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Submitted: 7/25/22 • Approved: 7/25/22 • Last Updated: 7/28/22 • R527513-G527511-S3
O.G. “Speedy” Nieman
November 12, 1928-April 19, 1999
Lavon Stewart Nieman
June 1, 1933-July 31, 2021
I thee wed October 27, 1951
*Photo, courtesy of Mary (Coggin) Russell
*Obituary O.G. “Speedy” Nieman
Longtime Hereford newspaper published and editor, and veteran newspaperman, Orvil Gene “Speedy” Nieman, 70, died Monday, April 19, 1999, in Amarillo following a lengthy illness
Mr. Nieman retired July 1, 1998, as publisher and president of the Hereford Brand and North Plains Printing Inc. and assumed the honorary title of publisher emeritus.
After his retirement, he continued to write his well-known weekly column, “Hereford Bull”. The column, which regularly featured witty anecdotes, appeared until ill health prevented the tenured writer from making his long-standing daily appearance at the Brand office.
Mr. Nieman was a native of Lamesa. He graduated with honors from Lamesa High School in 1946 and was offered an appointment to West Point by Congressman George Mahon.
He elected, however, to attend Midwestern College at Wichita Falls on a football scholarship; however, after one semester, he transferred to Texas Tech University to play basketball.
In 1948, Mr. Nieman enlisted in the US Coast Guard and served during the Korean War.
He returned to West Texas after his release from military service in 1951, married Lavon Stewart at Hamlin while serving as editor of the Lamesa Daily Reporter. He continued his education at Tech while working as both a sports writer at the Lubbock Avalanche Journal and as sports reporter and editor at the Lamesa Daily Reporter, and as editor of the Texas Tech Ex-Student Publication.
Following his 1954 graduation from Texas Tech with a bachelor of arts degree in journalism, the young West Texan served as a sports writer with the San Angelo-Standard Times, then later was named as editor of newspaper operations at the Lamesa Daily Reporter, Brownfield News and Lamb County Leader News at Littlefield.
He worked on the news staff of the Midland Reporter-Telegram in 1964 before he became publisher, editor and co-owner of the Slaton Slatonite in 1965.
He and Lavon worked as a husband-wife team in that operation until they sold their interest in 1971, and entered a partnership with Roberts Publishing Co. of Andrews to purchase the Hereford Brand and its printing plant from James M. Gillentine.
The Nieman family, including sons Steve and Craig, moved from Slaton to Hereford during January of 1972.
Mr. Nieman was named publisher, editor and partner in the Hereford Brand and the newly re-organized North Plains Printing Co. in 1972. He succeeded Melvin Young as the 13th publisher of the Hereford Brand.
The paper continued to operate as a semi-weekly until Mr. Nieman converted the Brand into a five-day daily on July 4, 1976.
During his 26 year stint as a publisher and working editor of the newspaper. Mr. Nieman championed many business, civic and charitable causes in Hereford and Deaf Smith County – both individually, editorially and in addition to reporting and covering the community’s daily news events.
Among the many community-wide efforts he participated in, Mr. Nieman chaired Hereford’s 1993 attempt to locate a prison facility in Deaf Smith County. The prison drive, while unsuccessful, still brought a renewed sense of pride in the community –minded Nieman because of the town’s collective interest and unified effort to make the project a reality.
Mr. Nieman also helped the late business leader, Jimmy Witherspoon, promote and establish Hereford’s Christmas Stocking Fund – a charity which still benefits needy local families during Christmas each year.
Mr. Nieman was an active member and deacon of the First Baptist Church of Hereford, and also was a past president of the Hereford Lions Club and Deaf Smith Chamber of Commerce, served as chairman of the United Way, chairman/member of the Hereford Hustlers and as chamber economic development director.
In 1989, Mr. Nieman was named Hereford Citizen of the Year and was a two-time recipient of the chamber’s Hereford Bull Chip Award.
Professionally, Mr. Nieman served as president of three press associations, including the Texas Press Association, Panhandle Press Association and West Texas Press Association.
He also had been a director of the Texas Newspaper Association, and he had received a wide variety of professional commendations, including Texas Tech University’s Outstanding Alumnus Award, the Harold Hudson Memorial Newspaper Award and Hereford Regional Medical Center’s Outstanding Support Award.
In 1996, Mr. Nieman was inducted into the Panhandle Press Association’s Hall of Fame. He also received the Texas Press Association’s Golden 50 Award at its 1998 summer convention.
Additionally, the newspaperman was honored Oct. 22, 1998 at a Hereford community appreciation banquet at the Hereford Community Center, an event which was sponsored by Roberts Publishing Co. publishers and which drew more than 200 friends and colleagues.
Mr. Nieman also earned recognition for his community leadership while in Slaton.
He was named Slaton’s Man of the Year in 1970, served as president of the Slaton Chamber of Commerce, the Slaton Lions Club, Slaton Booster Club and Slaton Little League.
(Published in The Hereford Brand, 98th Year, Vol. Number 203, Deaf Smith County, Texas, Tuesday, April 20, 199, Page 1)
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The Hereford Bran office will be closed from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Wednesday in memory of longtime publisher and editor, O.G. "Speedy" Nieman, according to Publisher Mauri Montgomery.
