Lottie J. Klein

NORFOLK -- Funeral service for Lottie J. Klein, 101, of Norfolk, will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at the First Baptist Church in Norfolk. Pastor Dale Pracht will be officiating. Following the funeral luncheon, interment will be held at the Orchard Hill City Cemetery, Orchard. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service on Wednesday. In lieu of flowers the family asks that memorials be made to the Salvation Army, Rescue Mission, Good Neighbors, or First Baptist Church. Lottie passed away on Friday, January 12, 2024 at the Faith Regional Hospital in Norfolk. Stonacek Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Lottie J. Klein was born November 29, 1922, to Earl and Edna (Cary) Van Ostrand in Orchard, Nebraska. The family later moved to the Clearwater, Nebraska, area where Lottie grew up on the farm, learning to cook, sew and grow produce and flowers which she did her entire life. She told stories about how she had to pump and carry water to the garden to keep it alive during dry years. Lottie attended District 73 southwest of Clearwater and graduated from Clearwater High School in 1941 where she studied the Normal Training curriculum. After graduating from high school, Lottie taught in the country school system mainly in the Antelope and Madison County Schools. Lottie was always a learner and continued her education taking night and summer classes from Wayne State College and Dana College. Lottie had many stories that she happily shared with people about her days of teaching in the country school system. Stories of making the morning fire in the stove in the winter time, how a tornado narrowly missed the school during a storm, and writing and preparing an annual play at the school with the children. She had so many good memories of those days. She loved to share these stories with others. Lottie married the love of her life, Donald Klein on October 2, 1948. They started their married life in Creighton, Nebraska, but after a few months they moved to Neligh, Nebraska, where they made their home for several years. In August 1965 they moved to a new home they had built in Norfolk and this is where they made their home for the remainder of their lives. Lottie continued to teach and retired from teaching after twenty-one years. Lottie loved gardening and growing flowers and cooking, especially baking cookies and pies. Several people over the years have enjoyed her pies and cookies that she so generously baked for so many people and organizations. She baked pies and cookies and entire meals for the Norfolk Rescue Mission, and even baked and delivered pies to the fire department. After retiring from teaching Lottie was involved in many volunteer positions with many organizations, a few of which were the Rebekah Lodge, Salvation Army, Good Neighbors, Library Book Club, First Baptist Church, and the Norfolk Rescue Mission of which she was on the Board for several years. She was on the Salvation Army Board for several years and made cookies and quilts, and donated many items for their winter donations. Lottie spent many years volunteering for the Good Neighbors in Norfolk. She was the Chairperson for many of those years. Under her leadership many programs were initiated including making quilts for Birthright and the Rosebud Reservation. Over the years Lottie received many accolades and awards for her volunteer work. She had a special front page article in the Norfolk Daily News congratulating her for her many years of volunteer service to the Norfolk community. Lottie was also very active in church and had accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior at an early age. She was a faithful attender and served in many positions over the years for as long as she was able to do so. Lottie loved to read, especially her Bible, which she continued to do her entire life. Crocheting and needlework were also favorites of hers. Lottie’s greatest joy was being of service to others, helping others making their lives happier. This she accomplished to the delight of many. She will be missed by all that knew and loved her. Lottie was preceded in death by her spouse Donald, grandparents, parents, and siblings Gerald, Bruce, Luella, Vertis, Maxine, Elven and Iris. She is survived by a sister, Florence (Herb) Ziegenbein of Winnetoon, Nebraska, many nieces and nephews, and special friends, Donovan and Barb Ellis of Pierce, Nebraska, and a host of friends. Condolences may be expressed to the family on-line at www.stonacekfuneralchapel.com.

Tributes

Lottie J. Klein

November 29, 1922 - January 12, 2024