Arthur E. Frerichs

Arthur Frerichs, 79 formerly of Gurley, Nebraska passed away Saturday, February 4, 2017 at Linden Court in North Platte, Nebraska.

A memorial service for Art will be held at the Lodgepole Valley Youth Camp in Sidney, Nebraska on February 18, 2017 starting at 11:00 A.M. with lunch to follow.

Cremation has taken place and there is no visitation at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family.

Arthur E. Frerichs was born March 3, 1937 to Ernest and Esther (Juedes) Frerichs on their homestead east of Gurley, Nebraska. He graduated from the 8th grade before going to work full time on his parent’s farm. He helped his parents out until he met and married his wife, Billie C. Sparks on March 14, 1954. They moved to Sidney, Nebraska where they had five children: Edwin, Carol, Ronnie, Donnie, and Gerald. Arthur did whatever it took to take care of his family. He worked for the City of Sidney street department, the Cheyenne County road department and several part time jobs.

He enjoyed rebuilding cars, from overhauling the engines to completely restoring the automobile to its original form. In 1972 he opened his own auto body shop in Dalton, Nebraska where he restored automobiles until 1975, when he returned to farming.

He worked for Three Circles, Inc. and H.B. Jergens before settling down on his parent’s homestead near Gurley. There he continued working for H.B., while farming his own ground and raising a small herd of cattle.

He spent all of his spare time restoring antique tractors to show room floor perfection. He enjoyed taking a semi and rebuilding it, stretching the back, and turning it into a farm truck. He had a knack of tacking something totaled out and turning it into a showroom floor piece of farm equipment.

He always had time for his neighbors, from welding and fixing whatever was broken, rebuilding their equipment, to donating his time to help his neighbors get their harvest over and done on time. Art’s attention to detail and perfectionism made him a jack of all trades and a master of most.

He lived in Gurley until 2012, when he and his wife retired to a beautiful home at Lake McConaughy. They enjoyed their life there, boating, fishing, barbequing, having family get togethers, and keeping himself busy working on his new house. He lived there until the death of his wife in July of 2016, when due to Alzheimer’s he moved to Linden Court in North Platte.

Arthur was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, his brother Darold and his wife Doris Frerichs, his brother Eugene Frerichs, a grandson William (Bill) Bruce and several in-laws: Dale Sparks, Delbert and Betty Sparks, Oliver and Dixie Chatfield, Harold Frerichs and Judy Sparks.

He is survived by one brother Allen and wife Sharon Frerichs of Gurley, NE; a sister-in-law Dorothy Frerichs of Tucson, AZ; five children: Edwin and wife Georgia Frerichs of California, Carol and husband Shawn Johns of Sidney, NE, Ronnie Frerichs and mate Gaylin Hartzler, Jr. of McCook, NE, Donnie and wife Jannelle Frerichs of Sidney, NE and Gerald and wife Connie Frerichs of Sidney, NE; nine grandchildren and their spouses; several great-grandchildren; three sister-in-laws: Ruth Stinson, Rhoda Marsh and Blanche Frerichs and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank all of Art’s and our friends and family for their prayers, help and support during this time of loss.

Holechek Funeral Home and Cremations in Sidney assisted the family with the arrangements.