Jeffrey James Guenther, age 60, passed away peacefully at his home Tuesday evening, September 22, 2026.  Funeral Mass will be 10:30am on Saturday, September 26 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in West Point with Reverend James Weeder as celebrant.  Click here to watch the live stream of the funeral.  Burial will be at St. Michael’s Cemetery with lunch following at the GACC Cafeteria.  Visitation will be Friday from 5:00pm to 7:00pm with a Knights of Columbus Rosary at 7:00pm at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.  Memorials may be made to family for the college fund of Jeff’s daughters, Andie and Peri Guenther.  Arrangements by Stokely Funeral Home.

Jeff was born on August 20, 1966, in West Point, Nebraska, to Richard and Mary Kay (Pieper) Guenther. He attended country school District 21 with his siblings until 6th grade and finished up his education at Guardian Angels and Central Catholic, graduating in 1985.

From an early age, Jeff loved everything to do with farming (except working with hogs, oddly enough) from working with his cousins on the family dairy to field work, Jeff would much rather spend his day on the farm instead of at school. After graduating from high school, he earned a Diesel Mechanics degree from Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture at Curtis, Nebraska, where he also played basketball.

During this time, he interned at West Point Implement, and then went on to work for K and R Equipment. After this, Jeff spent the next 17 years working for Paul Ridder Farms, who he thought of as his second family.

Jeff was a big believer in giving back to the community. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and had a weekly Tuesday night adoration hour at St. Mary’s for over 25 years (until this week, when God must have wanted to talk to him in person). He coached junior high basketball during his bachelor years and was a sponsor of the church’s junior high Edge group for several years.

On July 13, 2002, Jeff married Nancy Nieuwkoop, and they purchased their own farm north of West Point in 2004. He spent the next several years raising cattle and running Guenther Ag Services. Following this, he started his career in the hog industry, first working for Beemer Pork and then in 2019, Jeff started working for Scribner Grain, where he has managed their hog operations these past 7 years.

Jeff loved being a “girl dad” and following all of their activities, even coaching them in basketball during their younger years. We will miss his off-the-wall (and often inappropriate) humor, but know he will be the best guardian angel from “up above.”

Jeff is survived by his wife Nancy and his two beloved daughters Andie and Peri of West Point; his mother Mary Kay Guenther of West Point; three brothers, Rick (Cheryl) Guenther of West Point, Jerry (Lisa) Guenther of Norfolk, Nebraska, and Tom (Jackie) Guenther of Jackson, Nebraska; one sister, Paula (Bruce) Murrish of Lawrence, Kansas; brothers-in-law, Peter (Glenda) Nieuwkoop of Sioux City, Iowa, Gary (Trudie) Nieuwkoop of Chowchilla, California, Terry (Cheryl) Nieuwkoop of Bakersfield, California, and Jack (Julie) Nieuwkoop of Manito, Illinois; sister-in-law, Tammy (Steve) Noble of Sioux City, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father Richard and his parents-in-law, Peter and Catharina Nieuwkoop.