Willard (Gene) McConaughey

Willard (Gene) McConaughey, age 89, of Aurora, died Friday, October 10, 2008, at his home.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 A.M., Tuesday, October 14th at the Pleasant View Bible Church in Aurora. Revs. Paul Nauman and Rick Prettyman will officiate. Interment will be in the Aurora Cemetery, prior to the service. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 P.M. on Monday at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8. Memorials may be made to the Grace Childrens Home in Henderson. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.

OBITUARY: WILLARD (GENE) McCONAUGHEY

Willard Eugene (Gene) McConaughey, the son of Enos Jay and Mary Alice (Stockham) McConaughey, was born at Aurora, Nebraska on December 15, 1918, and died at Aurora, Nebraska on October 10, 2008 at the age of 89.

He grew up in Aurora and graduated from Aurora High School. Gene attended South Dakota School of Mines and Nebraska Wesleyan University. He served in the U.S. Navy during WW II.

On April 10, 1948, he was united in marriage to Opal Irene Alexander at Grand Island. They lived in Grand Island for a short time, Pierre, South Dakota and Lincoln area before they moved to a farm southwest of Aurora in 1952. Gene farmed until he retired in 1969. He then went to work for Fontanelle Hybrids. Gene briefly worked for Bonsall Pool & Bonnavilla Homes before retiring in 1980, to care for his first wife. Opal passed away on January 15, 1995.

On February 5, 2000, he was united to Helen Klein at Aurora.

Eugene was a member of Pleasant View Bible Church and Gideon’s International.

He was preceded in death by his parents and first wife, Opal.

Those who remain to cherish his memory are his wife, Helen of Aurora; son, David McConaughey of Sioux City, Iowa; daughter, Maureen (Bob) Dieckmann of Aurora; step-children, Karen Moncrief of Aurora, Garry (Chris) Klein of Hastings, Ralph (Chris) Klein of Aurora, Gordon (Chris) Klein of Harvard, Patti (Dave) Marshall of Sioux City, Iowa, Doug (Vicki) Klein of Lincoln and Randy (Theresa) Klein of Wahoo; 2 grandsons, Joshua (Lisa) Dieckmann of Ord and Jason (Crystal) Dieckmann of Aurora; 18 step-grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; 9 step great-grandchildren and sister, Eunice Ankrum of Rancho Palace Verdes, California.