The Superior Express -

Lance Richard Fuller died Friday, Feb. 11, in Lincoln, Neb. at the age of 57. Lance was born February 17, 1964 to Larry and Mary (Leitner) Fuller in Hastings. He graduated from Superior High School in 1982 and Kearney State College (University of Nebraska at Kearney) in 1987.

Lance married Joanie Paloucek in 1988. They are the parents of two children: Lanny and Alli and the grandparents of Audra.

After graduating from college, Lance went on to earn his master's degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha while teaching math at Bellevue East High School. In 1993, Lance and family moved to Kearney, Neb., where Lance continued to teach math at Kearney High School. He went on to become the assistant principal of Kearney High School, the principal of Sunrise Middle School, and the director of human resources for Kearney Public Schools. He retired in 2020. He and Joanie moved to Lincoln to be in the same town as their granddaughter, Audra.

Lance loved teaching, and conversely, loved discovering lessons in life's simplest pleasures: having a bourbon with friends, making a cashier laugh, driving around town, going for a bike ride, contributing to a group-text thread. He was fiercely aware of others. He couldn't help but try to make everyone around him happy. Family, friends, and strangers-he made every genre of gathering better.

His greatest joy in life was being a husband. Until he was a father. Until he was a grandfather.

He was preceded in death by his father, Larry; and father-in-law, Frank Paloucek.

He is survived by his wife, Joanie; children, Alli and Kevin Koester and Lanny Fuller and Kaitlyn Wellendorff; grandchildren, Audra and her sister joining the family in May; mother, Mary; sister and brother-in-law, Julie and Joe Price; and many other in-laws, nieces, nephews and friends.

In keeping with Lance's wishes, his remains were cremated. His funeral will be held at 2 p.m., on his 58th birthday, Feb. 17, at Roper and Sons South Lincoln Chapel, Lincoln, Neb.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the family with future designation to the Lance Fuller FuNuR Scholarship in Superior, Neb.

Condolences and live-streaming online at roperandsons.com