Clarence O. Haeker

Clarence Otto Haeker, Pete, departed this life on June 6, 2019.He was the 2nd of 4 children born to Otto Christian Haeker and Laura Marie Schleuffer Haeker. He was born on December 1, 1933, on his family farm close to Orleans, Nebraska.Clarence was baptized at Peace Lutheran Church in Alma, NE. The family resided on a farm 6 miles southeast of Orleans, NE until July 1, 1950, when they moved to Alma. Clarence attended School District #74 until sixth grade, when county schools were consolidated, and he continued school in Alma. He graduated from Alma High School with the class of 1951.In 1952, he enlisted in the Navy and completed boot camp at Camp Elliott in San Diego, CA. He later served aboard the USS Cape Esperance, an aircraft carrier operating in the South Pacific in the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in June 1956 with the rank of Petty Officer First Class.He attended Midland College, in Fremont, NE and the Universities of Colorado, Denver, and Northern Colorado. He earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree in 1967 from the University of Denver and became a member of the Bar in 1968.On August 8th, 1959, he was united in marriage to Jane Thomas in Longmont, CO. Since their early teens they had dated off and on, reconnected in 1958, and were wed shortly after. He remained a devoted and loving husband until his final day.He was an avid outdoorsman and liked pheasant and duck hunting in Nebraska. He also hiked and backpacked in the Colorado mountains. He was a director of Off-campus Education at University of Northern Colorado and later was a hearing officer with the Colorado Department of Revenue.Clarence is preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Harold Haeker.Surviving members of his family are his wife, Jane; daughter, Dawn Martinsen; son, Kurt (Denise) Haeker; grandchildren, Chris (Kara) Hobson, Kathryn Hobson (Ben Clark), and Beau Haeker; great-grandchildren, Aidan, Amelie, Kian, and Theo Hobson; brothers, Allen (Chris) of Alma, Nebraska and Don (Jan) of Kearney, Nebraska; sister-in-law, Willa Rae Haeker; nieces, Natalie Hotchkiss, Lori (Cody) Knutson, Ann (John) Brusie, and Lisa Haeker; and nephews, Scott Haeker and Hal (Dawn) Haeker.Graveside services and interment are planned for the Alma, NE cemetery, Monday, June 10, 10:30 am. Lunch and reception will be held following the services at Peace Lutheran Church, Alma, NE.Instead of flowers, donations may be made to Pheasants Forever at Richard Calkins, Calkins Law Office, C/O Pheasants Forever, P.O Box 440, Alma, NE, 68920.