Bruce A. Leypoldt

Bruce A. Leypoldt, age 73, of Sidney, passed away in Aurora, CO on Thursday, May 11, 2023. Memorial services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Monday, June 26, 2023 at the Evangelical Free Church in Sidney, NE with Pastor Kyle Larson officiating. Cremation has been held. Inurnment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Sidney. Services will be livestreamed on the Gehrig-Stitt Chapel Facebook page and recorded for later viewing on our website. Friends may stop to sign Bruce's book and leave condolences for the family.

You may view Bruce's Book of Memories, leave condolences, photos and stories at http://www.gehrigstittchapel.com. Gehrig-Stitt Chapel & Cremation Service, LLC is in charge of Bruce's care and funeral arrangements.

Bruce A. Leypoldt, son of Nyle and Marietta (Fehringer) was born on July 2, 1949 in Sidney, NE. Bruce attended grade school and High School at St. Patrick's in Sidney, graduating in 1967. He was active in scouting and little league baseball as a youngster. Bruce played the clarinet and became a member of St. Patrick's High School band. He continued with the band until his graduation. Bruce played football during his Junior and High School years, and was a member of the first St. Patrick's golf team that was organized in the spring of 1965. In the summer months he played legion baseball and golf.

Following graduation, he enrolled at the Sidney Business Institute and studied courses in Business until it closed its doors in November 1969. While attending the Sidney Business Institute, Bruce worked for the Union Pacific Railroad in the Clerk's division. Following the close of the Sidney Business Institute, he transferred to the National College of Business in Rapid City, SD. In 1971 Bruce earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science.

Following his graduation from college, he returned to the Union Pacific Railroad for a brief period until he secured a programming position with Comptronics in Salina, KS. After this, Bruce accepted a programming position with K-State in Manhattan, KS. Later he returned to his hometown of Sidney, NE.

While searching for employment in the computer industry in the Denver, CO area, he was approached by Dick and Jim Cabela to automate their mail order sporting goods company. After serving as a consultant to the Cabela brothers to obtain a computer system from IBM, Bruce accepted a full-time position as the Data Processing Manager. He was joined by Steve Treinen to help create the fledgling department. The two computer professionals trained a keypunch and operations staff, and designed/wrote all of the software applications to automate the Sporting Goods firm.

In his spare time, Bruce served as a "stringer" for the Sidney Telegraph covering sports for several area High Schools.

Bruce left Cabela's to accept a Systems Management position with the Unirad Corporation in Denver, CO. While at Unirad, Bruce supervised 6 System Analysts and was second in command of the department. He later went out on his own as a self-employed contract programmer and teamed up with his former employer and friend, Roger Sowder to form Sowder/Leypoldt Inc., a computer consulting firm. The enterprise grew rapidly and at one time employed 16 people. During this period, Bruce was active in the IBM User's Group organization, serving two terms as President. The recession of 1982 forced Sowder/Leypoldt to cease operations.

After a contract programming stint in Ft. Worth, TX Bruce returned to his roots in Sidney, NE where he supported numerous clients in western Nebraska. In addition, he continued his writing with a weekly column (Computer Clips) for the local newspaper.

On June 29, 1986 Bruce and Nancy, his high school sweetheart, were united in marriage in Sidney, NE. On December 17, 1987 Nancy and Bruce, along with Nancy's son Lee, welcomed the birth of a son, Christopher. Bruce and Nancy divorced in 1997, but they remained good friends until his death.

During his time in Sidney, Bruce was a member of the Sidney Elks Lodge and other organizations including the Sidney Lions Club. Bruce joined the Fort Sidney Colonels, a local choral group, in 1985 and was an integral part of that organization until it disbanded some 20 years later. During his stint with the Colonels, he wrote most of the comedy routines and served as its President one year.

Bruce and several members of the Fort Sidney Colonels group formed a band called "The Musky Steers" where he was a featured vocalist. The band performed at numerous events in the area and was active for over 10 years.

Bruce served on various boards over the years which included the St. Patrick's Foundation Board, St. Patrick's Parish Council, High Plains Arts Council, Sidney Library Board, and the Historic Preservation Board.

He was an avid golfer, capturing two Sidney Men's Group championships. He recorded an ace (hole-in-one) in 1969 during a college tournament.

Bruce served two stints with The Egging Company in Gurley, NE as their IT Manager. He closed out his IT career with Sidney Memorial Hospital as the Director of IT, retiring in 2011.

Bruce was preceded in death by his parents, Nyle and Marietta Leypoldt.

He is survived by his son, Chris and wife Kim and two grandchildren, Richard and Elizabeth, of Colleyville, TX; stepson Lee and wife Eileen Williams; siblings Nyla and husband Randy Hobson, Gayland and Myron Leypoldt, all of Sidney, NE; and nieces and nephews, Brittainy and husband Tom Adams, Trevor and wife Tanissa Hobson and Dane and wife Tiffany Hobson, and families; and many close friends.

Bruce was a member of the Evangelical Free Church of Sidney, NE. He will be remembered for his keen wit, writing and computer skills.