Ned H. Meier

Ned Henry Meier, 86, of Grand Island, Nebraska, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in the same home where he was raised.

A Funeral Service will be held on Monday, April 7, at 10:30 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Grand Island. The Rev. Adam Snoberger will officiate. Private family burial will be held later that day in the Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Grand Island.

Visitation scheduled for Sunday, April 6, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., also at Trinity Lutheran Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests memorial contributions be made to the family for later designation.

Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is assisting the family.

A lifelong Nebraskan, Ned was born on February 8, 1939, to parents Ed and Irene (Legler) Meier.

Ned’s life was deeply rooted in family, faith, and farming. He grew up working the land and raising livestock, becoming an active 4-H member and earning numerous accolades for his livestock. After graduating from Grand Island Senior High School, he served in the United States Army and was stationed in Korea during peacetime. Following the completion of his military service, he pursued his passion for agriculture and higher education.

Ned earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 1967, followed by a Master’s degree in 1970. Later, he received his Master’s degree in Business Administration from Bradley University. A true innovator, Ned developed a method for measuring tractor noise that became an international standard still in use today. Ned was inducted into the UNL Biological Systems Engineering Department Hall of Fame in 2008.

In 1963, Ned married his college sweetheart, Barbara “Bobbie” West. Together, they raised their two children, Pam and Brian, in the same Grand Island home where Ned had spent his childhood. After a brief time living in Illinois, where Ned worked for Caterpillar, Inc., the family returned to Nebraska in 1975, where for the next 50 years, Ned continued farming corn on his family’s land in Merrick County.

After Bobbie’s passing, Ned found love again and married Nancy (Uleman) Mamot in 1996. They shared 28 years of love, laughter, and partnership.

Ned was not only a dedicated farmer but also an active community member. He served on the Northwest School Board during the 1980s, and later on the Heartland School Board, as well as the Trinity Lutheran Church Board of Elders and Board of Education.

For the last 15 years, Ned utilized his creative ingenuity to create and patent a revolutionary tractor design that allowed for precision farming by placing multiple farm implements in front of the driver. His invention earned him widespread recognition and accolades.

Ned will be remembered for the way he lived: humbly, faithfully, and with deep love for his family. He was a steady presence, a source of wisdom, a quiet leader, and a man of unshakable values. He was a devoted husband, a proud father and grandfather, a loyal friend, and a faithful servant of the Lord.

Ned is survived by his loving wife Nancy, son Brian and his wife Nancy of Omaha, daughter Pam Stingley and her husband Kirk of Lone Tree, CO, their children Paige Stingley, Cori and Lucas Sullivan, Adam Stingley and Abbey Stingley, and Nancy’s children Daron and Tammy Mamot, Susie and Tony Guyette, and Dayla and Jon Sack, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Ned was preceded in death by his first wife, Bobbie Meier, his parents, Ed and Irene, infant granddaughter Kristen, and Nancy’s son, Monty.

Ned will be dearly missed by all who knew him. His life was a gift, and his memory will continue to guide and inspire those he loved. The world has lost a truly remarkable man, but heaven has gained an angel, complete with dirt on his boots and a heart full of grace.