Blake William Bartels

Blake William Bartels age 39 of Crofton, Nebraska died on Wednesday, October 13, 2021 as a result of a one vehicle accident near Bloomfield, NE. Funeral Services will be on Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 10:30 am at the St. Boniface Catholic Church in Menominee, Nebraska with Rev. Jim Keiter officiating. Burial will be in the Beaver Creek Cemetery in rural Crofton, Nebraska. Visitation will be from 5:00 – 8:00 pm with a prayer service at 7:00 pm at church on Monday, October 18, 2021. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services on Tuesday. Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home in Crofton, Nebraska. You may watch a livestream of the funeral at www.facebook.com/WintzRay/live Pallbearers are Tony Cardoza, Brandon Huetig, James Pearson, Taylor Schwager, Kane Fiedler, Kylee Cardoza, Konner Cardoza, Marcus Bartels, and Lukas Bartels. Honorary pallbearers are Blake’s nieces, nephews, cabin friends and his trucking family. Blake was born on August 18, 1982 in Osmond, Nebraska to Bill and Margaret (Fyfe) Bartels. He grew up in Laurel until the 1^st grade when his family moved to Hartington. Blake attended elementary at Hartington Public School where he met the love of his life Shandi Marie Heikes.  He attended 7^th through 10^th grades at Crofton High School. Blake was a three-sport letter winner in track, football, and basketball. He graduated from Hartington Public in 2001. After high school, Blake moved to Lincoln, NE and worked for Husker Auto Group in car sales. He and Shandi were in Lincoln a year before moving back to Hartington.  In 2002, Blake and Shandi had their first child, Payton. During this time, Blake worked as a welder at Wilson Trailer. On September 24^th, 2004, Blake married his grade school sweetheart, Shandi. In 2011, Blake and his family moved to Crofton and he worked independently in seed corn sales.  He then started his own trucking company Blake Bartels Transport where he hauled cattle and rock up until his death. Blake and Shandi had four children – Payton, Paxton, Porter, and Princeton. Blake enjoyed deer hunting, pheasant hunting, and walleye fishing. He took great pride in keeping his semi-trucks in pristine condition with the help of his wife and boys. Blake was larger than life; he loved his music and enjoyed sharing it with everyone.  He spent many weekends boating with his family and friends at their cabin in Sunshine Bottom.  He was the king of snapchat, loved to cook, and earned the title “Grill-Master”.  He was an avid Husker fan, but the love and pride he had for his sons outweighed all. Blake is survived by his wife, Shandi of Crofton; children, Payton of Norfolk, Paxton, Porter and Princeton all of Crofton; parents, Bill & Margaret Bartels of Yankton, SD; siblings, Nicola Raine of Yankton, SD, Kristi Bartels of Omaha, NE, Kari (Gerald) Randle of Yankton, SD; as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Arnold and Bobbie Bartels; maternal grandparents, Charles and Margaret Fyfe; sister-in-law, Ashly Carter; and grandfather-in-law, Stuart Heikes.

Funeral Service