Wanda Aldrich

A Mass of Christian Burial for Wanda Aldrich will be held on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at All Saints Catholic Church in Holdrege, Nebraska with Father Jay Buhman as Celebrant.

Rosary will be recited prior to the Mass at 9:30 a.m.  Interment will follow at the Prairie Home Cemetery in Holdrege.

Wanda Irene (Hastings) Aldrich, 88 years of age, of Grand Island, Nebraska, formerly of Holdrege, passed away on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, at Riverside Lodge Retirement Community in Grand Island. Wanda and her twin brother, Wayne, were born February 26, 1936, on her grandparents' farm, south of Elsie, Nebraska, the second of four children born to Robert J. and Irene M. (Derra) Hastings. She received her primary education from Eddy rural school, and then attended Hayes Center Public Schools, graduating with the class of 1954. She taught for 2 years after graduation and then pursued higher education at McCook Community College and took teachers classes.

In 1956, she was united in marriage to Richard Anderson of Wallace, Nebraska and to this union four daughters were born: Diane, Brenda, Donna and Doris. They lived in various places following her husband's job with Missouri Valley Construction before buying an acreage near Hayes Center. Later they moved their family to Arapahoe where she kept books for the Gosper County Road Department until moving to Wallace after buying the Anderson family farm.

On January 30, 1996, she was united in marriage to Richard Aldrich, and the couple resided in Holdrege. Wanda was employed at Mosaic for 19 years, retiring at the age of 75. She enjoyed her Mosaic family. Wanda was a member of the All Saints Catholic Church.

Wanda loved all of her family and rarely missed sending birthday cards to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She enjoyed hosting family dinners at Christmas and baking for her family. Her banana bread was one of everyone's favorites and there was always a discussion about who would get to take home any left over.

Besides her parents and husband, Richard Aldrich, she was preceded in death by her twin brother, Wayne Hastings; twin granddaughters, Kandice and Kayla, three sisters-in-laws: Rosalie Hastings, Joyce Hastings, and Karen Zigler; three brothers-in-law: Dale Van Boening, Lloyd Zigler, and Roger Aldrich.

Wanda leaves to celebrate her life; her children: Diane Priest and her husband, Marc of Hays, Kansas; Brenda Branstiter and her husband, Tim of Arcadia, FL; Donna Ehrlich and her husband, Jeff of Zephyrhills, FL; and Doris Chevalier and her husband, Tim of Aurora, Nebraska; four step-children: Randy Aldrich and his wife, Deb of Holdrege, Kate Aldrich and her husband, Tim Shaffer of Las Vegas, Nevada, Robert Aldrich of Denver, Colorado, and Ann Aldrich and her husband, Mansour Parsaye of Colorado Springs, Colorado; 38 grandchildren and 44 great-grandchildren; sister, Dolores Van Boening of Wallace, Nebraska; brother, Gary Hastings of Scottsbluff, Nebraska; sister-in-law, Janice; of Grand Island; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Monday, December 2, 2024 from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

A memorial has been established in Wanda's honor and kindly suggested to the All Saints Catholic Church or MOSAIC.

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.