Dorothy M. Schwaninger

Funeral Services for Dorothy M. Schwaninger will be conducted from the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege, Nebraska on Saturday, February 17, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. with Reverend Buck Linton-Hendrick, officiating. Interment will be in the Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery at Lincoln, Nebraska on Monday, February 19, 2007 at 1:00 p.m.

Dorothy Mae Schwaninger, 85 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Tuesday, February 13, 2007 at the Christian Homes in Holdrege. Dorothy was born November 1, 1921 on a farm near Firth, Nebraska, the daughter of High and Amelia Caroline (Krueger) Cook. She attended country school at District #113 through the eighth grade.

Following her education she assisted on the family farm near Firth. On November 26, 1940 she was united in marriage to Elgin J. Schwaninger at Marysville, Kansas with Irma and Emil Ehrlich as witnesses and to this union five children were born: Joyce, Linda, Roger, Rex and Judy. When Elgin joined the U.S. Army in October of 1942, Dorothy went with him. He was stationed at Camp Polk, Louisiana and Camp Callan at Long Beach, California, where Dorothy was employed by Douglas Aircraft Company. When Elgin was sent overseas, Dorothy returned to Nebraska to live with her parents. Following the war the family made their home in Beatrice until moving to Holdrege in 1954, where Dorothy was employed at Arnold's Upholstery for over twenty years retiring in December of 1982. Dorothy then worked part time at the Christian Homes in Holdrege in housekeeping. In 1982, she was preceded in death by her husband, Elgin.

Dorothy was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege, where she served on various committees. She was a member of the T.O.P.S. Club, where she was the weight recorder for over 20 years. She was a Boy Scout leader, enjoyed the many friendship bonds formed in bowling league, loved to read, tending to her garden, playing cards and board games and going for walks. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

She leaves to mourn her passing her two sons: Roger Schwaninger and his wife, Phyllis, of Glenwood, Iowa and Rex Schwaninger and his wife, Margie, of Bettendorf, Iowa; three daughters: Joyce Hoffman and her husband, Sam, of Rancho Cordova, California, Linda Bates and her husband, Max of Stella, Nebraska and Judy Larson of Holdrege, Nebraska; ten grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two sisters: Stella Grieser of Aurora, Colorado and Marjorie Cooper and her husband, Charles of Lincoln; sisters-in-law: Irene Schwaninger and Irma Eno both of Lincoln; brothers-in-law, Ludell Schwaninger and Delmar Peetz both of Omaha, Nebraska and Jerald Holling of Valley, Nebraska and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Besides her husband, Elgin, she was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers: Fritz Josten, Delbert Cook and Weldon Cook; three sisters: Irene Theasmeyer, Helen Schell and Ella Byrum.

Mrs. Schwaninger will lie in state at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege on Friday, February 16, 2007 from 1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

A memorial has been established in her memory.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.