Richard "Richie" William Meier, 50, passed away on Friday, September 15, 2023 surrounded by his family at Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff due to injuries sustained from a UTV accident. He was born on April 26, 1973 in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, to Richard and Kathy (Romick) Meier. He grew up in and around Alliance, farming with his family until 1992. Richie attended District 42 County School through the eighth grade and graduated from Alliance High School in 1992. After graduation, he attended WyoTech in Laramie, WY, and graduated with an Automotive Repair Degree.
Richie was married to Julie (Henton) Focken from 1998-2016; they have their daughter Anna from this union. They resided in multiple towns throughout their marriage, including McCook, North Platte, Bayard, Scottsbluff, NE, and a year in Nashville, TN. Richie currently resided in Alliance, working for Trabor Bauer Farms, which he loved deeply.
Richie spent his early years until his high school graduation and then again during the past two years farming, which was his absolute favorite thing to do. He was an exceptional mechanic and could repair cars and machinery far beyond anyone else, and he had the talent for knowing what was wrong and how to fix it. During and after high school, Richie loved racing cars and was an active member and race car driver at the Alliance Racetrack, including racing in the truck division. He received many trophies for racing during those years and cherished those memories. Other activities that Richie loved included drag racing, driving tractors, spending time at the lake, listening to music, and being on the farm.
Richie enjoyed restoring old tractors for several years and loved volunteering at the Farm and Ranch Museum in Gering, NE, where he developed great lifelong friendships. He spent his free time there and always left there with a smile; some have stated that he was born in the wrong generation on how much he loved restoring older farm machinery. Richie loved his family, friends, and, most importantly, being able to work with his hands and repair anything mechanical. His daughter Anna was his pride and joy; all will greatly miss him.
He is survived by his mother, Kathy of Alliance; 15-year-old daughter, Anna of Gering; niece, Ashly Lunbery and her daughter Brinlee of Alliance; his cousin who was like a brother to him, Neil Romick of Alliance; and many extended family members and friends.
Richie was preceded in death by his father, Richard, this past December; sister, Tania; nephew, Tyler Lunbery; grandparents, William and Esther (Kaufman) Meier, Irene Romick, and Carl Romick.
Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, September 20, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at the Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church in Alliance with Pastor Richard Neugebauer and Pastor Richard Mueller officiating. Burial will be in the Alliance Cemetery. Following the services, everyone is invited back to the church fellowship hall to reminisce memories and lunch with the family. Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Tuesday, September 19, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. with the family being present to greet friends from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent in care of the family for the care of his daughter Anna to the following address, 1324 Buchfinck Avenue, Alliance, Nebraska, 69301.