Mary J Reusink

A funeral service for Mary J. Reusink will be held on Monday, December 30, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at the Holdrege Methodist Church in Holdrege, Nebraska with Pastor Sarah Fisher officiating. Interment will be held on Monday, December 30, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at the Long Island Cemetery near Long Island, Kansas.

Mary Jean (Carter) Reusink, 82 years of age, formerly of Holdrege, Nebraska, passed away, on December 20, 2024, at Mary Lanning Healthcare in Hastings, Nebraska. Mary Jean was born in Oberlin, Kansas on June 18, 1942, the oldest of three children, born to Merald Kenneth and Millie Esther (Stowell) Carter. The day Mary Jean was born, her father left to serve our country in England so Mary Jean and her mother stayed with her grandma Fern Lucille Stowell. Mary Jean had many fond memories while staying with her grandmother, including climbing the windmill, helping her grandmother with her garden, and raising chickens. When her father returned from serving in WWII the family moved to Hays, Kansas so he could get the hours necessary to become a teacher. Because of his job, Mary Jean received her education from various schools throughout Kansas. She attended Long Island Public School in Long Island, Kansas her junior and senior years and graduated with the class of 1960.

It was at Long Island where she met her future husband, Gary Dee Reusink. Because Gary was so shy, it took quite a while for him to ask Mary Jean for a date. After many dates, he proposed! Of course she said "yes". They were married on May 15, 1960, in Long Island, Kansas at the Methodist Church. Mary Jean and Gary had three children: Debra Sue, Diana Lynn, and Terry Lee. The family made their home in several Kansas communities, including Garden City, Kansas, where she worked for the Credit Bureau; Norton, Kansas, where she worked in the grocery store as a checker; and in Long Island, she worked as the lunch room supervisor for Northern Valley Schools. In 1983, the family moved to Holdrege, Nebraska, where Mary Jean was the first female city mail carrier for the Holdrege Post Office, and later opened the first Casey's store in Holdrege.

Mary Jean was baptized into the Methodist Church. She was active in her church and spent time visiting members who were not able to attend church. Mary Jean enjoyed visiting with people in both nursing homes. She was notorious for sending greeting cards of all kinds to everyone whom she cared for.

Mary Jean was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Garrett and Opal Reusink; one great-granddaughter, Sloan Kats; two sisters-in-law: Ivalee Good; and Vera Reusink; and two brothers-in-law, Harland Reusink; and Larry Reusink.

Mary Jean is survived by her three children: Deb Anderson and her husband, Ron of Norton, Kansas; Diana Urbom and her husband, Jim of Holdrege, Nebraska; and Terry Reusink and his wife, Michelle of Gill, Colorado; twelve grandchildren: Ryan and his wife, Ashley; Kyle and his wife, Tosha; Megan and her husband, Ry; Logan and his wife, Megan; Stephanie and her husband, Coby; Levi and his wife, Jordan; Lynae and her husband, Wade; Lexie and her husband, Michael; Kayla; Kody; Megan; and Jennifer and her husband, Nate; 18 great-grandchildren: Ashton, Jase, Blake, Colbie, Kenlee, Addison, Quinn, Brooke, Brylee, Kyndall, Karter, Kessa, Charlette, James, Garrett, Treyven, Noah, and Bella; one sister, Barbara Ramsey and her husband, Craig of Overland Park, Kansas; one brother, Jim Carter and his wife, Reena of Denver, Colorado; and a host of nieces and nephews, other relatives, and friends.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, December 29, 2024, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. with family greeting friends from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Nelson Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

Memorials in Mary Jean's honor are suggested to the family for a later designation.

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.