Vernon Lewis Korte, 88, of Columbus, Nebraska, was called home to his Lord, Monday, June 28, 2021.

The funeral service will be held Thursday, July 1, at 10:30 AM, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Columbus with Rev. Patrick Sparling and Rev. Chris Ramstad officiating. Interment will be in Christ Lutheran Cemetery, rural Columbus, at 1:30 PM on Thursday with military honors by the American Legion Hartman Post 84. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM at Gass Haney Funeral Home and continue on Thursday from 9:30 AM until service time at the church. There will be a family prayer service on Thursday at 10:15 AM at the church. Memorials may be directed to Immanuel Lutheran Church and School or to St. Jude Children's Hospital. The funeral service will be broadcast live on Gass Haney Funeral Home Facebook page.

Vernon was placed into the loving arms of his parents, Otto and Bertha (Groteluschen) on December 4, 1932, in rural Columbus, Nebraska. He was brought into the kingdom of God through Holy Baptism on December 25, 1932, at Christ Lutheran Church in Platte County Nebraska. He reaffirmed his faith at his confirmation on May 5, 1946, promising to live his life as a child of God.

Vernon grew up on the family farm, attended Christ Lutheran School, and graduated from Kramer High School, Columbus, Nebraska in 1950. Vernon worked on the family farm before being inducted into the Army in 1953. He served state-side and in Germany until his honorable discharge in 1955, receiving the Army of Occupation Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. Upon his return from the Army, Vernon worked for Becton-Dickenson where he was employed for 37 years until his retirement.

On July 8, 1958, Vernon and Joyce Wilshusen were united in marriage at Immanuel Lutheran Church in rural Schuyler, Nebraska. They made their home in Columbus where they raised their three children, teaching them to love and trust in God. Vernon was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Columbus where he faithfully served as an usher for 50 years.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 63 years, son Andrew (Jane), and daughter Joan (Jack) Korte-Parkhurst, daughter-in-law Kandy Korte, grandchildren Davis, Audra, and Adair Korte, Anne Marie Korte (fiancé Carlos Equihua), Kaitlyn and Allyson Korte, brothers-in-law Roger Wilshusen, James (Linda) Wilshusen, Kermit (Tambri) Wilshusen, many nieces, nephews, and dear friends. He was proceeded in death by his parents, his beloved son Jeffrey, siblings and their spouses Henrietta and Herbert Wilke, Paul and Adella Korte, Walter and Marjorie Korte, and sister-in-law Lola Wilshusen.