He grew up and attended school in Grand Island, where he graduated high school in 1949. Loyal helped with the farm work, including driving a milk truck, until he joined the U.S. Army in 1952 and served overseas in the Korean War until November 1954. Afterwards, he attended the University of Nebraska where he graduated with both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the Department of Agronomy. Loyal devoted his professional career to agronomy and was employed for forty years as a Soil Scientist by the Soil Conservation Service in the Department of Agriculture. Loyal also owned and ran a farm north of Grand Island for fifty years.
Loyal married Lorene Mader on January 25, 1958. During their married life, they lived in Lincoln and Seward, Nebraska; Little Rock, Arkansas; West Chester, Pennsylvania; and then returned to Lincoln, Nebraska, in their later years. During all that time, Loyal and Lorene were active in Lutheran congregations, and Loyal served as Vice President, Chairman of the Board of Elders and Personnel Committee, and taught bible classes. Loyal’s family was very important to him.
He is survived by his wife of 65 ½ years, Lorene and two daughters Sonya (Jerry) Honea, and Kim Quant (Peter Tummino). Loyal and Lorene’s son Marty Quandt passed away in 2008. Loyal is also survived by grandchildren Lauren (Beau) Howe, Lindsay (Elliott) Cole, Rachel & Matthew Tummino, and his great-grandchildren Hannah & John Howe, and Adam, James & Audrey Cole. He is also survived by his siblings, Allen Quandt, Geri Thompson, and Debra Smedra.
Loyal was preceded in death by his parents, step-mother Evelyn; brothers, Harlan, Loran, Ralph and Raymond; infant sister, Lorraine, and sister Patty.
Funeral Service: 10:00 am Friday, August 18, 2023, Redeemer Lutheran Church, 510 S. 33rd Street, Lincoln, NE. Interment will be 2:30 pm at Westlawn Cemetery, Grand Island, NE.
Visitation one hour prior to service at the church.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to Mosaic Foundation, Omaha, NE (Living solutions for adults with disabilities), or Redeemer Lutheran Church, Lincoln, NE.