H.
R. “Dick” Lippincott, 86, of Central City, Nebraska, died Tuesday, July 28,
2009, at the V.A. Medical Center in Grand Island. Funeral services will be
Friday, July 31, 2009 at 10:30 A.M. at Fairview United Methodist Church near
Central City. The Reverend Janet Burgel will be officiating. Burial will be in
the Central City Cemetery. American Legion Lone Tree Post #6 of Central City
will perform military rites. Visitation will be Thursday, July 30, from 5-8 P.M.
at Wagner Funeral Home in Central City. Dick was born on November 27, 1922 in Lyman, Nebraska to Harvey R. and Ena F. (Kellums) Lippincott. He grew up on the family farm near Lyman and received his early education at Lyman Public School. He continued his education at Nebraska School of Agriculture in Curtis, Nebraska, graduating in the spring of 1941.
He entered the United States Army on November 14, 1944. He served as a Private in the Army in the European theatre of operations before completing his service in the Army of Occupation in Germany. He was a member of the 3rd Infantry Division. He was honorably discharged on August 24, 1946.
Dick was united in marriage to Rosalie Jean Frazell on November 27, 1946 in Shelton, Nebraska. The couple lived in Mead Township, Merrick County and Central City, Nebraska. Dick started farming nine miles north of town on Highway 14 where he farmed for fifty-seven years. He raised sheep, hay, corn, and soybeans. He was a life long irrigator and saw progression from ditch row siphon tubes to gated pipe and center pivots. Dick owned and operated a caterpillar doing custom work for neighbors.
Dick was a member of Fairview United Methodist Church of Central City, the Chamber of Commerce, the American Legion, the Merrick County Chapter of the Nebraska Farm Bureau, the Merrick County Agricultural and Industrial Corporation, and Nebraska Flying Farmers. He served on the school board of District 33 for many years. He obtained an early water right to pump water out of Prairie Creek. In 1964 Dick was named Farmer Of The Year by the Central City Chamber of Commerce. In 1974 he was made an Admiral in the Nebraska Navy and he received the Ak-Sar-Ben “Good Neighbor” Award in 1988. He earned the Farm Bureau “Grassroots” Award in 2002.
Dick earned his private pilot’s license in 1963 and he greatly enjoyed taking his family and many friends for airplane rides. He safely flew until age 65, eventually accumulating a list of over 300 passenger names, for many of whom it was their first time ever to fly. He especially enjoyed taking several of his sons and their friends flying in order to skydive.
Survivors include his wife, Rosalie Lippincott of Central City, NE, three sons and two daughters-in-law, Jerry and Janet Lippincott of Sunrise, FL; Randy and Joyce Lippincott of Scottsdale, AZ; Loren Lippincott of Fayetteville, GA; a daughter and son-in-law, Ronda and Todd Anderson of Cedar Rapids, IA; nine grandchildren, two great grandchildren and stepmother – Nancy Z. Lippincott of Mesa, AZ.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and a younger brother, Dale Laverne Lippincott.
Memorials are suggested to the Merrick County Historical Museum or Fairview Foundation. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.wagnerfuneral.com.
