Dorthy M. Kubal

NORFOLK -- Funeral service for Dorthy M. Kubal, 98, of Pierce, formerly of Omaha, will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, December 6, 2024 at the St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Norfolk. Rev. Paul Hirsch will be officiating the service. Burial will be held at 3:00 p.m., Friday, Dec. 6, at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Omaha. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m., prior to the service on Friday also at the Church. A funeral luncheon will be held after the funeral at the Stonacek Funeral Chapel. Dorthy passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at the Premier Estates of Pierce where she had been a resident since January, 2024. Stonacek Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Dorthy May (Kortje) Kubal was born February 23, 1926 in Norfolk, NE to Albert J. and Adele (Zeplin) Kortje. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Norfolk. Growing up in the 1930’s during the Depression, times were tough. From sixth grade through high school, Dorthy was a babysitter, housekeeper, and dishwasher while going to grade school at St. Paul’s Lutheran School and later to Norfolk High School. She graduated from Norfolk High School in 1944. She was working as a bookkeeper but a local Norfolk grocer convinced her to stock shelves and load customer cars. Because of WWII there was a shortage of men to do these jobs. She did this for three and a half years. She then worked as a proofreader at the Norfolk Daily News for 5 years. Music was something the family loved. Dorthy’s dad Albert managed the Saturday night dances at the Union Hall. In those days, everyone’s kids tagged along and played on the dance floor and learned to dance. In 1953, Dorthy married a long-time friend and musician, Amil Kubal, who not only played accordion, but performed on radio stations in Norfolk and Columbus. After they were married, they went to Omaha to live. Amil continued playing the accordion and repairing and tuning pianos. Dorthy worked at Mutual of Omaha for 32 years until her retirement in 1983. They had plans to retire in Florida but Dorthy’s husband Amil passed away in 1985. They had no children. Dorthy was a member of Gethsemane Evangelical Lutheran Church on North 108th St., Omaha, NE since 1954. She enjoyed doing volunteer work for the church and Red Cross. She and her dear friend Evelyn travelled to England, Germany, Alaska, and many other places and loved going to hostiles and conventions for the LWMS and OWLS church groups. Special Omaha friends were Pastor Stephen Helwig, Doris Abraham, Jeff and Karen Sloan, Brian and Sue Bollich, and Marilyn Morrell and many others. Dorthy loved her church family. Dorthy had a special place in her heart for her God children, Doris Wragge, and her husband Marvin and Brad Roberts and his wife Joanie. She also loved camping with her niece Doris and husband Marvin and their family and her cousin Betty Zeplin. Dorthy would always try to come back to Pierce for holidays and special occasions. When family wouldn’t let her make that trip driving, they would go and bring her “home” for family gatherings. Dorthy is survived by a niece Doris (Marvin) Wragge, nephews Delbert Ruge and David Ruge, all of Pierce, Tim (Barb) Kortje, Allen Kortje, Jay (Kristi) Kortje all of Norfolk, Gary (Kim) Kortje of Missouri, Richard (Vickie) Kortje of Portland, Oregon, Ron (Beth) Kortje of Norfolk, and sister-in-law Darlene Kortje of Norfolk, and also many great nieces and nephews. Dorthy was preceded in death by her husband Amil, parents Albert and Adele Kortje, brother Alfred and wives Florence and Hattyann, brother Dean, sister Beata Ruge and husband Walter, infant twin sisters before birth, nephew Kenneth Ruge and wife Betty, nephews Darrell Kortje and Larry Kortje, nieces Barbara Massman, Jeanette Koffler, and Carol Zautke, and special first cousins Betty Zeplin and Lois Roberts. Condolences may be expressed to the family on-line at www.stonacekfuneralchapel.com.

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Dorthy M. Kubal

February 23, 1926 - December 3, 2024