Norma Stokey

Norma Stokey, 94, formerly of Lewellen went to rest with her Heavenly Father on Friday afternoon, December 10, 2021 at the Heritage Estates in Gering.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, December 16, 2021, at the Lewellen Methodist Church with Pastor Seung Park officiating.  Burial will follow in the Ash Hollow Cemetery.

Services will be streamed live and available to watch after the service on the Holechek-Bondegard Facebook page (www.facebook.com/hbfunerals).

Visitation will be held Thursday morning beginning at 9:30 at the church in Lewellen.

Family and friends can leave condolences at www.bondegardfunerals.com.

Holechek-Bondegard Funeral Home and Cremations in Oshkosh is serving the Stokey family.

Norma McNally Stokey was born November 21, 1927, in Lewellen, Nebraska to Richard and Lucille Schirmer McNally.

She married Vernon ‘Pete’ Stokey on May 8, 1952 in Oshkosh, NE. Norma and Pete had six children: Linda Stokey Thompson of Minatare; Pat (Marlan) Bloyd of Sioux Falls, SD; Sue (Lloyd) Spangler of Norfolk, NE; Jim (Kathy) Stokey of Chadron, NE; Katherine Stokey of Gering, NE; and Peggy (Greg) Gade of Lewellen, NE.

Norma attended school in Garden County, and after earning her teaching degree from Kearney, NE, she taught in rural schools.

Norma and Pete made their home in Lewellen, where they bought the Oregon Trail Conoco Station in 1959. Norma also worked until the age of 85 as a nursing aide at the Lewellen and Oshkosh Nursing Homes. She was a long-time member of the Lewellen United Methodist Church.

She was a kind and giving person who was guided by her faith and loved by everyone she met. She had a heart of gold and found pleasure in the simple act of giving to others.

As a long-time participant in The Giving Bee, Norma was part of a group of ladies who made hundreds of quilts for foster children and babies. A large number of hand-made quilts were given to the Boys Ranch south of Alliance each holiday season. After seeing them drape the quilts around their shoulders as special treasures, Norma was motivated to put her heart and soul into sewing hours every day to make sure there were always more to give. The group also made sturdy cotton bags that replaced the plastic bags so often used to stuff personal belongings into when a child protection worker would need to remove a child from their home.

When she could no longer work with the nursing home residents, she volunteered to do manicures for the men and women.

She was also a skilled baker and decorated wedding and graduation cakes for multiple family members over the years. She crafted quilts and crocheted blankets for her children and grandchildren, and she also volunteered at church bakes sales. Norma sold Avon for a time and graciously gave all of her earnings to her children who were attending college.

One of her great joys was seeing her family all together; for many years, she hosted a large annual family Christmas gathering at the Lewellen Fire Hall where all the children received special gifts from their “Grandma Pink,” as she was nicknamed by her great-grandchildren.

Norma was blessed with 16 grandchildren: Ben, Seth, and Sarah Thompson (Linda); Jacque (Frank) Johnson, Babette (Aarron) Fernald, and Harry Suhr (Pat); Nancy (Norman) Culp, Stacia (John) Randall, and Jonathan (Mikayla) Spangler (Sue); Jason, Janell (Jake) Stewart and Vernon (Tanee) Stokey (Jim); Jeremy (Melissa) Smith and Jennifer (George) Schlothauer (Kathy); Tara (Brian) Canning and Blake (Samantha) Gade (Peggy). She is also remembered fondly by Chris (Marla) Baer.

Her great grandchildren: Kyle (Kayla) Stauffer and Riley Stauffer, Kyli Suhr and Whitney Kuta;  Makenna (fiancé Dylan Bray) and Ethan Frerichs, Noah and Brenden Culp; Owen Randall and Samantha Randall (fiancé Chris Cisar);  Ruvani and Barrett Spangler; Dalton, Fletcher, Maxxton, and Layah Stewart; Coltryn and Alyvia Stokey; Jennie (Tyler) Ulrich, Madison, Jacob, Jayson, and Carter Smith; Jessica and Allison Baer, Macy, Max, and Clare Schlothauer; and Burklee, Braxon, Bodie, and Baylee Canning.

Seven great-great grandchildren: Carter Stauffer, Alani, Romi, and Kyron Suhr, Elliot and Layne Ulrich and Oliver Cisar.

She is survived by her last living sibling, her sister, Ruth Humble of Denver, CO.

Norma was preceded in death by husband, Vernon ‘Pete’, daughter, Peggy Gade, sisters Kay McConkey and Martha McNally, brother Richard Jr. McNally, grandsons Jason Stokey, Harry Suhr and Seth Thompson, and granddaughter Babette Fernald.