Steven James Land of Broken Bow passed away Thursday January 20th at the St. John’s Good Samaritan Society in Kearney, Nebraska. He had an eight-year battle with multiple myeloma. He never gave up, but his body gave out.
Funeral services for Steven James Land will be held on Saturday, January 29th at 2pm at Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow, NE with Rev Andrew Springer officiating with Military Honors. Inurnment will be at a later date in the Fort McPherson National Cemetery in Maxwell, NE. In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to establish a memorial in Steve’s name. Govier Brothers Mortuary are in charge of arrangements. An online guest book may be signed at govierbrothers.com.
Steve was the first child born to Bud and Shirley Land at Loup City, Nebraska on July 24, 1950. The family moved to Broken Bow where Steve attended school K thru 12. He graduated with the class of 1968. After graduation he attended trade school in Omaha. While in school he worked at General Appliance but soon decided that wasn’t for him and came back to Broken Bow.
Steve was drafted into the Army in January of 1970 and was stationed in Ft. Carson. Then his orders came to be sent to VietNam where he served until, he was honorably discharged in November of 1971. He felt honored when someone thanked him for his service. In 2011, Steve and Kay went on a bus trip to Washington D.C. with a group of Nebraska VietNam veterans. He had the honor to assist in folding an American flag at the Veterans Wall.
Steve started working for the Nebraska Department of Roads in the maintenance department and later transferred to the engineering department where they built roads and bridges. When the position of maintenance superintendent came open, he applied and was awarded the position which he held until his retirement in 2009. After retirement he worked part time at Bow Pride and Grocery Kart which gave him more time to fish.
In his younger years he loved motorcycles, cars, playing softball, camping, and fishing.
Steve married Kay Troxel in 1970. They enjoyed 51 years of marriage. Steve’s favorite time of the year was camping and fishing season. He liked to share the fish he caught with those that could not fish. He had the same fishing partner for several years. In the last three years he helped Steve go fishing when he otherwise, wouldn’t have been able to fish. During his years of illness, he started reading. He read over 350 books, mostly westerns. Doing sudoku and crossword puzzles was also a good pastime for him.
Over the years Steve and Kay made several trips which they dearly enjoyed. They were able to go south for three winters to New Mexico and Arizona were they like to hike, rock hunt, and go sightseeing. He started making walking sticks from the huge yucca plants from the area. At the RV parks he enjoyed daily coffee with the guys at the “Table of Knowledge”.
The last three months he was at St. John’s in Kearney. There the employees came to love Steve. He made a lot of friends with the care staff and residents in the short time he was there.
Steve is survived by his wife, Kay. Brother Dennis (Sue) of Callaway, sisters Peg (Ron) Tangeman of Arizona, Kathy (Ted) Willis who are nomads, Nancy (Don) Brass of Kearney, Sherri (Jerry) Pandorf of Callaway and Ginger (Deron) Meyer of Chadron. Sister- in- law Millie Troxel of Pawnee City. Friend and fishing partner, Tim Larsen of Broken Bow. Nieces, nephews, and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, mother-in-law Sadie Troxel, brothers-in-law Lawrence and Richard Troxel and nephew Jason Land. Fur babies that he loved, Cricket, Mandy, Muffin and Sophie Jo.
Interment will be at a later date at Ft. McPherson national cemetery.
On the program put the poem:
I pray that I may live to fish
Until my dying day.
And when it comes
To my last cast,
I most humbly pray.
When in the Lord’s
Great landing net
And peacefully asleep
That in His mercy I be judged
BIG ENOUGH TO KEEP!!!!!
