Dr. Fred L. Shickell

Fred L. Shickell, Ed.D. was born in Nevada, Iowa on October 23, 1936 to William and Ethel (Blickensderfer) Shickell. He passed away on April 5, 2021 at the age of 84 years. He was raised on a farm near Nevada, Iowa and attended country school through fourth grade until the country school was closed. He then attended Nevada Public Schools, graduating from Nevada High School in 1954. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Math/Education from Westmar College, LeMars, Iowa in 1958, and a Master of Arts in School Administration from the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO in 1961. Further education included a two-year Specialist Degree in Education from the University of Nebraska in 1976 and a Doctoral Degree in Administration Education from the University of Nebraska in 1984. Dr. Shickell taught junior and senior high school mathematics and coached basketball, track and baseball at Boone Valley Community Schools at Renwick, Iowa. He taught junior and senior high school mathematics and coached cross-country, wrestling and track teams in the Ankeny, Iowa Community School District. He became Superintendent of Schools at DeWitt, NE in 1965 and was the first Superintendent of Tri-County Schools, DeWitt, NE for 13 years following the schools’ reorganization including the towns of Plymouth, DeWitt, Western and Swanton, NE. He was a Program Coordinator for a federal project at the University of Nebraska in the Ag Economics Department for four years. The project, Managing Main Street Business consisted of conducting business seminars for six weeks in small communities across Nebraska. This program encompassed marketing, financial ratios, job descriptions and staff evaluations. He taught mathematics at Irving Junior High School and following his retirement from Lincoln Public Schools, became a math mentor for gifted students at Pound Middle School. He was a master teacher who enjoyed challenging his students to excel in the classroom and sports arena. He was known for his patience, kindness and compassion toward everyone he met. He was a member of the Iowa State Education Association, Nebraska State Education Association, Nebraska Council of Administrators. He was an active member of Zion United Methodist Church in DeWitt, NE and St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Lincoln, NE. Dr. Shickell is survived by his wife of 60 years, Charlyn (Frahm), daughter, Dana (Criss) Butler, grandchildren, Seth, Caleb, and Ethan Butler, Omaha, NE, Hannah Shickell, Tualatin, OR, Step-Grandchildren, Abigail and John Ryan, daughter-in-law Gwen Shickell (husband Matt Rourke), Tualatin, OR, sister, Nancy (Fred) Sweeney, Carrizozo, NM, and sister-in-law Linda Shickell, Nevada, IA, and nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his son, Dr. Derek Shickell, West Des Moines, IA, granddaughter, Makayla Shickell, West Des Moines, IA, parents, and brothers William and Robert Shickell, Nevada, IA, in-law’s LeRoy and Rose Frahm of Ceresco, NE. Visitation is scheduled for Friday, April 9th from 5:00-7:00 pm at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, 8550 Pioneers Blvd., Lincoln, NE. There will be a private, family graveside burial. In lieu of plants & flowers, any donations will be designated for an educational scholarship in honor of Dr. Fred Shickell, and can be mailed to the family at Pruss - Nabity Funeral Home, P.O. Box 127, Wahoo, NE 68066.