Wilford Tomky

    Wilford Duane Tomky was born Dec. 20, 1932, in Brush, Colorado, to Herman D. and Thecla (Briding) Tomky. As a young man he grew up near Brush assisting his family on the farm, graduating from Brush High School in 1951. He gained employment with the Colorado Constructors, Inc., of Denver, after high school. Wilford entered the U.S. Army in February of 1953 serving during the Korean War. He was a member of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Division’s 2nd Infantry Regiment shooting team which won international contests over marksman from the British, French, Belgian, Danish, and Luxembourg Armies. Wilford was stationed in Alaska during the building of the DEW (Distant Early Warning) Line, radar stations built for detecting Russian aircraft.
    After his honorable discharge in 1955, Wilford married Genevieve Lila Wulfekuhle on Dec. 27, 1961, at St. Olaf’s Catholic Church in Elbow Lake, Minnesota and to this union four children were born; Jim, Bill, Susan, and Ken.
    The couple settled in Olney Springs, Colorado, where they farmed until moving to the Lamar, Nebraska area in 1972. Wilford and Genevieve made the Lamar area their home, farming and raising their children.
    Wilford was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church of Imperial, and Holyoke. He was a former Farm Bureau board member. Wilford enjoyed gun collecting, marksman shooting, in which he was excelled, and was an avid arrowhead collector. Wilford especially loved his time with the family and friends.
    Wilford passed away Saturday morning, Nov. 30, 2019, at the Wauneta Care and Therapy Center in Wauneta, Nebraska. He was 86 years of age.
    Wilford was preceded in death by his parents, wife; Genevieve in 2017, brothers, Herman Tomky and wife, Mary, Orville Tomky and wife, Loretta; sisters, Phyllis Chali, and husband, Tony, Thelma Tomky, Norma Pearson and husband, Earl.
Survivors include sons Jim (Mary) Tomky of Amherst, Colorado, Bill (Chris) Tomky of Lamar; daughter Susan (Larry) Castle of Imperial; son Ken (Janet) Tomky of Lamar; grandchildren, Stephanie Ramsey, A.J. Tomky, Elizabeth Tomky, Joseph Tomky, Mindy Mansfield, Dawn Castle, Evan Tomky, Aidan Tomky and eight great-grandchildren.
    Visitation was held Sunday, Dec. 8, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church of Holyoke, Colorado
    A Rosary was recited Sunday, Dec. 8, at the St. Patrick Catholic Church of Holyoke.
    Mass of the Christian Burial was held Monday, Dec. 9, at the St. Patrick Catholic Church of Holyoke, with Father Jerry Rohr and Father Bernard Lorenz celebrating. Interment followed at the Green Lawn Cemetery, rural Lamar, Nebraska.
    A memorial has been suggested to the St. Patrick Catholic Church of Holyoke, Colorado.
    Online condolences may be left at liewerfuneralhome.com
    Liewer Funeral Home entrusted with arrangements.