Doris Ethel (Ebbers) Odvody was born March 6, 1935, to Harvey and Ethel (Drewing) Ebbers, on a farm west of Wilber, where she grew up. She passed away October 24, 2026, at Bryan East Hospital in Lincoln.

When she was just six years old, her mother died unexpectedly. Doris, her younger sister Marilyn, and baby brother Dale lived with their grandmother in Clatonia until their father’s marriage to Edna Franzen a few years later. Dean, Allen, and Linda were added to the family after that marriage. Edna insisted they were a family; there would be no mention of step or half siblings.

Growing up, Doris attended Zion Evangelical, a country church between DeWitt and Swanton, before attending country school and then Wilber High School, where she met the love of her life, Emil Odvody. She graduated in 1953.

After graduation, she attended Doane College’s summer program to become a teacher. She taught one year at County School #92 and one year at Happy Hollow District #149 in Gage County.

Emil and Doris were married on May 12, 1955, while Emil was home on leave from the U.S. Marines. After the wedding, they drove to Oceanside, California, where Emil was stationed, making their home in a small camper trailer until they were able to move into an apartment right by the ocean. While in California, their first son, Roy, was born.

After Emil was discharged, they made their home on a farm near Western, NE. Their family grew as they added Donald, Bonnie, Michael (stillborn), and Jane. Doris was a vital partner on the family farm, where they raised dairy cattle, hogs, and chickens. They always had a variety of animals to care for and a large garden to tend, while Doris also cared for her flowers. Eventually, they upgraded the milking operation to a Grade A dairy, where Doris was the primary milker and also handled most of the A.I. breeding.

Doris worked at the new Alpo plant in Crete. After they retired to Wilber in 1982, she also worked at Club Wilber, Wanek’s in Crete, and the Wilber Bakery.

Doris enjoyed sewing. She sewed hundreds of Czech vests and complete outfits for the Czech Craft Shop. She sewed and crocheted many lovely gifts for her family. Doris was well known in the community for altering wedding gowns, prom dresses, and anything else that needed altering. She also did embroidery and quilting. She spent many hours in “Doris’s Dungeon,” as Emil liked to call her sewing room.

Doris was known as Grandma Booboo to her 14 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. Nothing brought a bigger smile to her face than holding a new baby, and she would snuggle and calm the baby right down. And she had plenty to snuggle, with two sets of twin grandchildren and two sets of twin great-grandchildren. She enjoyed doing puzzles, word puzzles, and Sudoku. She enjoyed going for drives while listening to Czech music.

Doris was an adventurous person. The family took many vacations together, and Doris was always up for any adventure: horseback riding, whitewater rafting, and parasailing, all well into her 70s. Emil and Doris enjoyed traveling to many countries, and their last international trip was a 2025 cruise to South Africa with their children, taken over Doris’s 90th birthday in celebration of their 70th anniversary.

Doris is survived by her husband of 71 years, Emil A. Odvody; brother Dean (Judy) Ebbers of Scottsbluff, NE; brother-in-law Verlin “Buzz” Novak of Fairbury, NE; sisters-in-law Linda Sue Ebbers of Wilber, NE, and Helen Broz-Odvody of Wilber, NE; children Roy Odvody (Agnes Brennan), Donald (Ruth) Odvody, Bonnie (Gary) Vergith, and Jane (Kevin) Znamenacek; and daughter-in-law Brenda Odvody, all of Western, NE.

She is also survived by her grandchildren: Ashley (Will) Considine of Phoenix, New York; Brian East of Daphne, AL; John (Heaven Henning) Odvody of Western, NE; Christopher (Amanda) Odvody of Wilber, NE; Evan and Beau Odvody of Western, NE; Wendy (Cory Rahe) Sullivan of DeWitt, NE; Dee (Adam) Drake of Daykin, NE; Janelle (Lynn Hermsmeier) Vergith of DeWitt, NE; Jamie (Jake) Brueggemann of Wilber, NE; Sandra (Jeff) Koll of Wilber, NE; Susan (Dan) Senft of Lincoln, NE; and Kane (Courtney) Znamenacek of Kansas City, MO. Further surviving are 24 great-grandchildren and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Doris was preceded in death by her parents, Harvey and Ethel Ebbers; stepmother Edna Ebbers; parents-in-law Emil and Emma Odvody; sisters Marilyn (Ebbers) Broz and Linda Diane (Ebbers) Novak; brothers Dale and Allen Ebbers; brothers-in-law Bernard Broz and Marvin Odvody; son Michael Odvody; grandson Jason Odvody; and granddaughter Bobbi (Odvody) East.

Funeral services will be held Friday, November 6, 2026, at 10:00 AM, at Kuncl Funeral Home in Wilber, NE. Visitation will be on Thursday, November 5, from 5 - 7 PM.

Interment will be at North Fork Cemetery, Western, NE.