John Robert "J.R." Westesen, 92, of Kearney, passed away on Sunday, January 12, 2025 at CHI Health – Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Minden with Rev. Donald Hunzeker and PMA Julie Schmidt officiating. The service will be streamed to the church's YouTube page. Private family interment will be held with military honors at the Minden Cemetery. There will be no visitation. Memorials in J.R.'s honor are kindly suggested to the Bethany Lutheran Church in Minden, Kearney Tackles Cancer, or to the Kearney High School FFA program. Arrangements are under the care of Craig Funeral Home in Minden.

John Robert "J.R." Westesen was born on October 23, 1932 near Minden, NE to John S. and Hazel (Brainard) Westesen. He grew up on the family farm. He was involved in and passionate about agriculture at a young age. At 14, he was one of the Kearney County 4-H health champions. At 16, he was one of four Future Farmers of America (FFA) students honored in Omaha for outstanding special achievements; his was for farming mechanics. He won a $100 prize. J.R. was voted vice president of the FFA in 1949 and selected as a winner of the FFA State Farmer Award in 1950. He graduated from Kearney High School in 1950 and was president of his high school class. After high school, J.R. served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1952-1954 on the USS Mackinaw Icebreaker in the Great Lakes. After serving, he returned to Nebraska.

He married Marjorie Anderson in Minden on November 25, 1956. They raised their three children on the family farm between Minden and Kearney, where they made their home for over 60 years. J.R. and Margie moved into Kearney in early 2020. They enjoyed 68 years of marriage.

J.R. enjoyed farming, his cattle, and most of all, his family. He especially enjoyed visits from his great-grandchildren. He was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Minden for over 65 years.

Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Marjorie; sons, David (Beth) Westesen and Jay (Lisa) Westesen; son-in-law, Steve (Rhonda) Rockefeller; grandchildren, Sarah (Ryan) Haack, Laura (Aaron) Pullmann, Jacklyn (Brian) Norman, Emily (John) Bengtson, Jackson Westesen, Christian Westesen, and Creighton Westesen; eight great-grandchildren, Katherine, Brooke, Makenzie, Michael, Ryker, Martin, Charlie, and Blake; as well as a host of extended relatives and close friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, daughter, Debra Rockefeller; grandson, Scott Rockefeller; two sisters, Beverly Johnson and Jeanine Nickel.

Tributes and memories can be shared with the family at www.craigfunerals.com .