Gale E. Lush

Gale E. Lush, 73, of rural Wilcox, passed peacefully in his home on September 13th, 2025. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hildreth with Rev. Caroline Schenk officiating. The service will be streamed to the church’s YouTube page. Private family interment will be held at Moline Cemetery. Visitation with family present will be held from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 19, 2025, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hildreth. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Gale’s honor are kindly suggested to Trinity Lutheran Church in Hildreth or to the Wilcox Volunteer Fire Department. Arrangements are under the care of Craig Funeral Home in Minden. Gale Edward Lush was born on March 13, 1952, in Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska. He was the first born of eight to Verlie and Phyllis (Caspers) Lush. He grew up on the family farm seven miles south and two miles east of Wilcox, Nebraska. Gale took Angus cattle to the Franklin County Fair for two years in 4-H and another two years as a member of FFA. He received purple and blue ribbons for showmanship and for his Angus breeding heifer and cow & calf entries. Gale and his brother Ron bought their first piece of farmland in 1972 just before President Nixon devalued the dollar twice to get reelected. President Nixon was impeached, land prices soared. Gale graduated from Wilcox High School in May of 1970 as the class Salutatorian. He then went to the University of Nebraska on a Regents Scholarship and majored in Agricultural Economics. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1974. In his freshman year, he saw President Richard Nixon give Bob Devaney the trophy for Nebraska being National Football Champions in 1970-71. Gale missed out on the SDS marching on the Military and Naval Science Building after the massacre of the students at Kent State in 1969. He did participate in a giant snowball fight on 16th Street that is talked about even to this day. Gale was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon during his last two years as an undergraduate. He kept his clothes on during the streaking fad that swept through the nation during the Spring of 1974. In 1974 Gale applied to Law School at the University of Nebraska. Out of 1200 applicants, 180 were accepted. In 1977 he graduated from Law School with a Juris Doctor degree. He passed the bar in April of 1978 and was admitted to practice before the Nebraska Supreme Court and the Federal District Court. Gale did not hang out his shingle. He went back to Wilcox and the farm, where he works “just for the family” to this day. In 1982 Gale was selected to be one of 30 Fellows in the Leadership Education Action Development LEAD II group. The program consisted of attending 14 three-day seminars about various state, national and international issues over a two-year period. Two weeks of domestic travel and study and three weeks of international travel and study were involved. Gale was able to travel in Latin America and enjoyed all the people and countries he traveled in. He nearly bought a soybean farm in Paraguay. In 1991 Governor Nelson appointed Gale to the Nebraska Corn Board where he represented the economic interests of all those Nebraska corn farmers that paid the corn check-off. He also served in 1996 as the Governor appointee on the Interstate Grain Commission, a 5-state entity. The Commission worked to successfully improve federal grain standards and export high quality, identity-preserved grain to quality conscious buyers in Europe. In 1995 Gale was elected to the Board of the Nebraska Farmers Union. He enjoyed flying to Washington D.C. and lobbying on various farm issues of the day. He was in Washington on September 11, 2001, when the Pentagon was hit by Osama Bin Laden. In 1995 he became Chairman of the American Corn Growers Foundation. As Chairman Gale enjoyed initiating programs promoting renewal energy such as ethanol and wind energy development in Nebraska and surrounding states. Gale was very proud of helping pass L.B. 629 the Community Based Energy Development law that enabled Nebraskans to develop wind farms in a 100% Public Power State. Gale and Laurie met in 1985, were married in 1986 and started their family. Son Alexander Edward was born on October 14th,1986. The arrival of Sarah Jane on September 1, 1988, made their family complete. Gale was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Hildreth, having served in leadership roles and on committees in the church. Gale enjoyed attending his grandchildren's activities and bragging about their achievements. After six grandsons, Gale was delighted to welcome a granddaughter to the family in December 2024. In March 2024 Gale was diagnosed with end stage liver failure due to primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). He made the most of his time left by visiting old friends, attending musicals and concerts, spending time with family, and driving countless miles around his farm ground. Gale is survived by his wife, Laurie Lush; son, Alexander (Elise) Lush; daughter, Sarah Lush (Thomas Wanek); grandchildren, Luke Lush, Rylan Lush, Henry Lush, Jasper Lush, Everett Lush, Isaac Wanek and Audrey Wanek; brother, John (Roxanne) Lush; sisters, Linda Brummer, Rhonda (Greg) Roberts, Ramona (Mark) Wilder, Trish (Galen) Kronhofman, and Shirley (Bruce) Steinkruger; sisters-in-law, Shirley A. Lush and Gwen Hoylman; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, extended relatives and close friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Ronald Lush; parents-in-law, James (Faye) Hill; grandmother, Margaret Casper; brothers-in-law, Wayne Brummer and Allen Hoylman. Tributes and memories can be shared with the family at www.craigfunerals.com.

Gale E. Lush

March 13, 1952 - September 13, 2025