Bert W. Cool

Jan. 15, 1928 - June 28, 2008

KEARNEY -- Bert W. Cool, 80, died Saturday (June 28, 2008) at the Decatur County Hospital.

He was born Jan. 15, 1928, in Kearney to Eugene B. and Ethel A. (Fellows) Cool. He attended Sand Puppy Elementary School and graduated from Amherst High School in 1945.

He joined the U.S. Army and was discharged in 1948. He married Bernadine C. Covert on Oct. 8, 1949.

On Oct. 13, 1962, he married Shirley R. Dreher in Kansas City, Mo. He worked for the Union Pacific Railroad as a station manager/telegrapher for several years before moving to Kansas City, Mo., and joining the police department. He retired as a detective in May of 1976, after 20 years of service.

He moved back to the family farm north of Amherst in 1976. In 1985, he moved to Oberlin where he worked as an under sheriff for several years. In the past few years he worked on the civil defense system, was a dispatcher, and served the Oberlin Sheriff's Department in several different capacities.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one granddaughter, one niece and one brother-in-law.

Survivors include his wife, Shirley Cool of Oberlin; sons, Stephen and wife, Linda Cool of Grand Island and Michael and wife, Diane Cool of Amherst; daughter, Marsha and husband, J. Michael Enyart of Moberly, Mo.; brother, Harold and wife, Bonnie Cool of Broken Bow; sisters-in-law, Beverly and husband, Frank Gilmore of Shell Knob, Mo., and Jeanette Lindberg of Roanoke, Ill.; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be Wednesday, 2 p.m., at Horner-Lieske-Horner Mortuary with the Rev. Dean Pofahl officiating. Burial will be at the Kearney Cemetery. Military rites will be provided by the Nebraska National Guard Honors Team, Kearney V.F.W. Post No. 759, and Kearney American Legion Post No. 52.

Visitation is today until 8 p.m., at the mortuary and prior to services on Wednesday. A message of condolence, tribute or memory can be left at www.hlhmortuary.com.

Memorials are designated to the family to be designated at a later date.

Horner-Lieske-Horner Mortuary of Kearney is in charge of arrangements.