Dennis W. Shimmin
OGALLALA — Dennis W. Shimmin, 59, of Ogallala, died Jan. 7, 1998, at the Regional West Medical Center at Scottsbluff.
He was born on July 17,  1938, at Mullen to Bruce W. Shimmin and Elma M. Zickefoose Shimmin. 
He was baptized when he was 13 in the Dismal River after a Country Revival Meeting. He attended Sunday School at a country school house. He later joined the Methodist Church in Crawford and transferred to the Lewellen United Methodist Church.
He attended several country schools in McPherson County and graduated from McPherson County High School at Tryon in 1955. He worked his way through college at Kearney State and graduated in 1961 with a bachelor’s degree in education, majoring in music and minoring in history.
He taught music at Genoa for two years. Then he and the superintendent both moved to Crawford where he taught for a year. 
He became interested in western and frontier history at Ft. Robinson State Park. He worked for Horace Mann Insurance Co. a short time before becoming assistant superintendent at Ft. Robinson State Park in 1966.
The Nebraska park system was expanding and they purchased the area which is now Ash Hollow State Historical Park. Mr. Shimmin applied for and was appointed the superintendent there in June 1968 and served as its only superintendent. He started cleaning, developing plans and organizing archaeological work. The highlight was the opening of the new visitor center in 1978.
On June 9, 1973, he married Rita Dikeman at Lewellen, where they lived until August 1997 when they moved to Ogallala.
He was a past member of the board of directors of the Garden County Community Foundation and the Lewellen Branch of the Volunteers of America. He was a member of the Nebraska State Historical Society, the Oregon-California Trails Association, the Lewellen United Methodist Church and was on the board of directors of the Nebraska National Trails Museum.
Mr. Shimmin had many interests including rebuilding old engines, being part of the community choir, his green house and especially the history of Nebraska and the Oregon Trail.
 Survivors include his wife, Rita, of Ogallala; his parents and one brother, Riley, (Carolyn) Shimmin of Livingston, Mont.; a nephew, Kory (Rachelle) Shimmin of Great Falls, Mont.; a niece, Kristy (Jack) Fish and a great nephew, Jacob Fish, of Lincoln, Mont.; and many other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his brother, David, in 1966.
Memorials have been established to the Lewellen Volunteers of America and the United Methodist Church of Lewellen.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Lewellen United Methodist Church with the Revs. Joy and Rich Savage officiating. Burial will be at the Ogalalla Cemetery at 2 p.m.
Visitation will be Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Draucker Funeral Home.
Draucker Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.