College, Hastings Campus, retiring in February 1987. Norman had a green thumb and worked a lot of hours in his large garden every year. He shared all his produce with his family and his friends. He was on the board for Crossroads for years and had a great heart for the homeless. He was a lifetime member of the VFW Post 10562. He attended the First Baptist Church, in Hastings, NE and spent a lot of time there doing odd jobs, he taught Sunday School and severed as a deacon. He is survived by two sons, Vernon Skrdlant and wife Donna of Enumclew, WA, and Richard Skrdlant of Denver, CO, two step-daughters, Marlene Aspegren of Wellington, CO and Gail Pittz and husband Ken of Hastings, NE, two step-sons, Roger Aspegren and wife Charlotte of Denton, NE, and Calvin Menhusen and wife Sue of Colorado Springs, CO, brothers, Ed Skrdlant of Bladen, NE, Ervin Skrdlant of Hastings, NE. and Harold Skrdlant of Gibbon, NE. 17 grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren and 11 great great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Margaret, four sisters, Florence, Clara, Esther and Alice and one brother, Glen.