Gene Mcnair

Holstein resident, Gene McNair, 74 passed away, Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at Mary Lanning Memorial HealthCare.



Services will be Saturday, May 19, 2018 at 10:30 at the Grace United Methodist Church, Holstein with John Mueller officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Due to cremation burial will be at a later date in the Holstein Cemetery, Holstein. Apfel Funeral Home, Kenesaw is in care of the family. Condolences may be sent to the family from www.apfelfuneralhome.com.



Memorials may be given to the Holstein Cemetery Fence Fund of the Holstein Fire Department EMT’s.



Gene was born May 22, 1943 to Klyoe and Bertha (Lang) McNair in Bladen, Ne. He graduated from Holstein High School in 1961. Gene first became the manager for SE Smith and Sons in November of 1967. He graduated from Southeast Community College in Milford in 1963 with 2 degrees: Architectural Drawing and Building Construction. After graduation he worked for a construction company in Lincoln and then returned to Holstein to begin his own business. In 1967 Vietnam interrupted his work and for the next year he built buildings in Chu Lai for the United States Army, serving from February 1967 to November 1968. When he returned in November of 1968, he immediately became manager of S.E. Smith and Son’s Lumberyard in Holstein. Eleven years later on March 24, 1979 he purchased the yard and renamed it Square Deal Lumber and Hardware. For the next 38 years he lived his dream job. He married Betty Marick on March 27, 1971 in Holstein.



Gene was a member of the VFW. He enjoyed woodworking, walking, casino gambling, Nebraska football and his dogs.



He is survived by his wife Betty of Holstein, son, Terry McNair (Lisa) of Holstein, three grandsons, Jason McNair (Lindsi) of Ainsworth, Thomas McNair, of Holstein and Joseph McNair of Lincoln, one sister, Carol Lower (Dennis) of Greely, CO, numerous nieces and nephews and two sister-in-laws.



He was preceded in death by his parents.