Nivan Dean Hornik

Memorial services for Nivan (“Nick”) Hornik, 86, Norfolk, will be at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at Community Bible Church in Norfolk. Pastor Stephen Miller will officiate.  Visitation will be one hour before the service at the Church. Inurnment will be in Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery. He died March 6, 2023, at Nebraska Medical Center due to injuries from a fall in his home on February 5.  His wish for cremation has been honored.

Nivan (“Nick”) Dean Hornik was born April 2, 1936, at the family farmhouse in Verdigre, Nebraska, to parents George and Mildred (Gruchow) Hornik.  At the age of 4, the family moved to the Scottsbluff and Gering area.  Nick loved the wide-open spaces of that area.  He and his sister, Donna, spent many hours playing outdoors.  When Nick was about 12, his Dad moved the family to Grand Island, Nebraska.  A few years later, the family moved to Plainview, Nebraska, where he graduated from Plainview High School in 1954. 

Nivan met his future bride, Lavonne Shannon, in 1958 at the local roller-skating rink.  They were married February 14, 1959, in Plainview.  Later that year, Nivan and Lavonne moved to Norfolk, Nebraska, where they have resided since.  He was a member of Community Bible Church and his faith was a large part of his life.  Nick worked hard for his family.  He worked for Van’s Super Service for twenty years working as a mechanic and became an expert at tire retreading, and then worked twenty years at the Goodyear Hose Plant, where he may still hold the record for most overtime hours worked.  He helped remodel his home and once helped remodel an old building for a church.  He could fix about anything whether it was a car or something around the house.  Upon retirement, his found his passion for writing poetry.  He received many accolades for his poetry. He often shared his poems with Norfolk Daily News readers, and had two poetry books published.  He enjoyed traveling and he and his wife spent several winters in Arizona and California.  He loved telling jokes, watching Nebraska football and Green Bay Packers football.  He also loved reading about American history, in particular, World War II and stories about the Old West. He once took his family on vacation to Western Nebraska and showed them the beauty and history of Western Nebraska.

Nivan and Lavonne were blessed with four children, eight grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. 

Nivan is survived by his spouse, his children Elizabeth (Robert) Davis, Marie (Dwight) Reuter, and Richard Hornik, all of Norfolk, son-in-law Brian Armstrong of Austin, Texas; grandchildren Amanda (Ignacio) Machuca, Megan (Isaias) Solorio, Dana Armstrong, Adam Armstrong, Wyatt Hornik, Levi (Jordan Schulte) Hornik, Samantha (Jacob) Thompson. five great grandchildren Ethan, Audrina, and Savannah Machuca, Wesley and Scarlett Thompson; sister Donna Norris of San Diego, California, two nieces, Jolene Norris (Gary) Schleppenbach of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Julie Norris (Brent) Hill of San Diego, California; brother-in-law John C. (Gina Deuel) Shannon and his family Janet Shannon, Michael and Julie Shannon and Nancy (Tim) Olcott.

Nivan was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Virginia (“Ginger”) Armstrong, grandson Garrett Hornik in infancy, brother-in-law Bill Norris, and several aunts and uncles. 

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