Laura Beneke

Laura Beneke, age 78, passed away February 26, 2010 at her home.

She was born September 8, 1931 in Fremont, Neb., to Willard (Dutch) and Althea (Marr) Witte. She graduated from Fremont High School with the class of 1949 and attended Monticello College in Alton, Ill., and became a airline stewardess for Eastern Airlines in New York City. She left her airline career to marry Jim on November 28, 1953 in Fremont, Neb.; they were married 56 years and of the Christian faith. Laura and Jim lived 14 years in Sidney, Iowa where she was a loving wife and mother of their 3 sons, Worthy Matron of her Eastern Star Chapter and became a District Instructor. In Council Bluffs, she was active in the Dodge House, Eastern Star Chapter 442, PEO Chapter GQ, and a charter member of Explorer Garden Club. She recently received her 50 year member pen in Eastern Star.

She is survived by her husband, Jim; son, James, of North Platte, son, Charles and wife, of San Antonio and son, John and wife, of Winter Park, Fla.; grandson, Mitchel and granddaughter, Cali, of San Antonio, and granddaughters, Alice and Grace, of Winter Park; also survived by her sister, Anne and husband, Jerry Curran, of Littleton, Colo.; and nieces, Althea Strasberger and husband, of Doylestown, Pa., and Laura Fangman and husband, of Omaha, Neb.

Visitation will be Thursday, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Cutler-O'Neill-Meyer-Woodring Funeral Home. Funeral service Friday at 11 a.m., also at funeral home. A luncheon will follow at Broadway United Methodist Church for family and friends. Interment will be at Ridge Cemetery, Fremont, Neb., at 3 p.m. Family will direct memorials. Laura will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

This obituary was originally published in The Daily Nonpareil.