Milo Wanek

Milo J. Wanek was born to Rudolph and Mary Wanek on December 20th, 1917 on a small farm near Friend, Nebraska in Saline County.

He attended a rural school near Friend until he was needed to help operate the family farm because of the passing of his father. He worked on the family farm until he was drafted in to the United States Army in the fall of 1941. He attended basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and then on to Pearl Harbor before going to Saipan. He achieved the rank of corporal before being honorably discharged.

After returning home to Nebraska, he married Mary Kvasnicka on January 21, 1952. Milo and Mary had a daughter; Judy and continued to farm near Friend until 1960. Then they moved to Crete, NE where Milo took employment at Wanek’s of Crete, which was owned by Milo’s brother, Bob.

After retiring Milo enjoyed fishing, dancing, playing cards, and traveling back and forth to Hawaii. In his later years of life, Milo moved to Grand Island to enjoy time with his daughter and her family. 

Milo passed away at the age of 94 on August 17, 2011.