Joyce "Larene" Bantam

1938 - 2025

Joyce "Larene" Bantam

December 31, 1938 - September 21, 2025

Funeral service for Joyce "Larene" Bantam will be held on Thursday, September 25, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at the Presbyterian Church in Orleans, Neb., with Pastor Dave Irwin officiating. Interment will be held in the Orleans Cemetery following the services.

Joyce Larene (Christensen) Bantam, 86 years, of Kearney, passed away surrounded by her loved ones on Sunday, September 21, 2025, at the Brookestone Gardens in Kearney. She was born on December 31, 1938, on the family farm south of Orleans. She was the eldest of four children born to Wayne Woodrow and Vera Irene (Shaver) Christensen.

She received her primary education from country school and then attended Orleans High School, graduating with the class of 1956. She attended and graduated from Kearney State Teacher's College, where she received her teaching degree. In August of 1961, she signed her first teaching contract and then taught for 35 years in Orleans, Beaver City, and Southern Valley; first in Home Economics, then English, and finally, in Library Media Science.

On December 27, 1960, Larene was united in marriage to Kenneth Edgar Bantam, and the couple was blessed with three daughters. The family began farming south of Orleans until 1966, when they purchased a farm between Orleans and Stamford. They farmed and raised livestock until their retirement. The couple celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary in December of 2017.

Besides being a farm wife and a teacher, Larene was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Orleans and in retirement, the Presbyterian Church in Holdrege. She served on the State 4-H Advisory Board and managed the South Central 4-H Camp in Harlan County for several years. She was a longtime 4-H leader, a county fair judge, an accomplished seamstress, a member of the Prairie Quilt Guild, and a Future Problem Solving coach at school. Larene was a Cornhusker fan and a fantastic cook; her homemade crescent rolls were favorites at family dinners. She also enjoyed reading and gardening.

Larene was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Kenneth in 2018; her sister, Shirley Kay Tripe; and her brother, Gary Christensen.

Larene leaves to honor her memory three daughters, Angela Regenos and her husband, Marc of Kearney, Neb.; Pam Bantam Cooper and her husband, David of Salina, Kan., and Julia Ulrich and her husband, James of Elkhorn, Neb.; seven grandchildren, McKenna (Scott) O'Rourke of Kearney, Natalie (Jacob) Spitzlberger of San Diego, Calif., Alex Regenos of Bettendorf, Iowa, Olivia (Marcus) Höhne of Bad Schmiedeberg, Germany, Benjamin Cooper of Lawrence, Kan., and Morgan Ulrich of Omaha, and Taylor Ulrich of Dallas, Texas; seven great-grandchildren, Kasey and Kenzie O'Rourke of Kearney; Jax, Ella, Kobi, and Tali Spitzlberger of San Diego; and Johannes Höhne of Germany; her sister, Margie (Don) Lange of Ferndale, Wash.; two sisters-in-law, Karon Christensen of Alma, and Joy Woodruff of Berthoud, Colo.; brothers-in-law, Don Tripe of Alma, John (Linda) Bantam of Orleans, and Duane (Vicki) Bantam of Alma; along with many nieces, nephews, former students, and friends.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, from 5 to 8 p.m. with the family greeting from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church in Orleans.

A memorial has been established in Larene's honor, and kindly suggested to the Harlan County 4-H Extension Service or the donor's choice.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com.

The Bauer-Torrey and Mach Funeral Home in Alma is in charge of the arrangements.