Luvern "Bird" E. Mabeus

Luvern "Bird" E. Mabeus, 84, of Ponca, NE passed away at the Elms Health Care Center on Friday, March 8, 2013.Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Monday, March 11, 2013 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Ponca, NE with Father David Liewer officiating. Burial will be in Calvary at South Creek Cemetery in rural Ponca. Visitation will begin at 5:00 P.M. on Sunday, March 10, 2013, with the family present at 6:00 P.M. and a Scriptural Wake Service at 7:00 P.M. at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Mohr Funeral Home in Ponca. Online condolences to the family may be posted at www.mohrfuneralhome.com.Luvern was born in Coleridge, NE on November 7, 1928, the son of Franklin and Anna (Lofgren) Mabeus. He attended school in Obert and Ponca. He married Marilyn Lowe at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Ponca on August 23, 1950. He was a laborer in the Ponca area all of his life.He was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Ponca and was a former Fire Chief for the Ponca Fire Dept.He was an avid outdoorsman with a love of hunting and fishing, a passion carried on by members of the next three generations. He enjoyed watching sports and playing cards. Several of his grandchildren credit grandpa for their cribbage skills.Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Marilyn Mabeus of Ponca, NE; children, Julie Lukken (Gene Hrubetz) of Omaha, NE, Vicki (Robert) Irby of Ponca, NE, Roxanne (Myron) Thompson of Shelton, NE, Kirk (Jeanne) Mabeus of Rainbow City, Alabama, Bryan (Shelisa) Mabeus of Omaha, NE; 11 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; brothers, Doyal (Nina) Mabeus of Hillsdale, IL and Norman Mabeus of Warsaw, MO; sister-in-law, Leona Mabeus of Osco, IL; and many nieces and nephews.Luvern was preceded in death by his parents, Franklin and Anna Mabeus; his son, Robert Mabeus; brothers and sisters, Jerry, Robert, Mary Ann and Delmar Mabeus, Ladonna (Kenneth) Jacobs; and sister-in-law, Janet Mabeus.