Thurman “Ole” Licking, 90, of Mullen, formerly of Seneca, died Jan. 13, 2018, at the Pioneer Memorial Health Center in Mullen.

Thurman “Ole” Dale Licking was the 10th child born to Charles Edward and Emma Sophia (Hanner) Licking, on May 2, 1927, at the family ranch, south of Seneca. Thurman attended Country School District 16, south of Seneca, and then attended high school at Seneca.

He quit school at the age of 17 to join the U.S. Navy in October 1944. He was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Station in Illinois. He served in Florida; Norfolk, Virginia; and Guantanamo, Cuba, and then returned to the United States. He spent the last month of his service on the U.S. Ranger, an aircraft carrier. He returned home in July 1946.

He later received his high school diploma at the age of 33.

Thurman bought his parents’ homestead and other land that his parents had added. Thurman was on the school board for the country school that his niece and nephews attended, which was the school that he had attended years before.

Thurman enjoyed coyote hunting with his horses and hounds. Thurman and his brothers enjoyed talking on the party phone line at night during the winter, catching up on the day’s happenings.

He married Barbara Ethel May on Oct. 8, 1961, at Litchfield. Barbara worked at the Seneca Post Office for more than 20 years. They adopted two children in 1966, Fredrecia May, who was born on March 20, 1960, and Justin Mel, who was born on April 19, 1966. Barbara died of cancer in 1985.

In later years, Thurman worked at the sale barn in Thedford, and then worked as a flagger for the road department. He had been living in North Platte and then went to the Mullen Nursing Home in 2016.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara; his son-in-law, Russell Eyten; his parents; seven brothers, Clyde, Lawrence, Everett “Grit,” Roy, Vernon, Norman and Paul; and three sisters, Vera Pulver, Vada Warren and Ruth Craft.

Survivors include his daughter, Fredrecia May Eyten of North Platte; and his son, Justin Mel of North Platte; two step-grandchildren, Russell Jr. and Nicholas Eyten; and sister-in-law, Jackie Licking of Mullen.

Memorials are suggested to the Seneca Auditorium.

Services will be at 2 p.m. (CST), today, Jan. 17, at the Seneca Auditorium. Thurman’s last ride will be to the Seneca Cemetery in a horse-drawn hearse pulled by Don Licking’s team of horses. Mullen Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.