FAIRBURY, Neb. - Old asphalt excavated, and hauled away, so new concrete can eventually be installed.  

“If they can get this done in two to three weeks, we’ll be happy with that. And we hope that by the end of the month we can get this completed, this phase two,” said Charley Endorf, Secretary Treasurer of the Fairbury Cemetery Association.  

Endorf and the association laid out the plans for the cemetery’s road restoration a few years ago, and with phase one of the project already complete, this week marked the start of phase two. With Lottman Carpenter Construction from Diller at the controls, this stage of the project includes this wide stretch of road around the north side of the facility, and will informally and respectfully be called the Denney Loop in honor of Barry Denney and his family, who have been critical donors to and supporters of the Fairbury cemetery for years. 

Next, the crew will move down to the southwest of the complex and add in one East-West road about 700 feet long and a smaller piece about 150 feet long – all told, that’s about 17 or 1800 feet of new concrete, on top of what’s already been complete.  

“When we realized we were a little short of the full goal, we broke it down into priorities,” Endorf said. “This [the Denney Loop] is priority one. Priority two is to the southwest near the new section. And then we have a priority three too, depending on whether we pick up more funds or not.” 

Funding, from longtime donors like Denney and Bob Hose, but also from everyday Jefferson County citizens, is essential for public services like the Fairbury Cemetery not only to survive but to continue to strive to improve for the sakes of the souls that call the space a permanent home, and for the families that come there to seek solace.  

“People were so good from the Fairbury community of donating for the first phase, and this one as well. So much thankfulness to the donors that have helped us get this going,” Endorf said. 

With phase one already complete, Endorf says he expects phase two will be finished before the end of October, and then, a few years down the road, they can get started on the final step, phase three.  

“We’re looking forward to what we can get done here, and when the project is done we’re going to be mighty proud of it.”