Billie Clark Bellinger

Billie C. Bellinger

11-16-1950 to 05-29-2019

               Born to Olin Alexander and Vella Mae (Staab) Bellinger at Berwyn, Nebraska, Bill never knew a stranger.  Bill graduated Salutatorian of the class of ’69 in Ansley.  Bill attended the University of Nebraska from 1969-1973 and graduated in the top three percent of his class with a BS in Ag Economics.  He loved to share his knowledge of gardening, plants, and life experiences.

               His first and purest love was working the soil.  He was fortunate enough to be doing just that at the time of his death.  Even at 68, and over objections, he continued his garden until the end.  Two Bit Gardens was a name he and his father came up with when Bill was a child.  To honor his dad’s memory, he named his garden “Two Bit Gardens”.  At one time, he had two acres in production, with an acre still in production at the time of his death.  Bill made the trek to market pretty much every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from May through September for the past thirteen years making many, many friends over that time.

               There were three things that rivaled his love of gardening.  Those joys were his wife, three sons, and six grandsons.  He was a truly devoted husband, father, and grandfather.

               Bill was an avid Nebraska Huskers fan.  His first loves were football and baseball, but if it was a University sport, he followed it!

               In addition to his time as a truck gardener, Bill worked for many years as a parts manager.  He could find any obscure item, and this was in the days before Google and computer databases.  Bill had many friends who shared a cup of coffee with him and discussed the happenings of the world on a daily basis.

               Bill was preceded in death by his parents Olin and Vella Bellinger; cousin Keith Jones; brother Gary; and sister Darlene Cook

               Bill is survived by his wife Anna; sons’ families Dustin, Heather, Alexander, Owen, and Zachary; Jared and August; and Heath, Becky, Griffin, and Fletcher; adoring dog Bandit; brother Melvin (Deloris) of Virginia; many nieces and nephews, and a multitude of friends. Bill was also privileged to have the joy of Jeff Hansen as an informal addition to the family.

               Funeral services will be Monday, June 3, 2019, at 11:00 AM, at the Berean Bible Church City Campus at 640 South H Street in Broken Bow, NE with Gary Smith officiating. Burial will follow in the Ansley Cemetery in Ansley, NE. Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 2, 2019, from 1:00 to 6:00 PM at Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow, with family greeting 4:00 to 6:00 PM. Memorials are suggested to the Ansley FFA Chapter. Govier Brothers Mortuary are in charge of arrangements. Online condolences can be left at www.govierbrothers.com.