Chad Hartshorn

Chad Hartshorn, age 64, of Gering, Nebraska, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at his home. His memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, October 16, 2026, at Reverence Funeral Parlor in Scottsbluff, with Pastor Gary Hashley officiating. In honor of Chad’s memory, the family welcomes guests to wear either a favorite band/concert tee or Husker apparel. The service will be livestreamed and recorded on Chad’s obituary page, viewable at www.reverencefuneralparlor.com.

Chad was born on March 31, 1962, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Scottsbluff, to parents, Clark "Jack" Hartshorn, Sr., and LaWanda (Plueger) Hartshorn.

Chad was a member of the Gering High School class of 1980. He moved to Kearney, Nebraska after graduating, and worked various jobs. He later attended Kearney State College in 1988, where he studied psychology. It was while in Kearney, working as the manager of Wendy's, that Chad's famous radio voice was discovered. One fateful day, a customer in the drive-thru just happened to work at KQKY HITS 106 and knew he had heard something special in Chad. He invited him to the station to record some practice tracks, and the rest is history.

Music was the love of Chad's life. If you hadn't seen him for a while, you were guaranteed to spend some time catching up, hearing all about the concerts he had been to and the ones coming up that he planned to attend. Chad's family estimates that he was in the crowd or stands for well over 200 concerts in his lifetime. Whether he attended shows in large, sold-out arenas, or sat on the lawn for hometown summertime concerts, he loved them all the same. However, the most memorable concert on that list was when he took his mom, Wanda, to a Fleetwood Mac concert in Denver, Colorado.

Over the years, Chad was a proud "dad" of two fur-babies, Dexter, then later on, DazyJane. It would be reasonable to say he loved them just as much as he loved music and going to concerts. After many years in Kearney, Chad returned to Gering in 1995, and soon after started working at KMOR 93.3.

Chad faced many health challenges throughout his lifetime, but one thing remained the same, his love for radio and all things music. These challenges prompted him to step away from radio in 2001. However, in 2015, Chad reentered the workforce, working for Fresh Foods in Gering until health challenges once again shifted his direction in 2019. It was then that Chad returned to KMOR 93.3. He continued radio shows and various on-air ads until September 7th, 2026, when he made the difficult decision to step away from the studio to tend to his health. Despite his ongoing health battles, Chad never gave up hope of returning to radio. Although his health often presented obstacles, his determination and warrior state of mind always helped him find the strength to overcome, and find his way back to the things he loved.

Chad's musical legacy lives on through his mother, LaWanda Mendez; stepmother, Bobbi Hartshorn; sisters, Lisa Hartshorn Wakeley, and Heidi Hartshorn; stepbrother, David Mendez; stepsister, Victoria (Dan) Trevarthan; nieces and nephews, Alesia (Dave Fees) Miller, Shaylean (Jake Blaha) Hartshorn, Trenton (Alicia Dickey) Hartshorn, Trey Miller, Bryli Miller, and Elija Pieper; and ten great-nieces and great-nephews.

Chad was welcomed into Heaven by his father, Clark "Jack" Hartshorn Sr.; stepfather, John Mendez; brother, Clark Hartshorn, Jr.; cousin, Laurie Vaughn; numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins; and most importantly, his beloved fur-babies Dexter and DazyJane.

Memorials in Chad's memory may be made to the Panhandle Humane Society.