Funeral services for Gene Liebentritt of Crawford, NE, who described himself as “damn near 98,” are Tues, Nov 8 at 10:00 at St John the Baptist Catholic Church in Crawford with Father Arul officiating.
Burial will be at the Crawford City Cemetery.
A Rosary will be held Monday, Nov 7, at 6 pm at St John the Baptist Catholic Church.
Memorials may be made to the Crawford Rescue Unit, P.O. Box 184, Crawford, NE 69339.
Online condolences can be made at www.chamberlainchapel.com
Eugene A. Liebentritt was born December 18, 1924, in Omaha, NE, to Magdalene (Tschida) and Adolf Liebentritt. He died October 30, 2022, at Ponderosa Villa in Crawford of natural causes.
Most of Gene’s childhood was spent in rural Omaha working on the family farm growing produce. He graduated from Underwood High School and entered the Army in January 1949.
Gene transferred to the ERC (Enlisted Reserve Corps) that September. During his ERC service, he was trained in counter-intelligence as part of the transition from the OSS to the INR which coincided with the creation of the CIG to what finally became the CIA.
Gene was fully released from service after his father passed away in 1954 to take care of the family farm. Through the rest of his life Gene did many things and owned multiple businesses. The diversity of them was rather amazing.
Some of the businesses were farm implement dealer, bar owner, dairy farm owner/operator, taxidermy, and Crawford Lumber Yard. He worked as a truck driver, mortuary attendant, artificial inseminator, regional salesman for farm implements, stagecoach driver, and sound engineer. Gene was known to be able to engineer or fix anything.
Gene and Elizabeth (Betty) Koerlin Yoelle were married June 7, 1958. They lived in several locations before Betty and Gene moved to and settled into Crawford in 1969, where they raised 7 children.
He was active in the support of St John’s Catholic Church, Chamber of Commerce, Crawford Public Schools, Crawford High Rodeo Club, and Rotary.
Gene loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter and fisherman. He was also an accomplished horseman from an early age and a master gardener.
Gene Liebentritt is survived by his children: Lynne (Harold) Oswald, Cindy Leichtnam, Julie (Don) Erisman, Steve (Karen) Liebentritt, Joe (Carol) Liebentritt and Robert (Linda) Liebentritt: 23 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.
Preceding him in death was his beloved wife Betty; his parents; his siblings Clarence, Catherine, and Margret; daughter Carol, and grandsons Chris and Shawn Homrighausen.
Chamberlain Chapel in Chadron is in charge of arrangements for Gene Liebentritt.