A large contingent of Law Enforcement personnel and staff from The Buffalo County Sheriff’s office led by Sheriff Neil Miller and Kearney Police Department; Sheriff’s offices around the state of Nebraska, State Patrol and other Nebraska Police Departments gathered to say farewell to former Buffalo Co. Sheriff Frank Dineen Wednesday June 22nd at St. James Catholic Church in Kearney. Frank Dineen served as Sheriff from 1979 to 1991.
Frank was born August 15, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska to Frank M Dineen Sr. and Esther C. (Wilson) Dineen. He grew up in Omaha and graduated from Creighton Prep High School in 1944. Frank was united in marriage to Bernadine Grace Flaherty on September 5, 1951 in Omaha. He joined the Navy as a Seaman June 20, 1944 for World War II. He was honorable discharged from the US Navy on May 29, 1946. He served in the Asiatic Pacific receiving the Victory Medal and Purple Heart, while fighting in the Battle of Okinawa. Frank attended Creighton University from 1946-1947 majoring in pre law before joining the Nebraska Safety Patrol in October 17, 1949, which later became the Nebraska State Patrol. He retired from the State Patrol January 3, 1979 after winning the election for Buffalo County Sheriff. He continued to work for the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Department doing prisoner transport and court security until 1999 in which he retired completely after 50 years in law enforcement. He continued to work as a security officer for Kearney State Bank from 2000 to 2013.
You can read more on Sheriff Dineen from O’Brien, Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home here.