Donald V. Conklin

Donald V. Conklin, 93, of Scottsbluff, Nebraska passed away Monday, July 7, 2025, at Heritage Estates in Gering, Nebraska. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, July 21, 2025, at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Bayard, Nebraska with Pastor George Naylor officiating. Inurnment will follow at High Butte Cemetery near McGrew with military honors by the United States Marine Corps and Gering American Legion Post 36 Honor Guard. Memorials may be made to the church. The service will be live-streamed and recorded on Donald’s obituary page viewable at www.reverencefuneralparlor.com.

Donald was born January 28, 1932, in Gering, to Walter and Ruth (Shafer) Conklin. He was raised in Bridgeport until age twelve, then he and his parents moved to the Longmont, Colorado area. Don graduated from Berthoud High School in 1950 and joined the United States Marine Corps. He later received an honorable discharge at the rank of Sergeant.

He married Nancy Boehmer in 1954, and four children were born. They later divorced.

Don worked for Coca Cola Company where he traveled extensively to Mexico, Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East as a manufacturing consultant for the company.

After retirement from Coca Cola as production manager in 1986, he moved back to the Bayard area. Don married Helen Schwindt on July 8, 1992, in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. He spent his retirement years serving on the Bayard City Council, as a board member of the Bayard Museum, and restoring old vehicles. He loved doing lawn and garden work.

Don was baptized in 2007 at Mount Calvary Lutheran church and was a devoted member.

He is survived by his wife, Helen; children, Donald Conklin, Jr., Dannie (Nancy) Conklin, Dennis (Doris) Conklin, and Nancy Joy (Jerry) Ceco; grandchildren, Mitchell Ceco, Nickalas, Brandon, Luke, Joseph, Hope, Charlie, and Anthony Conklin; step-children, Rod (Connie) Schwindt, Carol Pontine, and Deborah (Ron) Dudden; step-grandchildren, Sue Wengler, Chris Dudden, Jared Dudden, Heather Macholan, and Melissa Pokorny; ten great grandchildren; and sisters, Elaine Bady, Carolyn Williams, and Virgie Goodell.

He was preceded in death by his father, Walter; mother, Ruth; brothers, Walter Jr. and Charles Conklin; brothers-in-law, John Bady and Ben Williams; step-son-in-law, Dennis Pontine; and step-granddaughter, Valerie Pontine.