John W. Blezek III, 81, of Columbus, Nebraska, died Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center - Bergan Mercy Campus, in Omaha, Nebraska.

The funeral service will be held on Saturday, December 20, at 10:00 AM, at 1C | The Sanctuary Church in Columbus with Pastor Randy Longacre officiating.  Interment with military honors will be in the Omaha National Cemetery, Omaha, Nebraska, on Monday, December 22 at 1:30 PM with military honors by Offutt Air Force Base Honor Guard.  Visitation will be on Friday from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM at Gass Haney Funeral Home and on Saturday from 9:00 AM until service time at the church.  Memorials may be directed to those of family or donor's choice.

John W. Blezek, III was born June 25, 1944, in Wichita Falls, Texas, to John W, II and Hazel (Everson) Blezek.  The family ended up in Nebraska, where John graduated from Coleridge High School in 1962.  On September 10, 1964, John entered the United States Airforce.  He made a career of this enlistment and after 20 years, several deployments, numerous ribbons and citations, John retired from the Air Force on October 31, 1984.

Upon his discharge, John settled in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he attended the community college in the fall of 1985.  During his time in Cheyenne, he met the love of his life, Nancy Benson, and the two were united in marriage on June 6, 1987, in Cheyenne.  The newlyweds moved to Laramie, Wyoming, where John attended the University of Wyoming, graduating in 1989 with a degree in Social Work.  The couple moved from Wyoming to Columbus, Nebraska, in 1990.  John worked for Health and Human Services for 15 years, Catholic Charities for one year, and the Omni Behavioral Health Center for eight years, and Menards for seven years.

John loved kids and wanted to help troubled children in any way possible.  He loved reading, doing Bible research, history, fishing, and camping.  In John's eyes, there was never a stranger, just a friend who he had not met yet.  John's greatest joy in his life was his wife Nancy, who he loved so very much.  He was a member of American Legion Hartman Post 84.  John had a strong and firm Christian faith and was a faithful member of 1C/The Sanctuary Lutheran Church.

John is survived by:
Wife – Nancy Blezek of Columbus, NE
Son – Donald Blezek of Norfolk, NE
Daughter – Lydia Blezek Rabinowitz of Council Bluffs, IA
Son – Nathan Blezek of Cheyenne, WY
8 Grandchildren
3 Great Grandchildren
Brother – Ronald (Shirley Williams) Blezek of Egg Harbor, NJ
Sister-in-law - Cindy (Billy) Reynolds of Barnegat, NJ
Brother-in-law - Thomas (Lori Rhodes) Benson of Missoula, MT
Brother-in-law - Tim Benson of Cheyenne, WY
Sister-in-law - Pamela (Alan) Schneider of Cheyenne, WY
Numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews

John was preceded in death by:
Parents – John II and Hazel Blezek
Parents-in-law - Thomas E and Donna L (Humiston) Benson
Brothers-in-law – Donald and David Benson