Robert P. “Bob” Sahling, 91, of Kearney died Wednesday, March 1, 2017, at Mt. Carmel Home and Rehabilitation Center in Kearney.
Funeral services will be Monday, March 6, 2017, at 2 p.m. at New Life Church in Kearney. Rev’s. Jeff Baker, Bob Wine and Roger Wendt will officiate and burial will be at Kearney Cemetery. Visitation is planned Sunday from 5 to p.m. at Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral Home in Kearney. Memorials are suggested to Crossroads Center in Kearney, University of Nebraska at Kearney Foundation or New Life Church. Please visit www.hlmkfuneral.com to leave a tribute or message of condolence. Horner Lieske McBride and Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services of Kearney is in charge of arrangements.
Bob was born Nov. 25, 1925, to John and and Minnie (Hazelbarth) Sahling at their farm near Heartwell. He graduated from Kenesaw High School in 1943 then served one year in the U.S. Navy Air Corps’ V5 training program. He returned to Nebraska in 1944 and worked for his dad’s custom combining and trucking business.
He married Patricia Connelly in 1945. He started selling trucks in 1948 for Hastings Motor Truck Company and later worked as a real estate broker. On Aug. 31, 1955, He married Doris “Dode” Heacock.
In 1968 he started his own company – Sahling Truck and Trailer in Kearney and sold used trucks and new and used semitrailers. In May of 1973 they moved to the current location and changed the name to Sahling Kenworth. The company also had a store in York and Columbus. He retired from the business in 1998.
Bob was a member of New Life Church in Kearney and also served on the Platte Valley State Bank Board of Directors, past chairman Kenworth National Dealer Council, past president Nebraska Motor Carriers Association, Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce board member and 1984 chairman, past director Nebraska New Car & Truck Dealers Association, and former director of Richard Young Hospital, partner in Crossroads Ford, chairman Gateway Farm Expo (1975, 1976, 1981), Kearney Municipal Airport Advisory Board and the Nebraska Diplomats.
Robert enjoyed playing golf and his involvement in UNK Athletics especially the football team. He thoroughly enjoyed his relationships with the coaches and players, he also stayed involved in community activities.
He is survived by his son John Sahling and wife Sonia of Kearney; daughter’s Holly Reiter and husband Dan of Beatrice, NE and Sherry Butolph and husband Kirk of Chilcoot, CA; grandchildren, Bryan Sahling, Rick Heddy, Steve Heddy, Brandon Heacock and wife Laura, Scott Rucker and wife Kelli, Steve Seachord and wife Kara, Kevin Wise and wife Robyn, Rob Weichel and wife Kelli and Dustin Lobb and wife Ashley Reiter; 20 great grandchildren; and daughter-in-law, Jan Heacock of Kearney.
He was preceded in death by his wife Dode in 2007; son Ronald Heacock in 2005, 2 brothers; 1 sister.
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