Roy E. Stuhr, age 93, of York, NE, died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, January 30, 2014 at York. The son of John C. and Agnes (Snyder) Stuhr, Roy was born September 12, 1920, at the Stuhr family farm east of McCool Jct. He graduated from McCool High School and attended York College and the University of Nebraska, where he majored in music and was active in football, basketball, and track. On June 1, 1941, he married his high school sweetheart, Jean A. Bellows, of Lushton, NE. At the time of her death in November of 2012, they had been married for 72 years.

After their wedding, the couple moved to Omaha and Roy enlisted in the Army Air Corps, serving in WWII from October 23, 1942 until November 27, 1945. A private pilot when he enlisted, he taught classes and continued to fly and maintain many types of military aircraft at bases throughout the West coast, embarking on what was to become a lifelong love of aircraft and aviation. Following the war, he continued flying for more than 30 years as a Lt. Colonel with the Civil Air Patrol, piloting search and rescue missions throughout the Midwest.

Roy was self-educated in many disciplines and self-employed for most of his career. He was an expert carpenter and craftsman, held electrical and plumbing licenses, and worked as a contractor for many years. Additionally, for several years he was employed as a salesman with companies in York and Omaha that manufactured grain elevators, farm equipment, and auto parts.

Astonishingly curious and a man of many talents and interests, he was an outdoorsman and an avid reader and photographer. He collected and refurbished antique tube radios, designed and installed commercial and residential sound systems, sang tenor in masterwork oratorios and choirs, played trumpet in the Drum and Bugle Corps, enjoyed classical music and opera, was an avid golfer, loved movies and never met a dog he didn't try to adopt. He was known for attending auctions and farm sales and hanging out in his office and workshop in McCool. If aviation was his first love, his second was automobiles. In fact, all make and manner of vehicles, engines, and auto parts happily consumed him in business and pleasure throughout his life. Roy was a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, the American Legion, and the Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Jean; his daughter, Diana Kay Falstrom; three sisters, Marie (Ernest) Fuss, Ruth (Frank) Kozoil, and Irma (Don) Carey; and four brothers, Raymond, Herbert, Marvin, and Irving Stuhr.

Funeral services were held February 5, 2014, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church. Burial was in the Waco Cemetery.