Richard Joseph “Dick” Beran
October 13, 1922-June 15, 2023
Richard Joseph “Dick” Beran, a life-long resident of Ord, Nebraska, passed away on June 15, 2023, at the age of 100 at the Community Memorial Health Center in Burwell, Nebraska.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 23, 2023; at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Ord. Father Mark Maresh will be the Celebrant. Burial will be in the Ord Catholic Cemetery. Military Honors will be provided by the Ord VFW Post #7029 and American Legion Post #38. Visitation will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday and the Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. at the Church. Memorials are suggested to St. Mary’s School. Ord Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Richard J. Beran was born at home in Valley County, Nebraska on October 13, 1922, to Frank E. and Martha (Karty) Beran. Dick was the second of six children; he was raised along with his siblings on the family farm northeast of Ord. Growing up he attended elementary school in rural Valley County and graduated from Ord High School in 1940. After graduation, he worked for John Kokes as a farm hand.
In 1943, Dick enlisted in the United States Navy, where he served on the destroyer escort ship U.S.S. Daniel T. Griffith, DE-54, as a Yeoman and later as Chief Petty Officer. His ship accompanied the U.S.S. Missouri for the signing of the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay that ended World War II. While serving, Dick became his fleet’s boxing champion and was honorably discharged in 1946.
When Dick returned to Ord after the war, he met a beautiful young lady name Catherine Ann “Scotty” Scott at a church dance in Greeley. They began to date and were united in marriage on June 25, 1949, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Greeley. They would be blessed with eight children. They made their home in Ord for the next 37 years until his beloved wife “Scotty” passed away from cancer in February of 1986.
As a young man Dick was an excellent baseball player. He played for the Ord town team as well as other teams in the Sherman-Howard League, primarily as a pitcher, into his forties. He finished as runner-up at the Knights of Columbus national bowling tournament central division held in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 1961.
In 1952, Dick joined his father Frank to open Beran Hardware in Ord. He served as General Manager until the business was sold in 1968. He also started his lifelong business of floor covering and carpet installation during this time. Dick would continue this work well into his eighties, working throughout central Nebraska. Dick often worked in many homes and businesses multiple times throughout his career and for multiple generations of families.
In 1968, Dick began a career with the United States Postal Service as a clerk and mail carrier in both Ord and Grand Island. He continued his postal career until he retired in 1992.
Besides his busy work schedule, Dick held numerous leadership positions throughout his life in the many organizations and youth groups in which he served, coached, or managed. He served two terms on the Valley County Board of Supervisors, was commander of VFW Post for two years in Ord, served on the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church board, and sat on the building committee for the construction of Saint Mary’s School in Ord, for which he installed the tile flooring for the new gymnasium. As an active church member, Dick served as Grand Knight of the Ord Chapter of the Knights of Columbus and was a church usher. He managed or coached local Ord baseball teams at the town team, legion, and midget levels and was a local Boy Scout troop leader. Dick was a member of the Ord Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department for many years.
Richard J. “Dick” Beran is survived by his eight children, and their spouses, Michael (Colleen), Thomas (Carol), his daughter, Patricia (Tom Frazer), Richard Jr. (Amy), Paul, Robert (Kathy), Daniel, and John (Heather). Dick is also survived by his grandchildren and their spouses, James Beran, Jeffrey Beran, Matt Beran (Sheri), Casen Beran (Holly) , Braden Beran (Amber), Joseph Beran (Sarah), Jacob Beran, Luke Beran, David Beran, Scott Beran, Mark Beran, Jestin Beran (Jade), Madison Beran, Samuel Beran, and Rose Beran; great-grandchildren, Titus Beran, Isaac Beran, Caleb Beran, Jonathon Beran, Micah Beran, Jack Beran, Luke Beran, Eliana Beran, Augustine Beran, Kyrie Beran, Paxton Larson-Beran, and Pixel Larson-Beran; and his sisters-in-law, Juanita Beran (Frank) and Marsha Beran (Rollie).
Dick was preceded in death by his parents; his four brothers and three sisters-in-law; Vernon and Cecil Beran, Frank Beran, Rollie and Patricia Beran, and Don Beran; his sister and brother-in-law, Alice and Carson Rogers; and an infant brother.
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