Robert’s Obituary Robert Harrison Connell, Jr. was born August 7, 1928 at home in eastern Keya Paha County, Nebraska to R. Harrison Connell, Sr. and Ada (Winter) Connell. He passed away March 1, 2019, at Brookestone View Skilled Nursing facility, Broken Bow, Nebraska. As a young boy, Robert became known as Bob, attended rural school, started high school at Newport, Nebraska, then attended and graduated from Keya Paha County High School in 1945.
Following high school, he began working with his parents on the family’s cattle ranch. In February of 1951, he was drafted in to the United States Army. He spent six months in Atlanta, Georgia for training.
Then in September was shipped to Korea where he spent the remaining two years driving a supply truck. In 1953, he became a partner with his father in the cattle ranching operation. June 5, 1954, he married Delores Jamison and had two children, Janet and Donald.
In 1967, to support his wife’s nursing career and provide a beneficial high school education for his children, Bob and Delores moved to Gregory, South Dakota. Bob drove daily to work on the ranch which he managed with hired help. They lived in Gregory for 16 years before moving back to the ranch.
In August 1972, Bob was involved in a farm accident which nearly cost him his life. But it was God’s will that he only lost his legs. It changed his life, but after four months of hospitalization and therapy, Bob was walking again with artificial legs.
He continued to manage and operate the ranch and in 1977 his son, Don joined him in the cattle operation. In 1984, Bob and Don received the Nebraska Pioneer Farm Award which honors a family for owning a ranch for over 100 years. Don still operates the original ranch homesteaded by Bob’s grandparents in 1884.
In 2006, Bob and Delores moved to the Burke Senior Retirement Living Facility, Burke, SD. In 2015, they moved to the Haisch House Assisted Living Facility, in Bonesteel, SD. In 2017, Bob was moved to Brookestone View Skilled Nursing Facility, in Broken Bow, Nebraska.
Bob and Delores enjoyed traveling, visiting relatives and his “Army buddies”. In later years they loved to attend their grandchildren’s activities, no matter the distance to travel or the number of stairs to climb. His was known for his humor and quick wit, even into his advanced years.
He is and will be greatly missed by his family and those who knew him and cared for him. Bob was preceded in death by his wife, Delores, in 2015. His parents; brother, Dewayne Connell of Hot Springs, SD; and his sister, Yvo Keck, Newport, NE.
He is survived by his daughter Janet (Paul) Landrigan, Broken Bow, NE; son, Don (Sheri) Connell, Newport, NE; grandchildren, Janae (Jordan) McHargue, Central City, NE; Jennifer Connell, Marquette, NE; Levi (Britta) Landrigan, Silver Creek, NE; Jahn Landrigan, Lincoln, NE; Sarah Connell, Kearney, NE; Ashley Connell and Samatha Connell, Newport, NE. Great-grandchildren Evelyn and Austin McHargue, Central City, NE; and soon-to-be-born Baby Landrigan, Silver Creek, NE. In lieu of flowers, memorial money will be designated to the area rural fire departments.
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