Donald Harry Kammerer

Donald Harry Kammerer was born on December 28, 1928 in Leshara, Nebraska to William (Bill) and Elizabeth (Fannie), nee Feist, Kammerer. He grew up in Leshara, where he started the first grade at 4 years old, later graduating from Valley High School in 1944 at the age of 16. As a young boy, Fritz began his lifelong love of hunting and fishing. Margaret (Marge), nee Matzen, of Kennard, Nebraska, married Donald “Fritz” Kammerer on January 16, 1960 at the First Lutheran Church in Blair, NE. They raised their children Kathryn Rue and Thomas Lynn in Leshara, Nebraska. Fritz farmed all of his life, with only a short break for his service in the Korean War. During his stint in the Army, he was part of 13 months of combat operations in Korea’s vicious “Punchbowl” region. Fritz then returned to the farm, where he continued his passion for hunting and fishing. Upon retirement, he would spend his winters in Donna, Texas and his summers in Harrold, South Dakota. Fritz was an adventurer and an extrovert, who loved to meet new people. He lived life at a slower pace, so he could truly enjoy all it had to offer and was stridently independent. Fritz was an avid fan of all sports, enjoyed fried chicken, dinner out at Farmer Brown’s, or a steak off of his own grill. Those of you that knew Fritz, understood that there were five things that he really liked to do (in no particular order): Hunt, fish, have a good cold beer, take a nice long nap (anytime, anywhere) and visit with people. He loved to travel, explore and see new places. At the age of 80, he enjoyed a solo drive to Alaska for a cruise to view glaciers, took a helicopter tour down the Grand Canyon with friends and enjoyed a week long bus tour through Mexico. To top it all off, he spent his 83rd birthday at the Red Panty Saloon in Progresso, Mexico, surrounded by close friends. Fritz passed away on Friday, September 19, 2014, after completing a day of fishing on Lake Sharpe, South Dakota at the age of 85 years, 8 months and 22 days. He was preceded in death by his parents Bill and Fannie, wife Marge and siblings Bolivar, Dorothy, Stanley and Hazel. Fritz is survived by his son Tom of Mt. Sterling, KY; daughter and son-in-law Kathy and Ron Vieselmeyer of Deshler, NE; 3 grandchildren Matt and his wife, Alesha Vieselmeyer of Ruskin, NE and Bella and Boo Kammerer; 2 great granddaughters Allie and Lainey Vieselmeyer; sister Louise Roberts of Wahoo, NE; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Norman Matzen of Blair, NE, Norma Jane Strand of Apache Junction, AZ, Gwen Krecklow of Glenwood, IA and Phil and Myrna Matzen of Blair, NE.

Donald Harry Kammerer

December 28, 1928 - September 19, 2014