It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Vivian L. Belding, 99, of Beatrice, Nebraska, who passed away peacefully on Friday, April 3, 2026, at Gardenside in Fairbury. She died just weeks before what would have been her 100th birthday, leaving behind a life marked by resilience, devotion to family, and quiet service to her community.
Vivian was born to Bill and Mildred (Boyd) Karr and grew up in the rural heartland of southeast Nebraska. On January 5, 1944, she married Orville “Max” Belding in Tyler, Texas. The couple spent 30 years living in the rural areas of Diller, Endicott, and Steele City, as well as south of Diller, before relocating to Beatrice in 1984. Together, they raised their family in the farming communities that defined their lives.
Throughout her life, Vivian worked hard in a number of capacities. She worked for five years in the Odell Public School kitchen, seven years in the Odell sewing factory, and eighteen and a half years as a nurse’s assistant at Beatrice Manor. She was dependable and kind to those she worked with in every capacity.
In April 2001, she began working at the P.E.O. Home in Beatrice, retiring in 2011. She later resided at Kensington of Beatrice for two years before moving to Gardenside in Fairbury in 2022, where she remained active and gracious until the very end.
Vivian is survived by her daughters, Cathy Briggs of Beatrice and Jackie Swartz of Endicott; her son, Michael (Deb) Belding of Beatrice; her daughter-in-law, Julie Belding; five grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Orville “Max” Belding; her infant daughter, Teresa Belding; her son, Ron Belding; her parents; her brothers, Everett (Anne) Karr and Gale Karr; and her great-grandchildren, Elijah Reeves and Jayda Daniel.
On Monday, April 13, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., Jon Palmquist will officiate funeral services at Fox Funeral Home in Beatrice. The burial will take place in Steele City Cemetery in rural Steele City at 2:00 p.m. On Sunday, April 12, from noon to 8:00 p.m., the body will lay in state at the funeral home.
Vivian lived nearly a century. She worked hard, raised a family, and gave generously of her time to the people around her. She will be remembered for her quiet strength, her generous spirit, and the steady presence she offered to all who knew her. Her family and friends will gather to celebrate her life, to share stories, and to say goodbye. She was loved, and she will not be forgotten.