Floyd Hershberger was one very special music teacher, business man and my close friend. He only taught vocal music for two years (1954-1956) at MHS and McCook College, but he stayed in McCook after his short teaching career and continued to teach the citizens of McCook what one person can do to make a community a better place to live. Floyd and his wife, Joyce, started Hershberger Piano and Organ Company in 1956, and through the years, until March of this year when he passed away, he championed important improvements for McCook. 

His civic contributions are numerous! He served on the McCook School Board of Education. He was instrumental (pun intended) in keeping the McCook Concert series alive for many years.  He was one of the original incorporators of the McCook Arts Council and was the first chairman of the Lied Main Street organization. He was a past President of the McCook Rotary Club and Floyd originated the name for McCook’s Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival. He was active in starting the walking trail through the old golf course.  He started and completed the drive to put a NE Public Radio translator in Southwest Nebraska. Maestro Floyd was the sparkplug behind the formation of the McCook Community Foundation in 2000.  He realized that the area could benefit from a community wide charitable organization. And Floyd, along with Lloyd Benjamin ‘56, purchased the historic Fox Theatre building in downtown McCook with the goal of turning it into a community center for the visual and performing arts.

Floyd’s interest in community involvement took much of his spare time, but when he wasn’t busy running a successful business, he loved to sail on the various lakes surrounding McCook. He was interested in history and as a private pilot he flew the route taken by Lewis and Clark just to see what it looked like from the sky.

Floyd backed school musicals and the community theater and he made the production of the Messiah, using a community chorus, an annual event. He directed that chorus and he often provided musical entertainment, using his wonderful, strong baritone voice, for many community events.

My good high school and life long friend, Larry Frazier ‘55, and I were in Floyd’s mixed chorus in both high school and McCook College. We enjoyed Floyd’s sense of humor and driven desire to make us better vocalists. One Sunday after church, many years after our high school experience, Larry and I were visiting with Floyd and out of the blue he said, “yaaa know you two were the reason I quit teaching, don’t you?”  That was part of his dry humor—or was it?

As we pass though life, we’re lucky if we can encounter two or three individuals like Floyd Hershberger. He was a wonderful teacher, not only in school but in life. His warm, vibrant and caring personality always gave those who knew him an extra inspiration to be a better person.

Floyd, McCook will miss you forever.

J. T. Harris ‘55