Tootie Florell

A Funeral Service for RoseMarie "Tootie" Florell will be on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at the Holcomb Evangelical Free Church in rural Holdrege, Nebraska with Pastor Randy Simmons officiating. Interment will follow at the Prairie Home Cemetery in Holdrege, Nebraska.

RoseMarie Florell, better known as Tootie, 76 years of age, of Holdrege, Nebraska, passed away Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at CHI Health Good Samaritan in Kearney, Nebraska. She was born on September 7, 1948, in Rapid City, South Dakota, to Thomas "Pete" Jorensen and Mary Lucile (Blair) Jorensen.

She received her education from Sturgis High School, graduating with the class of 1966. Following her education, she moved to Holdrege to work for her cousins Don and Verna Greenfield who managed the Holdrege Airport. Tootie even learned to fly small planes during this time. In 1969, she was then employed by the First Security Bank as a teller.

On July 26, 1969, Tootie was united in marriage to Ronald Edward Florell at the First Presbyterian Church in Sturgis, South Dakota. They made their home on a farm north of Holdrege, Nebraska and were blessed with three children: Renee', Julie, and Shawn. She worked along side of her husband, Ron. In 1980, they purchased the Stark Feedlot north of Loomis where they lived and operated F-F Cattle. Tootie enjoyed farming the land and working with their customers and the cattle buyers. In 1989, they sold the feedlot and resumed farming and feeding cattle at the home place north of Holdrege.  In 2009, they purchased a house in Holdrege.

Tootie was baptized as a youth in a river in rural Sturgis, South Dakota. Throughout her adult life, Tootie was an active member of the Holcomb Evangelical Free Church and she served there in many capacities. She loved helping bake and serve for various ministries. No matter how busy she was, she always made time to provide her baked goods.

In 2018, Ron and Tootie began to spend their summers part-time at their cabin on Johnson Lake. They enjoyed many family weekends and holidays at the cabin as family was the center of their life. Tootie adored her grandchildren: taking care of them and following all of their activities. Through her long, intentional conversations, every person knew how much they were loved by her. She loved baking, cooking and gardening as she loved staying busy and being on the go!

Tootie leaves to celebrate her life; her husband Ron of Holdrege, Nebraska; her children:  Renee Bauer and her husband, Rick of Elm Creek; Julie Denker and her husband, Lee of Papillon; and Shawn Florell and his wife, Heather of Holdrege; Twelve grandchildren: Justine Bauer of Johnson Lake, Allison Hinrichs and her husband Matthew of Hildreth, Whitney Bauer of Elm Creek, Ashley Bauer of Elm Creek, Sadie Denker of Dallas, Texas, Sam Denker of Houston, Texas, Sophie Denker of State College, Pennsylvania, Tate Florell, Summer Florell, Katie Florell, Paige Florell, and Merit Florell all of Holdrege; and one great-granddaughter: Hazel Hinrichs of Hildreth.  Siblings: brother, Bob Jorensen and his wife, Linda of Sturgis, South Dakota, sister-in-law, Sharon Knotek and her husband, Brad of Canon City, Colorado; brother-in-law, Randy Florell and his wife, Connie of Colorado Springs, Colorado; along with a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; Thomas "Pete" Jorensen and Mary Lucile (Blair) Jorensen, brother Gene Jorensen and his wife, Mary (Kopp) Jorensen, father-in-law, Edward Florell and his wife, Irene (Schrader) Florell.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 from 5:00 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, Nebraska.

Memorials in Tootie's memory 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, Nebraska is in charge of the arrangements.