Dr. Steven J. Rothenberger

Steven Rothenberger, 77, of Kearney, Nebraska, passed away on July 4, 2025, at Bethany Home in Minden. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on July 25, 2025, at First Presbyterian Church in Kearney, with Pastor Sharon Rees officiating. A private family interment will take place at the Kearney Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Prairie Plains Resource Institute or First Presbyterian Church of Kearney, where he was a long-time member. Steven was born on September 14, 1947, in Kansas City, Kansas, to Milton E. and Kathryne W. Rothenberger. He grew up in Gering, Nebraska, and graduated from Gering High School in 1965. He earned a B.S. in Biology Education and an M.S. in Biology from Kearney State College and a Ph.D. in Botany from North Dakota State University. On March 27, 1970, he married Judy Runge in Kearney. To that union, a daughter, Jennifer, was born. A dedicated educator for more than 40 years, Steven proudly taught and mentored numerous students who went on to become educators, scientists, ecologists, and healthcare professionals. His career began as a science teacher and coach in Marquette, Nebraska, followed by a faculty position at Midland Lutheran College. Steven spent the last 23 years of his career teaching at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK), where he served as a professor of biology until his retirement in 2014. Following retirement, he was named professor emeritus. He also served as curator of the UNK herbarium. Steven was deeply involved in numerous professional and conservation organizations, including Prairie Plains Resource Institute, Willa Cather Memorial Foundation, Nebraska Wildlife Federation, Great Plains Natural Science Society, the Nebraska Academy of Sciences, the National Wildlife Federation, and United Campus Ministries. An accomplished writer, Steven published numerous scholarly articles in scientific journals and contributed popular essays to Nebraskaland, The Midland, and The Platte Valley Review. Steven fondly remembered his formative years in western Nebraska; most notably the joy of playing rock music in several bands in the Gering area. In 2000, Steven was inducted into the Nebraska Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame. After retiring, Steven wrote and published Scottsbluff in ’62: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Retrospective of Small Town Nebraska, which details his love of music, his hometown, and current events of the 60’s. He often described himself as a student of the prairie and the popular culture of the Great Plains. Steven was an avid runner. As a battle with Parkinson’s eventually left him with limited mobility, Steven enjoyed watching the birds and squirrels that visited the plants, trees, and native grasses in his backyard. He instilled his curiosity and love of lifelong learning to his daughter. Steven is survived by his wife, Judy Rothenberger of Kearney; daughter Jennifer (Benjamin) Dennis of Aurora; granddaughters Catherine and Claire; sister Jana (Jim) Kehn of Gering; brother Doug Rothenberger of Melbeta; two nieces and one nephew; and numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents.

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Dr. Steven J. Rothenberger

September 14, 1947 - July 4, 2025