Robert L. Raun of Minden, Nebraska, died early in the morning on his 98th birthday, Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at Bethany Home in Minden.

Visitation is 5-7 p.m. Monday, April 27, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Heartwell with wake service at 7. Mass of Christian Burial is 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 28, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Minden with the Rev. Evan Winter officiating. Interment with military honors will follow at the Osco Cemetery south of Norman. The family suggests memorials to Bethany Home in Minden, the Osco Cemetery Association, the Minden Opera House Preservation Fund in care of the Kearney County Community Foundation, or the Minden Fire Department. Craig Funeral Home of Minden is serving the family.

Robert Lee Raun was born April 22, 1928, to Chris L. and Sarah S. (Smith) Raun on the family farm in Grant Township, Kearney County, Nebraska. He was raised in the Osco Baptist Church and attended the Osco School through eighth grade, then graduated in 1945 from Campbell High School where he was active in FFA, played basketball, and was quarterback on the six-man football team his senior year. He also was an eight-year 4-H member in Kearney County.

After turning 18 during his freshman year at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Mr. Raun enlisted in the U.S. Army as a volunteer. He served on active duty with the U.S. Army Air Corps and U.S. Air Force from September 1946 until July 1948, ultimately as a supply officer at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He then served with the U.S. Air Force Reserve until 1967, attaining the rank of captain.

Back at the university, Rob was a leader in several campus organizations. He served as noble ruler (president) of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity and as president of Block and Bridle, the Innocents Society and student government.

He graduated with high distinction on June 4, 1951, earning a degree in general agriculture. The following weekend, on June 9, he married his university sweetheart, Eileen Derieg, at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Hastings.

Rob was a farmer and livestock producer in Kearney and Sherman counties for more than four decades, living in the Osco neighborhood. At various times he also hauled cattle and hogs for Charles Youngson, sold grain bins, and grew castor beans and milkweed for industrial ventures.

As a young farmer, Rob was founding president of the Nebraska Natural Gas Irrigators Association. In 1964, he served as campaign manager for Bill Colwell, an unsuccessful candidate for the 3rd District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In 1966, Gov. Frank B. Morrison appointed Rob to fill a vacancy on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. Rob then was elected to the seat in 1968 and 1974. He declined to seek re-election in 1980 and retired from the board having served three terms as chairman.

In 1982 he was elected to the Catherland Reclamation District board of directors.

From 1983-85, Rob served as director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture under Gov. Bob Kerrey. After returning to farming full time, he served on the Nebraska Economic Development Commission and Nebraska Water Management Board and helped lead efforts to save the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture at Curtis from closing. In 1993, he was co-chair of the University of Nebraska Presidential Search Committee.

He served on the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Board of Trustees in Battle Creek, Michigan, from 1985-98, retiring as board chairman.

Rob was a longtime member and past president of the Minden Rotary Club and the Osco Cemetery Association board of directors. He also served on the boards of Fort Kearney Beef Producers, Farmers Union Business Association Cooperative, Farmers Cooperative Grain & Supply Co. of Minden, and the Minden Exchange Bank & Trust Co., and as a trustee of the University of Nebraska Foundation. He was a longtime member of groups including the T-Bone Club, Nebraska Corn Growers Association, Nebraska Farmers Union and Nebraska AgRelations Council; helped to establish the Nebraska LEAD Program; and in retirement served alongside Eileen on a committee to help beautify Minden.

From 1970-83, Rob wrote a well-read monthly column, “One Farmer’s Notebook,” for Nebraska Farmer Magazine.

In 1992, he became one of the founding directors of the Kearney County Community Foundation. He served as fundraising chairman for the foundation’s $2.7 million renovation of the Minden Opera House, which was completed in 2000.

Rob and Eileen moved into Minden on Dec. 26, 1996, then to Bethany Home on Oct. 15, 2018. Eileen passed away Oct. 18, 2022.

Rob and Eileen were members of Holy Family Church in Heartwell from early in their marriage through the time of their deaths. Over those years, Rob served the Catholic Church in various volunteer capacities at the parish, diocesan and state levels.

He was a lifelong Democrat.

Honors included the Nebraska AgRelations Award (1985), the Nebraska Builder Award from the University of Nebraska (1987), and Ak-Sar-Ben Court of Honor recognition for service to agriculture (1993). Rob was inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement in 1995. He later received the Kearney Hub Freedom Award for his role in the Minden Opera House project.

Whatever accolades Rob has received in his lifetime, he will be remembered nowhere with more admiration than in the hearts and homes of his children and their families. We have known him to be a lifelong learner; a patriot; a public servant; a good steward; a man of prayer; and above all a devoted husband, a good father, and a proud and supportive grandfather and great-grandfather. We could have had no better example of what it means to love God, care for our neighbor, and serve our community.

Rob was preceded in death by his wife, Eileen; his parents; an infant son born at rest; two grandsons, Nathan Raun and Paul Hoxmeier; brother and sister-in-law, Ned and Essie Raun; sister and brother-in-law, Joan and Del Kopf; his wife’s parents, Francis and Rita Derieg; a sister-in-law, Mary Jane Derieg; a niece, Ellen (Kopf) Miller; and three nephews, Larry Raun, Bill Raun and Greg Raun.

Survivors include daughter Sharon (James) Kresha of Omaha; daughter Carol (Matthew) Walters of Omaha; son Christopher (Teresa) Raun of Lincoln; son Kevin (Jessica) Raun of Minden; daughter Elizabeth (Craig) Hoxmeier of Orleans; son Andrew (Ruth) Raun of Hastings; 22 grandchildren; 47 great-grandchildren; brother and sister-in-law, Arthur (Ruth) Raun of Elbert, Colorado; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Thomas and Peggy Derieg of Eagle, Idaho; cousins; nieces and nephews; his dear friend Dr. Walter Macedo Jr., of Celebration, Florida; and many other friends.

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