Elwood B. Hipple, Jr.

Elwood “Woody” B. Hipple, Jr., of Hastings left for his eternal home with dignity and grace on August 11, 2026, to be with his family in heaven. Funeral services will be held at 10 am on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at The Lutheran Church Of The Good Shepherd in Hastings with Pastor Paul Ozbun officiating. A luncheon will follow the service. Visitation will be from 9 am until the time of service. Burial will be at 2 pm in Hardy Cemetery, Hardy, Nebraska. Online condolences can be found at www.apfelfuneralhome.com.

He was born on December 2, 1941 in Lancaster, PA to Elwood B. Hipple, Sr. and Mary E. (Sourbeer) Hipple. Elwood’s father was killed in Belgium in 1944. Woody’s mother along with uncle’s Sigmund and Frank Hipple raised him. His baptism was at Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lancaster, PA. His confirmation and ordination also took place at the same church in 1955 and 1968.

He graduated from John Perisol McCaskey High School in Lancaster, PA in 1959. In 1963 he received his bachelors degree from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA. He completed his Vicarage (Internship) at Grace Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge, IA in 1967. He then received his Clinical Pastor Education at Immanuel Medical Center in Omaha, NE in summer 1967. In 1968 he graduated from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, PA.

Elwood met Cheryl Gillilan, the love of his life, in 1972 and they were married December 29, 1974 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Glenvil, NE. To this union no children were born.

His first Ministerial duties was a duel parish at Zion Lutheran Church in Sutton, NE and Saron Evangelical Lutheran Church in Saronville, NE in 1968. Woody served at different parishes in Nebraska incuding, Wolbach, Bassett, Benedict, Polk, Hay Springs, Rushville, Paxton, and Sutherland.

Woody retired from active ministry in 2010 and served as Visitation Pastor at First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hastings until 2014.

Survivors include, cousins, other relatives, and a host of friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, wife, Cheryl, and parents-in-law Marion and Thelma Gillilan.