George Anest, 90
George Anest, 90, of Bayard, Nebraska, passed away Wednesday, October 11, 2023, at his home with his loving family at his side. A funeral service was held Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023, at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Bayard, with Rev. Fr. James Kumarelas officiating. Burial followed at the Bayard Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Assumption Greek Orthodox Church.The service was recorded to George’s obituary page, viewable at www.reverencefuneralparlor. com.
Born on April 20, 1933, in Bridgeport, Nebraska, George Anest was the youngest boy and second youngest in a family of nine children. A son of Greek immigrants and a child of the depression, he quickly adopted an early curiosity of agriculture through his father’s passion and life-long profession. After a brief, but impressionable enrollment at Colorado State University, George decided to return to western Nebraska, ready to build his future foundation. This young, broad-shouldered man eagerly tackled the hard work required to succeed.Working at the Bayard Sugar Factory for eight campaigns, he seeded his first foray into solo farming in the Bayard area. His laser focus drove him into feeding cattle and ranching, helping define an illustrious 73-year career, doing what he loved most.
He was progressive. Frequently reading, learning, and working to implement advanced practices in all facets of his life. This approach helped him earn consistent High Station awards as an American sugar beet grower and enviable corn yields year after year. His uncanny ability to calculate quick math and assess cattle opportunities earned him a formidable reputation in the beef industry. Later in his career, he embraced a Senecaesque status, by encouraging and instilling sage advice to his contemporaries.
He met Andreanoula Demopoulou in Kalamata, Greece, and they married in 1965.Their love affair lasted through sickness and in health, until his last breath, 58 years, eight months, two children and seven grandchildren later.
George was a proud member of the AHEPA and was a longtime member of the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Bayard, where he served as a board member and in various other capacities.
George’s curiosity seemed ever-present. Searching for answers to his queries, he loved the vastness of infinite results through online searching. He was an early adopter of social media and enjoyed the connectivity it offered.
He loved what he did. He loved his wife and family. He had no regrets. He will be sorely missed but never forgotten. May his memory be eternal.
Survivors include his wife, Nula Anest of Bayard; son, James (Lindsay) Anest of Kenosha, WI; daughter, Rula (Chris) Kearns of Johnstown, CO; seven grandchildren, Alexandra Jeannine, Aundrea Eleni, Kathryn Grace, Andreas Georges, Arianna Georgette, Maximos David, and Finley James; godchild, Christopher Plummer of Bridgeport, NE; sisters, Bessie Sparto of Fort Worth,TX and Elizabeth Kreekos of Omaha, NE; along with other extended relatives and friends.
George was preceded in death by his father, James Anest; mother, Argyro Anest; and six brothers,Theodore, Gus, Nick, Pete, Pat and Paul.