A Funeral Service for Alice D. Derr will be held on Friday, October 21, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. at the Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Holdrege with Reverend Richard Boring officiating. Interment will follow at the Prairie Home Cemetery at Holdrege.
The funeral service will be live streamed via the Mt. Calvary Lutheran Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/Mt-Calvary-Lutheran-Church-109006532511492
Alice (Krueger) Derr, 96 years of age, of Holdrege, died on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, at Christian Homes Care Community at Holdrege. Alice was born on March 14, 1926 in Adams County, Nebraska, near Blue Hill, Nebraska, the youngest of five daughters born to Louie and Anna (Muhleisen) Krueger. She attended Trinity Lutheran School in Blue Hill through the 8th grade and graduated from Blue Hill High School, with the class of 1944.
Following her graduation, she began working at the Navel Ammunition Depot in Hastings, Nebraska, alongside many friends and family members. The artillery shells were painted pretty pastel colors and loaded with explosives. When an employee down the line from Alice dropped a shell, she took off running out the door and down the tracks, running for her life. A kind gentleman calmed her fears and reassured her that, she wasn’t the first to do that and that she can keep working.
On December 20, 1945, Alice was united in marriage to Galen E. “Bud” Derr. Following Bud’s honorable discharge in 1946, the couple lived a couple different places and then settled in Holdrege. Alice later began working for Paige’s Supermarket in Holdrege and made the best potato salad and macaroni salad. She later worked for Christian Homes Care Community in Dietary, making desserts and salads. She made delicious cookies, cakes, bars, and other desserts and made many friends there.
Alice was a member of the Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church for over 70 years and had a strong Christian faith. Alice was friendly and spunky, with quite a sense of humor. She created many wonderful memories. At 96, she still had a sharp mind, and was still making birthday calls to family and friends, singing, “Happy Birthday to You!”
She and Bud enjoyed traveling to Colorado, Texas, and other destinations, through the years. They loved the friendships of Bud’s Navy reunions and always looked forward to them. Alice and Bud were married 60 ½ years, when Bud died on July 6, 2006.
Alice enjoyed sharing her memories of growing up on the farm. Growing up in the 30’s were hard times and the entertainment were the pets, including: puppies, kittens, ducks, geese, a white rabbit, a white cat named, Samantha Jane, and a goat named, Ernie Jacob. Alice especially enjoyed dogs throughout her life and liked to meet other’s dogs. Alice loved music and Animal Planet was a favorite TV show of hers.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Louie and Anna Krueger; her husband, Bud; her four sisters and their husbands: Pauline Warnke and husband, Chris; Irene Harrifeld and husband, Irvin; Berniece Harrifeld and husband, George; and Verna Heltenberg and husband, Marvin; nieces and nephew: Marilyn (Harrifeld) Rademacher; Linda (Harrifeld) Hagewood; and Bob Warnke; and nephew-in-law, Ed Wooten.
Alice is survived by her nieces and nephews: Jeannie Kassik and husband, Paul of Shickley, Nebraska; Julie Ednicott and husband, Steve of York, Nebraska; Dick Warnke and wife, Doris of Ayr, Nebraska; Phyllis Garner and husband, Ron of Ashland, Nebraska; Tom Hagewood of Schyler, Nebraska; Joan (Harrifled) Wooten of Davenport, Iowa; Jan Booker and husband, Wayne of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Marvin Harrifeld and wife, Rosella of Blue Hill; Wally Derr and wife, Sharon of McCook, Nebraska; Gary Derr and wife, Joyce of Campbell, Nebraska; Roger Derr and wife, Pat of Colorado Springs; Rodney Derr and wife, Louise of Corpus Christi, Texas; and Wayne Derr and wife, Barb of Bonaire, Georgia; along with many extended relatives and many friends.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, October 20, 2022, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.
A memorial has been established in Alice’s honor and kindly suggested to: Start Over Rover of Hastings; Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church of Holdrege; or Heartland Pet Connection of Hastings.
Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com
The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.