Arthur LaGrant Exstrom

Born on August 23, 1932. Passed away on June 15, 2023. A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday June 20, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. at Sheridan Lutheran Church, 6955 Old Cheney Road, Lincoln NE 68516. To leave a condolence please use the form below.
Funeral Home assisting is Aspen Mortuary, 4822 Cleveland Avenue, Lincoln, NE 68504. To view an on-line obituary or email condolences please visit Aspen Mortuary’s website at www.aspenaftercare.com.
Brenda J. Earl

Brenda J. Earl, 77, of Lincoln, died Monday April 17, 2023. She was born March 3, 1946 in Gothenburg, Nebraska. In her younger years Brenda moved to Oklahoma, attended Nazarene College, and worked providing daycare for children. She later moved to Lincoln and was employed by Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in laundry services. She is survived by her loving sisters, Ramona Earl and Karen Prenosil both of Lincoln, nephew Shawn (ex-wife Cheryl) Prenosil and their children Spencer and Amera, special friends Dr. Virginia & Greg Donovan and family, Dr. Gary & Heidi Patee and family, and her wonderful and beautiful cat, Mandy. She was preceded in death by her mother, Dorothy Earl, brother in law, Ed Prenosil, and niece Julie Prenosil. She will be cremated with no visitation. To leave a condolence please use the form below.
Funeral Home assisting is Aspen Mortuary, 4822 Cleveland Avenue, Lincoln, NE 68504. To view an on-line obituary or email condolences please visit Aspen Mortuary’s website at www.aspenaftercare.com.
Cynthia Lucille (Beighley) Eckery

Born – 02/23/1952, Passed – 02/20/2023, Resided – Lincoln, NE She is preceded in death by her parents, Russell Beighley and Virginia (Burks) Beighley, her brother Thom, and her niece Shandra. She is survived by her children (Dylan, Ryan, Daniel, and Kristin), her sister Karen, her nephew Brandon, her niece Kim, and friends. A celebration of life service will be held on Friday March 10, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at Lincoln Berean Church, 6400 S 70th St. Lincoln, NE 68516. Memorials in care of the family. Please no plant or floral arrangements. To leave a condolence please use the form below
Funeral Home assisting is Aspen Mortuary, 4822 Cleveland Avenue, Lincoln, NE 68504. To view an on-line obituary or email condolences please visit Aspen Mortuary’s website at www.aspenaftercare.com.
Norma Jean Ellington

Norma J. Ellington, age 86, passed away with her daughters at her side on January 24, 2022. She was a wonderful woman whose endearing nature captured the hearts of everyone she met. Norma was born to Henry Hunt and Naomi Hunt (Sorrell) on March 11, 1935 in Salt Lick, Kentucky. Norma was an excellent student and worked in the school office during high school for the principal who would become her future father-in-law. Although Norma met her future husband in grade school, it was not until a high school dance that they decided to take a chance on each other. While dating, Norma and Earl had serious discussions concerning their goals and their future with a focus on family and education. Together they worked to not only reach those early goals, but to continue to revise, expand and exceed their goals throughout their marriage. They married on June 30, 1953 and had two daughters, Teresa and Patty. Earl and Norma instilled the importance of family and education in their two daughters and their families. Their big dreams and adventurous life led them across the country where they moved from Kentucky to California to Oregon and finally planted strong roots in Nebraska. Norma dedicated her life to being a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend. She excelled at supporting her loved ones through the many passions and difficulties of their lives. She made it her mission to improve the lives of others. Norma strove to be an active member in her community and was passionate about protecting the people and land within it. She was instrumental in the movement to keep the Oregon beaches open to the public and coastlines free from commercial properties. In Nebraska, she was an active member of the local TTT Chapter, Women’s Council of Realtors, and Ceres Club. In addition to her love of community, Norma and her husband, Earl, were ambitious travelers. Together, they traveled nationally and internationally where they enjoyed exploring different cultures, made many friends, and incorporated their hobbies of antiquing and investigating the local real estate market. Norma’s hobbies included: cooking, reading, knitting, spending time with family and friends, and attending Nebraska sporting events. #GOBIGRED! Norma used her unwavering positivity, her love of community, and her knowledge of the current housing market during her 37 years as a Realtor in the Lincoln area. Her clients frequently commented on her commitment to providing excellent service while ensuring they were getting the home of their dreams. She was the realtor of choice in many families for multiple generations. Her drive and dedication earned her the Top Realtor of the Year award numerous times throughout her career. Norma is survived by daughters Teresa and husband David Jacka, Patricia Ellington and husband Mike Hill, grandchildren, Jeff Jacka (Liz), Jennifer Jancich (Bryan), James Babcock, Sarah Elizabeth Schmidt (Jim), and great-grandsons, Bentley and Bennet Jancich. Norma was an only child and was quickly adopted as part of the Ellington family including brother-in-law R.W. Ellington (Ginny), sisters-in-law, Vivian Hogge (Fred), Arye Dethmers (Don), and Evelyn Sallee (Sam). She is predeceased by her husband, Dr. Earl F. Ellington, parents, Henry Hunt, Naomi Sorrell (Hunt) and Dee Sorrell, brothers-in-law, Lindsay Ellington Jr., Fred Hogge, and Donald Dethmers, father-in-law, Lindsay, and mother-in-law, Hazel Ellington. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Thursday, June 30th from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. in the enclosed shelter at Bethany Park in Lincoln, Nebraska (closest to the intersection of North 66th Street and Vine Street). For more information and to share your memories, please visit the memorial site https://www.forevermissed.com/norma-jean-ellington/lifestory or leave your condolences below. In lieu of flowers, and to honor Norma Ellington’s continued commitment to family and education, memorials may be made to University of Nebraska Foundation, Ellington Memorial Fund, at https://nufoundation.org/ways-to-give or to the University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, E S Good Barn, 1451 University Drive, Lexington, Kentucky 40546-0097.
Funeral Home assisting is Aspen Mortuary, 4822 Cleveland Avenue, Lincoln, NE 68504. To view an on-line obituary or email condolences please visit Aspen Mortuary’s website at www.aspenaftercare.com.
Edith “EdaRee” Marie Eckblade

