Alice M. Spence

Alice M. Spence, 85, of Grand Island died Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008, at Hamilton Manor in Aurora.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Apfel Funeral Home in Grand Island, with the Rev. Sheryl Bayer officiating. Burial will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home, with family receiving friends from 6 to 8.

Mrs. Spence was born on April 14, 1923, in Garfield County to Vaclav 'James' and Anna (Prerosta) Hrebec Sr.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William Spence.

Survivors of the immediate family include two sons and daughters-in-law, Jim and Pamela Spence of Fremont and Ron and Peg Spence of Aurora; a daughter and son-in-law, Sharon and Jerry Thiel of Grand Island; and three sisters and two brothers-in-law, Helen Hulinsky of Guide Rock, Marie and Ike Farritor of Alliance and Emma and Carroll Reeh of Alliance.

Additional survivors include nine grandchildren, Tina Kosinski, T.J. Ritz, Katherine Spence, Justin Spence, Moriah Sieling, Rhyannon Ruiz, Travis Spence, Tyler Spence, and Chris Spence; and 22 great-grandchildren.

She grew up in and attended schools in the rural Ord area. After she completed her schooling, she worked for a family in the Ord area, cooking and cleaning. She also worked on the family farm while growing up.

She was united in marriage to William Spence on Feb. 1, 1946, in Medford, Ore. The couple lived in Oregon until 1949, when they moved to Broken Bow. They moved to Grand Island in 1951 and she has lived there since. Mr. Spence died on Jan. 21, 1979.

She enjoyed playing bingo and Skipbo, going to the casinos, and especially her grandchildren and being with her family.

She was also preceded in death by her parents; a grandson, Brandon Spence; a brother, James Hrebec Jr.; and sisters, Rosie Allen and Anna Kamarad.

Memorials are suggested to the family.

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