Eldon LeRoy Buethe was born January 11, 1935 to Ernest and Laura (Peters) Buethe on the family farm near Elk Creek, Nebraska.   He was the last of four children born to this union.  Eldon was baptized February 3, 1935 and confirmed May 2, 1948 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, rural Elk Creek.  He attended St. Peter’s Parochial School through the eighth grade and graduated from Elk Creek High School in 1952.  Eldon helped his dad farm as a young boy until Ernest became disabled.  His uncle Gus Peters then farmed the home place and Eldon helped him when needed.  Eldon had beef cattle when he was in 4-H as a young boy.

  He was united in marriage to Esther Lintz on April 17, 1959 at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.  They made their home on the family farm near Elk Creek.  Eldon and Esther raised their three children, Kathy, Kim and Mike on the farm.  He served in the Naval Reserves for eight years from 1952-1960.

  After graduation, Eldon started full time farming on his family farm.  His dad helped Eldon buy his first tractor in 1952 to get started.  In the early days, Eldon cleaned off the timber land around the farm.   He did custom baling with a square baler and eventually bought a large round baler as help was difficult to find in putting up hay.  Eldon had dairy cattle when the children were small and also had a cow/calf herd.  At one point he also had a hog farrowing to finishing program.  Eldon always enjoyed cutting trees, fishing and camping.  Eldon loved being on the farm, raising cattle and spending time with friends and family.  Eldon and Esther loved to go dancing and playing cards with friends.  They were blessed with 61 years of marriage. Eldon and Esther moved to Tecumseh in 2013.

 Eldon served on several church boards over the years.  While a member of St. Peter’s, Eldon served as an elder on the church council, finance committee and stewardship committee, and served on the St. Peter’s Parochial school board and the Elk Creek Public School Board.   Eldon and Esther transferred their membership to St. John’s Lutheran Church in Tecumseh in 1995.  They served on the St. John’s memorial committee for a number of years.    

  He passed away at his home on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 after a recent diagnosis of lung cancer at the age of 85 years.  Eldon passed away on the 151st anniversary of he purchase of the family farm.  The farm has been in the Buethe family for four generations.

  Eldon is survived by his wife, Esther of Tecumseh, children, Kathy Butler and husband Neil of Lincoln and Neil’s children, Brenda Butler and Susan Pinkerman and husband David, great-grandchildren, Miraya and Aiden, Kim Whitehead and husband Rod “Joe” of Lincoln and granddaughter Nicole and husband Aaron Bloemer, great-granddaughter, Delaney and one on the way and Mike Buethe and wife Linda of Tecumseh and Linda’s son Andy Wellensiek,  sister, Donna Lou Zimmer of Denver, CO, sister-in-law Millie Buethe of Round Rock, TX, brothers and sisters in law, Marge Farley, Tony and Sharon Lintz, Dorothy Woltemath Scoles, Bev and Alan Forrest, nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and many friends. 

  He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, Milton Buethe and wife Buethe, Kenneth Buethe and brother-in-law Del Zimmer.          

 Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, December 5, 2020 at the St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, rural Elk Creek, Nebraska with Rev. Marcel Kohlmeyer officiating. The service will be radio broadcast on FM 88.7 for those choosing to stay in their vehicles and also live streamed on the Wherry Mortuary/Wherry Monument Facebook page.  Masks and social distancing will be encouraged. 

  Visitation will be held at from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with family greeting friends from 5-7 p.m. Friday, December 4, 2020 at the Wherry Mortuary in Tecumseh, Nebraska.

   Memorials in lieu of flowers may go to the family’s choice or the Johnson County Museum.

   Interment will be in the St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery, rural Elk Creek, Nebraska will full military rites by the Tracy-Bates American Legion Post #370 of Elk Creek. 

   Online condolences may be left @ www.wherrymortuary.com.