Harold Lew Dexter

August 23, 1932 - December 26, 2020

Harold Lew Dexter, 88, of Central City, Nebraska died Saturday, December 26, 2020 at St. Francis Health Center in Grand Island. Due to Covid-19, there will be a public visitation without the family present on Tuesday, January 5, 2021 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Solt-Wagner Funeral Home in Central City. Graveside services will be open to the public on, Wednesday, January 6, 2021 at 10:30 a.m. with Pastor Nancy Spearow officiating. Burial will be in the Bureau Cemetery by Pierce Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the Pierce Chapel United Methodist Church, Bureau Cemetery, and The Good Life Center in Central City. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.soltwagnerfuneral.com. Harold, the son of Lloyd and Mabel (Martin) Dexter, was born August 23, 1932 at the family farm home located one mile east and 1/2 mile north of Pleasant Hill (District #15) school, near Clarks, Nebraska. He attended District #15 up to 8th grade, and then attended Clarks High School from where he graduated in 1951. He was the 5th of 6 children. During Harold’s teen years, he worked for neighboring farmers. It was while he was working for Don Grafe in 1949 that he began dating Lorraine. He worked for Reimers’ John Deere Co after graduating from High School, and again after being discharged from the Service. He later worked a short time at the Ocoma Food Plant before it closed. March 1, 1956, he became employed by Grosshans Inc. where he remained employed as a mechanic and did machinery setup, until he retired in March 2016 after 60 years of service. Harold met the wife he adored, Lorraine LaRue Mangelsen, during his school days. They were married on June 4, 1953 at the Pierce Chapel Methodist Church near Clarks, NE. Harold remained a faithful member of Pierce Chapel until his death. Following their wedding, Harold and Lorraine started their life together in Central City. A few days after saying “I do” to his bride, Harold joined the U.S. Army on January 15, 1953 and upon completing training in Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, spent 17 months in Korea, where he served in the Korean War as a fuel specialist from July 1953 thru October of 1954. Harold was honorably discharged from the service in Fort Carson, CO on November 30, 1954 as a Sergeant. Harold and Lorraine have four children: Edward, Ted, Angie and Amy. Harold taught his kids to work hard, serve faithfully and practice hospitality. He was a faithful, adoring husband to Lorraine and a steady, generous and encouraging Father, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather. Harold enjoyed time with family, working on mowers, checking on his sons & grandsons, cruising the area, checking on crops, and also the hay fields & enjoying life’s events/activities of all the grandkids and great grandkids. Harold is survived by his children: Edward (Laurie) Dexter of Central City, Ted (Joyce) Dexter of Central City, Angie (Brian) Mustion of Grand Island and Amy Carnes (fiancé Russ Ulmer) of Omaha; his sisters-in-law Marilyn Dexter and Marie Kuczynski; his grandchildren: Heather ( Jacob) Fishler, Andra ( Wes) Pracheil, Brad (Stephanie) Dexter, Lindsey ( Joel) Mettenbrink, Erica ( Bob) Rech, Megan Dexter (fiancé Ken Waters), Hiram (Sara) Dexter, Jacob Dexter, Alec Carnes and Addison Carnes; and his great grandchildren: Lexi and Wesley Fishler, Austin, Rylin and Aaron Pracheil, Evangeline, Ruby and Silas Dexter, Eli, Emme, Elle and Eivan Mettenbrink, Bailey and Jack Rech, and Hayes Dexter. Harold was preceded in death by his wife, Lorraine (Mangelsen) Dexter, parents Lloyd and Mabel Dexter, in-laws John and Valborg “Bobbi” Mangelsen, siblings Donald Dexter, Robert Dexter, Bill Dexter, Marian Dexter and Dorothy Kuczynski, brothers-in-law, John Edward “Buster” Mangelsen, Albert Mangelsen, Don Kuczynski, and sister-in-law Anneliese Mangelsen.