Larry R. Placzek, 80 of Loup City, Nebraska passed away comfortably Saturday, May 9, 2026 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 18, 2026 at St. Josaphat’s Catholic Church. Father Mark Maresh will celebrate the mass. Interment will be held at the Evergreen Cemetery in Loup City. Visitation will be held one hour before the service. A Celebration of Larry’s life will be held from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday, May 17 at his home in Loup City, 226 North 5th Street. Memorials are suggested to the Servicemen of the Heartland Outdoors, Mid Nebraska Bow Hunters, Litchfield or donor’s choice. The funeral will be livestreamed on the Higgins Funeral Home Facebook page. The direct link is facebook.com/higgins.funeral.home.loup.city/

     Larry Ray Placzek passed away comfortably on the morning of May 9th, 2026, leaving behind a legacy rich in family, tradition, and a deep love for the outdoors and the people he shared it with.

     Larry was born on May 25th, 1945, in Loup City, Nebraska, to Delta (Piper) and Clarence Placzek. He grew up on a farm twelve miles from the Sherman Reservoir dam, where the land and the water shaped him in ways that would define his entire life. He attended Loup City High School, played football, participated in FFA, and competed on the Legion Boxing Team, winning the Golden Gloves Team Trophy in 1964.

     In 1961, he was with the crew that built Sherman Reservoir, and he later moved to Valentine to help build Merritt Reservoir. It was there that a chance visit to a drive-in restaurant in Ainsworth changed everything. Larry made a friendly bet with his brother that he could get the cute carhop on skates to go out with him.

     On June 24, 1965, Larry married that carhop, his beloved Rosalie "Rose" Luther, in Loup City. The couple first lived in Basset and later returned to Loup City where they built their life together, and raised three children. Rose was the love of his life, and though she preceded him in death, her memory remained with him always.

     In 1968, Larry and Rose founded Larry's Auto Service, which served the Loup City community with pride for 44 years. A man of great resourcefulness, Larry later channeled his lifelong passion for fishing into a second calling, establishing Great Plains Fishing Guide Service. He shared his hard-won knowledge of the water with clients who often left as friends. He was also deeply proud of inventing and patenting his own fishing weight system, the Rock-n-Rattle.

     For Larry, peace was found outdoors, and he was never happier than when he could share this experience with those he cared for. Whether he had family or friends in the boat with him, was working a field with one of his many beloved dogs, or slipping quietly into a tree stand at dawn, the outdoors was where he was most fully himself, and it gave him no shortage of good stories to tell. On the lake or at the garage, there was always room for one more: another story, another laugh, and more often than not, another drink shared among friends.

     Throughout his life, Larry gave back to the community he loved, including years of service as a volunteer with the Loup City Fire Department. He was a proud member of the Sherman Reservoir Walleye Association (SRWA), the Litchfield Archery Club, Nebraska Archery Association, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Bass Masters, National Rifle Association, North American Towing, and the Servicemen of the Heartland.

     Larry is survived by his children: his son, Scott Placzek (Cathy), and his daughters, Tina Treffer (Jon) and Laura Krueger (Marc), all of Loup City. He was a proud grandfather to Stephanie Gallaway, L.J. Treffer, John Gallaway, Bryce Placzek, and Brandon Placzek, and great-grandfather to Braxton Gallaway, Morgan Gallaway, and Parker Treffer. He is survived by his siblings: Jerry Placzek of Ord; Rich Placzek (Tonya) of McCook; and Karen Placek (Jim) of Omaha. Larry is also survived by his long-term companion, Carla Lonowski, and her family, whose lives were touched by his love, warmth, and generous spirit.

     Larry was preceded in death by his wife, Rose Placzek; his father, Clarence Placzek; and his mother, Delta Placzek.

     Larry will be remembered as a steady, kind, and generous presence, a man who taught by example and whose love for family and the outdoors left a lasting impression on all who knew him. His stories, his laughter, and the memories made on the water and in the fields will live on through his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and everyone whose life he touched.