Leona Nissen

Leona Nissen, age 80, of Kronborg died Wednesday, October 4, 2000, at Hamilton Manor in Aurora.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Saturday at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Kronborg. Rev. Jack Eske will officiate. Interment will be in St. John Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 7 P.M., Friday at Higby Mortuary in Aurora.

OBITUARY: LEONA NISSEN

Leona Frances Nissen, the daughter of Sigvard and Julia (Kaae) Andersen was born on a farm near Marquette, Nebraska on November 8, 1919 and died in Aurora, Nebraska on October 4, 2000, at the age of 80 years, 10 months and 27 days.

She grew up on the family farm near Marquette. Leona was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church. She attended Rural School and graduated from Marquette High School. She attended Midland College for teachers training. She taught rural school for five years. She spent one summer employed in Santa Barbara, California prior to her marriage.

Leona was united in marriage to Guilford Nissen on March 22, 1942 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Kronborg. To this union were born three children, one daughter, Marlys and two sons, LaWayne and Leo. Because of her love for people she actively served as Sunday School Teacher and Superintendent, in the Parent Teacher Organization as long as it existed receiving an Honorary Life Membership for service at the State Level. As a lover of education and people she enjoyed serving as an employee for the World Book products for a number of years. She and her husband were involved in a prison ministry, including opening their home to assist prisoners from prison life to civilian life. They retired from farm life to Kronborg in 1969, in view of her beloved churchplace. They celebrated their Golden Anniversary in 1992.

Her personal interest was keeping contact with immediate family by letters. Her husband and she enjoyed entertaining their grandchildren a week each summer during their youth.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Herluff and Elwood, one sister, Helga Kauffman, and one granddaughter, Taunya Meyer.

Survivors include her husband Guilford of Kronborg; three children, Marlys Meyer and her husband Alex of Snyder, LaWayne Nissen and his wife Pam of Marquette, and Leo Nissen and his wife Aletia of Lincoln; sister, Stella Danhauer of Aurora; 11 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.