Alvin Barta passed away peacefully May 31, 2020 in Lincoln Nebraska. He was 97. Alvin was born at home west of Hemingford Nebraska December 30, 1922. His parents were Joe and Katherine Barta. It was said that his dad was picking corn the day he was born. He was baptized at the St Wenceslas Catholic Church which was located at the Lawn corner at that time.
Alvin attended grade school at rural District 56, driving a horse and buggy with his brother and cousins across the pastures to the school house. He attended Hemingford High School and graduated in 1940.
He was involved in his neighborhood 4-H club where he was the pitcher for their baseball team. He and his brother took their project calves to the State Fair in Lincoln Nebraska, which was a major event in those days.
In 1942, he and his good friend George Vorovka completed a course in aircraft mechanics at Morton Aircraft School in Omaha. They were then employed by the Curtis-Wright Corporation in Buffalo, New York where they manufactured the Curtis Warhawk, the plane designed to look like a shark.
Alvin was drafted into the army in 1944 He was assigned to the 3067 Ordnance Service Company at Adak island in the Aleutian Islands. To get up there, the men rode in the cargo area of a converted fishing boat. The stale smell of the boat mixed in with engine oil and diesel fuel and rough seas caused most of the men to become seasick, Alvin holding out for some time before he became ill like the rest. Alvin served as a mechanic, parts manager and shop foreman. He had a jeep and could have all the gas he wanted but there were only about 20 miles of road on the entire island. He was honorably discharged October 28, 1946.
After the war, if you wanted a car, you had to put your name on a waiting list. After Alvin got his new Dodge in 1948, it sat in the garage for many months while he waited to dig out of the snow from the blizzard of 1949.
Alvin met his future wife at a New Year’s Eve dance at the Legion club in Hemingford. Their mothers had worked together in the kitchen at a church dance the night before so when Geraldine asked her mom if it would be all right if Alvin took her home, her mom told her she knew who he was. Alvin and Geraldine were married on Oct 24, 1951 at St Bridget’s Catholic Church in Hemingford.
Alvin was a lifelong farmer and rancher except for his time in the military. Alvin also did acreage reporting for the A.S.C.S office before and after his marriage. He served on the school board of District 56 and the building committee of District 62.
Alvin and Geraldine enjoyed spending time with their children and grandchildren and great-grands even though they lived some distance away. They also spent many Sunday afternoons fishing in the ponds and streams in the Fort Robinson area or taking their boat out on the Box Butte County Dam.
The great love of Alvin’s life was his farm. When he came to Lincoln at the age of 95 he was asked when he had retired and he said, “I never retired.” He never did. He was still doing repairs in his shop and working part time in the fields after his son Rich became the operator of the farm.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Geraldine, brother-in-law Martin Freimuth(wife Leona) children Darlene Smith and Cathy Jacobs(husband Jim) of Lincoln, Rich Barta(wife Colleen) of Raymond, 8 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son-in-law Jere Smith, brother Wilmer and parents Joe and Katherine Barta.
Due to the current Covid-19 situation, the funeral Mass will be private. The funeral Mass will be live streamed for those who would like to watch. On Thursday, June 4, at 10:00 am please go to http://www.namartyrs.org/funeral/. It will also be available later to view on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBBezMkVRqy87ZuaTGiA8JA.
The graveside service will be at 1:00 pm (mountain time) on Saturday, June 6, 2020 at the Hemingford Cemetery in Hemingford, NE. The public is invited but encouraged to wear face masks and practice social distancing.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Hemingford Rural Fire Department or the donor’s choice