Doris J. Noecker

Doris J. Noecker, 93, passed away peacefully while surrounded by family at her home in Bow Valley, NE on Saturday, March 23, 2024. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Bow Valley with the Rev. James Keiter officiating.  The Mass will be live streamed and can be viewed at www.facebook.com/wintzray.  Burial will be at Sts. Peter and Paul Cemetery in Bow Valley.  Visitation will be on Monday, at church, from 5 - 8:00 p.m. with a Vigil service at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue on Tuesday one hour prior to services.  Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home in Hartington. 

Pallbearers will be Zeke Snyder, Brett Noecker, Dani Thoene, Joe Noecker, Nick Anderson, Jake Creekmore, Kelsey Woolverton, Anson Noecker, Noah Noecker, and Wes Noecker.
Honorary pallbearers are the grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren.

Doris was born on February 8th, 1931 to Leonard and Mary (Schwartz) Haberman in rural Hartington. Doris grew up near Fordyce NE. She attended Cedar County schools, including the Rose Hill School and Fordyce High School. After two years she transferred to Holy Trinity High School and graduated in 1949. 

Doris married Jerome Noecker on August 21, 1951 at Holy Trinity Church in Hartington. Together, they built a family farm near Bow Valley NE. Being a mother of 12 children was not only her calling but her greatest passion. You would often find her teaching her children to garden, can fruits and vegetables, play cards, games and put together jigsaw puzzles, dance, sew and quilt, to name just a few. She canned many vegetables and never let anything go to waste. As busy as she was, she found time to make a quilt for all of her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great-grandchildren. She also loved to make scrapbooks and fill them with the most interesting things she would find from magazines. She inspired her family to be adventurous, imaginative and to always appreciate extended family. She and Jerome belonged to a card club for many years, went to many dances, and loved to bowl. Throughout their married life, Doris and Jerome loved to travel together and had many adventures along the way. In 1996, Doris and Jerome moved off the family farm into Bow Valley where she continued to influence all the lives around her.

Doris was a faithful member of St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, providing for all her children to have a Catholic education, participating in Christian Mothers and the Bow Valley Rosary Club. From the beginning until she passed, she inspired all her family to trust God, and that unwavering faith carried her over the peaks and through the valleys of her life. She trusted in God’s will, often saying to anyone who was struggling, “Put it in God’s Hands.”

Doris is survived by ten children and their spouses. Rick and Kathy Noecker of Hartington, Karen and Danni Thoene of Bow Valley, Bill and Laura Noecker of Hartington, Diane Bruning of Cloquet, MN, Darlene Flores of Hereford, TX, Lou Ann and Roy Creekmore of Hartington, Jeani and Steve Guenther of Papillion, NE, Mark and Leah Noecker of Hartington, Steve and Karen Noecker of Bow Valley, Randy and Donna Noecker of Bow Valley, 43 grandchildren, 55 great grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren, sister, Midge Zimmer of Hartington and sister-in-law Ann Haberman of Littleton, CO and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jerome; her parents; daughter and son-in-law Connie and Russ Snyder; son, James Noecker; son-in-law John Flores; granddaughter, Priscilla Flores; grandson, Johnny Creekmore; great grandson, Damien Thoene; grandson-in-law, Mike Woolverton, 3 brothers, Jerry, Dennis and Ron Haberman; sister Jean Mulenberg; brother-in-law Ed Zimmer.

Memorials may be directed to the St. Peter and Paul Building Restoration Fund.