Ellen M Medinger

Mass of Christian Burial for Ellen M. Medinger will be held at All Saints Catholic Church in Holdrege, Nebraska on Thursday, February 26, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. with Father Thomas Lux as Celebrant. Interment will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the Alma Cemetery in Alma, Nebraska.

Ellen Marie (Larson) Medinger, 94 years of age, of Holdrege, Nebraska (formerly of Alma) passed away on Friday, February 20, 2015 at the Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege. She was born the first of three children to Edwin Alexander and Amanda (Nelson) Larson on March 13, 1920 at Alma. She attended school at Huntley, Nebraska, where she graduated with the class of 1937. In 1939, Ellen won the Glamour Magazine "National Glamour Girl Photo Competition."

On October 31, 1939, she married her high school sweetheart, Merlin Medinger and they moved to Hawthorne, California, where she was employed at the Los Angeles County ASCS office for two years. In California the first of four children, daughter Gloria was born. And later in years, three additional children were born: Bernie, Steve, and Monte.

Due to the ill health of Merlin's mother the family relocated back to Nebraska, where Merlin engaged in farming and Ellen was employed at the Harlan County ASCS office and later with the Natural Resource District until her retirement in 1992.

To Ellen and Merlin, family was the most important part of their life. Ellen was involved in extension clubs, altar society and the Harlan County Chorus, of which she was the director from 1954 - 1955. She enjoyed music and sang for many occasions. Ellen and Merlin celebrated 60 years of marriage before Merlin's passing in 2000. In 2001, Ellen moved to Loveland, Colorado and resided there for 11 years with her daughter, Gloria and her son, Steve.

In March 2012, she began to make her home at Holdrege Memorial Homes, where she renewed old acquaintances and gained new friends as well.

Besides her husband, Merlin and parents; Ellen was preceded in death by her son, Monte in 1996; granddaughter, Kimberly Long in 2013; sister, Mildred, and her husband, Melvin "Bud" Malone; and sister-in-law, Verlene Medinger-Malone.

Ellen is survived by one daughter, Gloria "Dodie" Naylor and her husband, Dick of Loveland, Colorado; two sons: Bernie Medinger and his wife, Gwen of Crete, Nebraska and Steve Medinger of Loveland; sister Edith Ann Sims and her husband, Virgil of Holdrege; nine grandchildren: Doug (Eileen) Olson of Orleans, Nebraska, Craig (Kelly) Olson of Loveland, Shelley (Brian) Gray of Holdrege, Angela (Travis) Bain of Loveland, Anthony (Jason) Medinger of Las Vegas, Nevada, Miranda (Shane) Melancon of Louisiana, Samantha Svoboda and Stephanie Medinger of Lincoln, Maggie (Michael) McConnell of Alma; and grandson-in-law, Gary Long of Atlanta, Nebraska; 28 great and great-great grandchildren: Jeremy (Gina) Olson, Mackenzie, Dominic, and Charley of Waverly, Nebraska; Shilo (Nick) Froeschl, Jackson and Hadley of Lincoln; Chase (Jessica) Olson of Lincoln; Chelsi Olson of Kearney; Lindsey (Sergio) Gonzales, Naomi and Giovanni of Loveland; Sydney Olson of Loveland; Michaela, Amanda, and Zachary Gray, Holdrege; Whitney and Jordan Bain, Loveland; Marlie and Meritt McConnell of Alma; Lacy (Kelly) Tennant, Piper and Kaegan of Westminster, Colorado; Ciara and Bailey Melancon of Louisiana; Brianna, Jacob, and Keyara Syracuse of Loveland; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege. Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

A memorial has been established in Ellen's honor and will be designated at a later date.

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.