M. Dwight Wall

Maurice “Dwight” Wall was born on June 14, 1949, in Wray, Colorado to Richard Maurice Wall and Laura Pearl (Woods) Wall. He grew up with beloved siblings Richard Duane Wall, Carol Lee (Wall) Flaming, Jeannie Lin (Wall) Zuege, Jo Ann Wall, and MerryLu (Wall) Simmons on the banks of the Arikaree River. He and his horse, Rocket, had many adventures, stories he told to the end of his days. After meeting in Colby, Kansas, Dwight married Karen Sue Van Kooten in 1973. Although their union would not last, it resulted in the birth of four beautiful children—Azure Dee, Jessica Lee, Caleb Dwight, and Lyndsay Suzanne. Dwight delighted in spending time at the Wall family farm with his daughters and son, introducing them to the traditions and pastimes of his own youth. These included firing BBs at the windmill tail and the most cutthroat games of croquet ever played in a barnyard. Dwight also had a penchant for creating new pastimes and traditions for his children—he loved dancing on the Lewellen bridge by the light of the Dodge Omni headlights and taking us out to the open road in his ’69 Mustang Mach One fastback. “You’ve got to get out the cobwebs!” he would shout over the roar of the engine. Dwight was a hard worker and a sharp businessman, parlaying his first few hives of bees into a thriving honey business headquartered in Lewellen, Nebraska. Throughout the eighties and nineties, Dwight and his truckloads of bees migrated to Bakersfield, California each year to spend winters in the almond groves. When home in Nebraska, the realities of remote bee yards resulted in an unpaid side hustle--rattlesnake assassin. Dwight loved Ford Mustangs, red beer, old westerns, the Denver Broncos, his kids and grandkids, and his bees. When the effects of age worsened an old injury and he could no longer maneuver around a bee yard, Dwight purchased a piece of land outside Elwood and embarked on a second career as a hobby farmer. Baby goats proved even better company than bees, and he whiled away many happy moments puttering around the property. Dwight’s greatest love of all was 1960’s rock and roll music. His children cannot count the number of times he cranked up a song in the car or truck and shouted over the booming speakers and rushing wind, “Music never got any better than this, kids! It never got any better!”; however, conservative estimates would place it in the tens of thousands. Although he always scoffed when it was commented upon, Dwight had a beautiful voice. His renditions of “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals and “Gloria” by Van Morrison, especially, were not to be missed. Now, they will be missed forever. After seventy-four years of life, love, and loss, Dwight died at his home in Eustis, Nebraska on October 2, 2023. Many years ago, Dwight instructed his children that when the time came, they should mark his passing with a traditional Viking funeral that included the wax coffin from his honey extraction equipment. A counteroffer was made, and in accordance with the deal eventually negotiated, Dwight’s earthly remains were cremated by a team of professionals. His four children will mark his passing in a private ceremony. Other loved ones are encouraged to honor Dwight’s memory in the way that feels most authentic and healing to them. Incorporation of Creedence Clearwater Revival is highly encouraged. Dwight was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Jo Ann and Jeanie, brother-in-law Al Zuege, nephews Brent Flaming and Dusty Wall, great-nephew Zachary Zuege, and Jack—the best dog ever. He was also preceded in death by many beloved friends, for whom he never stopped being lonesome. Somewhere in the great beyond, he will be cursing at the television during Husker football games and playing cards with Gene-O and Kounsy. Dwight is survived by daughter Azure Wall (and Jared Furr) of Lincoln; daughter Jessica Wall Alber (and Brian) of Kearney; son Caleb Wall (and Sherrill) of Elwood (and granddaughters Allison, Olivia, Whitney, and Annie); and daughter Lyndsay Lashley (and Cody) of Palisade (and granddaughters Claire and Lilah, and grandson Ewan). Dwight is also survived by his sister Carol Flaming (and Jay) of Yuma, Colorado; brother Duane (and LuAnn) of Cheyenne, Wyoming; and sister MerryLu Simmons (and Bob) of Wray, Colorado, and many cherished nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.