Mary Jane Henn

Mary Jane Henn, 84, of Elgin, NE passed away Friday, November 22, 2019 at Arbor Care Center in Neligh, NE.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 27, 2019 at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church in Raeville, NE, with Rev. Kevin Vogel officiating. Burial will follow at St. Boniface Cemetery, Elgin, NE. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Tuesday at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church in Raeville, NE, with a 7:00 p.m. wake service.

In Lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the family for later designation.

Mary Jane was born to Emil E. and Henrietta A. (Lordemann) Bigge, in Petersburg, NE on August 8, 1935, on her dad's 34 ^th birthday. Like all of her siblings, she graduated from St John the Baptist High School.

After high school Mary Jane followed her sister and many friends to Omaha. She worked for two insurance companies and savored all the city had to offer for three years.

When Mary Jane was dating Dean, she lived in Omaha and he lived in Elgin. She would stay in Elgin as late as she could on Sunday evenings, taking the night milk trains back to Omaha, sleeping very little, getting into Omaha early Monday mornings – only in time to get ready for work. It must have been true love because they were united in marriage on June 25, 1956 at St. John the Baptist Church in Petersburg and in June 2019, they celebrated 63 years of marriage. From this union came seven children, nine grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

She was a member of St. Boniface Catholic Church and sang in the St. Boniface Choir, was a member of the Altar Society, Christian Mothers, was a Circle Leader and St. Boniface Quilter. She was a prayer line member and devoted hospice care giver.

Mary Jane was involved in the community as a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Hobby Club and was a Leader in Antelope County 4-H for over 16 years. She was a Figurettes Consultant and worked part-time at the Elgin Liquor Store. Throughout their marriage, Dean and Mary Jane spent most of their free time – as well as raising their children at "The River". Those years produced many cherished memories with family and friends of boating, fishing, swimming, horseshoes, hunting and trap shooting – and she was often a better shot than her husband! The nights were filled with sitting by campfires, telling stories and late-night card games. Watching the river go by was one of her favorite pastimes.

Mary Jane was a gifted seamstress – sewing fashionable clothing for herself and her family and was sought out by many for her custom sewing and alteration skills. She made beautiful quilts, knitted, crocheted and started her own homemade country doll and craft business. She dabbled in oil painting, worked with clay, and took guitar and sign language classes. Mary Jane painstakingly refinished all of the oak woodwork and many pieces of antique furniture in their home. She was a regular at the Elgin Bowling Alley for many years on the Bank of Elgin bowling team. In her downtime and into her later years, she loved to read and be around her grandchildren.

Mary Jane is survived by husband Dean, children: Verona Henn of Elgin, Andrew Henn of Littleton CO, Dorothy (Kent) Einertson of Aurora CO, Richard (Debra Neely) Henn of Aurora CO, Randall (Janet Yoshikawa) Henn of Thornton CO, Denis (Janette) Henn of Elgin, Gayann Henn of Lincoln, nine grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

Surviving siblings include sisters Agatha Menon of Sierra Madre CA, Erma (Russell) Eggerling of Norfolk, brother Henry Bigge of Fullerton, in-laws Dan and Raedean Henn and Terry and Janice Henn, all of Elgin, Marlene Henn of Clearwater and Joan Henn of Norfolk.

She is preceded in death by her parents, parents-in-law Sylvester and Ada Henn, grandson Chase Kluthe, sister Emily Reestman, in-laws Evans Menon, Roger Henn and Marjorie Henn, Floyd Henn, Delores Henn, Janie Overton and Lois and Bob Camp.