Nicholas "Nick" Shada

Nicholas Shada, age 96, of Kearney, passed away Friday, March 24, 2023 in Kearney. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, April 3, 2023 at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church with the Father Christopher Morris officiating. Burial will be at Kearney Cemetery. Visitation will be on Sunday, April 2, 2023 from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. followed by a trisagion prayer service at 5:00 p.m. all at Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to St. George Orthodox Church or Yanney Heritage Park Foundation. 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 the arrangements. Nick passed away peacefully, March 24, 2023 surrounded by family. Nick was born March 7, 1927 in Kearney to Sam & Selma (George) Shada. He attended Stone & Kenwood Schools in Kearney. In 1941, his mother passed away and later the family moved to Omaha where he attended South High School and lived with his older sister Kay. In 1944, at the age of 17, while working for Union Pacific Railroad as a motorcycle courier, he was seriously injured in an accident and he spent 8 months in the hospital in a full body cast. In 1946, he bought a cafe at 23rd & Harney St. in downtown Omaha with his sister and brother-in-law, Kay & Jim Ganem. In 1949 they acquired another cafe. Both his sisters Sadie & Mary worked at “Kay’s” as well. On November 29, 1953 he married Margaret Lorene “Renie” Hartung in Ashland NE at the home of her parents, John & Elizabeth (Stuart) Hartung. Nick & Renie had two sons, Sam and Jim. They moved to Upland, NE in 1955 where he opened Nick’s Bar & Grill. Nick really enjoyed the families he served and the lasting relationships created within this community and the entire surrounding area. He served as Upland’s mayor, volunteer fireman, and school bus driver. In 1973 Nick and Renie moved to Kearney and soon after became loving guardians to Pam (Shada) Hill of Kearney after both her parents passed. Nick loved working at Worley Monuments, where he was recognized and asked for by name because of his sincere compassion for the grieving families he served. He retired in 2008 at age 82. Renie passed in 2010 and Nick resided in their home until 2020 when he was welcomed into the home of his son and daughter-in-law, Jim & Kelly Shada where he lived till the end. Nick loved playing cards with family and friends. He especially enjoyed camping and fishing at Harlan County Dam and took many extended road trips with Renie, his brother-in-law and best friend Jim, his wife Karna, and sister-in-law Mixie. He loved to share the stories of their trips to nearly all 50 states, including a road trip to Alaska and visiting all of the provinces in Canada. The Shada Family Reunion was extremely important to Nick where his detail for names and dates made him a living family history book. He was very affectionate and had a gift for speaking to people. Nick was a very devoted and active lifelong member of St. George Orthodox Church. He served many roles, from altar boy to Church Board President in the beloved church his father helped build over one hundred years ago. Nick is preceded in death by Renie, his six brothers, three sisters and their spouses and brother-in-laws and sister-in-law. Survivors include sons, Sam Shada and his wife, Mary (Chilvers), of Loveland, CO, and Jim Shada and his wife, Kelly (George), of Kearney; grandchildren, Jamie (Cory Banzhaf), of Kearney, Nicholas & Nicole (Brockhoft) Shada, of Lincoln, Nathan & Jamie (Geifer) Shada, of Kansas City, KS, Makayla (Michael Zoerb), of Lincoln, Samantha Shada, of Los Angeles, CA, and Jessica Shada, of Avon, CO. He is also survived by his sisters-in-laws, Karna Hartung & Marie Shada from Omaha. He leaves a long legacy of beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, godchildren, and friends. Most precious to Nick were his 16 beautiful great-grandchildren who loved and adored him as their Jidea Jidea.

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Nicholas "Nick" Shada

March 7, 1927 - March 24, 2023