Joan M. Carraher

Joan M. Carraher, 90, of Spalding, NE, passed away Saturday, January 18, 2025, at her home in Spalding, NE.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Spalding, NE with Fr. Joe Hannappel and Deacon Ron Glaser officiating. Interment will follow at St. Michael's Cemetery, Spalding, NE. Visitation will be 5:00-7:00 p.m. Tuesday at the church with a 7:00 p.m. wake service.

Levander Funeral Home of Spalding, NE is in charge of arrangements.

Joan Margaret Carraher was born in Spalding, Nebraska on Christmas day, 1934 to Joseph and Mary (Ballweg) Keber, the middle of three children. She was a life-long member of St. Michael's Catholic Church in Spalding, where she was baptized, confirmed, and married, and where she grew to be a devout Catholic. She attended grade school at Wheeler County District 17 and graduated from Spalding Academy in 1952. She taught the following three years at District 17 northwest of Spalding.

Joan met Bernard (Jerry) Carraher at a wedding dance at the College Inn in 1953. They began their lives together on November 24, 1954. Over the next 20 years, Jerry and Joan had 7 girls and 2 boys. Together they raised cattle, hay, corn, and their children on their farm southwest of Spalding until 1998, when they moved to town.

Joan had a serving heart. She put others first: no matter who, no matter what. She led by example, teaching her children to be honest and kind, to work hard and love harder. She was a member of the St. Anne's Altar Society, the St. Gerard's Study Club, the American Legion Auxiliary and the Catholic Daughters of America. She gave her time to others: serving at the Memorial Day services with the American Legion Auxiliary, delivering Meals on Wheels for the senior center, or praying the rosary with Hospice patients.

Joan served others best with food. There wasn't a family birthday in all her years that wasn't celebrated with her homemade ice cream, and many Spalding residents have enjoyed her cinnamon rolls on more than one occasion. Whether she was cooking a meal for Jerry, baking pies for the Greeley County Fair, preparing a dish for a funeral dinner, or hosting her big, boisterous family of about 50, Joan made extraordinary food, and she did it all while humming to herself in the kitchen.

Joan loved gardening, which she also shared with others; her canned vegetables and fresh cut flowers made many a gift for those she loved. She loved babies and being a mother. She was happy that she "got to have children at home" for nearly 40 years. She traveled to as many wrestling meets, speech meets, volleyball games, and dance recitals as she could to support her grandkids. She loved the sunshine on her front porch, especially when enjoyed with good company and a cold drink. Joan bowled, golfed, played cards, and said the rosary weekly with her beloved rosary group.

She had an optimistic attitude and a sweet spirit. Those who knew her well will always remember her infectious smile that was usually followed by an "I love you" or a "Take care now." Even as her health and strength began to fail her, she would smile and say, "I'm good" every time she opened her eyes. She never complained, and she was grateful to her family and friends for visits, especially in these past few years at home without Jerry.

Joan is survived by her nine children: Patty Nowak of Grand Island, Peg Carraher of Glenwood, Iowa, Carole Carraher (Jamie) Pflug of Springfield, Kay (Tom) Stepp of O'Neill, Annie (Tim) McManaman of Normal, Illinois, Mary (Brian) Wood of Greeley, Matthew (Wendy) Carraher of Spalding,  Michelle (Mike) Shaffer of Colorado City, Colorado and Mark (Keri) Carraher of Spalding; 22 grandchildren: Jeannie (Blake) Hollaway, Michael (Melanie) Stepp, Keith (Kylee) Stepp, Katie (Nick) Oberle, Grace, Rosie and TJ McManaman, Sylvie (Jason) Mann, Kelli (Ryan) Helton, Kim (CJ) Muller, Bryce (Moriah) Wood, Ben and Audrey Wood, Clayton (soon-to-be Mya) Carraher, Molly Carraher, Jake, Kyle, and Rachel Shaffer, and Trey, Trent, Trevor and Maycee Carraher and 11 great-grandchildren.

She was welcomed in heaven by her husband, Jerry, her parents Joseph and Mary Keber, her in-laws, Ben and Bessie Carraher, her brothers Joseph (Bud) and Mick Keber, and grandson Colton Carraher.