Douglas Zikmund, 77, of Columbus, Nebraska, died Friday, February 3, 2023 at Brookestone Acres in Columbus.

The funeral service will be held at 2:30 PM on Tuesday, February 7, at Gass Haney Funeral Home with Rev. Cindi Stewart officiating. Visitation will be on Monday, from 5:00 - 7:00 PM and continue on Tuesday, from 1:30 PM until service time, all at the funeral home. Interment will be on Wednesday, at 12:30 PM at Omaha National Cemetery with military honors by the American Legion Hartman Post 84 honor guard. Memorials may be directed to the American Legion Hartman Post 84 flag fund.

Douglas Bruce Zikmund was born April 10, 1945 at Naval Hospital Astoria, Oregon to Lloyd and Patricia (Strong) Zikmund, who were both on active duty with the Coast Guard. He and his mother moved to Ord, Nebraska when Douglas was about six months old to be near his Dad's family, and his dad joined them when he was discharged. He attended Springdale country school through 6th grade, then attended elementary and high school in Ord, graduating in 1964. He then attended Kearney State College.

On May 28, 1967, Douglas married Carol Leininger in Arcadia, Nebraska. He joined the Navy in 1966, attending boot camp, corps school, and Navy pharmacy school in San Diego. Then orders led them to MCAS Yuma, NCS Philippines, and Naval Hospital Great Lakes. After discharge, he stayed in the Naval Reserves for a total of over 30 years, retiring as HMCM. He was Command Master Chief for a hospital unit the last several years. Douglas was one of the first three to be recalled for Desert Storm in 1990, spending eight months in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

After his active duty, Douglas and Carol went to the University of Nebraska College of Pharmacy, graduating in 1978. In 1979, they purchased Blevins Drive-In Pharmacy, and operated it until 2001. Douglas spent his last pharmacy years at Tooley Drug.

Douglas loved his wife and family, hunting, fishing, and water skiing (in his younger years), the Navy, NASCAR, Cornhusker football, old western movies and serials, and spending time at the family cabin at Johnson Lake.

Douglas was a member and past president of the Nebraska Pharmacist Association, member and past Commander of American Legion Post 84, 40 et 8, Ord VFW, Broken Bow Elks, Columbus Eagles, Sons of the American Legion, and Columbus United Methodist Church.

Douglas is survived by Carol, his wife of 55 years; their nieces and nephews; three sisters-in-law, Ruth Mundt of Crete, NE, Retta Bettenhausen of Lincoln, NE, and Shirley Petersen of Grand Island, NE; one brother-in-law, Ronald "Ike" (Mitzi) Leininger of Lexington, NE; and many other friends and family.

Douglas was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Pat Zikmund; brother Don Zikmund; parents-in-law, William A. and Alma Leininger; brother-in-law William B. Leininger; and nephew David Mundt.