Ronald Shearer

Ronald Loyid Shearer, 82, of Oshkosh, Nebraska, passed away peacefully at his home in the early morning hours of Tuesday, October 27, 2026. Funeral services will be held at the Lisco Presbyterian Church on Saturday, October 31 at 10:30 am. The family asks that everyone attending the service please proudly wear your Garden County or Nebraska Cornhusker attire. A private family burial service will be held on Friday. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Historical Society of Garden County or Garden County Youth Sports.

Ron was born on April 29, 1944, in Oshkosh, to Waldo and Lola (Law) Shearer. He attended Oshkosh Elementary School, and graduated from Garden County High School in 1962. It was while a freshman at GCHS that Ron met his lifelong soulmate, Marlis Buske. While Marlis was the ever studious one, Ron liked to live a little on the wild side, proving that opposites do attract. Ron and Marlis continued dating all through high school and a couple years of college. They married August 14, 1965, and moved to Chadron,

While attending Chadron State College, their first daughter, Tiffany Dawn, was born in December of 1968. Ron continued his studies, and graduated in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Arts. They moved to Gurley, Nebraska in the fall of 1969, where Ron took his first teaching job at Gurley High School. Ron enjoyed his job teaching shop and driver’s education, but most fondly talks about his years as the head coach for the Gurley Pirates football team. He would share fond memories of coaching, games, and players for many years to come.

It was during those summers off that Ron and Marlis would work at the Buske ranch north of Lisco. In July of 1976, Ron and Marlis welcomed their second daughter, Allison Rae, and they decided that country life was the life for them. In the summer of 1979, the family moved to the ranch, where they would be the fourth generation to carry on the family legacy. In December of 2000, they moved from the ranch to make room for the next generations and settled on an acreage on the suburbs of Lisco. In 2020, they relocated again to a house just 2 blocks from Ron’s birthplace and family’s home.

Having lost his father when he was 9 years old gave him a life lesson resulting in his “everready bunny” work ethic and to hone his fathering skills. At seven years of age Ron started working in the hay field for Bud Swan and continued his haying career working for the Campbell family. In the eighth grade, he started his job at Turner Skelly, a job that he always talked fondly of. It was during those years that Ron developed his love for collecting all things Skelly, eventually having his own Skelly “museum” at their home in Lisco. While going to Chadron State College, Ron worked many shifts at the truck stop as well as at the Chadron State Park.

Ron and Marlis always loved to travel, and took their kids on many camping trips to see historical places, landmarks, and parks. It was always a vacation that was on a very tight schedule, as there were many things to do and see, but there were always many memories to be made. Chadron State Park always had a special place in Ron and Marlis’ hearts and was a favorite camping spot for many years, where they even enjoyed being campground hosts for five years. They continued their travels, and even made the J-5 RV Park in Mission, Texas, their winter Texan home for seven years. They enjoyed many train rides, visiting family and friends, and just creating memories at home.

Ron never knew a stranger and always spotted someone he knew wherever he went. He loved all things Garden County and Nebraska, and was an avid Garden County Eagles and Cornhusker fan. Ron devoted his life to serving the community on boards–Lisco School Board, Garden County FSA County Committee, Garden County Commissioner, Garden County Fairboard, Lisco Presbyterian session, West Lisco/East Morrill County Cemetery and spending countless hours with Marlis sprucing up the Garden County museums and sharing the history of the county he loved and shared with others. He was also a “member because of association” to any volunteer jobs when Marlis said “I can do that.” Their marriage never was spelled with an “I”, it was a MarrWEge.

Ron loved his wife, Marlis, with all of his heart and soul, and they celebrated 61 wonderful years of marriage together. Ron loved his daughters and grandchildren, attending too many sports and school functions to count. He absolutely adored his great grandchildren, who were the light of his life, and he enjoyed giving them Dum Dum suckers and ice cream before off the bottle. Ron gave freely of his time and talents, and would do anything for anyone, and especially his family. He left a legacy that will always live with us, and while we will miss him dearly, we will always think of him when eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes, having a Snicker Blizzard at Dairy Queen, watching a Husker football or volleyball game, sitting around the campfire eating S’mores, and playing a “hot” game of cards or fast track.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Waldo and Lola; his mother and father-in-law, Preston and Wilma Buske; and his siblings, Raymond, Donald, Janice, and infant brother, Russell. He is survived by his wife, Marlis, his daughters Tiffany (Scott) Zorn, and Allison Roberts, his grandchildren Michael, Mason (Abbe), Mallory (Dillon), Cord, and Kaigan, and by great grandchildren Emersyn, Maverick, and William, and yet-to-arrive boy. Also surviving are sister-in-law Marcia Wilson and husband Jim and many nieces, nephews and friends.