Harlan Russman

Harlan Russman, 84, of Pender, NE, died on Thursday, May 13, 2021, at Legacy Garden Living and Rehabilitation Center in Pender, NE.  A funeral service for Harlan will be held on Thursday, May 20, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at the Munderloh – Smith Funeral Home in Bancroft, NE. The visitation will be held on Thursday morning beginning at 10:00 a.m. at the Munderloh – Smith Funeral Home in Bancroft.  Burial will be held in the Rosehill Cemetery of Pender.  In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the family for future designation.

Harlan was born on January 4, 1937, in Bancroft, NE, the son of Ernest and Edna (Peterson) Russman.  He attended and graduated from Bancroft High School.  On April 15, 1967, Harlan was united in marriage to Carol Heuerman at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Pender, NE.  The couple moved to a farm near Bancroft and moved to the family farm near Pender in 1972. Following Carol’s death in 2005, Harlan continued farming until moving into the nursing home in 2018.  

Harlan enjoyed farming, socializing, and playing cards and polka music.  He was a member of the Logan Valley Dutchmen, where he played the concertina. Even until weeks before his death, he enjoyed entertaining crowds, whether it was at Riverside Ballroom, Welsh's at Halloween, or the fellow residents at Legacy Garden.

Harlan is survived by his sons, Brian Russman of Pittsburgh, PA, and Corey (Nicole) Russman of Lincoln, NE; daughter, Karen (Tom) Targy of Papillion, NE; grandchildren, Hannah, Emily, Matthew, Jenna and Lauren Targy, Elizabeth (fiancé Nathan Reisher), Abigail, Lily, Gianna and Charlotte Russman; sister, Evelyn Harris of Homer, NE; brother-in-law, Dale (Carol) Kudlac of Kennesaw, GA; sisters-in-law, Betty Russman of Bancroft, NE, Lois Kudlac of Fremont, NE, and Donna Kudlac of Fremont, NE.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Carol; brothers, LeRoy Russman, John Russman, Dwain Russman; brothers-in-law, Clayton Harris, Floyd Monette, Elden Kudlac and Kenneth Kudlac; sisters-in-law, Dennise Russman, Lidabel Russman and Wanda Monette.