Leslie C. Hohndorf, 79, of Shelby, died Sunday, May 26, 2002 at the Osceola Good Samaritan Center in Osceola, Nebraska. Services will be held at the United Methodist Church in Shelby, Nebraska, on Wednesday, May 29, 2002 at 2:00 PM with the Rev. "J." John R. Green officiating. Interment will be at the Shelby Cemetery in Shelby. Visitation will be held at the Gass Haney Funeral Home on Tuesday, May 28, 2002 from 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM and at the United Methodist Church in Shelby, on Wednesday, May 29, 2002 from 1:00 PM until service time. There will be a family prayer service at 1:45 PM Wednesday at the church.

Mr. Hohndorf was born January 29, 1923 at Dorsey, Nebraska to Louis and Helen (Berglund) Hohndorf. In 1925, Les and his family moved to Rising City, Nebraska. They farmed at Rising City for two years, then bought the farm north of Shelby - which is still the home place.

He attended District #18, Ball school, through the eighth grade. He was in the US Army from December 18, 1944 and was given a medical discharge on February 19, 1945. When Les came back home he went back to his love of farming, cattle, mules, and horses.

Les remembered getting electricity on July 8th, 1938. On that evening, he was in the field south of the house cultivating corn with a team of two horses and two mules. He remembered looking up to the house and it was lit up more than usual. They used kerosene lamps and a gas lamp when somebody called on them. He thought they had company for the evening. He remembered studying the building sight to try and see who was visiting. All of a sudden, the yard light came on! Then he knew...the long awaited electricity had been put into action.

Then Less met the love of his life and married Betty Fyfe on June 26, 1949 at the E.U.B. Church in Shelby, Nebraska. They bought the family farm in 1954. It was traditional on Sundays to spend the afternoon going to pastures checking cattle. On the way to or from the pastures, Les could be heard singing "Pally Waddle Doodle All A Day" to his kids and later to his grandkids. He really enjoyed his grandkids and great grandkids.

Les had many horses and mules in his lifetime and he could tell you their names. A few were: Molly, Jake, Pet, Queen, Billy, Dolly, Toots, Babe and Socks. He was known for Dolly and Toots jumping and riding in the back of his pick-up without the stock rack. Many years ago he was surprised when he saw the Columbus Telegram and on the front page was a picture of Dolly and Toots standing in the back of his pick-up.

He enjoyed his cattle, horses and mules for many years. This last fall the last of his cattle were sold and thus ending many decades of some type of hoves on the home place. He was a Shelby farmer and rancher since 1945.

In Les's lifetime, he had seen many changes-ie: farming with horses and mules - to the big International tractors, shucking corn by hand to self-propelled combines, and kerosene lamps to what we take for granted - electricity.

He was member of the United Methodist Church in Shelby.

Leslie is survived by:
Spouse - Betty Hohndorf - Shelby, NE
Daughter - Helen Conkling - Shelby, NE
Daughter - Bonnie (Reg) Nekl - Shelby, NE
Brother - Wilbert (Eleanora) Hohndorf - Shelby, NE
Granddaughter - Betsy Nekl
Grandson - Joshua Nekl
Granddaughter - Libby Nekl
Granddaughter - Megan Nekl
Granddaughter - Jamie Smith
Grandson - Jeremy Smith
Grandson - Justin Smith
6 Great-Grandchildren
Leslie was preceded in death by:
Father - Louis Hohndorf
Mother - Helen (Berglund) Hohndorf
Son - Robert Hohndorf
Sister - Hilda Clobes
Brother - Alvin Hohndorf

SERVICE FOLDER

If tears could build a stairway,
And memories a lane,
I'd walk right up to heaven
And bring you home again.


In Memory Of

Leslie C. Hohndorf

Born
Monday, January 29, 1923
Dorsey, Nebraska

Entered Into Rest
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Osceola, Nebraska

Service
Wednesday, May 29, 2002 2:00 PM
United Methodist Church
Shelby, Nebraska

Officiating
Rev. "J." John R. Green

Music
Peg Coffin ~ Organist
Annette Alt ~ Soloist
"Angels Among Us"
"How Great Thou Art"

Casket Bearers
Grandchildren
Jeremy Smith Justin Smith
Jamie Smith Joshua Nekl
Megan Nekl Libby Nekl
Betsy Nekl Kenton Zimmer

Interment
Shelby City Cemetery
Shelby, Nebraska