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Greg Toomer, 74, of Early, formerly of Nemaha, passed away Sept. 18, 2024, at University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Neb.
Gregory Charles Toomer was born Jan. 20, 1950, to parents Donald and Vivian (Gregersen) Toomer in Storm Lake. He was born and raised on the family farm northwest of Nemaha, and graduated from Crestland High School in Nemaha in 1968. Greg served in the Army National Guard until his honorable discharge on June 17, 1975. He attended ISU briefly before returning home to farm alongside his dad on the third generation family farm. He worked long hours with their dairy farm, cow/calf herd, hog farrowing and growing operation as well as growing corn and beans. After stepping away from farming in 2002, he continued sharing his skills in the maintenance departments of Tyson and then VT industries.
Greg was blessed with four children: Lisa, Mark, Erin and John.
Greg loved being a farmer. You could say it was in his blood. He was happiest when he was tinkering in the shop or driving a tractor. He was a jack-of-all-trades and there were few things he couldn’t fix. He was active in community theatre building many sets and working behind the scenes. He was a volunteer firefighter/first responder, served on the REC board and was the unofficial maintenance volunteer for many projects in Nemaha. He operated his own electrical business, “Toomer Electric” for many years. Although great at electronics, he could also build just about anything out of wood, metal or anything else for that matter. Snowmobiling was a passion of his in his early years. He loved sweets and hated “yard birds” (chicken). He was soft-hearted and he couldn’t bring himself to kill any animal — even if it were a rabid skunk. In his later years, he loved to restore vintage tractors and went on many tractor rides. Though he lived “in town,” you could frequently find him out on the farm tinkering away on one of his many projects. He will be dearly missed by those that loved him.
Those left to cherish his memory include his children: Lisa Toomer of Odebolt; Mark (Ruth) Toomer of Polk City; Erin (Tim) Smith of Storm Lake; and Ashley Foster of Indianola; grandchildren: Justin Ellis, Miranda (Nathan) Voshell, Gillian (fiancé Kaden) Toomer, Gavin (Hannah Liske) Toomer, Samuel Toomer, Bennett, Avery, Eden and Emerson Smith; great-grandchildren: Liam and Addyson Voshell and Kayson Toomer; special friend Elaine Gerdes and her daughter, Amy (Justin) Malenosky, and Amy’s son, Brady Williams; sisters: Valerie (Nancy Manderfeld) Toomer of Eden Prairie, Minn.; and Jennifer Lasota of Minnetonka, Minn., and Jennifer’s son, Charlie; brother-in-law Jay Coon and children, Josh Coon and Gabrielle Grooters; and several cousins and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents Donald and Vivian; sister Anita Coon; grandparents: Charles and Evelyn Toomer and Adolph and Marie Gregersen.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, at United Methodist Church in Nemaha. Visitation will be prior to the service from 9:30-10:45 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in Delaware Township Cemetery in Nemaha. Farber & Otteman Funeral Home of Sac City has been entrusted to care for Greg and his family.
