Dayton Cheleen

A. Dayton Cheleen, 79, of Chappell, NE passed away December 26, 2013 at the Miller Memorial Nursing Home in Chappell, NE.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. MST Tuesday, December 31, 2013 at Berea Lutheran Church northeast of Chappell with Pastor Sarah Cordray officiating. He will be buried at the Berea Cemetery military rites by the V.F.W. Post #7002 and the Nebraska National Guard.


A memorial has been established for Dayton to the Berea Lutheran Church.

Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30 in the Holechek Funeral Home in Chappell, NE.

Arvid Dayton Cheleen was born Feb. 27, 1934 in Chappell, NE to Edwin and Martha Johnson Cheleen. He attended country school through eighth grade and graduated from Chappell High School in 1952. Dayton then continued on to Luther College in Wahoo, NE and graduated in 1954. In 1956, he was drafted into the Army and served in Korea as a Military Policeman. He received an Honorable Discharge after serving for 21 months and then returned to Chappell to work on the family farm northeast of Chappell.

On August 6, 1960 he married Sheila Bostwick in Hershey, NE. Dayton was a lifelong member of Berea Lutheran Church where he was baptized and confirmed. He was very active in Berea Church serving as member of the church council, teaching adult Sunday School, singing bass in the church choir, serving as church financial secretary and sponsoring the Luther League. He thoroughly enjoyed participating in Lutheran Men in Mission and dartball tournaments. Dayton and his wife, Sheila, were charter members of the Community Choir, which still performs today. Dayton was a member of the Deuel County Fair Board for several years, Deuel County Commissioner for 12 years and was an ASCS committee member. He began farming at the age of 16, following the sudden death of his father in 1949. He continued farming with his brother, Darold until a few years ago. The School Section that he lived on has been in the family for over 100 years.

Survivors include his wife, Sheila, of 53 years from Chappell, NE; Two daughters, Beth Boden (Chuck) of Brady, NE and Julie Crawford (John) of Arapahoe, NE; Two sons, Dan Cheleen (Pam) of LaVista, NE and Dave Cheleen (Brooke) of Omaha, NE; ten grandchildren - Ryan, Kristen and Hannah Boden; Sarah Crawford; Jared, Adam and Caden Cheleen and Reagan, Caitlyn and Samantha Cheleen. Three step-grandchildren - Kola Werkmeister (Roger); Jonathan Crawford (Genny) and Cherry Miller; Step Great-grandchildren - Amber and Jonna Metzger; Desteny and Tyler Miller and Michaela Wulf; Brother, Darold Cheleen of Chappell and wife, Beth; Sister Lorraine Newman and husband Edsel of Redmond, WA. Sisters-in-law - Judy Deutscher of North Platte, NE and Sue Steele of North Platte, NE; Brothers-in-law - Gene Deutscher of North Platte and Larry Steele of North Platte and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

Dayton was preceded in death by his parents, Edwin and Martha Johnson Cheleen.

Holechek Funeral Home and Cremations in Chappell is serving the Cheleen family.