Jayne Schnurr

ALLIANCE - Martha Jayne Schnurr, 92, died Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, at Good Samaritan Health Care Center in Alliance.
A celebration of Jayne's life will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 7, at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Alliance with Father Donald Huber officiating. Following the service, interment will take place at 2 p.m. at the Harrison City Cemetery in Harrison.
Visitation will be from 1 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home Sunday, Nov. 6.
Memorials may be offered in Jayne's name to St. Matthew's Church, Carnegie Arts Center, or to a memorial of the donor's choice. Online condolences may be left at www.batesgould.com. Bates-Gould Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Jayne was born June 8, 1919, in Omaha, to Earl LeRoy and Bertha Alta (Bartling) Young. While growing up in Omaha, she loved life and was a tomboy at heart. She completed her high school studies a semester early, but graduated with her class from Benson High School in May 1937. Jayne received awards in journalism, shorthand and typing. She took courses to prepare herself for a medical career as a registered nurse, but due to the depression no loans, grants, or scholarships were available for her to pursue her dreams. Six months before graduation from high school, she found work as a secretary at Mutual Benefit later known as Mutual of Omaha.
On March 22, 1941, in St. Paul's Methodist Church, Omaha, Jayne was united in marriage to William "Bill" Eggert Schnurr of Harrison. In May 1941, they moved to Bridgeport. Jayne was active in the community. She was initiated in P.E.O. Chapter DP in Bridgeport in May 1946. In August 1946, Bill and Jayne moved to Alliance, where she resided until her death. She was a faithful member of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church. She showed us how to live life and was a witness to Christ's hope and grace. He was her strength and redeemer.
Jayne worked as a sales clerk for Lenla's Style Shop and as a bookkeeper for the Alliance Livestock Commission Company. She was a 65-year member of P.E.O. and a past president of Chapter AH, a 50-year member of Easter Star, a lifetime member of Box Butte General Hospital Auxiliary and Friends of the Library. She also enjoyed membership in Daughters of the Nile, Toastmistress International, the Alliance Women's Club and Antique Club. She acted as the 1971 Box Butte County Red Cross residential fund raising chairman. That same year she completed a 12-hour nursing course to help families in disaster. Having a kind heart and loving spirit to do for others, she loved to volunteer. Jayne's first thoughts were always what she could do to help her family and friends.
Having won several honors for her paintings, Jayne enjoyed her membership in the Box Butte County Art Society and Association of Nebraska Art Clubs. She was a lifetime member of the Sioux County Historical Society and donated the land for the Sioux County Museum in Harrison, Nebraska. Jayne and Bill were involved in genealogical research with the Northwest Genealogical Society and spent many years researching their family history, traveling to Utah, Colorado, Iowa, Ohio and Germany. Family heritage was very important to them both. She was a charter member of the Country Music Society of America and a member of the Panhandle Music Association. Her love of music was her energizer and she loved to dance. Jayne and Bill belonged to the Couples Dance Club and enjoyed many hours of square dancing and ballroom dancing to the big band sounds.
Jayne was a talented seamstress and milliner, making her own clothes, clothes for her three daughters and shirts and jackets for Bill. She also en-joyed knitting, crocheting, furniture refinishing, making jewelry and doing crafts of all types. She was a fabulous cook and baker. She made the very best pies, cinnamon rolls and bread, always making extra for friends and neighbors. Jayne was a wonderful, kind and loving wife and mother and a true homemaker. She loved being a Grandma to all her grandchildren and delighted in all their accomplishments. She was so proud of them all and attended as many of their functions as she could.
Survivors include her daughters and their families: Kaye (Ted) Hempel of Alliance and sons Daniel Hempel and David Hempel of Lincoln; Karen Thorell of Denver and sons and families; Michael (Elizabeth) Thorell and daughters Lauren and Alexandra of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Gregory (Amy) Thorell and children Emma and Jack of Scottsdale, Ariz.; William (Angela) Thorell and sons Evan and Brett of Omaha; Kathy (Don) Graham of Scottsbluff and children Maegen Graham of Omaha; Christopher Graham and son Colton of Omaha; and Justin Graham of LaVista, Neb.; a sister-in-law, Carroll Schnurr; and nephews Ron Saffer, Bob Saffer, Bill Young and Tom Young.
Preceding Jayne in death was her beloved husband Bill; her parents; sister, Alyce Lou Saffer; brother, William Henry Young; son-in-law, Jim Thorell; brothers-in-law, Gordon Saffer, Clarence Schnurr; sister-in-law, Ida Turco Young and nieces, Laurie Saffer Kemp and Jacquie Young Oberg.