Professional Boxer

Arthur Anthony Hernandez, 69, of Omaha, Nebraska, and former professional boxer, died August 26, 2010, from complications of diabetes.

Art was a former Golden Gloves Champion from Sidney, Nebraska. He was the only 5-time winner in the history of the Midwest. Art won the flyweight crown in 1956, bantamweight 1957, lightweight in 1958 and 1959; and middleweight 1960. Art is the only Western Nebraska fighter to win in the Middleweight Division in Omaha, Nebraska.

Middleweight boxer, Art Hernandez, Des Moines, owa, decided to quit the ring because of age. Once a ranked fighter, he is 32 years old and has fought 12 years professionally. He has a 46-20-2 record but lost the last threee bouts, the latest to Tony Licata of New Orleans, LA. Mr. Hernandez said it is too difficult at his age to train and stay in shape.

Art was born in Minatare, Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska. on January 17, 1941, to Rebecca and Perfecto Hernandez. He was the third child of six children. He married Mary B. Edwards on February 11, 1978, his wife of 32 years. He was also in the Army National Guard, Sioux Ordinance Depot, Nebraska.

Lost Boys are safe at home. Two "lost"boys from Ordville, Nebraska, created a statewide flurry with their disappearance Friday night, reappeared Saturday noon at their homes -- safe and sound, but with empty stomachs and sore feet.

The boys, Edward Pennington and Arthur Hernandez, both of the Sioux Ordinance Depot, are 12 years of age and students in the seventh grade at St. Patrick's Academy.

They walked a total of about 20 miles Friday evening and Saturday morning, had nothing to eat and could not even muster up enough money to get through to call to alay their parents' fears. It all started Friday morning when the boys took the school bus into Sidney, NE, started playing in the company of a third boy and then, before they realized it, discovered they were late for school.

They decided to play a little longer and then proceeded to become a little frightened about what the teachers and parents might say. The third boy, however, did go back to school, but young Pennington and Hernandez, not thinking of the furor they were to create, struck out afoot and finally wound up in Gurley, NE, that night.

By the time they got there they were too weary to go any further and, as they didn't have enough money for a call, crawled into an old car and fell asleep. Early Saturday morning they set out again and, by the way of a county road, had gotten halfway back to the Sioux Ordinance Depot, before they were picked up by a passing motorist and taken the rest of the way home.

The parents of the two boys began worring about them when the third boy reported that they had last been seen in the southeastern section of Sidney. The parents notified the Safety Patrol and local law offices. An alarm was sent to all patrolmen in the area to be on the lookout, as it was feared that they might had headed for Omaha, NE, to see the Pennington boy's grandmother or Minatare, NE, where the Hernandez boy has relatives.

Lt. Col. Edward Pennington spent the greater part of Friday night on a personal search of the area, driving as far as Chappell, NE, and inquiring everywhere to learn if anyone had see the boys answering his son's description and the Hernandez boy's description.

Saturday morning word was sent to the news wire services and the description of the boys was flashed over the radio networks and printed in daily newspapers.

A report came in to Mrs. Pennkngton, Saturday morning, that the boys had been seen in Gurley Friday and later that morning, footsore and weary, they walked in at their homes.

Both boys were interested only in some solid food and getting into their own beds when they arrived home. And their parents, relieved beyond description, greeted them with open arms.

Art will be forever loved and dearly missed. He was preceded in death by his parents, Perfecto and Rebecca Hernandez; brothers Lawrence, Ferdinand, Chuck and sister Rose Ann Hernandez.

Survived by wife Mary, children, Arthur Jr. (Vickie); Tricia, Steven (Angi) and Anthony; grandchildren Ashley, Skyler, Alaina, Jacob, Aiden and Noah. He is also survived by brothers, Charles (Jan) and Dale; sisters, Lydia Sullivan and Valerie O'Brien, many nieces, nephews, family and friends.

At the request of the deceased, no services will be held. Memorials to Odyssey Hospice. Cremation services provided by Good Shepherd Funeral Home.