December 18, 1924 - October 30, 2022
Eugene A. Liebentritt of Crawford, Nebraska died October 30 at Ponderosa Villa of natural causes. He was “damn near 98”.
A Rosary will be held on Monday, November 7 at 6 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Funeral services will be Tuesday, November 8 at 10 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church with Father Arul officiating. Burial will be at the Crawford City Cemetery.
Gene was born December 18, 1924 in Omaha, Nebraska to Magdalene (Tschida) and Adolf Liebentritt.
Most of his childhood was spent in rural Omaha working on the family farm growing produce. He graduated from Underwood High School. He entered the Army in January, 1949 and transferred to ERC (Enlisted Reserve Corps) in September. During his ERC service he was trained in counter intelligence as part of the transition from the OSS to the INR which coincided with the creation of the CIG to what finally became the CIA. He was fully released from service in 1954 after his father passed away to take care of the family farm. Through the rest of his life Gene did many things and owned multiple businesses. The diversity of them was rather amazing. Some of the businesses were farm implement dealer, bar owner, dairy farm owner/operator, taxidermy, and Crawford Lumber Yard. He worked as a truck driver, mortuary attendant, artificial inseminator, region salesman for farm implements, stagecoach driver, and sound engineer. Gene was known to be able to engineer or fix anything.
Gene and Elizabeth (Betty) Koerlin Yoelle were married June 7, 1958. They lived in several locations before Betty and Gene moved to and settled into Crawford in 1969, raising seven children. He was active in the support of St. John's Catholic Church, Chamber of Commerce, Crawford Public Schools, Crawford High Rodeo Club, and Rotary. Gene loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter and fisherman. He was also an accomplished horseman from an early age and a master gardener.
He is survived by his children: Lynne (Harold) Oswald, Cindy Leichtnam, Julie (Don) Erisman, Steve (Karen) Liebentritt, Joe (Carol) Liebentritt and Robert (Linda) Liebentritt: 23 grandchildren and 29 great- grandchildren.
Preceding him in death was his beloved wife Betty, his parents, his siblings Clarence, Catherine, and Margret, daughter Carol, and grandsons Chris and Shawn Homrighausen.
Memorials may be made to the Crawford Rescue Unit, P.O. Box 184, Crawford, NE 69339.
Online condolences can be made at www.chamberlainchapel.com