William "Willie" J. Tuma

William J. "Willie" Tuma, 78, of Elba, died on Friday, November 24, 2023, at CHI Health - St. Francis in Grand Island.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, at Jacobsen-Greenway-Dietz Funeral Home in St. Paul.  Interment will be held in the Elba Cemetery.  Visitation will be held 1 hour prior to services at the Funeral Home.

Willie was born on July 21, 1945, to William and Elaine (Skolil) Tuma.  In spite of being a blue baby, he grew up thrived and survived on the family farm west of St. Paul.  He attended District 8 Country and St. Paul Public Schools.

He worked various jobs throughout his life including construction jobs, working at the Ordinance Plant in Grand Island, running a sand and gravel pump, along with driving semis hauling cattle and grain.  In his later years, he traveled with highway construction crews building roads across the state until his health forced him to retire.

Willie had a mechanical knack for fixing something out of nothing.  He could look at guns and tell you what model and caliber of which he was an avid collector.  He spent many years with his uncle, Henry fishing and hunting, and keeping Hamm’s Beer in business.

His numerous hobbies included fishing, hunting, collecting guns and coins, as well as making his own ‘fireworks.”  He listened to polka and old country music, ate a lot of kolaches, loved watching old westerns and war movies, and read a lot of war history books.  One of his most memorable moments was riding in a B52 Bomber.  Willie was too generous to a fault with his friends, which he made many over the years.  He loved to reminisce about his friends, Louie Caudill, Harlon Pelc, Dick Budzinski, Helmet Gerber, Bryce Pearson, and Mark Dugan.   He loved his dogs which he called, “kids,” Zietz and Fritz.

Willie was a brother who was loved by his siblings, Ida Shoemaker of North Loup, Jim Tuma of Ogallala, and Ann Tuma of St. Paul.  He was an uncle to J.J. (Amy) Tuma, Valerie and Rick Loebig, Cassi and Jeremy Paxton; and great-uncle to Kinsy and Trevon Tuman, Trinity and Jake Loebig, Kadynce and Riley Paxton.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister-n-law, Sharon Tuma.