Harvey Dean Hiner - Obituary

Mr. Harvey Dean Hiner, 89, of Hershey, NE, died on April 15, 2019, at the Sutherland Care Center.

Dean was born March 18, 1930, in McCook to parents Francis and Helen (Price) Hiner. The family lived in several communities throughout Nebraska before settling in Sidney where Dean was a 1949 graduate of Sidney High School. During his school years he was active in sports and developed an interest in aviation which led to him earning his private pilot's license at the youthful age of 16.

Dean met Neva Jean Miller and they were married on November 19, 1950, at the Methodist Church in Sidney. Dean and Jean were blessed with 55 years of marriage and raised three children, Susan, Pat and Chrys.

Dean had worked in management at Hesteds Department Store and later Stramit, a building materials company, which enabled the family to live in multiple locations, including Denver and Rocky Ford, Colorado, Gering and Dalton, Nebraska, and Innisfail, Alberta, Canada. Returning to the United States in 1978, Dean and Jean came home to Nebraska, briefly living in Grand Island then eventually settling in North Platte where Dean was the Western Nebraska Regional Sales Director for the Pella Window Company, served as treasurer for the Lincoln County Historical Museum for many years and was an active member of Messiah Lutheran Church.

After retiring from Pella Corporation in 2000, Dean and Jean dedicated much time and energy to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) Mission Builders program. During a 10-year period the couple drove over 100,000 miles through 40 states, where Dean participated in and directed the construction of 43 new Lutheran churches.

After Jean's passing in 2006, Dean met and later married Bernadine Kenton. This past March, Dean and Bernie celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary.

Dean's natural and meticulous carpentry skills enabled him to leave a legacy not only of beautiful church buildings, but also family heirlooms such as furniture pieces, rocking horses, cedar hope chests and other beautiful items his family will always treasure.

Dean is survived by his wife, Bernadine, of Hershey; daughters, Susan (Mike) McClure, of Cozad, Chrys (Ron) Tarvin, of Minneapolis, MN; four granddaughters, Kari (Tom) Dargy, Kelly (Billy) Mendez, Sarah Tarvin, and Rachel (Brett) Robertson; four great-grandchildren, Haley Wilwerding, Blake and Morgan Mendez and Natalie Robertson; niece, Diane Roberson; nephew, Jim Roberson; stepchildren Connie (Art) Coutcher, of Sun City, AZ and Norman (Sheri) Kenton, of Morrison, CO; step grandson, Kenny Coutcher; as well as other family.

Along with his first wife Jean, Dean was preceded in death by their son Pat Hiner; his parents, Frances and Helen Hiner; and sister Arlene Roberson.

Funeral Service will be held at 11 a.m. (CT) on Saturday, April 20, 2019, at Messiah Lutheran Church in North Platte. Burial will be 2 p.m. (MT) at Weyerts Cemetery in Lodgepole. Visitation will be Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Odean Colonial Chapel in North Platte and before services at the church. Online condolences may be shared at odeanchapel.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials are to Messiah Lutheran Church or Lincoln County Historical Museum. Odean Colonial Chapel at C & Sycamore is in charge of arrangements.