Michael L. "Mike" Gierhan, 53, of Kearney died Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010, at his home. Mike was born Sept. 15, 1957, in Ord to Bud and Bev (Schmidt) Gierhan.

On July 4, 1981, he married Susan Brown in Lexington.

Survivors are: his wife; son, Jonathan Gierhan and his wife, Sarah, of Kearney; daughter, Jenny Gierhan of Kearney; his parents, of Kearney; grandmother, Doris Thompson of Franklin; brother, Jim Gierhan and his wife, Rhonda, of Clay Center, Kan., and sons Adam and Ryan; brothers- and sisters-in-law, Jerry Brown and his wife, Nancy, of McPherson, Kan., and children Tiffani and Steve Floyd and children Garrett and Bailee, and Rob Brown and his wife, Tiffany, of Chadron and children Austin, Trey and Jaelyn; uncles, David Schmidt and his wife, Barb, of Columbia, Mo., and Sam Gierhan and his wife, Dixie, of Lakewood, Calif.; aunts, Sue Bradenkamp and her husband, Roger, of Long Beach, Calif., and Darlene Bourn and her husband, Roger, of Bismarck, N.D.; and numerous cousins.

Mike graduated from Lexington High School in 1975 and then attended Kearney State College. He and Susan lived in Kearney, and he worked in management at Eaton Corp. for 23 years. In 1990 he started Gierhan Construction, which he owned and operated until his death.

He was a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church and the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.).

Mike loved riding his Harley, Nebraska football, NASCAR races, and building and designing homes. He also enjoyed flying, golf, hunting, snow skiing and playing basketball and especially enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Charlie Schmidt, and an uncle, Gary Schmidt.

Burial was in the Kearney Cemetery, Kearney, NE.

Published in the Kearney Hub on 10/6/2010