Larry Lee Cudaback was born on December 14, 1939, to Clarence and Agnes
(Becker) Cudaback at home in rural Fillmore County. He died peacefully
on August 10, 2023 at Heritage Crossings in Geneva, Nebraska at the age
of 83 years, 7 months, and 27 days.
Larry grew up on a farm
northwest of Exeter and attended Fillmore County Rural School District
#27 until the 8th grade, and graduated from Exeter High School in 1957.
He worked for the Burlington Railroad and in 1959, he went to Lincoln
and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was inducted in November, 1959, and
received his basic training at Ft. Hood, TX and Ft. Knox, KY. He was
sent to Erlangen, Germany, where he would spend the next 3 years. He was
honorably discharged in November, 1962.
One fateful night
later that November, a couple of his railroad buddies told Larry, “You
have to meet the two tallest girls in Lincoln.” (meaning Bonnie and her
sister, Jean.) When the door opened and Bonnie laid eyes on Larry, she
threw her arms around him and said, “Where have you been all of my
life?” The rest, as they say, is history, and they were married July 18,
1964.
Upon returning from the honeymoon, he was persuaded
into farming a quarter of land north of Exeter. The farm operation grew
and Larry was at his happiest when he was working in the fields or just
making sure his farm equipment was clean and had his farm yard looking
perfect. His greatest enjoyment was watching his daughters and
grandchildren participate in their many sporting events. Larry and
Bonnie enjoyed traveling and were able to visit the majority of the 50
states. Larry retired from farming in 2002 when Brad White and sons took
over the operation, and then he and Bonnie left the family farm and
moved into town in 2006.
Larry served on the Exeter School
Board for several years, the Fillmore County ASC Committee, Exeter
Township Board, Fillmore County Groundwater Board, and the Exeter
Cooperative Elevator Board. He was a lifetime member of St. Stephen’s
Catholic Church.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Agnes, his brother, Bill, and his sister-in-law, B. Jean Price.
He is survived by his wife, Bonnie; daughters and sons-in-law, Dawn
& Shane Welch and their daughter, Sara of Smithfield, Kentucky;
Darcy & Brad White of Exeter, and their children, Dillan of Exeter,
Claire (Derek) Tachovsky of Friend, Nolan (Whitney) of Exeter, Cameron
of Exeter, and Katherine of Geneva; Stacey & Randy Hall of York, and
their children, Justin (Molly) of York, Malinda (Colin Monteforte) of
Geneva, and Sydney of Farwell; great granddaughters, Emerson and Rowan
Monteforte, Adaline White, Avery Lukasiewicz, and Lauren Tachovsky;
brother and sisters-in-law, Roger & Sharon, and Judy Cudaback all of
Exeter; brothers-in-law, Harry Imm and Robert Imm of Stromsburg; nieces
and nephews and many friends
