Edna L Paulsen

Funeral Services for Edna L. Paulsen will be conducted from the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege, Nebraska on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. with Reverend Dale Lambert and Chaplain DeWane Dow officiating. Interment will be in the Prairie Home Cemetery in Holdrege.

Edna Louise Paulsen, 87 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at the Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege. Edna was born January 2, 1925 on the family farm south of Elm Creek in Phelps County, Nebraska, the youngest of six children of Charles Arthur and Pauline Josephine (Larson) Larson. She received her primary education at the Snowball District #66 School and then attended Loomis High School, graduating with the class of 1941. She pursued higher education at the Kearney Normal School for two years attaining her teaching credentials.

Edna taught school for five years in Phelps County and worked in the summers as a waitress in Lincoln, Nebraska and Estes Park, Colorado.

On June 2, 1948, Edna was united in marriage to John Paulsen Jr. and to this union three children were born: Gwen Yvonne, Cristy Kay and James Thad. The family made their home on a farm in Phelps County, north of Funk, Nebraska, where Edna assisted John on the farm.

She also enjoyed gardening, canning fruits and vegetables, cooking, sewing, quilting, embroidery, playing Bridge, water exercise classes and entertaining friends and family. Edna loved traveling with John, especially spending the winters in Sun Lakes, Arizona since 1979.

She was an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege, where she recently received her 60 year membership certificate. While in Arizona she enjoyed attending church, Bible studies and other activities at the Community Church.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by one great-grandson born at rest; three sisters: Verna Palmer and her husband, Raymond, Ruth Anderson and her husband, Elmer O. Anderson and Lila Else; two brothers: Harold Larson and his wife, Elvera and Carl Larson; brothers-in-law: Albert Paulson and his wife, Alberta, Roy Paulson and his wife, Myrtle, Herbert Paulson and his wife, Helen, Densmore Nelson and Claude Griffith; and sisters-in-law: Myrtle Clayton and her husband, Thomas and Louise Paulsen.

Edna is survived by her husband, John of Holdrege; three children: Gwen Needham and her husband, Dale of Campbell, Nebraska, Cristy Christensen and her husband, Eldon of Stapleton, Nebraska, James Paulsen and his wife, Mary of Funk; 11 grandchildren: Gary Needham and his wife, Angela, Duane Needham and his wife, Angelika, Robert Needham and his wife, Joan, Mark Needham and his wife, Susie, Marcia Kriz and her husband, Capt. Patrick Kriz, Lynette Karg and her husband, James, James Christensen and his wife, Melissa, John Christensen and his wife, Bobbie, Shelly Gifford and her husband, Tom, Leslie Gerdes and her husband, Jason, and Stephanie Todd and her husband, Damien; 24 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law: Ruth Nelson and Irene Griffith; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Friday, April 27, 2012 from 1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in her memory and kindly suggested to the First United Methodist Church –Remodeling Fund.

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.