Larry Bockelman

Larry A. Bockelman, 75, of Aurora, formerly of Wisner, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at Memorial Community Care in Aurora, where he had resided for nearly one and a half years. 
A Celebration of Life Service will be held 11 a.m., Saturday, March 28th at the Aurora United Methodist Church, 1104 A Street, Aurora. The family will receive friends from 10 – 11 a.m. prior to the service. Lunch will be served following the service, where attendees will be given time to give tributes to Larry. Higby-McQuiston Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family to be designated at a later date. Condolences may be sent to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.
Larry Allen Bockelman, was born on May 31, 1950, to Clarence and Shirley (VanBuskirk) Bockelman and passed away at Aurora, Nebraska on March 11, 2026, at the age of 75. 
Larry was the eldest of four siblings: Barbara (Bill) Maxon, James (Pam) Bockelman, Darwin (Dawn) Bockelman and Tina (Mark) Wright. Larry graduated with a Bachelor’s in Education and a minor in Physical Education from the University of South Dakota at Springfield, S.D. where he met Kerri Lee Sinclair. They were married on Oct. 6, 1973. 
Larry was hired as coach and science teacher by Wisner-Pilger High School in Wisner in 1973 and continued there for 34 years. He obtained a Master’s degree in Biology and enjoyed teaching Advance Placement Biology and Anatomy. 
He loved coaching, introducing cross country to the school in 1974. Over the years in track he coached the running events, high jump, long jump, triple jump and the pole vault. Larry worked alongside excellent coaches as well. 
When Larry retired from teaching, he worked at the Elkhorn Valley Health Department as Emergency Contact Coordinator and Public Educator for 9 years. 
Training continued despite busy lives together and before long, he had run twelve marathons. Being physically active was always important to him, including biking across the states of Nebraska and Iowa with Kerri. 
Larry and Kerri were parents to two children and grandchildren: daughter, Toni (Aric) Brandt and grandchildren, Zane, Caliber and Graysha and son, Keal (Hayle) Bockelman and grandchildren, Kale, Indy, Kian, Kylo, Kipp and Jayla. 
Larry served Wisner on the City Council as Mayor for 16 years along with many hard working and forward-thinking citizens. He felt honored to serve the community as an EMT and EMT Instructor for over 35 years. 
He was a long time member of the United Methodist Church of Christ in Wisner and upon moving to Aurora in 2022 became a member of the Aurora United Methodist Church. 
Larry was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents and premature son, Jonah.