Brent Wayne Nemechek
Brent Wayne Nemechek, 74, of Garden City, passed away on September 7, 2024.
Born on July 3, 1950, in Tribune, Brent was the son of Bernard and Joyce Nemechek. He graduated from Greeley County School in Tribune in 1968 and earned his degree from Fort Hays State University in 1972. On May 22, 1971, he married Bethany Eaton, and together they enjoyed 53 years of marriage, raising two children, Amy and Nick.
Brent, a quiet jokester, loved to bring laughter to those around him. His playful nature was evident in the many ways he enjoyed teasing his family, such as his favorite prank of squealing into the garage as fast as he could, only stopping inches from the back wall—a moment that always caused many gasps, laughter from the kids, but left Beth not thinking it was that funny.
Brent was a devoted father and grandfather, and he was known for his loving and creative nicknames for his family. His children and grandchildren were affectionately known as Vern, Doug-nuts, Princess, Rye-dog, Haydo the Tomato, Harpster, and Little Stinks. These endearing names were a reflection of his deep love and the special bond he shared with each of them.
Brent spent many enjoyable hours fishing with his friend Jack, finding peace and camaraderie by the water. He also had an appreciation for a good bourbon and water, often enjoying a glass in the company of family and friends. Brent’s legacy is one of joy, laughter, and deep affection for his family. His playful spirit will be remembered fondly by all who knew him. He will be greatly missed, but his memory will live on in the hearts of those who loved him.
He is survived by his wife, Bethany Nemechek; his children, Amy (Pete) Michalczyk of Parker, Colorado, and Nick (Jenifer) Nemechek of Garden City; his grandchildren, Addison, Rylee, Hayden, Harper, and Hadley; his sister, Trudy (John) Thornburn of Buffalo, Wyoming; his brother, Blake (Carmelle) Nemechek of Colorado Springs; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Bernard and Joyce Nemechek.
A celebration of life will be held at Valley View Cemetery in Garden City at 11:00 AM CST on Friday, September 20, 2024.
Memorials contributions are suggested to St. Catherine Hospice of Garden City in Brent’s honor.
OBITUARIES
Ronald L. Koehn
Ronald L. Koehn, age 78, passed away on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at the Greeley County Health Services in Tribune. He was born on November 26, 1947, in Greensburg to Alfred D. & Elma Giesel Koehn. Ron moved his family to Tribune in the late 60s, having moved... [More]
Jerry Lee Huddleston
Jerry Lee Huddleston, age 72, passed away on Friday, September 11, 2026, at the Greeley County Health Services in Tribune. He was born on February 4, 1954, in Tribune to Howard B. Huddleston and Lillian M. Luekenga Kubo. He was a Journeyman Lineman for Wheatland Electric... [More]
Andrew Duke Stewart
Andrew Duke Stewart, known to many as “Duke” in his younger years and “Andy” thereafter, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at Western Prairie Senior Living Center in Ulysses at the age of 86. Andy was... [More]
Mary Josephine Loper
Mary Jo Loper, age 75, passed away on July 28, 2026, at her home in Overland Park, KS. She was born on May 5, 1951 in Great Bend, KS. She was raised by her aunt and uncle, Floretta and Marion Otstott in Tribune. Mary Jo married Raymond Morgan in 1969 and divorced in 1979. She... [More]
Kenneth L. Beougher
Kenneth L. Beougher was born on June 11, 1934 on the family farm in Gove County. He passed away on August 24, 2026 at Wheat Haven in McDonald. Ken was raised on the family farm alongside his three brothers and two sisters. He attended several rural schools in Gove County before... [More]
Mereta Carol (Morgan) Stone
Mereta Stone, 90, passed away on July 20, 2026, at Brookdale in Dodge City. She was born on December 6, 1935, in Tribune to Merle and Margaret (Jones) Morgan. Mereta attended and graduated from Tribune schools. She started her career as a type setter for The Daily Globe then... [More]
Richard “Rick” Phillip Coupland, Jr.
