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Jack Gemmell

1924 to 2016

Jack Gemmell, 91 of Sidney and a longtime Ogallala resident, died Tuesday morning, January 26, 2016 at his home in Sidney.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016, in the St. Luke's Catholic Church in Ogallala with Father Bryan Ernest officiating. Burial will follow in the Ogallala Cemetery with military rites.

Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Friday, at the Holechek Funeral Home in Sidney with a rosary service to follow at the funeral home with Father Jim Heithoff officiating.

Memorials have been established to the St. Luke's Parochial School in Ogallala.

You can view the online obituary and share condolences with the family at http://www.holechekfuneralhomes.com

Ivan Jack Gemmell was born Aug. 8, 1924, at Milford, to Faye H. and Iva A. (Ficke) Gemmell. He was the second of four children. In 1928, the family moved to Ogallala where Jack attended Ogallala schools, graduating in 1942. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in February of 1943. He attended the University of Iowa for weather station training until February of 1944, and then served in several weather stations in the U.S. including the Master Weather Station at Peterson Field in Colorado Springs, Colo. He was assigned to weather stations in India and China, traveling around the world, leaving from Boston and returning to the U.S. through Seattle. He was discharged in March of 1946 and returned to Ogallala.

On Oct. 1, 1946, Jack married Lorraine J. Kaminski. Jack became the Postmaster at Ogallala on Oct. 1, 1956 and served in that capacity until his retirement from the Postal Service on Sept. 30, 1983.

Jack enjoyed golf, crosswords, barbershop singing, and St. Luke's Choir. He was a long time member and past president of the Ogallala Rotary Club; member of the National Association of Postmasters of the U.S .; and served as secretary- treasurer and president of the Nebraska Chapter. He was also a longtime member of the American Legion and V.F.W. in Ogallala.

Jack is survived by his wife of 69 years, Lorraine of Sidney; daughter Jane and husband Jim Holechek of Sidney; and sisters Phyllis Brockmoller of Kearney and Carol Olson of Brule; plus many relatives.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Fay.

Holechek Funeral Home and Cremations in Sidney is serving the Gemmell family.

 

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