Earl Backes

Earl L. Backes, 89, of Columbus, Nebraska, passed away on April 11, 2025. Born May 31, 1935, in Lindsay, Nebraska, to Edward Backes and Clara Albracht, Earl never met a stranger—only friends he hadn't gotten to know yet.

After attending Holy Family School in Lindsay, Earl proudly served in the US Army. Upon returning, he married Lenore Borer on June 1, 1957. Their 67-year journey together took them first briefly to Omaha, then back to Columbus where Earl began working at Habco. In 1963, Earl and Lenore moved their young family to Wheat Ridge, Colorado, where he started his career with Jeffco Manufacturing, which later became Ball Metal Container.

The family relocated to Findlay, Ohio in 1973, where Earl was tapped to help open a new can end plant as Production Manager. With his trademark enthusiasm and leadership, Earl guided his team to transform the facility into the world's largest production capacity end plant. Earl & Lenore returned to Colorado in 1988 where Earl continued his career at Ball until retiring in 2000, after which they lived in both Arvada and Golden, CO before finally settling back in Columbus.

During his time at Ball, Earl was awarded a US Patent for pre-spinning aluminum cans, an innovation that revolutionized manufacturing efficiency and ultimately made beverage containers more affordable for consumers everywhere. Even in retirement, Earl's expertise was sought internationally—Quaker Chemical asked him to consult on end lines worldwide, giving him and Lenore adventures across the globe, including trips to China and Germany.

Earl had a gift for connection—within minutes of meeting someone, he'd have their life story and be sharing his own animated tales. His gregarious nature and his love for baseball made him a perfect fit as an usher at Colorado Rockies spring training in Scottsdale, where for many years he and Lenore enjoyed the warm weather while cheering on their beloved team.

Earl was a helper, a gardner and the definition of Mr. Fixit. He could fix just about anything, sometimes coming up with some very creative solutions. Later in retirement he became a beloved helpful hardware man at ACE Hardware in Denver, and when back in Columbus, he bought a three-wheel bicycle so he could deliver his prized tomatoes all over town.

Earl and Lenore were intrepid travelers, visiting Alaska multiple times, including one memorable five-week adventure where a fishing expedition turned into an extended stay when they were weathered in at their yurt. They also explored America's national parks extensively in their RV. Earl's artistic side emerged in retirement as he crafted decorative mirrors and jewelry using treasures collected during their travels, and he took great pride in polishing and displaying stones from their many adventures.

He is survived by his three children: Diane (Kirk) Foote of Boise, ID; Gary (Renee) of Sparta, TN; and Becky (Jon) Fickenworth of Cincinnati, OH; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; sisters Joan Kurtenbach and Marilyn Haney of Columbus and Joyce Wieser of Omaha; and brothers Duane (Lois) of Columbus, Ken (Janie) of Humphrey, and Bill (Ginnie) of Milford. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lenore, his parents, sisters Sr. Edna and Caroline Cielocha, brothers Jackie and Dave, and brothers-in-law Ken Cielocha, Bill Kurtenbach, Bill Haney and Ervin Wieser.

A Mass will be held on May 24, 2025, at 9:30 am at St. Isidore's Church followed by a light breakfast in the church social hall. A graveside service will be held Wednesday, May 28 at 10:00 at All Saints Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Colorado Rockies Baseball Club Foundation (mlb.com/rockies/community/community-programs).