Leona M. Nissen

PLAINVIEW – Funeral service for Leona M. Nissen, 98, of Plainview, will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, March 27, 2026 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Plainview. Rev. Glenn Meyer will be officiating the service. Interment will be held at the Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery, Norfolk. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service on Friday also at the church. Leona passed away on Friday, March 20, 2026 at the Plainview Manor. Stonacek Memorial Chapel in Pierce is in charge of the arrangements. Leona was born on May 23, 1927 in Plainview, Nebraska to Gustav and Mattie (Butterfield) Gast. She attended grade school at rural District 13 and also at Zion Lutheran School in Plainview before graduating from Plainview High School in 1944. She was baptized on June 12, 1927 and confirmed on March 17, 1940 both at Zion Lutheran Church in Plainview. Leona married Harlan G. Nissen on December 29, 1946 at Zion Lutheran Church in Plainview. To this union 3 children, Connie Michael and Sherlyn. Harlan and Leona lived west of Osmond for 10 years and were members of Immanuel Lutheran Church. They moved to the Gus Gast farm 4 miles south of Plainview where Leona grew up. They later moved to the George Volk farm 2 miles south and lived there until moving to town in 1990. Leona continued to be a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Plainview until the time of her death. Leona loved her church and did a lot to make her place of worship a place where she wanted to be. Leona then moved to The Meadows in Norfolk in 2011 and then to the Plainview Manor in October of 2022. She was the Choir Director at Immanuel Lutheran church in Osmond and then at Zion. Leona was a member of the Ladies Aid at Zion, the American Legion Auxiliary, the Auxiliary Quartet and held county and local offices. She sang at many memorial services for over 45 years in Plainview and sometimes Osmond and also sang for many weddings and funerals. Leona loved her music and singing with her sisters Verleen, Norma and Dorothy. The sisters made a record of many of the songs they learned at the Lutheran School. Wherever the Gast Girls were they were always asked to sing. I'm sure Leona and her sisters are now singing "Heaven is My Home". Leona won first prize at a singing contest at the age of 13 when she sang the “Lord's Prayer” and “Be Still My Soul”. Leona was a member of the Plainview Manor Board and the Foundation Board and was a volunteer at the Clown Museum. She worked for Paul and Helen Huigens Grocery Store and helped out at Zion's Daycare. Leona enjoyed playing cards, going to dances and later going to Harlan's Army reunions that took them to many places. Leona is survived by her children; Connie (Joe) Throener, Michael (Carolyn) Nissen of Norfolk and Sherlyn (Barry) Eckstrom of Pierce, grandchildren; Regina (Chad) Neuhalfen of Lincoln, Stephanie Nissen and Melissa Nissen of Norfolk, Scott Nissen of Westminster, CO., Wade (Linda) Kichler of Norfolk, Trent Kichler of Aurora, CO., Lucas Kiichler of Madison, WI., 8 great-grandchildren, 2 step-grandchildren and 1 step-great grandchild. Leona is preceded in death by her husband, Harlan in 2007, grandson Paul Throener, brothers; Raymond, Rollie, Lloyd and Jim, sisters; Maureen Smith, Phyllis Johnson, Wilma Seevers, Winfred Olinger, Dorothy Uhlir, Norma Gnewuch, Verleen Dickinson, and 1 grand-daughter in-law Theresa Kiichler Condolences may be expressed to the family on-line at www.stonacekfuneralchapel.com.

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Leona M. Nissen

May 23, 1927 - March 20, 2026