Guy E. “Rocky” Stethem, 70

Guy E. “Rocky” Stethem, 70, of Burwell passed away peacefully with his loving family by his side on Thursday, March 7, 2024; at his home in Burwell, Nebraska.
Mr. Stethem’s wishes were to be cremated. A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 13, 2024; at the Congregational United Church of Christ in Burwell. Pastor Alan Petersen will officiate. Inurnment will be in the Cottonwood Cemetery at Burwell. The family will receive friends on Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Still Waters Funeral Parlor. Memorials are suggested to The Family. Still Waters Funeral Parlor is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.ordmemorialchapel.com
Guy Ed “Rocky” was born April 15, 1953, at Martin, South Dakota to Glenn and Dolores (Petrik) Stethem. He spent the beginning of his childhood growing up in Eli, Nebraska and Kiewit, Wyoming. He attended country school in Whitman, Nebraska then moved north of Burwell for a few years before moving to the outskirts of Ord and attending country school there. In 1967, the family moved into Ord where graduated from Ord High School in 1971.
Rocky married his high school sweetheart, Julie Schimmer on June 19, 1971. They were blessed with two children, Amy and Casey.
Rocky was a jack of all trades when it came to work. He started his life working at the Meat Animal Research in Clay Center, Nebraska before moving to South Dakota to work for his uncle, John. Later they moved to Ord where he began trucking for Bud Knight and also worked for Stan Nolte. Rocky was a police officer for the Burwell Police Department for a couple of years. He then worked at Spanel Chevrolet for many years before going to work for the US Bureau of Reclamation as a mechanic at the Calamus Reservoir while it was being built. Rocky spent many years working for Bud Fischer and Great Western Gas. But his greatest pride and joy was working at the Price Ranch.
In his younger years he could be found at Zane Gideon’s shop rebuilding/restoring pickups and cars. If he was out in the hills somewhere he would find the tallest hill to climb and park so he could listen to Party Line and of course one of his favorite people, Paul Harvey.
Rocky had an amazing green thumb and one of his passions was his garden. Many people in Burwell talked about how beautiful it was – it was so well maintained you could eat off its floor. He also spent many hours picking up nightcrawlers; and counting, sorting and re-bedding them every other day. One night Julie, Casey, Amy and Chuck picked up 10,000 nightcrawlers between the Ord and Burwell ball fields, and then delivered them to the Minnow Bucket Bait Shop in North Platte.
He spent endless hours in his garage just tinkering and creating things to do. He also enjoyed his many years of hunting in Hyannis at the Greathouse Ranch and on his buddy, Rolland Worms place to which there are many, many stories. He also loved fishing, sporting clays and collecting anything he thought was an antique.
He had a work ethic like no other and has passed that trait down to his family. He was Amy’s fixer of ALL things. He always kept his word, never told anyone no, never took any shortcuts and no matter what he was working on he had to have it perfect.
Rock loved Julie with all his might and soul and loved his family to no end.He always put Julie and his family first before himself.
Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Julie of Burwell; a daughter and son-in-law, Amy and Chuck Cassidy of Burwell; a son, Casey Stethem of North Platte; seven grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Donna Bennett of Hastings and Deb Spencer of Las Vegas; and many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Roger Stethem; and in-laws, Ken Kollasch, Kim Spencer, Mick Bennett and Bill Fredrick.