Emerson E. Cassel

Hastings resident, Emerson E. Cassel, 94 passed away Friday, May 20, 2016 at Perkins Pavilion, Good Samaritan Society, Hastings.



Services will be May 25, 2016 at 10 am at the Apfel Funeral Home Chapel, Hastings with Chaplain John Mueller officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Hastings. Visitation will be Tuesday, May 24, 2016 from 5 pm to 7 pm at the Apfel Funeral Home Chapel, Hastings. Condolences may be sent to the family from www.apfelfuneralhome.com. Apfel Funeral Home, Hastings is in charge of the arrangements.



A memorial will be established in his memory by family.



Emerson was born April 13, 1922 to Chester Arthur and Jennie (Mathews) Cassel near Beverly, KS. He attended rural school near Beverly. He married Leahdele (Hoyt) Pilcher in Clay Center, NE on December 24, 1949. Emerson served in the 104th Timberwolf Division of the United States Army during WWII, seeing combat in France, Belgium, Austria and Germany, and then serving in Japan with the Army of Occupation and also in Germany after the war, and then continuing his military career in the Nebraska National Guards until his military retirement. Sergeant Emerson Cassel was awarded numerous medals and ribbons for his military service.



He worked at the Former Hastings State Hospital, Williams Exterminating Inc., and later Great Palins Container Company before his full retirement. He had lived in Hastings since 1955, coming from Edgar, NE after having returned from Germany following his last military overseas assignment.



He is survived by two children, Ruth (Gerald) Hohnstein of Centennial, CO and Stanley (Andi) Cassel of Kearney, NE, 6 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.



He was preceded in death by his wife Leahdele, his parents, two brothers, Everett Cassel and Clyde Cassel, four sisters, Marie Bieganek, Lovina Stewart, Betty Jesnowski and Lillian Liby, two daughters, Carol Cauley and Jeanine Cassel and one son Edward Cassel.