Larry D. Evans

Larry D. Evans, 69 of Loup City, NE died of cancer Thursday, April 15, 2021 at his home in Loup City surrounded by his loving family. Traditional Catholic Funeral Mass will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 21, 2021 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Rockville, NE. Interment will follow at the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Rockville with military honors provided by the Loup City American Legion Post #48. Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 20 at Higgins Funeral Home in Loup City with a Rosary at 7:00 p.m. The Mass will be livestreamed on the Higgins Funeral Home Facebook page. The direct link is http://facebook.com/Higgins-Funeral-Home-111005270563508 Memorials are suggested to St. Mary’s Catholic Church for Masses, Nebraska Veterans Administration or donor’s choice.

Larry was born May 7, 1951, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Loup City, to Mervin and Geraldine (Kowalewski) Evans.  He attended St. Pius X Elementary School and graduated from Westside High School in 1969, both in Omaha.  After graduation, he joined the US Coast Guard and was stationed in Buffalo, New York patrolling Lake Erie, and living at Niagara Falls, NY.  He served in the Coast Guard for 4 years.

He was united in marriage to Diane Mills, his Elementary School sweetheart on September 11, 1971.  This marriage was blessed with 10 children.  They lived in Elkhorn, NE, before moving to the family farm in Loup City in 1983.

His professions included rebuilding railroad cars for Unarco in Omaha, before becoming self- employed in Loup City as a farmer, salvage yard operator, local grain trucker, and driving for Grand Island Express as an Owner/Operator for over 15 years, achieving over 2 Million Accident-Free miles.

He was a car enthusiast, dealing with people from many states in machinery and auto parts.  His children helped him extensively in his business operations and the family farm.

He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Diane; his children; Rob (Penny) Evans of Phillips; Andy of Kearney; Beth (Matt) Fowler of Loup City; Anne Marie Peterson, Denise (Ron) Czaplewski, and Stephanie Evans, all of Omaha; Theresa (Robert) Ruge of Fairbanks, AK; Tricia (Nathan)Kimzey of Merlin, OR; Nick (Sandy) Evans of Loup City; and Mary Evans (Fiance, James Frickey) of Grand Island.  He is also survived by his mother, Geri (Evans) Fletcher of Grand Island; brother, Randy (Barb) Evans of Omaha; sisters, Cindy (Mike) Ballard of Omaha, and Aleyse “Christy” Erikson of Kearney; 31 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren; brothers-in-law, Don Kamins, Rick (Rosemary) Mills, Mike (Anne)Mills and Tom Grasso; and sister-in-law, Mary Goodrich.

He was preceded in death by his father, Mervin; stepfather, Don Fletcher; father and mother-in-law, Jim and Mildred Mills; sisters-in-law, Linda Kamins and Peggy Grasso; and brother-in-law Mike Goodrich.