Willa R Keifer

Memorial Services for Willa R. Keifer will be conducted from the First Presbyterian Church in Holdrege, Nebraska on Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Dr. W. Kirwin Stewart, Jr. officiating. Private family interment will be held in the Prairie Home Cemetery at Holdrege prior to the service.

Willa Reye Keifer, 89 years of age of Kearney, Nebraska (formerly of Holdrege) passed away on Saturday, September 24, 2011 at the Mt. Carmel Keens Memorial Home in Kearney. Willa was born May 20, 1922 in Minden, Nebraska, the youngest of two children born to Elmer C. and Maud (Baum) Tidvall. Willa was baptized and confirmed in the United Presbyterian Church in Minden. She received her education in Minden and graduated from the Minden High School with the class of 1940. She then pursued higher education at the Hastings College from 1940-1942, where she was a member of the Chi Omega Psi sorority. She then transferred to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, where she graduated with distinction in 1944. During her time at UNL she was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority and Pi Lambda Theta Teachers College Honorary.

Willa taught Commercial Arts at Minden from 1944-1946, and then in Holdrege from 1946-1948. She retired from teaching in 1948 after she and Jess were married as the Holdrege Schools did not employ married couples at that time. On November 21, 1948 she married Jess Lloyd Keifer at the United Presbyterian Church in Minden and to this union two daughters were born: Katherine Ann and Susan Reye. Willa then focused her efforts on raising their children and supporting her husband in his teaching and coaching career. She enjoyed being a coach's wife, taking her two young daughters to all football games and track meets.

She was active in the Presbyterian Church, where she taught Sunday and Bible school and was a member of the Anna Mary Circle. She was involved with (U.P.W.) United Presbyterian Women becoming secretary of the Platte Presbyterial Board and then Moderator of the U.P.W. She served as Service Chairman of the American Red Cross and volunteered many years with Meals-On-Wheels which included delivering meals, arranging drivers and was a past board member. She was also a charter member of the Holdrege Junior Women's Club.

Willa was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Preston Tidvall and his wife, Margaret.

She is survived by her husband, Jess of Kearney; two daughters: Kay Keifer and her husband, William Lindsay of Kearney and Susan Wolf and her husband, James of Albion, Nebraska; four grandchildren: Mitchell Wolf of Denver, Colorado, Alexander Wolf of Charleston, South Carolina, Hilary Wolf of Lincoln, Nebraska, Spencer Lindsay of Kearney; two step-grandchildren: Matthew Lindsay of Chicago, Illinois and Elizabeth Lindsay of Axtell, Nebraska; five nieces, five nephews, and other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 28, 2011, from 1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in her memory and kindly suggested to the First Presbyterian Church of Holdrege or the Jess and Willa Keifer Memorial Scholarship to be given to a Holdrege High School graduate.

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.