Don Webber

In Lieu of Flowers, the family suggest memorials be made to the Don Webber Memorial to be designated later.

The funeral service for Don Webber will be live streamed on Hutchins Funeral Home facebook page.

Donald Randall Webber was born on February 22, 1952, in Minden, Nebraska to Phillip and Val Jean (Secrest) Webber and parted this life on February 24, 2024, in Lincoln, Nebraska at Bryan East Hospital after a short illness. He attended Riverton school until ninth grade and continued his education at Franklin High School and graduated with the class of 1970.   

 While attending school in Franklin he worked at the Franklin County Sentinel. After graduating he went to work for Rightway Grocery.  

While racing stock cars in Smith Center, Kansas, he met the love of his life, Cathy.  They were married in Ellis, Kansas on May 26, 1973. To this union, two children were born, Jon Benjamin, in 1976 and Jenna Catherine in 1980.   

Don went to work for the City of Franklin in 1980 and worked there for 31 years.  After that he worked for Allmand Brothers in Holdrege for six years.   After retirement, while sitting at home, Don heard that Rightway needed help with stocking shelves, and he offered to help until they could hire someone to fill the position and that job lasted until his death. 

Don and his friends raced the stock car circuit for several years and his racing career came to an end just a few days after his daughter, Jenna was born, but the love of racing would never leave him. He was a NASCAR fan until the day he died. He made many friends while attending the NASCAR races in Kansas City. 

Don was a volunteer for so many things in his lifetime, joining the Franklin Fire Department in 1973. He was an original member of the Franklin EMT’s that started in 1973. He served for many years on both departments. In 2000, he was the EMS Person of the Year for the state of Nebraska. The same year, the squad was the EMS Provider of the Year. Over the years, he helped with the IRON Drive to raise money for a new ambulance. The freon water crisis of 1994 by delivering bottled water to the residents of Franklin. Demolition derby at the county fair and Bloomington Demo Derby and Fourth of July Fireworks, and the annual pancake feed during fire prevention week.  

He was a on the Summer Ball Park Committee for several years and was a current member of the of Franklin County Historical Society.   

In 2011, Don became a granddad to Riley, with Haley following in 2015. His grandkids were the light of his life.  There was nothing too big or small that he wouldn’t do for those kids. The fur babies were just as spoiled as the grandkids were. 

Don leaves behind his wife, Cathy, of 50 years, daughter Jenna Miller (Mark), grandkids Riley and Haley Miller, Dix, NE.  Sisters, Ellen Davis (Gary), Wilcox, and Joyce Weed, Florida. Brother-in-laws, Leon Flax (Maureen), Dodge City, KS, Leroy Flax (Janice) Collyer, KS, Harold Werth (Lois), Quinter, KS,  Sister-in-laws, Wanetta Webber, Colby, KS, Martina Thomas (Seth), Naponee, NE, Shirley Strickert (Paul) Scott City, KS, Cecelia Werth, (Neil), Hays, KS, Mary Jane Knapp, Oberlin, KS, Elaine Reidell (Friend, Keith Deines), WaKeeney, KS, Gladys Owen (Pat), St. Francis, KS, and Corona Hoch, (Eric), Kiowa, KS.   Numerous nieces and nephews and extended family members and many, many friends he has met along the way. 

He was proceeded in death by is his parents, Phillip and Val Jean Webber, son Jon Webber, May, 27, 2020, brother Gerald Webber, Grandmother, Elsie Secrest, sister-in-law, Millie Werth, Father and Mother-in-law, Ignatius and Martina Flax.  

It was hard to go anywhere without Don knowing somebody or making a new friend.  His smile was infectious and his wit and humor will be missed.   He loved to make everyone laugh.

Funeral services were held Saturday, March 2^nd, 2024 at the First United Methodist Church, Franklin, Nebraska with Pastor Rod Heilbrun officiating. Burial was in Greenwood Cemetery, Franklin. Memorials are suggested to the Don Webber Memorial that will be designated for some local entities. Hutchins Funeral Home, Franklin assisted the Webber family with these arrangements.