William D. Kunert

Funeral services will be 9:30 a.m. Saturday, January 18, 2014, at the Milford United Methodist Church, with Rev. Jeff Kelley officiating. Visitation: Friday, noon until 7 p.m. January 17 with family greeting friends from 5 to 7 at the funeral home and at the church one hour preceding the services. Immediately following the services, food and fellowship will be held in the fellowship hall of the church. A military graveside service will conclude at Beaver Crossing Cemetery at 1:00 p.m. Memorials established to Gary Sinise Foundation at www.garysinisefoundation.org or building for America's Bravest at https://ourbravest.org.

William D. "Bill" Kunert, was born October 26, 1932, in David City, Nebraska to Joseph and Charlotte (Hunt) Kunert, the 5th of 9 children, and departed this life on Saturday, January 11, 2014 at the age of 81. Bill attended Beaver Crossing High School and graduated with the class of 1950. He also attended college classes in accounting in Omaha. He married his high school sweetheart, Jean Joan Cast in Beaver Crossing, NE on July 9, 1955, while Bill was serving in the U.S. Marine Corp. He attained the rank of Sergeant and served from 1953 to 1956 during the Korean Conflict. Bill & Jean lived for a time in California before returning to Nebraska after his discharge from the services.

They lived in Omaha where Bill worked as a bookkeeper for St Joseph's Hospital and later as an accountant from 1963 to 1974 for the Chilese and Tripp CPA Firm. In 1974, Bill and Jean moved to Milford and accepted the position of managers at Camp Riverside near Milford, Nebraska, serving from 1974-1983. Bill also worked and retired from Walker Manufacturing as a machine operator from 1979-1996. After retirement, Bill worked at Lauber-Moore Funeral Home, assisting in over 600 funeral services and other duties. Bill was a member of the Milford United Methodist Church and the Milford American Legion Post 171.

When Bill struggled with returning bouts of Non-Hodgkins lymphoma and subsequent chemotherapy, Jean was by his side caring for him. When Jean was stricken with Amiotropic Lateral Schlerosis, or Lou Gehrig's Disease, Bill's loving and patient nursing kept her comfortable in her own home until her death in October 2002. Bill was a hard-working man who always kept a positive attitude, loved attending breakfast gatherings with family at the Pleasant Dale Legion and collecting coins.

Survivors include his daughters and sons-in-law, Lori and J. Don "Corky" Hagemoser, Lincoln, Donna and Russell Winston, Nashville, TN and Karen and Jay Stoa, Lincoln; son and daughter-in-law, Dale and Alexandria Kunert, Des Moines, IA; grandchildren, Matthew, Amy, Katye, Josh, Jon, Kyle, Nicholas, Mitchell, Ashley and McKenzie. He is also survived by his sisters and brother-in-law, Norma and Robert Wolfe, Beaver Crossing, Patricia Davidson, Niles, OH; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Gary and Joyce Kunert, Lincoln; Sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Dolores Kunert, Beaver Crossing; Roy and Norma Cast, Milford, Larry and Beverly Cast, Grand Island, Wayne and Lisa Cast, Princeton, MO; Lloyd Dawson, Fairmont; Marian and Alan Ruge, Greeley, CO, Elaine and Ted Phillips, Beaver Crossing, Marilyn and Randy Kaliff, Utica, Leann and Steve Turner, Lincoln, nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends including special friend, Alice Ficke of Milford.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Jean in 2002; brothers, LaVern, LeRoy, Robert and Eugene; and a stillborn sister, Wauneta.