Vernon J. Bourlier, 85, of Kimball County, passed away at Heritage Estates in Gering on Wednesday, April 8, 2009.  Mass of Christian burial was held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Kimball with Father Robert Karnish officiating. Burial was in Christus Gardens of the Kimball Cemetery. The family greeted friends from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m. at the funeral home on Monday. Memorials may be given to the Knights of Columbus Scholarship Fund, COPD Foundation or the American Lung Association. Cantrell Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.Vernon Bourlier was born in Kimball County, Nebraska on May 7, 1923, the middle child of Peter S. and Mary (White) Bourlier. Vernon attended District 22 School, south of Bushnell, for grades 1-8 and attended high school at Kimball County High School.  His High School education was interrupted by a severe case of polio, one of the first in Kimball County, during the epidemic of 1937.  Although unable to attend high school, he continued to work on the family farm and credits driving the steel wheeled tractor with strengthening his polio-stricken limb.  He returned to high school and graduated in 1941.Vernon attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he studied to be a County Agent. World War II interrupted his plans, and he enlisted in the U.S. Maritime Service and was sent to boot camp in California. He was a licensed warrant officer and sailed to the Mediterranean on a troop carrier and supply ship. Vernon and Antonia (Monaco) were married in St. Cecelia’s Church in Brooklyn, New York on July 14, 1946 and made their home on a farm south of Bushnell, Nebraska.   Vernon was a long time farmer in Kimball County Nebraska and Weld County Colorado, served in the merchant marines as a radio officer during World War II, Vernon held many jobs off the farm, including, but not limited to road construction, appliance repair, and enumerator for the USDA Statistical Reporting Service.  He was a member of the Knights of Columbus as a 4th Degree Knight, Bushnell Lions Club, Farm Bureau, Wheat Growers, Cattlemen, American Legion, and served four terms as Kimball County Commissioner and six years as the panhandle representative to the Nebraska Association of County Officials, Board of Directors. While county commissioner, he served on or chaired a number of committees representing the Panhandle; he was influential with the Panhandle Area of Aging and brought handi-bus service to rural Nebraska. He constantly looked for ways to make things better. Vernon and Toni were recognized and received the soil conservation award for contour farming strategies.Survivors include Antonia, his wife of 62 years, daughter Cathy and husband John Mueller, Rockford, Illinois, son Vern and wife Sara, Scottsbluff, Nebraska, daughter Lisa Bourlier, Lincoln, Nebraska, and daughter Christine and husband Lonnie Steggs, Lincoln, Nebraska, and 6 grandchildren: Eric, Adam and wife Becca, Jon Bourlier, Caroline Mueller, Alicia and Andrea Steggs. Vernon was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Lee, and sister, Margaret Hanner.