Obituary for Edith M. (Eda Ree) Eckblade, age 91 years, 10 months, 12 days. (b. June 22, 1929; d. May 13, 2021) Eda Ree Eckblade of Juniata, NE, died May 13 in Lincoln. Edith (Eda Ree) was born in 1929 in Dickenson, ND, to parents Clara (Weiland) and Rev. Nathaniel Hass. Her family lived in Pingree, ND, and then moved to Chadron, NE, where her father pastored a church. She attended school in Chadron and graduated from the Preparatory High School in 1947. She moved with her parents after WWII to Omaha, where she attended the University at Omaha (UNO) and earned a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics. After graduation, she worked for the Crosley appliance company traveling and demonstrating their products. In Omaha, she met the love of her life and husband of 50 years, C. James Eckblade. They were married on Aug. 12, 1953, in Riverside, CA, where her parents had retired. Jim and Eda Ree came to live in Nebraska, first in Lincoln, where their first two daughters were born, and then in 1959 moved to Hastings where two more daughters were added to the family. She and Jim retired to Juniata in the home where she lived until Jan. 2020. Along with being a loving wife, mother, sister, and grandmother, Eda Ree was loyal volunteer, involved with many organizations in Hastings including the YWCA, domestic violence task force, foster care review board, family planning, senior/aging services, public library, Adams county elections, and several women’s circle groups at her church, 1st Congregational UCC. Eda Ree was blessed to travel regularly across the country and to parts of Europe, Mexico, and Alaska, and to spend time with family at their beloved lake cabin. She was passionate about cooking, sewing, classical music, and reading, which she enjoyed long into her later years. Eda Ree was preceded in death by her husband, Jim (2003), her parents and in-laws, six siblings and spouses. She is survived by her daughters and spouses, Becky (Dan) Higgins, of Lincoln, Miriam Eckblade (Jim Boelter) of Omaha, Anita (Mark) Schaepe of Lincoln, Emily (Jeff) Weak of Omaha; grandchildren Erik (Marie) Higgins, Brita Higgins, Nathan (Katie) Schaepe, Reuben Schaepe, Katie M. Schaepe, Stefan (Sara) Schaepe, Charles, Rudy, Lilly, & Naomi Weak; 6 great grandchilden: Josiah, Lillian, Miqueas, Cecilia, Lucy, and Alvin; sister-in-law, Elizabeth “Betsy” Hass, Riverside, CA, and many nieces and nephews. Memorial services pending for July in Hastings, internment in Stromsburg, NE. Memorials may be given in her memory to 1st Congregational United Church of Christ-Hastings, the Hastings Public Library, or the donor’s choice. To leave a condolence please use the form below.
Funeral Home assisting is Aspen Mortuary, 4822 Cleveland Avenue, Lincoln, NE 68504. To view an on-line obituary or email condolences please visit Aspen Mortuary’s website at www.aspenaftercare.com.