John Piva

John Piva, 89, of Oshkosh, passed away early Tuesday morning, June 4, 2019 at Regional West Garden County Nursing Home with his family by his side.  

Memorial Services for John will be held on Monday, June 17, 2019 at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church, Oshkosh, NE.  Rosary will be at 10:00 a.m.  A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m.  Father Stephen Deaver will be officiating. 

Burial will be private at a later date in the Oshkosh Cemetery.  Cremation has taken place and there is no visitation.  Memorials in John’s name can be made to the Oshkosh Public Library.  Holechek-Bondegard Funeral Home and Cremations in Oshkosh is serving the Piva Family.

John Piva was born January 11, 1930 on the family farm east of Oshkosh to Paul and Maria Piva.  He was the third of three sons born into the family.  John graduated from Garden County High School with the class of 1949.

John enlisted in the Army, January 1955, and was honorably discharged, January 1957.  On February 2, 1957 John married the love of his life Dixie Lee Hines.  They were happily married for 48 years until Dixie’s passing in 2005.  To this union three children were born, Susan Joan, John Henry and Michael John. 

John’s passion was farming.  Throughout his younger years John learned from his parents and zios the value of hard work, loving the land and taking pride in a job well done.  A farmer at heart, if not in the fields, John still took great pride in his large garden.  John farmed until 1976 when he rented the ground and went to work for Marshalltown Instruments and then Cabela’s.  John always had a couple of books he was reading usually a western and a history novel.   John and Dixie enjoyed antiques and spent many weekends at an auction.

John loved his grandchildren, teaching them about the farm, how to drive a manual transmission and showing them his love of Nebraska, god’s country.  John had a great sense of humor and liked to visit with others, he was always building friendships.

John is survived by his daughter, Susan Piva and her spouse Laurie Keate of Minnesota; son, John Henry and wife Julie Piva of Arizona; son, Mike Piva of Oshkosh, NE; grandchildren Nicole Piva Livingston and husband Brandyn of Georgia; Jake Piva and fiancée Kelsie Brennan of Tennessee; Taylor Keate and Dallas Keate both of Minnesota; sister in-law Ruth Piva of Lincoln, NE, formerly of Chappell, NE; brother in-law Bill Hines of Ogallala, NE; three nieces and two nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, zios Louie and Alfredo Piva, wife Dixie, and brothers, Louis and Alfred (Vi).