Contributor: Tim Andersen (47680689)
_________________________________________________________
Gael Sears, 99, of Ravenna, NE died Sunday, March 8, 2020 at Seneca Sunrise in Ravenna.
Graveside Services will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 25, 2020 at the Gaylord Cemetery in Gaylord, KS. Brandon Bachle will officiate. A luncheon will follow at the Gaylord Community Center in Gaylord. Rasmussen Funeral Home in Ravenna is assisting the family.
Gael Sears was born June 24, 1920 in a little house in Cedar, KS to Merle McKinley and Eva Gertrude (Hutson) Sears. Gael was the third oldest child of 12 children. He attended grade schools in Kansas and Iowa. He then attended high school in Cedar, KS.
He worked at a variety of jobs in the 30s and 40s ranging from cutting and storing ice to many ag related jobs until 1942 when he joined the Army. He participated in the European Campaign with the 281st Engineers Combat Battalion during WWII.
Gael married Burneal Theora Schrader on February 12, 1944 in Gaylord, KS before being shipped overseas. He was honorably discharged from the Army in 1946.
Gale and Burneal resided in Gaylord where Gael went to work for Hardman Lumber Company. Within a short time he became manager of the lumber yard. In 1953 they moved to Alma, NE where he took on the manager position of the Hardman Lumber Yard there. In 1958 he left Hardman’s and started his own contracting business and purchased a lumber yard in Orleans, NE while residing in Alma. He constructed many buildings and houses in the area.
In 1968 they moved to Kimball, NE where Gael started and operated a modular manufacturing company called Rite-A-Industries for several years.
After retiring the couple moved to Yuma, AZ and after a few years they became homesick and moved back to their starting grounds in Gaylord, KS. Gale took care of the cemetery and worked for Gaylord Manufacturing. Later they moved to Franklin, NE and finally settling in Ravenna on their son’s property in 2003.
Gael was a world class horseshoe player. He started playing in the 30s and played for some 80 years. He actually won a second and third place in the World Horseshoe Tournament as well as several state championships. His son could never beat him.
Survivors include his son, Paul (Joyce) Sears of Ravenna, granddaughters, Tracy (Matt) Roberts of Kearney, Tammy Scofield of Ravenna Sonya (Gregg) Ferris of Central City, grandson, Dustin (Sara) Sears of Cedar Rapids, NE, ten great-grandchildren, sister, Melba Lester of Beloit, KS and brother, Keith (Betty) Sears of Smith Center, KS.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Burneal, five sisters, Vada, Enid, Joice, Leeta, and Bertha and four brothers, Glen, Merle, Paul and Cleo.
Memorials are suggested to the Ravenna Senior Center.
Contributor: Nelson E Casteel (49153518)
Contributor: Tim Andersen (47680689)
_________________________________________________________
Gael Sears, 99, of Ravenna, NE died Sunday, March 8, 2020 at Seneca Sunrise in Ravenna.
Graveside Services will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 25, 2020 at the Gaylord Cemetery in Gaylord, KS. Brandon Bachle will officiate. A luncheon will follow at the Gaylord Community Center in Gaylord. Rasmussen Funeral Home in Ravenna is assisting the family.
Gael Sears was born June 24, 1920 in a little house in Cedar, KS to Merle McKinley and Eva Gertrude (Hutson) Sears. Gael was the third oldest child of 12 children. He attended grade schools in Kansas and Iowa. He then attended high school in Cedar, KS.
He worked at a variety of jobs in the 30s and 40s ranging from cutting and storing ice to many ag related jobs until 1942 when he joined the Army. He participated in the European Campaign with the 281st Engineers Combat Battalion during WWII.
Gael married Burneal Theora Schrader on February 12, 1944 in Gaylord, KS before being shipped overseas. He was honorably discharged from the Army in 1946.
Gale and Burneal resided in Gaylord where Gael went to work for Hardman Lumber Company. Within a short time he became manager of the lumber yard. In 1953 they moved to Alma, NE where he took on the manager position of the Hardman Lumber Yard there. In 1958 he left Hardman’s and started his own contracting business and purchased a lumber yard in Orleans, NE while residing in Alma. He constructed many buildings and houses in the area.
In 1968 they moved to Kimball, NE where Gael started and operated a modular manufacturing company called Rite-A-Industries for several years.
After retiring the couple moved to Yuma, AZ and after a few years they became homesick and moved back to their starting grounds in Gaylord, KS. Gale took care of the cemetery and worked for Gaylord Manufacturing. Later they moved to Franklin, NE and finally settling in Ravenna on their son’s property in 2003.
Gael was a world class horseshoe player. He started playing in the 30s and played for some 80 years. He actually won a second and third place in the World Horseshoe Tournament as well as several state championships. His son could never beat him.
Survivors include his son, Paul (Joyce) Sears of Ravenna, granddaughters, Tracy (Matt) Roberts of Kearney, Tammy Scofield of Ravenna Sonya (Gregg) Ferris of Central City, grandson, Dustin (Sara) Sears of Cedar Rapids, NE, ten great-grandchildren, sister, Melba Lester of Beloit, KS and brother, Keith (Betty) Sears of Smith Center, KS.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Burneal, five sisters, Vada, Enid, Joice, Leeta, and Bertha and four brothers, Glen, Merle, Paul and Cleo.
Memorials are suggested to the Ravenna Senior Center.
Contributor: Nelson E Casteel (49153518)
Family Members
-
![]()
Vada Rose Sears Reed
1918–2004
-
![]()
Melba Merlene Sears Lyster
1919–2020
-
![]()
Enid C Sears Hayes
1922–1970
-
![]()
Glen M Sears
1923–1959
-
![]()
Merle Harvey Sears
1924–1924
-
![]()
Eva Joice Sears Pearce
1927–1964
-
![]()
Paul McKinley Sears
1929–1946
-
![]()
Alvey Keith Sears
1931–2021
-
![]()
Leeta Lou Sears Rudolph
1932–2004
-
![]()
Bertha Beth Sears Carlton
1935–2010
-
![]()
Cleo Lawrence Sears
1937–1988
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
