William Matt Wylie

Memorial services for William Matt Wylie age 78 of Elgin will be at 10:30 am, Friday, August 25, 2006 at the United Methodist Church in Elgin with Pastor Rodger Good and Rev. Ray Avidano officiating. Inurnment will be in the West Cedar Valley Cemetery with military rites conducted by American Legion Post # 229 and VFW Post # 5816 of Elgin. Honorary pallbearers will be Craig Carstens, Todd Carstens, Jeremy Poulsen, Terrance Reel, Don Poulsen and Aaron Mahaney. William passed away August 20, 2006 at Antelope Memorial Hospital in Neligh. Funeral arrangements are being conducted by Snider Memorial Funeral Home of Clearwater. Willliam Matt Wylie was born on May 10, 1928 to Matt and Fannie (Haggard) Wylie on the farm northwest of Elgin where he lived his entire life. He attended country school through the 8th grade and graduated from Elgin High with the class of 1945. He furthered his formal education at Weslyan University in Lincoln. He then served in the United States Army from November 7, 1950 to November 10, 1952. While serving in the Army he was stationed in Georgia and Germany. After departing from the service he enjoyed numerous professions: farming, auctioneering, real estate broker, and appraiser. On December 17, 1969 Bill was united in marriage to Nancy Keech at St. Marks United Methodist Church in Lincoln and they with their new family Dawn, Craig and Lisa move to the Wylie farm. He was elected state senator of District 40 in 1965-1969, following in the footsteps of his father who was senator for the 27th District from 1961 to 1964 when he passed away and his mother finished out his term. He than became a lobbyist which he enjoyed for over 20 years. He still loved farming and then took up the family tradition of raising mules. This pastime was one of his greatest joys. He was a 67 year member of the United Methodist Church in Elgin, a lifetime member of American Legion and V.F.W. Post #229 of Elgin. He is survived by his wife Nancy; 2 step-daughters Dawn Keech-Dozler of Stanton, NE and Lisa Keech-Poulson and her husband Don of Elgin; a sister Nancy Iverson of Benson, AZ; sister-in-law Doris and her husband Art Morgan of Valentine, Ne.; eight grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, a step-son Craig Keech, a sister Maxine Mueller, and brother-in-laws Harold Mueller and Larry Iverson, and parent-in-laws John and Lillian Eaton, and a nephew Bill Mueller.