Dick "Cowpoke" Haag

Dick “Cowpoke” Haag, 87, of Palmer, passed away Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, at Howard County Medical Center in St. Paul.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, at the First Church of Christ in Palmer. Rev. Jerry Quandt will officiate. Visitation will be Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the church. Burial will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Palmer. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the family for later designation. Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is assisting the family.

Dick was born on Oct. 5, 1937, on the family farm near Palmer, to Norris and Evelyn (Nicholas) Haag. He attended Gage Valley Country School as well as Palmer High School.

In 1953, at just 16 years old, Dick began hauling cattle. He drove for many cattle operations until purchasing his own truck, which he later sold to DXI in 1991. Dick continued trucking until his retirement at the age of 78.

On Feb. 5, 1962, Dick was united in marriage to Jeannette Shafer, in Lincoln. The couple made their home on the family farm near Palmer, where they lived their entire married life.

Dick was a lifelong member of the First Church of Christ in Palmer. He was a longtime member of the Palmer Volunteer Fire Department and the Fire Board, and was also a former member of the Gage Valley School Board.

Dick was born to do anything involved with the farm, and he devoted himself to it his entire life. He took great pride in caring for his home and community, and was well-known for keeping the road ditches neatly mowed. Dick’s greatest joys in life were his loving wife, children, grandchildren and his great-granddaughters. Faith, family, and farming were the guiding pillars at the center of Dick’s life.

He is survived by his wife, Jeannette “Nettie” Haag of Palmer; children, Jim and Pat Haag of Palmer, Carol Haag of Grand Island, and Tammy Earnest of Palmer; grandchildren, Meagan Walkowiak, Tyler Walkowiak, Collins and Sarah Haag, and Kinser and Jordan Earnest; and great-granddaughters, Lilli, Landrie, Jaden, Ellie, Skylar, and one expected in December.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother and sister-in-law, Jerry and Jean Haag; and his son-in-law, Mitch Earnest.