Gaylin Ray Hartzer

Gaylin Ray Hartzer, age 89, passed away on Oct. 18, 2023 at Jefferson Community Health and Life Hospital in Fairbury, Nebraska.
Gaylin was born on April 21, 1934, to Willis and Inez (Cross) Hartzer on the farm in Dundy County, South of Wauneta. He had one sister, Shirley, and two brothers, Wallace (Ace) and Harold (Duce). He graduated from Wauneta High School in 1952.
He went to California to work at a milling company and joined the Army in 1956. He served for three years, mainly in Alaska, and then worked at Martin Missile in Castle Rock, Colorado. He returned to farming in Wauneta and married the love of his life, Loyann Taylor, on July 22, 1962 in Culbertson. They were married for over 60 years until her death in September 2022. To this union four children were born, Gaylin Jr., Lorrie, Phillip and Kris.
Gaylin loved being a farmer. When asked what he would do if he won the lottery his response was “Put it into farming until I am broke again.” He supplemented his farm income by putting up television antennas, putting jacks in the Frenchman River, working at Wauneta Roller Mills and driving school bus for Wauneta Public School. He enjoyed many things during his lifetime besides farming. When he was a young man he enjoyed coyote hunting and was always telling people about those stories. He loved playing cards, among his favorites were gin rummy, pitch, pinochle, and cribbage. There were not too many nights that didn’t end with a game of rummy with Loyann. Another much enjoyed activity was softball—playing it in his younger days, umpiring as he got older and watching his granddaughters play at district and state in his later years. He enjoyed fishing and loved all the many dogs he owned throughout the years.
Anyone who knew Gaylin would say two things about him—he was ornery and he loved to sing. He was so ornery that he was known to many of the men in Wauneta as “Joker”, always playing tricks, trying to startle you, or making witty replies. He sang with his mom from a very young age and was still singing in his bed at the hospital. After Loyann’s passing he moved to Cedarwood Assisted living in Fairbury to be closer to his great-grandchildren. The people who came to know him at the assisted living facility in Fairbury would comment on how they loved to hear him sing. His positive outlook on life will be missed.
Gaylin is survived by his children, Gaylin Hartzer Jr. of McCook, Lorrie (Mike) Hofstetter of Daykin, Phillip (Lorretta) Hartzer of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Kris (Chelle) Hartzer of Lawrenceville, Georgia; sister-in-laws, Eva Hartzer of Salem, Oregon, Beth Ann Hartzer and Linda Taylor both of McCook; eight grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by wife, Loyann (Taylor) Hartzer; parents, Willis and Inez (Cross) Hartzer; brothers, Wallace and Harold Hartzer; sister, Shirley (Don) Miller; parents-in-law, Lloyd Taylor, Ann (Miller) and Carl Rieger.
Cremation was chosen and there will be no visitation. A celebration of life service will be held at Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel in McCook at 10:30 a.m. on Friday morning, Oct. 27, 2023.
Memorials will be donated to the Humane Society. There will be a luncheon at the McCook Methodist Church after the ceremony.