Lorraine M. German

1923 - 2021

Lorraine M. German

July 6, 1923 – November 6, 2021

PIERCE – The funeral service for Lorraine M. German, 98, formerly of Pierce, Nebraska, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 12, at the St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Pierce with Father Tim Forget and Deacon Doug Tunink officiating. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, with a Prayer Service including the Rosary starting at 7 p.m., also at the church. Interment will be at St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery, rural Pierce, following the funeral. The service will be live-streamed on the Stonacek Funeral Chapel Facebook page. Mrs. German died peacefully in her sleep on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, surrounded by her children and the wonderful caregivers at Heritage of Bel Air Nursing Home in Norfolk, Nebraska.

Stonacek Memorial Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

Lorraine Mary Abler was born July 6, 1923, in Humphrey, Nebraska, to Joseph Abler and Magdalena "Lena" (Fuchs) Abler. When she was 3 years old, the family moved to Peetz, Colorado, where Joe had purchased a farm. They moved to Pierce to take over the family farm when Lorraine was 11. She said she remembered riding a buckboard to school. After graduating from Pierce High School in 1941 she went to work in the Extension Office at the Pierce County Courthouse for $40 per month, paying her parents $10 per month for room and board. Dec. 7 that same year the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and she chose to go to Washington, D.C., to help with the war effort. She was there about 6 months and decided she could support the war effort just as well from Nebraska. She moved to Columbus, Nebraska, to work for the Director of Advertising for Consumers Public Power.

After a long-distance courtship, she married 2nd Lt. Robert E. German on May 7, 1946. They lived in military housing in Austin, Texas, then settled in Pierce in 1947, where they raised 6 children and ran German & Son Grocery Store. Robert and Lorraine, along with son Gary, were members of the first Emergency Medical Technician Class in Pierce and Bob and Lorraine served as squad members for 16 years. She was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church,

Lorraine is survived by her children, Diana (Jack) Grubb of Kingsley, Iowa, Patricia (Frank) Manthei of Aurora, Colorado, Roger (Tracy) German of Gainesville, Florida, Gary (Cindy) German of Fremont, Nebraska, Sandra (James) Echternacht of Clarkrange, Tennessee, Sherri (Gerry) Krueger of Pierce; 17 grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren.

Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.stonacekfuneralchapel.com.