Funeral Services for Chad Eugene Lurz will be held August 19, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. at the Methodist Church in Ainsworth, NE with a luncheon to follow. He will be buried at a later time at the Richland Harmony Cemetery in Valentine, NE.
Chad passed away October 20, 2022, in Omaha, NE after a brief battle with cancer. Chad Eugene Lurz was born April 26, 1967 in Lexington, NE to James Albert Lurz and Gladyce (Thornton) Lurz. They lived in several different small towns but settled in Ainsworth and called it their hometown. Chad attended high school there and graduated with the Class of 1985 at the Ainsworth High School. He was an active FFA member and enjoyed range judging.
Chad worked several jobs for farmers and ranchers in the area but a severe injury eventually determined his need for an inside job, so he began working in his families restaurant, The Depot, and he worked there for the final 15 years of his employment career. Chad enjoyed the company of the community and everyone that came into the restaurant. The customers and employees were more like family to Chad. He always made sure you got fed and treated right.
Chad helped maintain the fountain at the Ainsworth City Park for over 20 years since it was redone and converted back from a flower planter into a fountain. This brought a lot of compliments to the town. It’s been a beautiful area now at the park for tourists and community members. He spent many hours in the summer filling, repairing and cleaning the fountain but he was very proud of his work and the beauty of it when it was done.
Chad spent hours fishing with his family and friends. There was never a stranger when it came to fishing. Everybody was welcome to come fishing with him. He just didn’t always show you his favorite or secret fishing holes with the best fishing. Whether it was fishing in the summer or ice fishing it just didn’t matter. He just loved to fish. It resulted in hours of cleaning fish afterwards, but it didn’t matter to him. He would spend time teaching friends and his nieces and nephews how to filet a fish too.
Chad got interested in hobbies like woodworking and smoking meat as he got older. He made benches and different things out of wood for friends and family. He made benches that had glow in the dark designs on them for fund raising events and for family’s that had lost family members. He made other things to, but he’s mostly known for those benches. The impact his gifts made to a grieving family was overwhelmingly loving at the time of their loss. He was such a loving and caring person. He began making bacon and if you were someone that was lucky enough to have had some of his bacon, you will definitely never find the same in a grocery store! His was awesome!
Chad was an avid arrowhead collector. He spent weekends with his nephews and nieces taking them hunting for them. They collected arrowheads and other artifacts over the years. He taught the kids to use bow and arrows and how to shoot guns safely. He was an avid part of their growing up.
He is survived by his sister, Laura (Robert) Cordes of Hettinger, ND, James (Barbara) Lurz of St. Paul, NE and Michael Lurz of Ainsworth; along with nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews and a great-greatnephew.
He is preceded in death by his parents, James and Gladyce (Thornton) Lurz of Ainsworth and grandparents, Henry and Frances (Ward) Lurz and Virgil and Ruth (Brown) Thornton.
The family request no flowers be sent. Your presence is welcome. Donations are welcome and will be used for a memorial in Chad’s name.
Memorial Service for Chad Lurz will be held on Saturday, August 19, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at the Ainsworth United Methodist Church. The inurnment will be at a later date at the Harmony Cemetery, north of Valentine. Sandoz Chapel of the Pines in Valentine is entrusted with arrangements.
