Karla E. Reardon Damgaard

Karla E. Reardon Damgaard, 84, of St. Edward, NE, passed away on Sunday, July 5, 2026, at Cloverlodge Care Center in St. Edward, NE.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, July 13, 2026, at St. Edward Catholic Church with Rev. Matt Gutowski officiating. Burial will follow at the parish cemetery. Visitation will be 2:00-4:00 p.m., Sunday, at church with a 4:00 p.m. wake service..

Miller-Levander Funeral Home of St. Edward, NE is in charge of arrangements.

Karla Elizabeth Reardon Damgaard was born on August 11, 1941, at Gillette, WY to Robert and Genevieve (Geis) Thoeming. Growing up among the sagebrush and the Bighorn Mountains, Karla attended school in Buffalo, WY and graduated high school from the home of the Dogies, in Newcastle, WY in 1959. Her childhood was spent riding horses, hunting, going on picnics, swimming in cold creeks, hiking Crazy Woman Canyon, going to sheep camp in the mountains and adventuring and roaming the ranges with her friends.

After graduation Karla attended St. Joseph School of Nursing in Omaha graduating in 1962. She met Dr. William Reardon while there and they were united in marriage on August 17, 1963, at St. Patrick’s Church in Omaha, NE. The couple had three children and lived in various communities throughout Nebraska before settling in St. Edward. Karla experienced many different areas in the medical field and worked side-by-side with Bill in their medical practice. Her passion was nursing and she treated all holistically, caring for them in body, mind and spirit. A few years following her husband’s sudden passing on December 25, 1980, Karla took a leap of faith and moved temporarily to Tucson, Arizona where she enrolled at the University of Arizona in an accelerated nurse practitioner program in the mid 1980’s. She became one of the first nurse practitioners in Nebraska and worked tirelessly with her colleagues educating the medical establishment of the importance of Nurse Practitioners. Later she operated her own medical clinics in Stanton, NE and Madison, NE. Caring for people was what Karla did best. She never hesitated to make house calls or drop everything to help those who called or came to her door. She had the heart of a servant, giving her time and energy unselfishly and treating all with love, respect and dignity. She considered her patients to be a part of her family.

Later in life Karla met Norman Damgaard and was united in marriage to him on June 23, 1990, at St. Edward Catholic Church. The couple made their home near Lindsay, NE. Together the couple had 23 years of marriage until Norman’s passing on December 9, 2013.

One of Karla’s greatest joys in life was being a mother and grandmother. Her children and grandchildren were the lights of her life and her face beamed whenever one of us called or stopped by. She loved each of us deeply and was our biggest cheerleader, best role model and most patient teacher.

While family and work occupied most of her time, Karla enjoyed traveling home to her beloved Wyoming which she referred to as “God’s Country”. Anticipation and excitement would swell the closer she got and when finally crossing the Wyoming state line she would honk the horn repeatedly and start singing, “Why Oh Why Did I Ever Leave Wyoming”. At the first sight of the mountains, she couldn’t stop smiling as she drove towards them.

Most importantly Karla’s steadfast Catholic faith was not simply something she professed but lived. Through joys and hardships, she firmly trusted God to guide her through every aspect of her life, never wavering in her belief that if we pray, God will take care of everything. Whenever problems arose, whether seeming insurmountable or small, she would encourage prayer. Some of her most repeated words of wisdom were, “Pray, pray, pray” and “Offer it up.” Karla was a member of St. Edward Catholic Church, the Altar Society and a former CCD teacher.

Karla is survived by her four children: Kathy (Kevin) Cruise of St. Edward, NE; Dr. Bill (Shawna) Reardon of Yankton, SD; Peggy Soulliere of Lincoln, NE; Maggie (Ralph) Lee of Lynch, NE; 13 grandchildren: Kolby (Emma) Cruise; Kaleb (Kayanne) Cruise; Kasten (Makaela Krugman) Cruise; Keean Cruise; Kianna Cruise; William (Eleanor) Reardon; Courtney Reardon; Chloe Reardon; Sophia Reardon; Thomas Reardon; Johnathan Reardon; Kylie (Jesse) Kell; Tristan Soulliere; 11 great-grandchildren; sister: Kay Fritz of Niceville, FL; brother: Jim Thoeming of Buffalo, WY; sister-in-law: Nancy Reardon of St. Edward, NE; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Tom (Dede) Reardon of St. Edward, NE; as well as many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents and both husbands.