Scott A. Kratzer

Scott Alan Kratzer, 57, of Amherst, passed away October 7, 2025, at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island, Nebraska. Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 am, October 16, 2025, at Kearney eFree Church. You can watch a livestream of the service at kearneyefree.com/live Visitation will be from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, October 15, 2025, at Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to The Scott Alan Kratzer UNK Sports Medicine Memorial Fund. Scott was born August 20, 1968, in Grand Island to Ron and Linda (Yantzie) Kratzer. In the summer of 1973, Ron, Linda, Scott, and younger brother Brett moved from Grand Island to Broken Bow. Scott loved watching and playing sports with his brother and cousins. Scott joined the Broken Bow Boxing Club at a young age. Along with boxing, he loved watching football – especially his favorites – the Oakland Raiders and Nebraska Cornhuskers. During high school, Scott also took up golf, a sport that he grew to love. Scott appreciated greatness and consistently strived for it in his own life. He studied diligently and graduated from Broken Bow High School in 1986. In May 1992, he earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Nebraska at Lincoln in Athletic Training, Health and Physical Education. While at UNL, he proudly served as a student athletic trainer for the swimming team and football team. In 1996, Scott received his Master of Science in Workforce Education and Development with an endorsement in Sports Management from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. Scott became certified as an Athletic Trainer in 1993 through the National Athletic Trainers Association, and in 2000 became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Scott worked as a trainer at 21st Century Rehab in Nevada, Iowa, before moving to Kearney in 1997 to work at Trails West Sports Medicine, now New West Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Surgery. He served as a certified athletic trainer for 28 years. While Scott was studying for his Master’s Degree at Carbondale, he met Staci Robertson as she was pursuing her undergraduate degree in Athletic Training. They discovered a shared love of sports, intramural competitions, country music, and dancing. Scott and Staci were married in Burlington, Iowa on March 21, 1998. They welcomed their daughter Natalie in 2000 and son Tyler in 2003. The family stayed in Kearney until 2014 when they moved to the home they built together near Amherst. Faith and prayer were very important to Scott, as he started each morning by reading his favorite scriptures from the bible. Scott enjoyed golfing, deer hunting, fishing, working out at the gym, cooking on his Traeger Grill, and cheering on his Husker football team. Scott loved life and lived it to the fullest – especially when it came to his family and friends. He was passionate about his job and loved serving his student athletes. Scott is survived by his wife, Staci of Amherst, daughter, Natalie of Kearney, son, Tyler and girlfriend Ryleigh Wells of Axtell, NE, parents, Ron (Linda) Kratzer of Broken Bow, NE, brother, Brett (Heather) Kratzer of Lodgepole, NE, nephew, Paul (Hannah) Kratzer and their son Briggs of Illiff, CO, niece, Kate Kratzer of Chadron, NE, father in law and mother in law, John and Theresa Robertson of Farmington, IA, sister in law, Kimberle (Scott) Burnett of Burlington, Iowa, nephews, Lane Burnett and Ian Burnett of Burlington, IA, grandmother Evalyn Robertson of Mt. Pleasant, IA, aunts, uncles, and many cousins. Scott was preceded in death by an infant son.

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Scott A. Kratzer

August 20, 1968 - October 7, 2025