Shane received his education from Holdrege High School and graduated in 1998. He then pursued his education at Southeast Community College in Milford from 1998 to 2000 and graduated with a degree in Tool and Die. He then went to work for Dyna Tool in Kearney, NE. He then moved to Lincoln, NE and worked in Omaha at Distefano Tool and Manufacturing. Lincoln Machine was his final Tool and Die position before joining the railroad.
In April of 2006, he began working for BNSF as a switchman/conductor. He spent a few years traveling for the railroad, but spent most of his years at the Lincoln rail yard. He remained employed by BNSF until the time of his passing. Many of his coworkers turned into life-long friends & were more like family.
On July 14th, 2015, he was united in marriage to Becca Kogl. Shane welcomed Becca’s daughter, Stella Tollefsen, into their family and they made their home in Hickman. In 2016, Shane and Becca had a daughter, Ophelia.
Shane loved to hunt, ice fish, and took a lot of pride in caring for his yard and landscaping. In late 2024, he was able to go on a hog hunt to Oklahoma, several Husker games, and shot his monster buck “Hank.” He very much enjoyed his time with friends, who became more like family. Shane was up for anything outdoors. He was also well known for his amazing tattoos.
He was preceded in death by his father, Glen Richards; maternal grandparents, Gene and Patricia Bunsen Lehman; paternal grandparents, Glen “Barney” and Gladys (Best) Richards; his aunt, Janet Richards; and uncles, Steve Bunsen and Kenneth Way.
Shane leaves to celebrate his life: his wife, Becca Richards and their two daughters, Stella and Ophelia; his mother; Loretta Richards (Lincoln, NE); sister, Suzanne Nantkes (Lincoln, NE); his father and mother-in-law, John and Rhonda Kogl (Holdrege, NE); sister-in-law, Kristen Friedrichsen (Elkhorn, NE); aunts and uncles: Junior and Judy Brown (Johnson Lake, NE), Joyce Way (Smithfield, NE) and Tom and Janis Olesen (Smithfield, NE); several cousins, nieces and nephews; as well as many friends.
Memorial service: 11:00 am Friday, April 25, 2025, at Roper and Sons South Lincoln Chapel, 3950 Hohensee Drive.
Memorials may be given to Shane’s Children’s Educational Fund or the family.
Link to Service Recording: https://vimeo.com/1078688315/cb5c077b9e?share=copy