Shaner Chevrolet

Iryl R. Shaner was born April 12, 1893 in York County, Nebraska to Steward and Milla Warren Shaner.
Iryl died February 8, 1971 at Geneva, Nebraska and was buried in the Geneva Cemetery.
Iryl’s family moved to Overton, Nebraska where he spent his childhood and started auctioneering as a young man.
In 1914 he moved to Geneva and that same year was married to Rose Owens on February 22, 1914. They were the parents of two sons, Rex and Kenneth.
When Iryl first came to Fillmore County, his occupation was farming and auctioneering.
In 1918 Colonel Iryl Shaner and George B. Nicholson consolidated their auction businesses. They “cried” at many auctions in Fillmore as well as many of the surrounding counties. Col Iryl was also associated with several other auctioneers over the years.
Iryl moved with his family to Geneva in 1923 and about that time started working for Russell Tetard at the Geneva Motor Co. which was the local Ford distributor.
In 1925 Iryl went to work at Brown-Dixon Chevrolet which was located at 936 G Street.
R. O. Sigman and Iryl purchased the Brown-Dixon Chevrolet business in 1927 and changed the name to S & S Chevrolet Co.
In 1932 the partnership was dissolved and the business was divided. Iryl kept the Chevrolet dealership and the repair department while Mr. Sigman retained the used cars at the same location.
Iryl moved his Chevrolet dealership to 120-128 South 8th Street and called his new business Shaner Chevrolet. In July, the business was relocated to 1044 G Street.
Also in 1932, Iryl was joined in business by his brother Paul Shaner of Lushton, Nebraska. Paul was in charge of the repair department.
Iryl and his sons held livestock sales in the Shaner Chevrolet showroom, (currently the location of Geneva Super Foods.) They would set up pens and rings for the sale and take it all back down after the sale. The next day it was a car dealership again, ready for business.

In 1933 Iryl built the Geneva Sale Barn. It was one of the oldest if not the oldest continually operating sale barn in Nebraska when the last sale was held in 1983.

After Iryl’s sons graduated from Geneva High School they also joined in the family car dealership business, Rex in 1936 and Kenneth “Bill” in 1940.
Mike Shaner, son of Bill also followed in the footsteps of his family at Shaner Chevrolet.
Rex and Bill attended auctioneer school and were involved in auctioneering at all types of household, real estate and livestock sales.
Shaner Chevrolet went out of business in 2001.
In 1948, Bill Shaner operated a roller skating rink at the anniversary hall at the fairgrounds for a year or so before erecting a new rink at 1627 G Street.
Bill’s son Mike later operated the rink with assistance from John Evans and Earl Taylor. The rink was closed about 1982.

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