Bryan J. Mahrt, 45, of Wolbach, died unexpectedly on Monday, October 30, 2023 at the Howard County Medical Center in St. Paul.

Funeral services were held on Monday, November 6, 2023 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Wolbach. Vicar Abigail Vetick officiated. Marilyn Paulman was the organist. The congregational hymn was “Amazing Grace.” Recorded selections included “Daddy’s Hands” by Holly Dunn, “Go Rest High On That Mountain” by Vince Gill, and “Spirit In The Sky” by Norman Greenbaum.

Casketbearers included Shane Wibbels, John Winters, Jason Stam, Russ Bloom, John Stam, Steven Klein, and Matt Borwege.

Burial was in the Hillside Cemetery in Wolbach.

Honorary pallbearers included Kurt Hansen, Aubrey Hansen, Jordan Leasure, Brecken Leasure, Andrew Hansen, Kyan Hansen, Alex Stigge, Kady Leasure, and Lane Leasure. A visitation was held on Sunday at the church.

Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation.

The service was livestreamed on the Trinity Lutheran YouTube page.

The direct link for that is https://www.youtube. com/channel/UCwRtlJ-igkhosan- 87wbX5A.

Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is assisting the family.

Bryan was born on January 13, 1978, at St.

Paul, the son of Melvin M. and Katherine A.

“Kathy” (Lange) Mahrt.

He grew up on the family farm west of Wolbach and attended Wolbach Public Schools, graduating from Wolbach High School in 1996. He then attended Southeast Community College in Beatrice before returning home to farm with his parents. He also worked for and helped other local farmers with their crops and cattle.

He married Jessica Pfenning on March 5, 2011, in Wolbach.

He was a lifetime member of Trinity Lutheran Church.

Bryan enjoyed hunting and fishing and loved farming and tinkering around in his shop with his sons. He liked having a “cold one” with family and friends and giving tractor and semi rides to his nieces and nephews.

He is survived by his sons, Alex Stigge and Meghan Grimes of Omaha and John Mahrt of Wolbach; daughter, Ava Gellatly of Doniphan; his mother, Kathy Mahrt of Wolbach; sisters and brothers-in-law, Andrea and Jordan Leasure of Grand Island and Traci and Kurt Hansen of Scotia; former wife and friend, Jessica Mahrt of Wolbach; Mahrt nieces and nephews, Aubry Hansen, Brecken Leasure, Kyan Hansen, Kady Leasure, and Lane Leasure; best friend who was like a brother, Shane Wibbels and his wife, Erika, of Minden; aunts and uncles, godfather, Butch and Jane Spence of Atlantic, Iowa, Carla and Willard Kunze of Palmer, Marlene and Larry Mostek of St.

Paul, Diana Merriman of Lincoln, Donna Anderson of Wolbach and godmother, Sherri and Bob Molt of Spalding; Jessica’s parents, Ray and Deb Pfenning of Grand Island; Jessica’s siblings and spouses, Cory and Tanyia Pfenning of Lincoln, Nickie and Gary Wagner of Cairo, Nate and Cindy Pfenning of Grand Island, and Jennifer and Joe Proctor of Aurora; and many Pfenning nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Melvin, on November 21, 2010; grandparents, Hermann Mahrt and Carl and LaFerne Lange; and uncles, Ronnie Spence, Tom Merriman, and Vic Anderson.