June 3, 1949 ~ January 23, 2026
Jay Kent Wischmeier passed away peacefully at his home on January 23, 2026, surrounded by his family. He was born on June 3, 1949, in Beatrice, Nebraska, the second child of Dawson and Merna (Hoevet) Wischmeier.
From an early age, Jay was always on the move. His love of sports emerged early, and he was constantly involved in football, track, and his favorite sport, basketball. When he wasn’t competing, Jay could often be found on the family farm helping his father, Dawson. He developed an early affinity for running farm equipment—whether the tractor, cultivator, or the ultimate prize, the combine. During later summers, Jay and his brother Curt spent time in Aurora, Nebraska, helping their aunt and uncle, Marjorie and Ted Regier, on their farm.
Jay attended Lewiston Consolidated School, graduating in 1967. It was there that he met the love of his life, Rosemary Rinne. He went on to attend the University of Nebraska, graduating in 1971. His desire to remain involved in athletics led him to pursue a degree in education. Jay and Rosemary were married on August 14, 1971, and soon relocated to Elmwood, Nebraska, where Jay began his teaching and coaching career.
Over the next two decades, Jay taught physical education and English, first in Elmwood and later in Lewiston.
While he was a dedicated teacher, his true passion was coaching. Jay coached football, basketball, track, and volleyball. Although his teams found success in each sport, volleyball stood out most. He led numerous teams at Elmwood and Lewiston to state tournament appearances, and his 1985 Lewiston team captured the state championship—the first state title in the school’s history.
Jay’s passion for athletics extended beyond the classroom and field and was passed on to his four children: Stephanie, Travis, Lindsay, and Nicholas. He spent countless years coaching their teams, traveling to games, and offering unwavering support. Jay was an unabashed and enthusiastic fan, and his children were truly the pride of his life. He traveled across the country to support Stephanie (University of Nebraska– Omaha), Travis (Concordia University), Lindsay (University of Nebraska), and Nicholas (Nebraska Wesleyan) throughout their collegiate athletic careers. It was no secret— often to fans, officials, and opponents alike—when Jay was in attendance. Later, as he was blessed with nine grandchildren, he continued to attend games and could even be found occasionally coaching once again.
After retiring from teaching in 1989, Jay devoted himself fully to his other lifelong passion: farming. An innovative and forward-thinking farmer, he continually researched and implemented new techniques to ensure the success of his operation, despite Nebraska’s often unforgiving weather. He raised cattle and hogs and farmed corn and soybeans, working tirelessly to grow and build a large farming operation in southeast Nebraska. Jay also served for many years as President of the Southeast Nebraska Farmers Cooperative Board, where he played an instrumental role in supporting farmers throughout the region.
Jay is survived by his wife of 54 years, Rosemary (Rinne) Wischmeier; daughter Stephanie (Coudeyras) and her husband Kent, and their children Jaiden and fiancé Connor Freitag of Lincoln, and Dawson of Burchard; son Travis and his wife Susan (Dugan), and their children Ashlyn, Trey, and Adalyn of Kearney; daughter Lindsay (Peterson) and her husband Ty, and their children Drake, Jax, Ronan, and Nash of Martell; son Nicholas of Omaha; brother Curt and his wife Susan (Ramig) of Aberdeen, South Dakota; cousins Joyce (Gregg) Stanway of Colorado and Marjean (Bill) Harshbarger of Newton, Kansas; brother-inlaw Russell Rinne of Beatrice; brothers- and sisters-in-law Don and JoAnne Rinne of Beatrice, Jack and Mary Rinne of Sedona, Arizona, and Janice Rinne of Anderson, South Carolina and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Dawson and Merna Wischmeier; his parents-inlaw, Norman and Mary Rinne; his brother-in-law Bill Rinne; and his aunt and uncle, Marjorie and Ted Regier.
Scriptural prayer service (Rosary) will be held at 10:00 AM Friday, January 30, 2026 at St. Anthony’s of Padua Catholic Church in Steinauer, NE. followed by Mass of Christian Burial services at 10:30 AM. There will be no viewing as cremation has taken place. Public visitation will be held from 1:00-8:00 PM Thursday at the Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel, 708 N. 6th Street in Beatrice with the family greeting friends from 6-7:30 PM. Burial of his ashes will take place at the Lewiston Cemetery at a later date. A memorial has been established to Cottonwood Hospice and to the family’s choice for future designation with the funeral home in charge.
These services have been entrusted to the Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel in Beatrice.