Doris Bieck

August 15, 1926 - October 17, 2024

Doris Bieck, age 98, passed away on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at Memorial Community Care in Aurora, Nebraska.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Monday, October 21, 2024, at the Harvard United Church of Christ. Pastor Dave Johnson will officiate. Interment will be at the Harvard Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m., Sunday, at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary in Aurora. Memorials may be made to Harvard United Church of Christ. Higby-McQuiston Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.

Doris Ann Bieck was born to Ferdinand "Pete" and Alta (Schmidt) Spath on a farm near Plainview, Nebraska, on August 15, 1926. Doris passed away on October 17, 2024 at Aurora, Nebraska, at the age of 98.

Her parents and family moved to Gordon, Nebraska, when she was five years old where she grew up and graduated from high school in 1943. She taught in the Sheridan and Hamilton County rural schools in the 1940s.

Doris married Howard Bieck on November 27, 1946, at Mankato, Kansas. This union was blessed with three children, Neil, Earl and Nancy.

Mrs. Bieck (Doris) returned to college in 1969, and then taught in the Hamilton County public schools in the 1970s and 1980s. She then pursued her much loved hobby of "hand spinning." She had inherited this art from her grandmother, Frederika Spath, who had lived with them for many years. Doris Ann won a National Sweepstakes Award for her homespun, hand-knitted gloves in 1963. She organized the Plainsman Hand Spinners Guild of Mid-Nebraska, and wrote a book on the Art of Hand Spinning which was published and copy written in 1982. Over a period of more than 50 years she gave many demonstrations at schools, fairs, and was "Craftsman in Residence" at the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island for most of the 1980s. She was also a 4-H leader during this time.

Doris Ann joined the United Church of Harvard, Nebraska, in 1947, and was a Sunday School teacher for 16 years. She was an active member of the Women's UCC Guild and former president as well as serving on the church board.

She was a member of the Giltner, Nebraska "Eastern Star" for many years until demitting out when they moved the lodge to Phillips Masonic Lodge. She was also a member of the GGG Extension Club for many years.

Her greatest love and devotion were to her family, her husband, Howard, of 64 years; children; grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She tried to show it in every way that she could by following all of their school and church activities. She was always encouraging and helping them with their education whenever possible.

Doris was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Howard, on February 15, 2011; two sisters; and two brothers; and daughter-in-law, Nancy Bieck.

Doris is survived by her three children, Neil Bieck of Giltner, Earl (Vickie) Bieck of Giltner and Nancy (Dave) Burson of Giltner; seven grandchildren, Travis Bieck of Giltner, Alena Haun of Scottsbluff, Jessica (Matt) Gorr of Longmont, Colorado, Courtney (Frank) Kimmel of Greenwood, Mississippi, Jennifer (Matt) Bebensee of Kearney, Trent Burson and Kassidi (Lucas) Elsbernd of Kearney; 10 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild. She is also survived by her sister, Judy Topham of Princeton, Illinois as well as numerous other relatives as well as friends who will cherish her memory.

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Published by The Grand Island Independent on Oct. 19, 2024.