Mr. Nieman, 70, died Monday after a lengthy illness.
The closing also will allow employees of the newspaper and its sister company, North Plains Printing, to attend the memorial service for Mr. Nieman.
The memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Terry Cosby officiating.
A private burial fro Mr. Nieman will be at 10:30 a.m.
(Published in The Hereford Brand, 98th Year, Vol. Number 203, Deaf Smith County, Texas, Tuesday, April 20, 199, Page 1)
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Memorial services for O.G. "Speedy" Nieman, 70, of Hereford will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at the First Baptist Church of Hereford following private burial under the direction of Parkside Chapel Funeral Home.
Mr. Nieman died Monday at Baptist St. Anthony's Hospice in Amarillo.
He was born Nov. 12, 1928, in Dawson County to Arnold Hodges and Emma Gene Hodges. He legally adopted his step-father's name on Nov. 14, 1942, changing his name from Hodges to Nieman.
Mr. Nieman was a Lamesa native. He graduated with honors from Lamesa High School and was offered an appointment to West Point by Congressman George Mahon.
He was named Mr. Lamesa High School and was a standout in all sports. His coaches nicknamed him Speedy after he became a top-finisher for Lamesa against Lubbock High in a district track meet.
He later declined the appointment to West Point and chose, instead, to attend Midwestern College in Wichita Falls on a football scholarship. After one semester, he transferred to Texas Tech to play basketball.
Mr. Nieman was a U.S. Coast Guard, Korean War veteran.
He married Lavon Stewart on Oct. 27, 1951, in Hamlin and was editor of the Lamesa Daily Reporter before returning to Tech to complete his degree.
He and Lavon were co-owners and publishers of the Slaton Slanonite [sic' for nearly eight years before moving to Hereford.
He had worked as the sports editor and editor of numerous West Texas papers before entering a partnership with Roberts Publishing Co. of Andrews to purchase The Hereford Brand and the re-organized North Plains Printing Co.
He moved to Hereford in January of 1972 where he served as publisher for The Hereford Brand and president of North Plains Printing for 26 years.
Mr. Nieman promoted and encouraged programs which benefitted the community. He helped establish Hereford's Christmas Stocking Fund. He was a member and deacon at the First Baptist Church of Hereford; president of the Hereford Lions Club and Deaf Smith Chamber of Commerce; chairman of the United Way; chairman/member of the Hereford Hustlers. He was two-time recipient of Hereford's Bull Chip Award.
Mr. Nieman had served as president of three press associations and had received a wide variety of professional commendations.
Survivors include his wife Lavon, of Hereford; two sons, Craig Nieman of Hereford and Steve Nieman of Shallowater; two grandchildren, Ross Nicholas and Stephanie Kayla Nieman.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Emma Gene Bownds Nieman on April 4, 1989, and his adoptive father, A.D. Nieman on Nov. 15, 1994.
(Published in The Hereford Brand, 98th Year, Vol. Number 203, Deaf Smith County, Texas, Tuesday, April 20, 199, Page 2)
*Obituary Lavon Stewart Nieman
Lavon Nieman, of Lubbock, Texas, left this world for her eternal home on Saturday, July 31, 2021.
Lavon was born in her family home in Swenson, Texas on June 1, 1933, the daughter of Larry Vernon and Alma Mae Stewart. She was six years old when she gave her life to the Lord and was baptized at the First Baptist Church of Aspermont. Lavon graduated from Lamesa High School in 1950 at the age of 16.
She married O. G. “Speedy” Nieman of Lamesa on October 27, 1951. They were head-over-heels in love with each other until 1999 when Speedy passed away.
Before moving to Hereford from Slaton in 1972 Lavon was the lifestyle editor and bookkeeper for the Slaton Slatonite newspaper for seven years where her husband Speedy was Publisher. They were a great team. Lavon was active in community affairs throughout her married years. She served two terms as president of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce in Hereford and was named “Woman of the Year” in 1975. Lavon served on committees and was a teller for several years at the First Baptist Church of Hereford where she was a member.
She was survived by two sons, Steve Nieman and wife Rhonda Nieman of Lubbock and Craig Nieman of Hereford, four grandchildren Ross Nieman and wife Rachelle, two great grandsons Rhett and Reid Nieman family of Lubbock, Stephanie Nieman of Paris, France, Michael Flores of Amarillo and Brittney Guerrero and husband Tony Guerrero of Amarillo, and two nieces Jeri Ann Wilder of Firestone, Colorado and Suellen Mayfield of Hamlin, Texas.
The funeral service will be held at Mendez & Mullins Family Funeral Home, at 105 Greenwood Street in Hereford, Texas on Wednesday, August 4, 2021, at 2:00 P.M. Interment will follow at West Park Cemetery. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 4, 2021, from 11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. at the funeral home. The family suggests that memorials may be made to Hereford Senior Citizens Center, 426 Ranger St., Hereford, Texas 79045 or Carillon Foundation, 1717 Norfolk Avenue, Lubbock, Texas 79416.
The funeral service will be live streamed on the Mendez and Mullins Family Funeral Home Facebook page. You may sign the online guestbook at www.mendezandmullins.com
Obituary: https://www.mendezandmullins.com/obituary/lavon-nieman
Contributed on 7/25/22 by neldapat
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Record #: 527513