Donald Elvis Bethel

Donald Elvis Bethel

Dec. 25, 1925 - Dec. 16, 2014

LEBANON, Neb . -- Donald Elvis Bethel, 88, of Lebanon, Nebraska, died Dec. 16, 2014, at the VA Medical Center in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Graveside inurnment with military honors will be Saturday, May 23, 2015, 11 a.m. at Wilsonville.

He was born Dec. 25, 1925, to Klee and Laura (Fisher) Bethel, and was raised on a farm between Lebanon and Danbury, Nebraska.

He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Second Marine Division, First Battalion, Baker Company and fought in World War II in the Pacific Theater. He was honorably discharged after serving his country for over four years. He received the Good Conduct Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, and the Asiatic Pacific Medal with three Stars. He was presented with the Saipan Recognition Medallion at the VFW summer picnic in the late 1990s for helping drive the Japanese off of the island.

After retiring from the service, he worked for numerous local and over-the-road trucking companies. He retired from Consolidated Freightways in Cheyenne in 1990, after being in the trucking industry for over 50 years.

He married Judy Goetz in 1980, and after 15 years, moved to Lebanon, Nebraska. In 1998, they began spending their winters in Apache Junction, Arizona.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Arlee, Dale and Harold; and sisters, Elsie and Joyce.

Survivors include his wife, Judy; children, Pam and husband, Larry Jakel of Colorado, Klee of Arizona, and Greg of Washington State; step-sons, Ed and wife, Sherry, John and wife, Shawna and Robert and wife, Stacey Goetz of Wyoming; sister, Wilma Olson of Des Moines, Iowa; nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Cremation has taken place at Cheyenne Memorial Gardens.

Memorials may be made in his name to the local chapter of the DAV or to a veteran's charity of your choice.

Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.