Richard Phillip Coupland, Jr., lovingly known as Rick, passed away peacefully on July 2, 2026, in Flagstaff, Arizona, at the age of 80. Rick was born on August 25, 1945, in Pueblo, Colorado, to Richard Phillip Coupland and Irma Eileen Coupland (Shacklett). He is survived by... [More]
Thelma I. Carlson
Thelma Isabel Carlson of Longmont, Colorado passed away on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at the age of 97. Thelma arrived at the Ferne and Oscar Carlson home in Tribune on December 16, 1928. She joined two-year-old Selma and one-year-old Velma. In the following two years both John... [More]
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SPORTS
Lady Jackrabbits defeat St. Francis, Sharon Springs, go 1-2 at Dighton Tournament
Photo caption: Freshman Ellie Schneider blocks a ball during Tuesday’s game against the Sharon Springs Wildcats. Photo by Brecken Mangan. Last Tuesday, September 15, the Lady Jackrabbits traveled to St. Francis where they squared off against the St. Francis Indians... [More]
Jackrabbits fall to Red Devils, prepare to change game plan for Dighton
Photo caption: Hayden Myers prepares to move off the line when the play begins. Photo by Guilherme Evans. The Tribune Jackrabbits traveled to Oberlin on Friday, September 18, to take on the Decatur County Red Devils in football action. Head Coach Austin Coffman said... [More]
Reynolds, Marquardt and Howell place second, Hopkins places third at Ellinwood meet
Photo caption: Senior Mia Reynolds placed second in #1 singles at last Thursday’s meet in Ellinwood. The tennis team will head to WaKeeney for competition on Saturday. Courtesy photo. Our varsity tennis team traveled to Ellinwood on Thursday September 17. We played in... [More]
Junior High Lady Jackrabbits A team wins Syracuse Tournament; B team takes second
Photo caption: Tenley Stewart passes the ball during last Friday’s match up against the Oberlin Red Devils. Photo by Brecken Mangan. Greeley County Junior High Volleyball had a very successful and impressive week of volleyball this past week. We first traveled to... [More]
Junior High football faces defeat at Oberlin, looks ahead to Dighton
Photo caption: The offensive line gets in position as they prepare to run a play against the Decatur County Red Devils. The boys had diffficulty containing Oberlin’s talented running back during the game. Photo by Trista Shafer. The Junior High football team traveled... [More]
Jackrabbits lose to Elkhart Wildcats 20-26 in overtime
Photo caption: Rowdy Grubb was willing to take flight to score a few more yards during a running play against Elkhart Friday evening. Rowdy had 121 rushing yards on 26 carries throughout the game. The Greeley County Jackrabbits squared off against the Elkhart Wildcats in home... [More]
Fearless Four win state bowling
By Ken Zerr The Fearless Four bowling team from the local Alley Bar bowling alley have won the team handicap state bowling tournament! The team of Dottie Westergren, Sharon Gray, Linda Firner and Crystal Firner took home the $1,500 prize in April at the end of the season.... [More]
Jackrabbits compete in home meet on Saturday
Photo caption: The High School Boys ran the second race of the day. From left to right are Knox Mangan, Braxon Mangan, Samuel Warner, Truett Young, and Taven Schmidt. They placed sixth as a team. The Greeley County Jackrabbits hosted the Greeley County Invitational Cross Country... [More]
More Sports
- Lady Jackrabbits score several wins; fall to Syracuse again
- Junior High Volleyball continues strong season, A team remains undefeated
- Varsity tennis girls play in Hoisington, Phillipsburg, and Goodland meets
- Junior High boys fall to Rawlins County Buffaloes in week two of play
- Lady Jackrabbits are 2-1 after first week of play
- Jackrabbits fall to Indians in season opener
- Men’s bowling crowns new champs
- Junior High football team dominates in season opener against Wildcats
NEWS
Dr. Wendel Ellis, DO, awarded Heart of Healthcare Award
Dr. Wendel Ellis, DO, longtime physician and chief of Medical Staff at Greeley County Health Services, was awarded a prestigious Heart of Healthcare Award at the Kansas Health Association annual conference September 10-11, 2026. According to his nomination, Dr. Wendel... [More]
Greeley County Airport to host Kansas Air Tour lunch stop on Thursday, October 1
The Greeley County Airport (5K2) will host a lunch stop on the 2026 Kansas Air Tour on Thursday, October 1. Airport managers Arlie and Beth Aeschliman are excited to host pilots from around the region and have planned science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)... [More]
GCHS Fall Homecoming Court announced
The 2026 Fall Homecoming Court has been named. Senior king candidates, in the back row, from left to right, are Drayke DaSilva, Oscar Martinez, Rowdy Grubb, and Gael Yanez. Senior queen candidates, in the second row, are Britney Helpingstine, Lily Palmer, Bryleigh Nix, and Sara... [More]
Progress continues on Towner East Wind Project
Photo caption: The erection phase at the Towner East Wind Project is now well underway. Technicians work collaboratively to install one of the tower pieces south of Towner, Colo. Courtesy photo. Travelers heading on Highway 96 west out of Tribune can quickly see evidence of... [More]
Elliott Insurance celebrates 45th anniversary
Irelyn Ricke, Tanner Elder, Sherri Elder, and Travis Elliott served a brisket lunch to customers and friends on Thursday, September 17, in celebration of Elliott Insurance’s 45th year in business.
