Edgar Gates

Edgar Charles Gates, age 96, of Columbus died peacefully at his home on Monday, October 27th not surprisingly during harvest season.

Mass of Christian Burial is 10:30 AM Friday, November 7 at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church.  Visitation is on Thursday from 4:00-6:00 PM at McKown Funeral Home with a 6:00 PM Vigil to follow. Visitation continues Friday morning from 9:30 AM until service time at St. Bonaventure Church. Interment is in Roselawn Cemetery with Military Honors by The American Legion Hartman Post 84 Honor Guard.

Edgar was born April 18, 1929, to Henry M. Gates and Theresa (Jahn) Gates in Columbus, NE. He was baptized at St. Bonaventure Church and attended District 9 and St. Bonaventure.

The Gates Family moved to Columbus in 1881 from New Hartford, NY with long ties in American history from fighting in the American Revolution to George Gates sailing from England around 1651 and settling in Hartford, CT and was related to eight pilgrims on the Mayflower.

Edgar lived on the family farm southeast of town and attended District 9.  In the Fall of 1943, he attended his freshman year at Kramer High School, graduating from St. Bonaventure High School in 1947.

In June 1948, Edgar joined the Nebraska Army National Guard Co. E 134th Infantry Regiment, attaining the Rank of Sargent First Class and was honored for nine years of perfect attendance, while in the Guard before being released from active duty in June 1957.

On September 1, 1972, he married the love his life, Elsa Ramsier, and together they raised their four children.  They deeply cared for each other and were able to live on their own and enjoyed working in the yard and gardening, until the end of July this summer.  His love of the land and farming is why he got up at the crack of dawn every day well into his 80's. Edgar's pearly white smile lit up every room he entered.  Over the years, he enjoyed weekly coffee visits at Sapp Brothers.  One word to describe Edgar was classy but there were many!  This humble 'golden soul' took pride in his appearance getting dressed every day with a comb in his pocket, stinky water on his neck, and a twinkle in his eye!  He will be cherished and deeply missed by his family and friends for his sense of humor, kindness, honesty, hard work ethic, and deep devotion to his wife, family and friends.

He was an avid Husker Football fan.  A member of the Knights of Columbus and a member of St. Bonaventure Catholic Church where he enjoyed ushering and working on the cleaning crew for many years.  He was admired for his deep faith and devotion to God.

Edgar was preceded in death by:

Father: Henry Gates, Sr. 1977

Mother: Theresa Gates 1988

Sisters: Laura Roelle 1987 and Virginia Gates 1999

Brothers: Henry Jr. 2010, Eugene 2012, and Clinton 2025

Son: Richard Ramsier 1988

Son-in-law: Richard Beller 2004

Survived by:

Wife: Elsa Gates

Daughter: Debbie (Michael) Hamernik (Johnstown, CO)

Grandchildren: Kennedy (Denver, CO)

Kansas (Johnstown, CO)

Daughter: Sheila (Anthony) Salce (Naples, FL)

Grandchildren: Sheena (Anthony) Tobin (Mobile, AL)

Farrah (Patrick) Womack (St. Augustine, FL)

Raquel (Derek) Powers (Larkspur, CO)

Preston (Dawn) Beller (North Platte, NE)

Parker (Shaela) Beller (Denver, CO)

18 great-grandchildren

Daughter: Angela (Robert) Dedrickson (Council Bluffs, IA)

Grandchildren: Faith Wegener (fiancé Andrew McElmeel) (Omaha, NE)

Noah Wegener (Council Bluffs, IA)

Daughter-in-law: Angie Ramsier (Newport News, VA)

Grandchildren: Ashley Ramsier-Kirschner (North Palm Beach, FL)

Travis Ramsier-Kirschner (Newport News, VA)