Lawrence "Jim" Kuehl

     Lawrence James “Jim” Kuehl, 92 of Loup City, NE died Friday, October 20, 2017 at Rose Lane Home in Loup City. Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at St. Josaphat’s Catholic Church in Loup City with Father Richard Piontkowski celebrating the Mass. Burial will be held at the Evergreen Cemetery in Loup City with military honors by the Loup City American Legion Post #48. Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday, October 23 at the church with a Vigil Service/Knights of Columbus Rosary to be held at 7:00 p.m. at the church. Memorials are suggested to the Knights of Columbus, American Legion or donor’s choice.

     Lawrence James “Jim” Kuehl was born September 22, 1925 at Ogallala, NE to George and Dorothy (Beckius) Kuehl. He attended schools in Ogallala, Ne and Silver Creek, NE and graduated from Reynolds High School in Reynolds, NE in 1943. He attended the University of Nebraska for one year.  Jim joined the United States Navy in June, 1944 and served on the USS submarine Grouper. He was honorably discharged in June, 1946. He married Ruby Olsson on August 19, 1946 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in North Platte, NE. They had three children; Donna, Larry and Patrick. Jim and Ruby farmed in North Platte from 1946 to 1950 when they then moved to a farm near Ansley, NE which they farmed until 1955. Jim then worked for one-year drilling irrigation wells for Swick and Moody. In 1956, he went to work for Cook Implement and became a partner with Max Cook and J.D. Beals in 1959. In 1962, they purchased Max Cook and Kenneth Cook Beekeeping operations and later purchased Cook and Beals, Inc. The company soon became a world-wide company selling honey extracting machinery. He was an active member of the Sioux Honey Association and American Bee Keeping Federation. In 1972 he was one of the American speakers for the First Australian Bee Congress. Jim had visited all 50 states and Australia twice in his lifetime.

     Jim was a member of St. Josaphat’s Catholic Church; third degree charter member of the Knights of Columbus Council #5455 and fourth degree Knight of Assembly 1712. He was also served on the Loup City school board. He was very active in his community. He was mayor of Loup City for 16 years and also a member of the Loup City Development Corporation and Loup City Chamber of Commerce. He also held memberships with the Loup City American Legion Post #48 (since 1955); Veterans of Foreign War Post #1712 and Sherman County Historical Society.

     Jim is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Donna and Raymond (Ray) Trompke of Loup City, NE; son and daughter-in-law, Patrick (Pat) and Carol Kuehl of Loup City, NE; daughter-in-law, Jacquelyn Kuehl of Overland Park, KS; 7 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren; 2 step-grandchildren and 3 step-great grandchildren and sister, Jane Calvaresi of Lakewood, CO. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; son Larry; brother, David Kuehl and sisters, Margaret Hansen and Suzanne Benedict.

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