Frank L. Fewell

Frank L. Fewell, age 92, of rural Edison, Nebraska, passed away on Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at St. John’s Good Samaritan Society, Kearney, Nebraska. He was born on May 11, 1925 on the family farm that his grandfather homestead in 1872. Frank’s mother passed away when he was three years of age, so his father’ sister, Jessie came to help raise him and saw that he attended school at the Girch Country School and Edison High School where he graduated Valedictorian with the class of 1943. After graduation he began farming with his father until May 8th, 1945 when he was called by Uncle Sam and entered the U.S. Army, taking basic training at Camp Hood, Texas. Then for a while he was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. He was then sent to South Carolina and after crossing the U.S. by train to Seattle, Washington, they were sent overseas by ship and served in the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign in India and Nanking, China for the remainder of WWII. After leaving the Army, he returned home to renew a lifetime of farming. On September 19, 1947 he was united in marriage to Arlene Shield of rural Atlanta, Nebraska. To this union on daughter, Martha Ann, better known as “Marty” was born. They made their home in the Edison area until purchasing a farm south of Republican River between Edison and Arapahoe, known as the Henry Koeteman place where a home was established until 1964 when they moved back onto the Fewell homestead after Frank’s father retired and moved into Edison. Frank’s hobbies were overhauling machinery, helping neighbors, collecting stamps, his membership in the Edison American Legion and his family. In September of 1985, Frank’s family was honored by receiving a plaque from the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben in Omaha for his farm being in the Fewell family for 113 years. Today the farm has been in the family for 146 years. Frank was a kind and gentle man and led a very simple life. He is preceded in death by his parents, his aunt Jessie Byrd and wife Arlene in 2010. He is survived by his daughter, Martha “Marty” Mitchell and her husband Bob of Edison, Nebraska, granddaughter Suzanne-Mitchell-Elsasser and her husband Greg of Cheyenne, Wyoming, grandson Robert Mitchell of Wheatridge, Colorado, and great-Granddaughter Alexander Mitchell-Elsasser of Cheyenne, Wyoming, and many nieces, nephews, and friends. Condolences or personal reflections may be left at wenburgfuneralhome.com. Viewing and visitation will be Sunday, January 28, 2018 from 4 PM till 8 PM, at Wenburg Funeral Chapel, 652 Main St., Arapahoe, Nebraska. Graveside service will be Monday, January 29, 2018 at 11 AM at the Edison Cemetery, Edison, Nebraska with Pastor Kirk Einspahr, officiating. Military rites by the Edison American Legion and Army National Guard Honor Guard. Memorials are suggested to Edison Community Building. Wenburg Funeral Home of Arapahoe, Nebraska is in charge of the arrangements.