John "Jack" W. Rall Jr.

John William (Jack) Rall Jr, age 92, of Kearney, died in his sleep on Sunday, January 1, 2023 at Edgewood Vista Memory Care Center in Columbus, Nebraska. Memorial services will be Saturday, January 14, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. at Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney with Father Charles Peek. Burial will follow the service in the Kearney Cemetery with military honors provided by the Kearney American Legion Post #52, Kearney V.F.W. Post #759 and the Nebraska National Guard Funeral Honors Team. Lunch will be served following the burial. There will be no visitation. Memorials are suggested to the City of Kearney Park and Recreation Department for trees. Please visit www.hlmkfuneral.com to leave a tribute or message of condolence. Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney are in charge of local arrangements. Jack was the oldest of five boys born to Virginia and John William (Bill) Rall Sr. on November 16, 1930, in Kearney. He graduated from Kearney High School and then Kearney State College with a teaching degree. He never went on to teach but proved to be an invaluable resource for all his children’s questions about geography. While in college, Jack worked at Swan’s Furniture in Kearney. He later bought the business from the Swan family and continued to run it until his retirement nearly five decades later. Jack served in the US Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Puerto Rico where he learned to enjoy cerveza and to disdain plantains. Throughout his life he was active in the Kearney Jaycees, Fort Kearny Wildlife Association (President 1959-1961), Sertoma Club, Elks, Boy Scouts, Kearney Goodfellows, National Furniture Association, Kearney National Guard, Kearney City Park Board, and the Good Samaritan Hospital Volunteer League. Jack married Ruth Alexander on May 29, 1961 in Grand Island. Together they raised three children: Theresa, Steve and Betsy. He was a devoted and loving husband and father, who learned to do some household chores alongside his children. Jack enjoyed reading and working outdoors, being especially fond of planting trees. He was athletic and loved baseball, choosing early to be a lifelong Boston Red Sox fan who finally got to Fenway Park for the first time in 1983 to see the Red Sox beat the Yankees in extra innings. He spent uncountable hours working on his lawns and gardens, first being fondly known as the Canna King of 4th Avenue and later planting so many trees at “Ralls Ranch” a plumber visiting for the first time commented “not everyone can live in a fricking park!” Jack had a close group of friends with whom he played poker and traveled to Canada annually to go fishing. Jack is survived by his wife, Ruth; daughters, Theresa (Quito, Ecuador) and Betsy (Craig Potthast, Columbus); grandchildren, Lance (Adrienne) Rall and his children Aurelia, Aidan and Declan (Kearney), Logan (Theresa) Rall and his children Jack and Sage (Waverly), and Erin Burr (Kearney); daughter-in-law, Kim (Jeff Burr. Kearney); brothers, Jim (Donna) Rall (Lincoln) and Joe Rall (Kearney); sister-in-law, Sharon Rall (Kearney); and many nieces and nephews. Jack was preceded in death by his son Steve and brothers Jerry and Marvin.

Tributes

John "Jack" W. Rall Jr.

November 16, 1930 - January 1, 2023