Ralph S. Wardyn

Ralph S. Wardyn, 87, of Loup City, died Monday, Aug. 26, 2013, at the St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Josaphat's Catholic Church in Loup City. The Rev. Marty Egging will officiate. Burial will be in the Evergreen Cemetery in Loup City. Visitation will be Thursday at the church, from 5 to 7 p.m., with a 7 p.m. vigil service and Knights of Columbus rosary. Peters Funeral Home of Loup City is in charge of the arrangements. Mr. Wardyn was born on Nov. 21, 1925, on the family farm, near Loup City, the son of Peter and Josephine (Karty) Wardyn. He is survived by his wife, Renee of Loup City; six sons and daughters-in-law, Steven and Dawn Wardyn of Grand Island, John and Denise Wardyn of Wichita, KS, Leonard and Marcia Wardyn of Farwell, Ron and Linda Wardyn of Loup City, Pete and Deb Wardyn of Cozad and Mike and Ann Wardyn of Grand Island; seven daughters and six sons-in-law, Kathy and Dick Kohel of Lincoln, Marcia and Jim Leonard of Kearney, Mary Jo and Jerry Tanner of Scottsdale, AZ, Linda Alexander of Columbus, Sharon and Doug Day of Loup City, Theresa and Kevin Jorgensen of St. Paul and Marge and Larry Kemling of Columbus; and one sister, Caroline Mazankowski of Loup City. He also leaves to cherish his memory, 37 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren. Ralph grew up on the family farm and attended Wiggle Creek School and graduated with honors from Hazard High School in 1943. Upon completing his education he farmed with his father and later on his own. He was united in marriage to Rita Renee Woitalewicz on Sept. 12, 1949, at Loup City. The couple farmed north of Loup City, later moving to Hazard and then Litchfield. They then moved to the family farm south of Loup City, where all their children were raised. In the 1960's, Ralph also worked as a supervisor at the Cornhusker Army Ammunitions Plant in Grand Island. In 1985, the couple retired and moved into Loup City, where they lived the rest of his life. He was a member of St. Josaphat's Catholic Church and Knights of Columbus Council 5455 of Loup City. Ralph loved farming, gardening, fishing, playing pitch, dancing and playing his accordion. In later years, he enjoyed taking drives in the country to look at everyone’s crops. He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant daughter, Janis Lynne Wardyn and an infant son, Lawrence Howard Wardyn; three brothers, Cash, Robert and Floyd Wardyn; and four sisters, Sabina Sokol, Dorothy Chelewski, Ella Obermiller and Regina Peterson. Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.