Walter “Bill” Guggenmos age 91, died August 2, 2022, at the Community Memorial Health Center in Burwell.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, at 10:00 AM at the Brewster Community Center. Burial with Military Honors will be in the Brewster Cemetery. Govier Brothers Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements. A visitation will be held on Monday, Augst 8, 2022, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM with the family greeting friends 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow. Condolences may be left at www.govierbrothers.com
Walter “Bill” Anton Guggenmos was born January 6, 1931, to Walter J. and Alice (Bartunek) at Ord, Nebraska. His parents, two brothers, and three sisters lived on a farm 4 miles north of Ord. At the age of seventeen months, Walter’s mother passed away. His father was remarried in 1932 along with the birth of his youngest brother Lavern. The family purchased the Ferguson homestead 9 ½ miles east of Brewster in 1943 moving to Blaine Conty in 1944. Bill finished the 8th grade at Pleasant Valley and later graduated from Brewster High School in 1949.
Bill joined the Coast Guard in September of 1949, he was stationed on both the east and west coast and served aboard the USCG Cutter Escanaba as a radio operator near the equator in the North Pacific during the Korean Conflict. He was honorably discharged in November 1952 as a 1st class Petty Officer.
On November 26, 1952, he married Ramona Holmes of Milburn. Three children were born to this union. The couple lived on the ranch helping his father. Bill also worked for the county part-time for five years as a maintainer operator. He also had a welding business, making hay sleds and other equipment as well as completing cabinet work in his spare time. He would later purchase the ranch from his father in 1965.
He served on the selective Service Board for 20+ years and was a director of Mid State Coop Board for 24 years at Sargent and a Farmers Home Administration Committee member for 12 years. Bill was baptized on June 10, 1934, at the First Methodist Church in Ord and became a member of the United Church of Christ at Brewster on March 21, 1967. He Served as a deacon trustee moderator in 1989 and was a member of the Brewster Church Laymen.
Bill spent several years on the school board in addition to secretary of the original Board of Education during the consolidation and construction of the new high school in 1971 in Dunning which gave him much personal satisfaction.
He belonged to the Elk’s Lodge in Ord for 37 years, County Commissioner for 8 years, and a member of the American Legion for 70 years. He was an Honored Member of the Coast Guard Combat Veterans Association and attended the Coast Guard Convention.
Bill’s hobbies consisted of hunting and fishing where he always looked forward to the start of deer season, and a lifetime member of the National Rifleman Association.
Bill always enjoyed the time spent with his family and always encouraged his children and grandchildren, “To do their best and then a little more.”
He is survived by his son Larry (Patty) Guggenmos of Brewster, daughter Rhonda (Gordon) Bradley of Hastings, and son Roger (Cindy) Guggenmos of Brewster; nine grandchildren: Jesse Guggenmos, Justin (Diane) Guggenmos, Lloyd (Lana) McIntyre, Dacia (Kyle) Oakeson, Jordan (Molly) McIntyre, Cody (Roxy) Guggenmos, Cory (Jennie) Guggenmos, Tyler (Sherry) Guggenmos and Brayden Guggenmos, and thirteen great grandchildren. Bill was preceded by his parents, wife Ramona, brothers Donald and Laverne, and his sisters Bethene, Leona, and Catherine.
