Harvey E. Hadenfeldt
Harvey Eugene Hadenfeldt, age 84, of Wood River, passed away on December 1, 2025, at Nebraska Heart Hospital in Lincoln from complications following surgery. Funeral services were held Monday, December 8, at Christ Lutheran Church in Cairo.
Burial followed in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Christ Lutheran Mission Fund, the Christ Lutheran Church, or to Grand Island Lutheran High School. Apfel Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www. apfelfuneralhome.com.
Harvey Eugene (Gene) Hadenfeldt was born August 11, 1941, at a home near Cairo to Harvey Walter Hadenfeldt and Vivian (Van Winkle) Hadenfeldt. Gene was baptized October 5, 1941, at Christ Lutheran Church, Cairo, and confirmed May 20, 1954. He attended country school District #59 and graduated from Cairo High School on May 21, 1958.
Gene was a lifetime member of Christ Lutheran Church and served on several different elected offices during his lifetime.
Gene married Darlene Spiehs on November 30, 1962, at Christ Lutheran Church, Cairo.
They were the last couple to be married in the old church as the new church was completed in the spring of 1963. They were blessed to have two special daughters, Lois and Lisa.
Gene’s most important part of life was believing in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and spending time with family on camping trips and traveling as a family.
Gene farmed all his life and worked part-time in later years as an insurance agent for the German Farmers Mutual Insurance Company for 13 years.
He helped coach the Cairo girls fast pitch softball team with cousin Richard Hadenfeldt while Lois and Lisa were playing. Gene played baseball with the Ravenna Legion team, the Cairo town team and later with the fast pitch softball team Budweiser in the Platt Duetsche League. Gene always liked to do things in a simple manner. The less complicated the better!
Gene retired from farming in 2014. After retiring he enjoyed gardening and making yard art out of old farm machinery. He collected and restored many antique hand crank ear corn shellers. Gene and Darlene enjoyed spending time with their five granddaughters while they were growing up. Each one had a special place in Gene’s heart as he frequently would recall a comment made to him on different occasions by each one. Gene also cherished the time spent getting to know his great-grandson and delighted in watching him grow.
Left to cherish his memory is his beloved wife of 63 years, Darlene; daughters, Lois (Willie) Hixson, of Aurora, and Lisa (Aub) Boucher, of Juniata; grandaughters, Kaci (Max) Anderson, of Austin, Texas, Kori Hixson, of Chandler, Arizona, Kiley Hixson, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Brook (Tannor) Mroczek and great-grandson Auggie Mroczek, of Gothenburg, and Boston Boucher, of Omaha; sister-in-law, Jean Spiehs; and several nieces and nephews.
Gene was preceded in death by his parents Harvey W. and Vivian Hadenfeldt; brother and sister-in-law, Donald and Florence Hadenfeldt; father and mother-in-laws, Raymond and Lucille Spiehs; brothers-in-law, Wesley Harder, Keith Kowalski, and Leonard Spiehs; sisters-inlaw, Marlys Spiehs and Shirley Harder; and nieces, Sharon Harder and Carla Orr.