Joseph S. Hernandez, 89, of Kimball, died at Kimball Health Services on Tuesday, August 4, 2020. Funeral services for Joe will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, August 10, 2020 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Kimball with Pastor Kenneth Mars officiating. Burial will be held in the Kimball Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Sunday from 1:00 until 6:00 p.m. Friends may also visit www.cantrellfh.com to view the obituary and leave messages and stories for the family. Memorials have been established in Joe’s memory to St. John’s Lutheran Church or the Kimball Volunteer Fire Department. The services for Joe have been entrusted to the Cantrell Funeral Home.
Joseph Sacramento Hernandez was born in Potter, Nebraska on April 29, 1931, the son of Cesareo and Petra (Hurtado) Hernandez. Joe moved to Kimball with his family at an early age and received his early education in Kimball. His family moved to Logan County Colorado. During his senior year, Joe missed about a month of school because of the blizzard of “49”. When he returned, he was able to complete all of the work he missed and graduated on time with the rest of his class. He was drafted into the US Army on March 6, 1952 and honorably served his country during the Korean War. He was discharged on December 6, 1953. He moved back to Kimball following his discharge from the Army and started Kimball Plumbing and Heating with a long-time friend. He attended plumbing and heating school in Omaha. Joe met the love of his life Nellie, who was the manager of the Ben Franklins in Scottsbluff. They were married on August 11, 1955 in Torrington, Wyoming. He worked for the railroad for 6 month and then went to work at the Observer. He later went to work for the “Business Farmer and worked there for a short time before opening his own print shop, “Joe’s Press”. His granddaughter Kerry Cleveland helped with the operation of the business. Joe continued running his print shop until his retirement in 1995. Joe was happy and content living in Kimball, the place he has called home for so many years.
Survivors include his daughters Nikki (Richard) Grimes of Earlham, IA., and Jamie Cleveland of Scottsbluff, NE; sisters Hilda Frank of Kimball, NE., and Alice Folladori of Sterling, CO; grandchildren Kerry Cleveland (Kraig) Baker and her son Keaton Fisher, Misty Cleveland, Jessica Cleveland, Kristi Grimes and Richard Grimes; many great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, brother Manuel Hernandez, Lance Hernandez, Sr. and an infant brother, sister Mary Beam and an infant sister and granddaughter Stacy Grimes.
