David Vapenik

David Vapenik, age 45, of rural Grant, passed away on Aug. 29, 2023, at his home.
David was born on May 7, 1978, in Grant, Nebraska, to Daniel and Patricia (Heine) Vapenik.
He graduated from Wheatland High School with the class of 1996 and earned a Business degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 2000.
Following graduation, David worked at Target in Lincoln, operating in Human Resources and management. In 2004, he returned to Grant, where he worked at Valley Bank, Adams Bank in Madrid and later as a financial officer at Farm Credit.
On June 1, 2013, David married Angela Hengelfelt in Golden, Colorado. Their union was blessed with two sons, Axel and Cruz.
Dave was also a lifelong Yankees fan. His love of baseball was ingrained in him since birth and was a major part of his upbringing. David also loved hunting and the outdoors, especially when he was pheasant hunting with his dogs. He was highly active in the community and had a diversity of friends. Dave wasn’t one to sugarcoat things, so people always knew where they stood. He had a great love for working on the family farm and absolutely cherished the time he got to spend there with his boys alongside him.
David was preceded in death by his father, Dan, in 2014.
Survivors include his wife Angela and their sons, Axel and Cruz of rural Grant; mother Pat Vapenik of Elsie; brother Zane Vapenik of Oshkosh; in-laws Corwin (Nancy) Hengelfelt of Stromsburg; siblings-in-law Seth and Mandy Hengelfelt and their children Wyatt and Sydney, Leah and Jason Lonsdale and their children Devin, Emmitt, and Maya, Nathan and Kaysha Hengelfelt and their children Tinsley and Kaisyn; along with many other relatives and friends.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in David’s memory to benefit his children. Condolences may be shared at bullocklongfuneralhome.com. Services will be streamed live at ziongrant.org.
Services were on Monday, Sept. 4, 2023, at 10 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Grant, with Pastor Michael Heckmann officiating. Interment was at the Elsie Cemetery. A reception and celebration of life at the Perkins County Fairgrounds followed the committal at the cemetery.
Visitation was on Sunday, from 2-6 p.m., at the Bullock Long Funeral Home in Grant. The family received friends from 5-6 p.m.
Bullock Long Funeral Home of Grant is in charge of arrangements.