Eugene "Hoppy" McCue

   Eugene "Hoppy" McCue, a longtime resident of Alma Nebraska, passed away peacefully on September 5, 2023, at the age of 90. He was born on January 9, 1933 in Oxford NE to Alva and Audrey McCue.

   Hoppy garnered great acclaim as an athlete representing Arapahoe High School. He twice earned All-State honors in football and basketball. He also led the Warriors to three Class C championships in track and field, winning five individual all-class gold medals. Famously in 1950, Arapahoe High School was awarded the state track meets "Grand Championship,” a title previously won almost exclusively by much larger Class A schools. In 1951, he was named as the first Nebraska State High School Athlete of the Year by both the Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal-Star.

   Hoppy started college at the University of Nebraska where he lettered in track. In 1957, following a two year stint in the Army, he graduated from Hastings College where he was a three sport letterman for the Broncos. It was during this time he married his high school sweetheart, Gertrude Monter. They were married for 60 years until Gert's death in 2014 after a long illness.

   Hoppy had a 37 year career as a teacher, coach and school administrator at Rock County High School in Bassett, Tekamah-Herman High School and as Superintendent of Schools in Alma.

   He received numerous awards and recognitions including:  a masters and school administration degrees from UNL; service awards from the Nebraska School Activities Assoc. and the Nebraska Rural Community Schools Assoc.; induction into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame and the selection by "Sports Illustrated" as one of Nebraska's top 50 sports figures of the 20th century.

  More important to him than any of his personal achievements, Hoppy established friendships with scores of people across the state and beyond. He was always genuinely interested in everyone's personal story and had a great talent for remembering names and faces. Hoppy had a positive attitude, great sense of humor, quick wit and adored everything “Nebraska.”

   Hoppy is survived by his three sons and their wives, Mark and Susan of Tucson, Mike and Melinda of St. George, Utah and Dave and Lisa of Omaha. His survivors also include four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

There will be a celebration of life event Friday, October 20, 2023 beginning at 4 p.m. at the Alma Golf Club. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent to the Alma Public Schools Scholarship Fund, 515 Jewel Ave. Alma NE 68920. Garey Funeral Home of Arapahoe, Nebraska is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences and personal reflections may be left at gareyfuneralhome.com