Greeley County History Hunt wrapping up
By Jennifer Vogt-Crockett We are wrapping up the Great Greeley County History Hunt this Thursday. If you did the Hunt or part of it, and haven’t picked up your 250th Commemorative Coin, please stop the Horace Greeley Museum by this week or next. The signs... [More]
Community Homecoming Bonfire, Parade scheduled
In conjunction with homecoming, Greeley County Schools is hosting a community pep rally and bonfire starting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 23, at the football field. The pep rally will recognize all fall sports teams and will feature games for students. Student Council... [More]
Senator Moran secures Kansas agriculture priorities in the Senate Farm Bill
The legislation includes key wins for Kansas farmers & ranchers, including E-15, CRP legislation & Food for Peace WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry – applauded the... [More]
More News
- Unapproved minutes of the regular meeting of USD #200 Board of Education
- County receives rain, parts of northeast quadrant hammered with hail
- Senior Center hosts Salad Bar Dinner
- Elliott Insurance to celebrate 45th anniversary Thursday with customer appreciation luncheon
- Ribbon cutting held for Greeley County Schools’ new gymnasium
- September Prairie Palooza held Saturday night
- Country Fresh Market today
- Jackrabbit Homecoming next week
OPINIONS
Vote NO to keep Kansas courts independent
On August 4, Kansans will decide whether to amend our Constitution and fundamentally change how justices of the Kansas Supreme Court are selected. Whatever one thinks about particular court decisions or individual justices, this vote is about something much larger: whether we... [More]
Open letter to the community: Tilt-A-Whirl plans go sideways
We’re sad and sorry to report that we will not have a Tilt-A-Whirl by the 2026 Greeley County Fair. The seller, a ride company out of Arizona, recently informed the Greeley County Amusement Association board that he would be breaking our contract and not selling the ride... [More]
From the Editor’s iPhone, at the corner of Kiowa County’s Road J and 76
No, there’s not a true intersection there, just a county road, a trail, and a corner post marking the field lines. But there are some free-range yaks - maybe just out of their pen - within a couple of miles. You never know what you’re going to see during harvest…or... [More]
From the editor's desk
Change isn’t my favorite. Though I like to think I’m open-minded and forward-looking, I can become rooted in patterns, comfortable in the way things are done. If I can navigate the mental maze of getting from point A to point Z several times, then just follow... [More]
Letter to the Community: We need lifeguards
How lucky are we to have a small-town swimming pool? Honestly–very. It’s more than just a place to cool off. It’s where summers happen. Kids learn to swim, teens hang out, families relax, and the whole community comes together in one spot. In a small... [More]
In Pursuit: Lesson #1 – From George Washington
Editor’s Note: The Kansas Press Association and Kansas Humanities have partnered to provide access to a series of essays honoring the 250th Anniversary of our nation. There is so much we can learn from the lessons of our past. In Pursuit is a new initiative from... [More]
FFA isn’t all sows, plows, and cows
Photo caption: Anna Marquardt, left, attended the ACC Conference in Lakin last week. Courtesy photo. FFA is growing tomorrow’s leaders, instilling confidence in members, and preparing members for career success and the ACC Conference did just that. ACC stands for authentic,... [More]
Letter to the Editor: Passing the Rotor Act is Plane Common Sense
Failure to pass it means another day, week, month that we put at risk the safety of all passengers who fly our skies. By U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) March 6, 2026 Crafted as a response to the deadly midair collision that occurred over the Potomac River in January... [More]
More Opinions
- Letter to the Editor
- Letter to the Editor: Trump promises handouts to farmers. Politicians promise development benefits. We pay for it all.
- Letter to the Editor
- Right to repair
- Letter to the Editor
- Letter to the Editor
- Letter to the editor: Political uncertainty shakes Kansas farmland values, and prosperity hangs in the balance
- From the Editor’s desk: Reflecting on the Symphony in the Flint Hills
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