Lillie Reichman

Lillie Marie Lagler Nass Reichman passed from this life into eternity on Friday evening, Mar. 6, 2020 at the Indian Hills Nursing Home in Ogallala. She had been a resident of Perkins County for 98 years, 3 months, and 19 days.

She was preceded in death by both husbands, Fred (Fritz) Nass and Vester Reichman, her parents, siblings, and son-in-law Glenn Bailey.

She is survived by six children, 15 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren and seven great, great grandchildren. In 1993 she chose to bequeath her body to the Nebraska Anatomical Boards for use in medical education and research at either the University of Nebraska Medical Center or Creighton University Medical School.

There will be no funeral or interment. A private memorial service will be held at a later date.

Lillie was born to August and Mary (Kraft) Lagler at the Kraft Family homestead site two miles north and a half mile west of Grant on Nov. 16, 1921. She was the youngest of five children.

She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran church where her strong and enduring faith in God our Savior was instilled.

She excelled academically during her youth, graduating as valedictorian of her 1938 Perkins County High School class of ‘35 after previously attaining the top score of 124 Perkins County 8th grade students in 1934. Lillie received a Regents scholarship to the University of Nebraska and was always disappointed that her parents were unwilling to allow her attendance. Instead, she obtained employment as the teacher of a “country” school located a mile north of the Lagler home, teaching there until 1941. 

On Nov. 30, 1939, Lillie was united in marriage to Fred Nass where they made their first home in a basement house northwest of Grant where Fred worked for a farmer.

In the summer of 1944, they purchased a house and 160 acres of land five miles south and two miles west of Madrid where they subsequently farmed and raised a family consisting of one son, Fred Lynn (Joyce Hodde) of Lincoln and five daughters, Dorothy Ann Reed (Dennis) of Lacey, Wash., Beverly Marie Miller (Carl) of Grand Junction, Colo., Mary Beth Bieber (Alan) of Big Springs, Sylvia Ruth Dudo (Karl) of Madrid, and Loretta Coleen Bailey of Plainview, Neb.

During the ‘80s she temporarily resided in Arizona for one summer and lived and worked at Milldale Ranch by Gandy, Neb. for two years where the cowboys loved her pies.

In 1984 she married Vester Reichman and enjoyed living on his farm south of Chappell for four years until his death in 1988. But Lillie never relinquished ownership of or failed to maintain residency of her Perkins county home of 75 years. Her roots were deep in her farming community, she loved her neighborhood and deeply missed the many families and friends who passed before her.

On Jan. 28 of this year she suffered a stroke that took her from this home and ultimately led to her death.

Lillie was a hardworking, simple woman who was content with being home and nurturing her family. She most loved being outside, growing a big garden and canning its produce, tending her chickens and livestock and watching the setting sun.

She was an accomplished seamstress making most of her young children’s clothing, was known for her baked breads, pies, and sauerkraut, loved to play Bingo and read every book in sight.

She survived having five daughters active in 4-H at the county fair, volunteered at school and church and was active in the Texas Trail Extension club. Education was very important to her and she made it a high priority that each of her children would have opportunity to pursue higher learning.

Grandkids looked forward to “Grandma Week” with homemade strawberry ice cream and a full cookie jar, drawing handprints on the attic ceiling and learning to drive in the pasture, having picnics and laying on the grass looking up at the stars. Lillie was a wonderful, fun-loving mother, grandmother and friend. She will be fondly remembered for her unselfish spirit, quick wit and sense of humor. 

Memorials may be given to the Fire Departments of Madrid or Grant or to the Perkins County School Foundation scholarship fund.