Francis H. Uhing

Francis Hugo Uhing of Wynot, NE, age 86 years, passed away on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at Sister James Care Center, Yankton, SD.

Mass of Christian Burial will be on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Family (Sacred Heart) Catholic Church in Wynot with the Rev. Owen Korte officiating. Burial will be at Sacred Heart cemetery in Wynot with Military rites by the Wynot American Legion, the American Legion Riders and the Patriot Guard. Visitation will be on Monday, at church, from 5-7:00 p.m. with a Vigil Service at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue on Tuesday one hour prior to services. Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home in Hartington.

You may watch a livestream of the funeral at: www.facebook.com/WintzRay/live 

Pallbearers will be his grandchildren: Nichelle Steffen, Joanna (AJ) Katerinos, Alexandra Steffen, Noah Uhing, Brileigh Uhing, Katherine (Thomas) Lewis, Brittany (Jairod Hill) Galvez-Hill, Joshua Galvez, Ashley Richardson, and Guinevere Richardson.

Honorary pallbearers: All Uhing family military veterans are invited to attend in uniform if they choose.

Francis Hugo was born in Bow Valley, NE on November 1, 1938 to Joseph and Ida Uhing. He left Bow Valley at the age of 14 to study in the seminary in Illinois, then worked as a dairy farm hand in Wisconsin. At age 18, he joined the Army and spent time at Fort Riley, Kansas, Fort Leonard Wood, MO and Fort Sill, OK. Although he never served overseas, his unit was under orders to leave immediately for Germany during the Berlin Crisis in 1961 until orders were called off. His life was spent in service to others: as a bus driver for 20 years for Cedar Catholic and Wynot schools, 20 years as an LPN at the Human Service Center in Yankton. He worked as Eucharistic minister and lector at Holy Family church in Wynot, served as hospice volunteer for veterans, delivered Meals on Wheels, worked as volunteer fire fighter in Wynot, was an active member and sponsor of Alcoholics Anonymous, and spent five decades serving in the American Legion Post 31 in Wynot. He enjoyed his role as chaplain the most, because he was a man of deep faith. He proudly wore his Veterans cap and was delighted to start conversations about his Army career when people commented on his hat. He enjoyed gardening, stained-glass work and woodworking and frequently shared his knowledge, his creations and the bounty of garden produce with others. Family and friends were always welcomed with open arms and the coffee pot was always on.

Francis is survived by his children: Lori (Joseph) Steffen, Rosemount MN; Gerry (Shelly) Uhing, South Sioux City, NE; Debora Galvez of St. Cloud, MN; and Lynette (Ronald) Richardson of Anoka, MN; 10 grandchildren (serving as pallbearers) and two great-grandchildren Eliana and Theodore Katerinos; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and neighbors all mourn his loss. He is also survived by sisters Rita Varilek of Tabor, SD, Margaret Bares of Tyndall SD, Irene Kocmick of Tyndall, SD and Rosemary (David) Folkers of Bow Valley and sisters-in-law Alice Uhing of Bow Valley, NE and Sandra Uhing of Fordyce, NE.

He was preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Ida Uhing: brothers Jerome, Leonard and Andrew Uhing; sister Maryann Uhing; brothers-in-law Stanley Varilek, Charles Bares and Leo Kocmick; wife Gail Uhing; son John Uhing; son-in-law Tito Galvez; infant children Jeanne and Joseph; infant granddaughters Kirsten and Candace; and unnamed infant children.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Wynot Legion post 31 or the Norfolk Veteran's Home.