Memorial Services for Lou Sperling, age 90, of O'Neill, will be at 10:00 A.M, Friday, August 25, 2017, at the First United Methodist Church in O'Neill with Military Rites to follow by the O'Neill American Legion Simonson Post #93 and the O'Neill American Legion Riders. Pastor Wayne Owens will officiate.  A Private Burial will be held at a later date. Memorial Visitation will be 5 – 8PM on Thursday, August 24, 2017, at Biglin's Mortuary in O'Neill with a Prayer Service at 7PM.  Lou passed away on Wednesday, August 2, 2017, at the Parkside Manor in Stuart, NE.  Arrangements are under the direction of Biglin's Mortuary in O'Neill.

Lou George Sperling was born in Ashton, Nebraska on February 3, 1927, to George and Anna Kwiatktouski Sperling. During Lou's early years he and his family lived around the Ashton, Nebraska area where he attended elementary school. Lou attended 9 ^th grade at North Loup where he stayed with his grandmother to keep the coal furnace going. His sophomore year was spent at Ashton and he graduated from Ord High School in 1944.

Lou's father wanted him to quit school and help on the farm; however, his mother pleaded for him to stay in school. Lou was a good student and passed a test enabling him to skip 8 ^th grade.

He was proud of his Polish heritage and, in his younger years, learned to dance the polka. Lou and his sister Lorraine enjoyed attending polka dances in the area. He became accomplished at dancing the polka and Lorraine's girlfriends would line up to dance with him.

Lou wanted to join the military but his father wanted him to stay home and help on the farm. His father got a deferment for a year. After that year, Lou and a friend skipped out in the middle of the night, went to Omaha, enlisted in the Navy and then notified their parents. Lou was stationed on the USS Herrington and later spent time as a Navy secretary in Washington DC. He used the GI Bill and attended the University of Nebraska for a year. His first employment was with the railroad in Crawford, Nebraska.

Lou went on a blind date with his cousin and met his future bride at the Burwell Rodeo. Lou married Beverly Jean Friedrich on June 10, 1950 in Atlantic, Iowa.

The couple lived in Omaha where Lou worked for Bowen's Appliance and daughters Vicki and Connie were born. He moved his family to the Ord area where he farmed--borrowing equipment from his father in trade for labor. Scott, Denise and Karri were born during this time.

Times were tough on the farm so after a few years the family moved to

Spencer, Nebraska where Lou was employed as an accountant for Hahn Livestock. He then worked at Spencer Hydro for Consumers Public Power. During this time he studied and learned metering which led to a position with Nebraska Public Power District in O'Neill, Nebraska in 1965 as a metering superintendent. Lou transferred to Scottsbluff, Nebraska with NPPD in 1979 where he was employed until retirement. Lou often had a second job as he worked hard to provide for his family.

After retirement Lou and Bev lived in Arizona a few years before returning to O'Neill. The last two years Lou resided at Parkside Manor in Stuart, Nebraska.

Lou was a member of the United Methodist Church in O'Neill and Scottsbluff, Nebraska, was a 64 year member of the American Legion and a past member of the O'Neill Country Club. His hobbies included playing golf and woodworking.

Survivors include his children Vicki Jurgensmeier and husband Robert of O'Neill, Connie Whitlock and husband Jim of Surprise, Arizona, Scott Sperling and wife Karen of Atkinson, Denise Sperling of Omaha, Karri Campbell and husband Greg of Ennis, Montana, 10 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; siblings Arnie Sperling, Larry Sperling, Carl Sperling, Liz Weeth all of Grand Island, Dean Sperling of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Lorraine Hallock of Omaha and Norma Rooney of Kansas City, Missouri.

He was preceded in death by his wife, parents; brother Herman and greatgranddaughter Taylor Parkins-Pyles.