BEATRICE – A former Mayor of Beatrice, long-time National Guard member and community activist has passed away.

Allen Grell died Friday, at the age of 82.   He served as Beatrice Mayor from 1982 to 1986…..and before that, served ten years as a Second Ward City Councilman and six years on the Beatrice Planning and Zoning Commission.  Grell also served on the Beatrice Board of Public Works and was elected to the Gage County Board of Supervisors, where he served three four-year terms in District four. Grell also served on the Nebraska Emergency Management Commission and was instrumental in renaming U.S. Highway 77 between Beatrice and Lincoln as the Homestead Highway.

Grell and John Dando co-founded Habitat for Humanity, with Grell serving as Construction Manager.   He was awarded the AKSARBEN Good Neighbor Award for his volunteer efforts helping recovery from a Beatrice and Gage County tornado.

Grell became the Nebraska Army National Guard Administrative Officer for the Second Battalion, 134th Infantry Regiment and was appointed Training Officer for the Nebraska Army National Guard in October of 1985.  He was then promoted to Plans, Operations and Training Officer in 1988.  He led the planning for the 134th Infantry Regiment’s participation in France for the 50th Anniversary of D-Day.

After a 33-year-career in the military, he retired at the rank of Colonel. 

Grell worked with Keep Beatrice Beautiful for 18 years and was responsible for developing the Nebraska Used Oil Collection program used in 67 Nebraska Counties.  His wife Linda was the long-time coordinator of Keep Beatrice Beautiful until she recently retired from the position.

Allen Grell’s development of the Nebraska School Chemical Cleanout Campaign was awarded the EPA Region Seven Children’s Environmental Health Champion’s Outstanding Leadership Award in 2008.

Grell is survived by his wife and two daughters among other relations.   A funeral service is set for Monday, November 7th at 11 a.m., at the First Christian Church in Beatrice.