Wilfred Jurgens, 91, of Beatrice, formerly of Plymouth, died Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020, at his home. He was born May 3, 1929, at rural Beatrice and was baptized and confirmed at Emmanuel Lutheran Church rural Beatrice.
He served in the U.S. Navy from 1950 to 1954 during the Korean War, attaining the rank of Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class and his high school diploma. On Nov. 23, 1957, he married Melva Yost at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Plymouth. They lived in Chicago and Utica before moving back to Plymouth in 1966. He worked for Union Pacific Railroad, Lutheran Brotherhood, spent eight years at Cominco, then transferred to the Phillips Petroleum/Koch Industries plant, working nearly 20 years. Bill was an assistant at Fox Funeral Home for several years. He was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Plymouth, where he served as an elder, trustee, mission treasurer and school board member. He was also a member of Schopp-Ewing-Nispel Post #243 of the Plymouth American Legion for 67 years, Geddes-Thober Post #1077 of the Beatrice VFW and a former member of Jay Husker car club.
Survivors include his wife, Melva of Beatrice; three daughters, Marla (Thomas) Furrow of Fairbury, Yvonne Eckhoff of Beatrice and Linda (Randy) Johnsen of Macon, Missouri; one son, Randall Jurgens of Las Vegas, Nevada; seven grandchildren, Emmy (Derick) Berry, Holly (Zachary) Carpenter, Heather (Justin) Schultis, Alexa (Jeremy) Eckhoff, Brittney (Harrison) Wallin, Jaeden Johnsen and Jacee Johnsen; nine great-grandchildren, Keagan and Kinsley Berry, Braedyn and Azlyn Carpenter, Elle and Bennett Schultis, Drake, Donavon and Dawson Eckhoff; two brothers-in-law, Loren Yost and Marvin (Gladys) Yost; sisters-in-law, RoJane (Dennis) Meyer and Leoda Yost; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wilhelm and Etta Zimmerman Jurgens; brothers, Virgil (Teda) Jurgens and Raymond (Verna) Jurgens; sister, Alvera (Marvin) Paben; brother-in-law, Delbert Yost; sisters-in-law, Verna Jurgens and Evelyn Yost.
A funeral service was Oct. 11, at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Plymouth with burial at the church cemetery with military graveside honors conducted by Schopp-Ewing-Nispel Post #243 of the Plymouth American Legion and the U.S. Navy. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Plymouth with the church elders in charge. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.foxfuneralhome.net.
