Robert 'Bob' Merrill Lockenour

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Sept. 22, 1923 - Feb. 25, 2007

CAMBRIDGE -- Robert "Bob" Merrill Lockenour, 83, died Sunday (Feb. 25, 2007) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.

He was born Sept. 22, 1923, in Cambridge to Monte Charles and Jeanie Marie (Rankin) Lockenour.  He grew up and attended school in Cambridge graduating in 1941. He lived his entire life in Cambridge . 

He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II from 1942-1945.  He married Betty R. Brown in Geneva on Jan. 7, 1945 . 

He attended Hastings College and the College of Mortuary Science in St. Louis, Mo.  He became a funeral director in 1947, and worked with his father until his father's passing in 1959. He continued to operate the Lockenour Mortuary and the Lockenour Furniture Store and built the current mortuary in 1961. He retired in 1989, from the mortuary and later from Lockenour Furniture Co.  

He was a 70-year member of the First Congregational Church, and a member of the Tower Club and Men's Club at Church and Couples Club.  He was also a member of the Nebraska Funeral Directors Association, Ducks Unlimited, the American Legion Post No. 199, was President of the Cemetery Board for many years, a member of the Hospital Board of Directors and the Saddle Club all of Cambridge, and the McCook Elks Lodge. 

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Bill Lockenour; and a sister, Caroline Lockenour. 

Survivors include his wife, Betty of Cambridge; a daughter Patti Jones of Washington, D.C.; a son, Paul Lockenour of Lexington; sisters Dorothy Jones and husband, Roger and Margie Petersen all of Cambridge; sister-in-law, Dorothy Lockenour of Cambridge; former sister-in-law, Faye Loreen Lockenour of Arapahoe; former son-in law, Jim Jones of Cambridge; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be Thursday, 2 p.m., at the First Congregational Church in Cambridge with the Rev. Dana Keener officiating. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery at Cambridge.

Visitation will be Wednesday all day until 8 p.m., at Lockenour-Jones Mortuary in Cambridge. 

 Memorials may be given in his name. 

Lockenour-Jones Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements.