Leota Jacobsen

Leota Jacobsen, age 82, of Aurora, died Monday morning, January 27, 2003, at Memorial Community Care in Aurora.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, February 1st at the United Methodist Church in Neligh. Rev. Kay Moyer and Rev. Brian Kottas will officiate. Interment will be in the Laurel Hill Cemetery in Neligh. Visitation will be from 3 to 8 P.M. Thursday at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary in Aurora, with a prayer service at 6:00 P.M. with Pastor Brian Kottas. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at higbymortuary.com.

OBITUARY: LEOTA JACOBSEN

Leota May Jacobsen, the daughter of George Noel and Della May (Akers) Marshall, was born on the family farm north of Clearwater, Nebraska on June 23, 1920 and died in Aurora, Nebraska on January 27, 2003, at the age of 82 years.

She grew up in rural Clearwater area where she attended grade school at District #40 through 8th grade. Leota graduated from Clearwater High School in 1937 with a teaching certificate. Leota taught one year at Red Top School in Franklin County and one year at District #91 south of Orchard in Antelope County.

Leota was united in marriage to Everett Johnnie Jacobsen on May 28, 1939 at the Methodist Church in Clearwater. They lived on farms near Clearwater from 1939-1941, when they moved to a dairy farm in Neligh from 1941-1942 and then moved to a farm northwest of Clearwater for four years before purchasing a farm northwest of Petersburg, Nebraska. In 1951, they moved to a farm 2 ½ miles west of Royal where they built a new home. They remained there until both children had graduated from high school in Orchard. In 1962, they rented out their farm ground and went to Estes Park, Colorado to work for 14 summers. From 1970-1987 they spent their winters in Mesa, Arizona. In 1982, they sold the Royal farm and purchased a home in Norfolk where they spent the spring, summer & fall, until 1987 when due to Everett's health the Arizona home was sold and Norfolk became their permanent home. After Everett passed away on November 30, 1990 Leota lived by herself in Norfolk until October of 1992, when she sold the that home and purchased a manufactured home to place in the yard of her daughter Sharon and her husband Charles near Aurora. Leota lived there until July 2001 when she moved to Memorial Community Care in Aurora.

Leota was an active member of the United Methodist Church in Royal. She served as Sunday Superintendent, Bible School Director & Choir Director during the 1950's & 60's. She belonged to the Highlanders Extension Club of Antelope County. She was talented in craftwork and made and sold and gave as gifts a variety of craft items. Leota taught craft classes to residents of Cielo Grande Mobile Home Park while living there. Leota enjoyed pets and especially a little grey tiger cat, Morticia, who was a companion to her at her home near Aurora.

As a couple, Leota and Everett enjoyed traveling the western states and up into Canada, which included trips to visit relatives and friends in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin as well. Leota was given her first Teddy Bear after Everett passed away and in the years since has acquired, mostly as gifts, a large collection of Teddy Bears of all descriptions.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, three brothers, Faye, Frank and James Kenneth and one sister, Helen.

Those left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Sharon (Jacobsen/Rissler) Promes and her husband Charles of Aurora; son, Stanley Jacobsen of Aurora; three grandsons, Brett Rissler and his wife Nancy of Frisco, Texas and Chad Jacobsen and his wife Laura of Indianapolis, Indiana and Craig Jacobsen and his wife Laura of Gilbert, Arizona; two step-grandsons, Jeff Promes and his wife Gina of Hillsboro, Texas and Mark Promes of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; step-daughter, Robin Miles of Mart, Texas; 2 great-grandchildren, Garrett & Shelby Rissler of Frisco, Texas and 7 step-great grandchildren, Kelli & Kenzie Promes of Hillsboro, Texas, Michael, Lauren, Spencer and Taylor Promes of Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Thomas Jeffrey Miles of Mart, Texas. She is also survived by sister-in-law, Marquerite Marshall and brother-in-law & sister-inlaw, Mervin and Donna Jacobsen and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.