Clair Alton Ohlrich

Clair Alton Ohlrich passed away on March 8, 2024, at the Norfolk Veterans Home following a struggle with pancreatic cancer and Parkinsons. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 12th, 2024 at Ashburn Funeral Home, Plainview, NE from 5:00 to 7:00PM. Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at Saint Ignatius Catholic Church, Brunswick, NE, at 10:30AM. Final interment will be at Brunswick Cemetery.

He was born to Aage and Veryl (Nash) Ohlrich on August 30, 1940 at their farmstead near Brunswick. He attended 1st through 8th grade at country school District #35, then finished his high school education at Brunswick Public School graduating in 1958.

Following graduation he worked at Carhart Lumber in Neligh, NE, also helping his dad with the farming and trucking. In October 1963, he was drafted into the Army, completing his basics at Fort Leonard Wood, KS. The rest of his service years were at Fort Lewis, WA where he served with Company A 1st Battalion 8th Infantry being honorably discharged on September 30, 1969.

On September 18, 1965 he was united in marriage at St. Ignatius Catholic Church to Karen Wortman of Brunswick. To this union, four children were born: Theresa Ann, Gene Michael, Pamela Sue and Mark Alan.

Following his return from the service, he began employment with Meuret Grain Co. and returned to helping his dad. In January 1966, he began employment at N & B Gas Co., later known as Great Western until 2001. While working for N&B, he hauled and serviced propane, learned another trade skill in HVAC installation and repair, and also hauled fertilizer out of Ainsworth. In 2001, Clair and his wife opened a private business, C&K Service, installing and repairing heating and air conditioning until retiring in 2015. During this time he also worked for the Village of Brunswick and Brunswick Helena Chemical. Starting in 2007, he and his wife spent many years campground hosting for various State Parks in Nebraska and South Dakota during summer months until 2019.

Clair was an avid hunter and loved fishing. So much so that he and Larry Shaffer taught the first Hunter Safety courses to many youth from the surrounding area during the 60’s and 70’s. He loved to hunt raccoons and raised many Treeing Walker Coonhounds throughout the years. He especially loved to go hunting and fishing with his grandkids in his later years, telling many “fish stories.”

He was very active in the community. He was a member of St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Brunswick serving on the church council as well as the Catholic Order of Foresters and doing maintenance work. He was a member of Plainview and Brunswick Fire Departments serving first as Asstt. Fire Chief and then as Fire Chief for several years from 1966 to 1991. He served on Brunswick Cemetery Board, many years as president. He was a member of the Antelope County Agricultural Society , taking care of the PA system for annual county fairs. He was a proud member of Brunswick Post #357 American Legion, being Post Commander for over 30 years, also serving county and department levels.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years: Karen of Norfolk; daughter Theresa (Jerome) Kauth of Belden and their children Ti of Cedar Rapids, Cie of Belden, and Jay (Amanda Hoff) and their daughters Hadley and Parker of Norfolk; Son Gene (Angie Stapelman) of Belden and their children Lathan of Belden, McKenzie (fiancé Parker Conrad) of Ponca, Nolan (friend Kaylee Donner) of Creighton; daughter Pamela (Thomas) Biernbaum of Belden,and her daughter Marissa Ohlrich of Norfolk and his daughters Beth Biernbaum of South Sioux City and Becky Biernbaum and her children: Scarlett, Kaisyn, Jasper and Hazyn of South Sioux City; Son Mark (Sara Eddie) of Fermont; brother Marvin of Ainsworth and sister Helen Anderson of Norfolk and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, parents, sister Alma Fink, brother Donald, grandparent-in-laws, parent-in-laws, sister-in-law Jolene, brother-in-laws Joseph and Gene