F. Wayne Olmsted Obituary (1926

In Loving Memory F. Wayne Olmsted A Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 25, 2016, at the Friend United Methodist Church with Rev. Paixao Baptista officiating. Visitation is on Tuesday from 1pm - 8pm and Wednesday 9am-noon at Lauber-Moore Funeral Home, Friend and one hour prior to service at the church on Wednesday. Interment will be in Andrew Cemetery with military services conducted by American Legion Ford-Banka Post #183. Memorials have been established to the church. Pallbearers are Adam McCracken, Andrew Olmsted, Garret Olmsted, and Kevin Heinrich, Larry Archer, Jr., and Joe Johnson. Honorary Pallbearers are Brett and Dylan Olmsted. Charlene Huber will accompany Paul Ramp, vocalist. F. Wayne Olmsted was born July 4, 1926 on the family farm southeast of Friend, Nebraska, to Frank Garret and Ella Marie (Witfoth) Olmsted, the 3rd of 4 children. He passed away, Saturday, May 21, 2016 at Tabitha Care Center in Crete, Nebraska at the age of 89 years 10 months and 17 days. As a young boy, he attended Country School District #49 and Friend Public Schools, graduating with the Class of 1943. Wayne continued to work on the farm with his father until he was enlisted into the Army. He served in the US Army during WWII from February 1946 until July of 1947. Wayne served overseas during the occupation of Japan. Returning from the service, he furthered his education by attending Milford Trade School and earned a degree in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning. On January 19, 1946, he was united in marriage to Mable L. Ferguson at the Beaver Crossing United Methodist Church and they were blessed with five children, Carol, Donna, Janet, Steve and Allan. After the war, they made their first home in an apartment in Beaver Crossing while Wayne attended Milford Trade School and upon his graduation, they moved to Lincoln and Wayne was employed at Anderson Hardware as a refrigeration serviceman. In 1954, they returned to the Friend area, and Wayne became a farmer once again; however, he continued to do some refrigeration work for a time. They settled first on his aunt's farm and after his father passed away in 1957, they moved to the "home place" in 1958 where he had been born. Over the years, Wayne raised cattle, sheep and hogs, in addition to various grains. He enjoyed watching his children at the county fair as they showed their animals and the girls modeled the clothing they had made. They lived on the home place until 2009 when they moved to the Friendship Terrace in Friend and just recently to Tabitha in Crete. He was also a hail adjuster for Farmers Mutual for 34 years and served his community in many ways. Wayne was a member of the United Methodist Church, serving on several boards and committees and sang in the choir for many years. He was also a member of the American Legion Ford-Banka Post #183, the Friend Grange #390, a charter member of the Friend Country Club and a former member of the I.O.O.F. Lodge in Friend. Wayne also served on the board of the Friend Co-op Oil, Friend Rural Fire District, Friend Public Schools and the Friendship Terrace. He also served on the Saline County ASCS Committee. Wayne is survived by his wife, Mable, Crete, children and spouses, Carol and Dave McCracken, Friend, Donna and Bruce Wells, Sandpoint, ID, Janet and Mike Shullaw, Lincoln, Steve and Deanne Olmsted, Crete, and Allan and Isolde Olmsted, York, 13 grandchildren and spouses, Adam and Jacki McCracken, Battle Creek, Amy and Kevin Heinrich, Elkhorn, Kary and Larry Archer, Cortland, Emily and Matt Evans, Anchorage, AK, Molly and Dylan Benefield, Sand Point, ID, Ivy and Joe Johnson, Lindsey and Jarod Brabec, Gina Shullaw and fiance, Jason Orth, Garret Olmsted, Brett Olmsted, Dylan Olmsted, all of Lincoln, Chelsea Olmsted, Bethesda, MD, Andrew and Ashley Olmsted, Berthoud, CO, 20 great-grandchildren, brother, Daryl Olmsted, Greenville, TX, brother-in-law, Kenneth Ferguson, Lincoln, several nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Roland, sister, Wanda Kable, brother-in-law, Earl Kable, sister-in-law, Carolyn Olmsted, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Virginia and Morris Thomsen, Earl and Louelma Ferguson, Marion Ferguson, Paul and Florence Luebbe and Rachel Hanson. SERVICES Visitation Tuesday, May 24, 2016 1:00 PM - 8:00 PM Lauber Moore Funeral Home - Friend 814 Maple Street Friend, Nebraska 68359 Visitation Wednesday, May 25, 2016 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Lauber Moore Funeral Home - Friend 814 Maple Street Friend, Nebraska 68359 Funeral Service Wednesday, May 25, 2016 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Friend United Methodist Church 601 6th Street Friend, NE 68359 Graveside Service Wednesday, May 25, 2016 3:00 PM Andrew Cemetery County Road E and 600 Friend, NE 68359