Junior "JD" Duane Lofing Obituary (1931 - 2020)

Junior "JD" Duane Lofing, 89, of Beatrice, passed away peacefully Monday, September 7, 2020, surrounded by family. JD was born in Beatrice on January 12, 1931, to George and Laura (Hahn) Lofing, the youngest of seven children. He was baptized February 1, 1931, and later confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Jansen on March 25, 1945. His confirmation verse was Revelation 2:10, "...be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." JD graduated from Beatrice High in 1949 and later joined the Air Force, serving in active duty from 1951 to 1955 as air traffic controller during the Korean War. In 1953, JD was married to Dorothy Ellis. In the years following, the couple had four children: Mike, Linda, Mark, and Denise. After returning from the war, JD farmed in the Diller area for several years. In addition to farming, he worked for Fairbury schools as a bus mechanic and substitute driver. Throughout the '60s, JD worked as a mechanic for his brother, Marvin, at Lofing Implement. In the late '70s, JD began his own business, Lofing's Repair, in Fairbury. He worked there until he sold the business in the early '90s. He then served as a mechanic for the Gage County Highway Department, from which he retired in 2011 at the age of 80. On March 9, 1988, JD married Tammy (Caudy) Ruhnke. Tammy brought Carissa, whom JD immediately accepted as his own precious daughter. Soon after, sons Chase and Blake joined the family. The couple began their family in Jansen before moving to Beatrice in 1991. JD enjoyed being involved in the community, whether it was serving as a school board member in Diller or attending St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Beatrice. He was especially fond of participating in several community plays in both Fairbury and Beatrice, where he would act and help to build sets. Among his hobbies, JD had a passion for flying, and he obtained his pilot's license in the early '80s. He enjoyed flying his own plane, and he was a member of the Flying Conestogas. JD is survived by his wife, Tammy Lofing of Beatrice, four sons, Mike (Cheryl) Lofing of Fairbury, Mark (Mary) Lofing of Shavertown, Pennsylvania, Chase (Emily) Lofing of Nebraska City, and Blake (Carmen) Lofing of Omaha; three daughters, Linda Lofing (Don Clifton) of Lincoln, Denise (Merv) White of Belvidere, and Carissa (Tom) Schulz of Omaha; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, infant brother Leo, brothers Marvin and Clarence Lofing, and sisters Paula Hohbein, Rozella Hohbein, and Idella Holtmeier. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Friday, September 11, 2020 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Beatrice with Rev. Charles Schmidt officiating. Interment will be at the Evergreen Home Cemetery with military honors provided by the Bitting-Norman Post #27, American Legion and the United States Air Force. The body will lie in state Thursday from 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM at the Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel in Beatrice and at the church one hour preceding the service on Friday. All local CDC protocols will be followed including social distancing and recommended wearing of masks. A family prayer service will be held at 10:15 AM Friday at the church. A memorial has been established to the church and to Beatrice Community Hospital Hospice with the funeral home in charge. Sign JD's online guest book and view his video tribute when completed at www.ghchapel.com. These services have been entrusted to the Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel in Beatrice.